Partners temperature was high so we called the triage line as instructed in the leaflets we got before he started treatment. Nurse called back and told us we shouldn’t be taking his temperature and to call back in 2 hours if it’s still high. Should temp be checked often?

We were told before chemo started in our pre chemo meeting that we should be regularly checking temp twice a day and in his cancer book he takes to his chemo and doc appointments there’s a section to fill in his daily temperature.

He got back from chemo this afternoon and this evening he was feeling very hot so we took his temp and the thermometer started beeping and it was 38.3c! He’s very stubborn and didn’t want to even hear about going to A&E so we checked temp again 5 minutes later and it had gone down to 37.6c and he was happy to call the triage number we were given to call if temp is 37.5c or above. It said go straight to A&E if temp was over 38c. His temp stayed at 37.5c when they called back in about 30 mins and the nurse on the phone said “why are you taking your temperature?” And he explained that we were told to take it by the chemo nurse we met and have forms to fill in before his next chemo to show the nurse at hospital. She said they advise people not to take temperature unless they feel ill. He did say he felt ill and that his first temp was 38.3c but she told him again not to take his temperature. We persisted and she said to check again in 2 hours and call back if it’s still high and that we need to stop checking his temperature.

He’s feeling fine now, just hot, so I’m keeping an eye on him and we’ll check again in 2 hours. I just got so worried and scared about this whole thing and really I want to know, should we NOT be checking his temperature often? We only do it twice a day and if he felt ill we’d check it more but that hasn’t happened yet besides this first time today.

I would even say that the nurse told us about how important it was to check temperature as infection can get serious quite quickly. So I suppose now, it’s the only thing I can do that feels like I’m helping and I’d hate to think I’ve been doing something wrong this entire time.

I understand they’re busy but I wish she hadn’t been so snappy to my husband on the phone as he only did what we were told on his forms. I feel so awful ranting like this but it’s left me feeling so confused. I think I have got it totally wrong and I’ve been making him check his temp too much.

Thank you.