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CarolK
Member
Username: Nonna
Post Number: 13
Registered: 05-2011
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 - 06:22 pm: | 
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At what point should we worry about a bad cold and call our liver team? They tell us we could wind up in hospital with a cold ! Do we wait for a fever ??? Any help would be great ? My first summer after tx I had a cold and they said to use over the counter (sudafed) . It did last a long time but I got over it. Thanks, Carol |
health journey
Member
Username: Health_journey
Post Number: 32
Registered: 04-2011
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 - 09:21 pm: |
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Hi CarolK.. Good question. I am 2 yrs post tx and I wondered about that too. I can say I did get two colds which turned into a bronchial cough and lasted well over a month. My doctor gave me antibiotics and cough syrup and I used it. however I am finding my little colds that used to last 3 days are now lingering a long time. I guess our bodies have a hard time getting the immune responses we need to fight the illness. In view of this, I do try to stay away from sick people.
I have not had a fever yet but I think that would be a clue to contact your doctor. Also if the illness is not getting better.
I am a bit confused about symptoms being masked by immune suppresant drugs like we take. If your immune system fights off germs in your body by giving you the sore throat, fevers, etc. to kill off the germs , are the symptoms delayed in an immune depressed person. Not sure if that makes sense. I am having difficulty putting my question into words.
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Joe Berry
Forum Leader
Username: Joe910
Post Number: 310
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 - 09:23 pm: |
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I am four years post and have never had a fever, but I sure have had what started as a cold and went to a sinus infection that hung on for a long time. I have a great primary care doctor and I go see him at the very beginning. He understands my supressed immune system and usually orders antibiotics and sometimes prednisone. I called my transplant center the first couple of times, but they were good with what my local doc was doing. I will call them if I don'+-t understand the treatment plan, but so far so good.
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health journey
Member
Username: Health_journey
Post Number: 33
Registered: 04-2011
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 - 09:43 pm: |
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Joe... how do you add the info below your post ? Like date of transplant. I tried "edit profile" but that didn't do it. |
Diane
Forum Leader
Username: Mary_diane
Post Number: 663
Registered: 02-2009
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 - 10:30 pm: |
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Hi Carol,
Great question. My Transplant team has said to just carry on unless I have a fever, and if that is the case, to call them immediately and go to the nearest emergency right away. ( I live 5 hours away from a transplant centre) In terms of medications, their policy is no over the counter cold medications, just the good old fashioned things like chicken soup, drinking lots of fluids and lots of rest, good hand washing, and careful disposal of tissues.
I NEVER used to get colds at all. I have had 1 cold since my transplant, and although I didn't get very sick with it, it seemed to hang on for 2-3 weeks. It turned out to not be a big deal, although I was a bit worried at the beginning, not knowing what to expect.
Carol, in terms of adding the information about your transplant, if you go into edit and scroll down to signature, you should be able to add your information there.
Take good care, and don't catch any colds ! !
Diane
Liver Transplant Nov 20, 2008
Vancouver General, BC
“Sometimes our light goes out but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light.”
Albert Schweitzer
Diane's Blog |
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Mohan
Forum Leader
Username: Mraghavan
Post Number: 217
Registered: 12-2009
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 - 11:20 am: |
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Fevers are an indication that your immune system is fighting a virus or an infection. Since transplant patients are immune suppressed, the chances of a fever are rare even with a bad infection like bronchitis. So, I would recommend seeing your PCP even if it just a cold.
I once had a serious case of pneumonia, but didn't know because I didn't have a fever.
Mohan
Liver Transplant 04/18/2009
University of Colorado Hospital
"...seek a sense of the miraculous in everyday life... |
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health journey
Member
Username: Health_journey
Post Number: 34
Registered: 04-2011
| | Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2011 - 06:36 pm: |
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Thanks Mohan... that's what I was trying to say in my previous post. when you are immune supressed you don't get the usual symptoms which are really the things fighting the virus or infection. Like a fever, inflammation, sore throat, etc. So when I do feel these things I am wondering if we are further along into the illness than those who are not supressed. . No fevers to date for me even with bronchitis. |
papillonbleu
Forum Leader
Username: Papillonbleu
Post Number: 2121
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Monday, November 28, 2011 - 08:57 am: |
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Due to uncertainty caused by immunosuppression, I think if one experiences a change in how one feels for several days without improvement or if it continues to worsen, one should contact the transplant team or other doctor to get their opinion on what to do whether there is a fever or not. I was told though that when I have a fever, I need to go to the emergency room that very day. I had not had a fever in quite a while since my transplant until early October. Then just with a fever and no other symptoms, I went to the ER and discovered I had pneumonia in one of my lungs.
Bobbiejo
Forum Leader-Multivisceral
dx: GERD 1995, gastroparesis 2002, pseudo-obstruction of the bowel 2004
multivisceral transplant, 6 organs, 10/06/05
University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital
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