persistent low grade fever

[Maia]

Hi,
my mom is currently on Herceptin (round 10), but after finishing AC, Taxotere and radiation therapy, her body temperature is slightly high (during the day it goes up to 98.6F or 37,4C and at night is around 96.8F/ 36,6C). She has that body temperature for 5 months now. Her doctor is also confused, since CT doesn't show cancer progression.

Does anyone have similar situation? Any answer or comment would mean a lot!

[LeahM]

My normal body temp after treatment hads consistently been 100. Every time I see any MD they say "do you know you have a temp"? Guessing it is what it is.

[Debbie L.]

That's a lot of temperature monitoring! And technically, not a "fever", not even a low grade one. Although we know "average" temperatures, which we label "normal", for large groups of people (98.6F/37.0C) -- each individual tends to run higher or lower than the average.

In the absence of any other symptoms, this doesn't seem worrisome to me. Do you know that her average temperature was a lot lower than this, before treatment? Is she having symptoms of menopause (hot flashes)? Does she have other symptoms that worry you, that would indicate infection?

Debbie Laxague

[Maia]

Thank you LeahM and Debbie on your replays. I didn't know that this can be considered as "normal". Her normal body temperature before all these therapy was 97.5F.
What I didn't mention is that besides that body temperature, she is feeling week, lost her appetite and lost a lot of weight. She is now taking Megace (Megastrol Acetate), so she started eating normal again and gained 2 pounds.
Once again, thank you so much, I just wanted to get an insight in somebody elses experience.