Fever and chills are signs of possible infection. You may be a patient who is very vulnerable to infection the first weeks after therapy if your blood counts are low. If you have a fever, act promptly and call your doctor or nurse, because you cannot fight infection when the white blood cell count is low.
Your goals
- Monitor your temperature and call for professional help if you have a fever.
Urgent signs and symptoms - Call clinic or hospital operator NOW
- Temperature of 100.9 F or 38.2 C or above by mouth.
- Fever greater than 1 degree above usual when you are taking prednisone.
- Shaking or chills (temperature may be normal).
Important signs and symptoms to report to your doctor or nurse
- Any redness or swelling on the skin or at an intravenous (IV) site.
- Cold symptoms (runny nose, stuffy nose, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing).
- New abdominal or back pain.
- Toothache.
What you can do at home
- Take temperature twice a day, morning and evening.
- Take oral (mouth) or axillary (under the arm) temperatures only. Do not take rectal temperature; the thermometer may injure membranes inside the rectum.
- Record temperatures.
- If using a glass thermometer, wash the thermometer after each use with warm water and soap.
- Always check with the clinic before trying measures to bring down fever.
- Do not take Tylenol, unless directed by the doctor or nurse.
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Temperature Range |
Normal temperature |
97.8 ºF to 99.2 ºF
(36.5 ºC to 37.3 ºC) |
Recheck temp in 30-60minutes |
99.3 ºF to 100.8 ºF
(37.4 ºC to 38.1 ºC) |
CALL YOUR DOCTOR |
100.9 ºF to104.0 ºF
(38.2 ºC to 40.0 ºC) |
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