Missed Chemo

The pharmacist told you?

I would recommend that you should ask the expert, who in this case is the oncologist.

Don't ask an auto mechanic to diagnose your dishwasher or your eye doctor about your blood pressure medication.

Pharmacists are great people and know lots of things about drugs and interactions but they are not the top of the list for confirming chemotherapy regimens. Oncologists are.

You have also gotten confirmation here from folks who had the discussion with oncologists so hopefully you are more comfortable with the answer from the oncologist.

Best of luck!
Mike

My mom just finished her first cycle of four chemos. The first week, she went on Monday and Tuesday (a different drug each day.) The plan was to go on Monday only the next 2 weeks and then have the fourth week off - making up one cycle.

She went this past Monday for her last chemo of this first cycle, and as usual, they checked her blood first. They wouldn't give her the treatment because her platelets or white cells were way too low. Instead, they had her come in the next day for a blood transfusion.

From what I understand - this is pretty common. They said that the low counts show that the chemo is working, but they have to be careful that the blood counts still stay within a certain level. They gave her two bags of blood and said it would even make her feel a bit better after a day or two of it circulating in her body. We were told she doesn't have to make up the missed chemo. Next week is her week off, so we just begin again the week after next with cycle 2.

So I don't think it's too much to be concerned about. They just have to get your husbands blood count back up (did they give him blood?) So just remember that it's a sign that the chemo is doing what it's supposed to do, and that has to be a good thing, right?

Thoughts are with you and your husband. I know it's hard. Hang in there and come back any time for support. Hugs - Mary

Rest assured, missing chemo because of low blood counts is a perfectly normal thing to happen during treatment..For this reason blood tests are routinely carried out before treatments. This has ocurred many times with my husband too. Don't get stressed out, it will be OK..

Trust your oncologist, definitely not your pharmacist, he has given you incorrect information.

I finished 6 rounds of chemo at the end of February and there were 3 times I was not able to have chemo because of low counts. I have one of the best oncologists in Connecticut and he has been at it for over 30 years. I trusted his judgement completely and in the end waiting a week now and then did not make any difference andI had good results.I hope your husband has good results and he does not have too hard a time of it.
Blessings...Jean

My husband went today to have his second round of chemo and he was able to because his counts were too low. I find it interesting that the pharmacist told us that he would always have chemo even if his counts were low, they would just adjust his chemo and now this. His question to the nurse was, "Is this a bad thing"? She said no it's not a bad thing, but I disagree. I feel that it is a bad thing because he isn't having chemo which means the cancer is not being treated for another week. I know it upset him too but he isn't going to show that to me.

What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks for listening!