Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#52505 04-17-2002 12:12 PM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 36
molly Offline OP
Contributing Member (25+ posts)
OP Offline
Contributing Member (25+ posts)

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 36
My sister is in her 5th week of radiation (out of 6) for cancer of tonsils. She is having a pretty rough time this week.
She goes in twice a day for her treatment. On Mondays she sees her oncologist. All is going as it should. She was given
suppositories to help w/ nausea since she cannot keep down the other medication she took orally. As of this afternoon she started
running a fever and just cannot hold anything down. The radiologists have said that she probably has the flu since this is not a condition (fever)
of her radiation treatments. They are saying she continues w/ the fever and vomiting she will have to stay all day at the cancer institute tomorrow
and be I.V'd. She is only 44 and has a family, but I feel that this could be potentially very dangerous and I feel that her oncologist should be told right away.
She is so sick and the family has a wait and see attitude. I want to step in and call the oncologist myself and have him aware of her condition since he saw her on Monday.
I am trying not to butt in but I just want everything that can be done done... confused

#52506 04-17-2002 01:05 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 64
vb Offline
Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Offline
Supporting Member (50+ posts)

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 64
I am not an expert, but when my mother was undergoing radiation for tongue cancer she developed a fever a couple of times because the radiation had beaten up the inside of her mouth so badly that it became infected.She had a hard time using the saline rinse or anything else to clean her mouth because of the pain. I think it is referred to as thrush. She was put on antibiotics and it cleared up both times after about a week. I think this kind of thing is pretty common when a person is having radiation around their mouth.


Vince
#52507 04-18-2002 01:12 AM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 273
Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Offline
Platinum Member (200+ posts)

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 273
I agree, I think the oncologist should know, the radiologist should be imforming him. Thrush is caused by radiation, but not treated with antibiotics, as one of the causes of thrush is antibiotics. At this point IV looks like a good route to go. If it is flu, it needs to be addressed as early as possible

#52508 04-18-2002 05:28 AM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,912
Likes: 52
OCF Founder
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
OCF Founder
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,912
Likes: 52
First, the oncologist should be kept in the loop in all matters, even if they do not seem related to that doctor


Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.

Link Copied to Clipboard
Top Posters
ChristineB 10,507
davidcpa 8,311
Cheryld 5,260
EzJim 5,260
Brian Hill 4,912
Newest Members
Jina, VintageMel, rahul320, Sean916, Megm37
13,103 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums23
Topics18,166
Posts196,921
Members13,103
Most Online458
Jan 16th, 2020
OCF Awards

Great Nonprofit OCF 2023 Charity Navigator OCF Guidestar Charity OCF

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5