Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | My blood count numbers were all over the place for several years after I had chemo and rads. I also lost a tremendous amount of weight making me feel like I was always just drained of strength. Every week I had my blood counts run and each week the numbers were different for the 8 months of visiting nurses coming 3x a week. Im pretty sure it was about 3.5 years after I first began rads until I was able to have consistently level blood counts.
Its a very good thing having the doctors checking the blood counts. Resistance runs low when they're off so its very important to avoid crowds (Black Friday shopping malls, movies, etc), frequently wash hands, avoid people who are visibly sick like coughing, blowing their nose and can be whats causing tiredness in some patients. If exposed to things that are contagious, someone who has their blood counts all way off tend to pick things up quicker than someone who is strong and in good health. Back when my numbers were way off, I began carrying hand sanitizer with me everywhere I went to be certain I was protecting myself as much as possible. ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive |