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Cold/Flu - Help!

Hi all,

I was wondering if someone can advise me about cold/flu. I am on Glivec 400mg for the last six months and this is the first time I am having cold/flu sore throat since i started therapy, and I don’t know what to do. It started yesterday, I do not have any fever at the moment just sore throat, blocked nose, sneezing and feeling very tired.

I saw my consultant on Monday and my counts were perfectly fine. I hope it’s  just seasonal cold/flu. It’s not one of those nasty (life threatening) viruses. Should I be worried at this point? What medication can I take? Should I go to my GP/Hospital or just wait at this point?

Many Thanks in Advance.

Shaz

Hi Shaz,

I was told if my temp goes above 37.5 or if it lasts for more than a few days without getting better then I should ring the hospital for advice but if your in any doubt ring them anyway. It only takes a few minutes of their time and at least it will put your mind at rest.

Hope you feel better soon,

Jackie

Hi Shaz I have been on glivec since may 2009. Regarding colds and flu I am just getting over one now it has been 6 weeks since it started and progressed into a chest Infection. I ended up going to the doctors who then gave me 2 courses of anti biotics a flu jab and then a pneumonia vaccination. The cold and chest infection has now cleared and I feel so much better now. I hope this helps. Stuart

Thanks for the information. Your help is much appreciated.

Shaz

Hi Shaz,

Whilst there's not a full consensus on this, many people try to avoid too much paracetemol whilst on G as being hard on the liver (US guidelines are no more than 1300mg a day with Glivec).  Most 'all-in-one' cold remedies rely heavily on paracetemol so I just take Sudafed as a decongestant and ibuprofen for the other symptoms.

One strange thing I have found since I've been on G is that rather than all the symptoms arriving at once as they used to,I seem to get the feeling dreadful and the sore throat first, and only after that do I get the coughs and sneezes, by which time I'm already feeling much better.

Phil