How to Prevent Infections
- A stem cell transplant wipes out your immune system and leaves you more vulnerable to infections
- You’ll need to stay away from people, with the exception of your caregiver and medical team, until you recover
- Avoid foods such as soft cheeses, unpasteurized milk and juice, and deli meats that could make you sick
During the recovery, you'll need to wait for the new stem cells to "take" in other words, to start multiplying and making new red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This is a process that can take from two to six weeks. During this time, when your blood cell counts are low, you'll be especially vulnerable to infections. Your medical team will give you instructions on how to avoid getting sick.
Read MorePlaying it Safe
Over the next two months, you'll have to be extra careful about who you spend time around. "Really limit your public exposure to [just] your doctors and nurses and caregiver team," Dr. Costello advises.You'll also need to be careful about what you eat. Certain foods can harbor bacteria or parasites that can make you very sick in the weeks following your stem cell transplant. To prevent foodborne illnesses, follow these tips:
- Wash your hands with warm water and soap before and after you prepare food
- Rinse all fruits and vegetables before you eat them
- Keep raw meats, fish, and poultry separated from cooked foods
- Use a food thermometer to ensure that everything you eat is cooked to the correct temperature
- Store any food you don't eat in the refrigerator or freezer
Avoid these foods, which are more likely to cause foodborne illness:
- Unpasteurized milk and juices
- Undercooked eggs, meat, poultry, and fish
- Soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert
- Uncooked deli meats
- Uncooked sprouts
- Pre-cut fruits and vegetables
Visiting Your Doctor
During the rehabilitation process, your medical team will monitor you closely to see how you're progressing. "You’ll be coming in a couple of times a week to your doctor's office to make sure that your stem cells are growing the way that we would like them to," Dr. Costello says.
You'll have blood tests, as well as imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT) scans and positron emission tomography (PET) scans to confirm that you’re in remission, she adds.
Your doctor will also check you for problems that can occur after a stem cell transplant, such as infections, lung problems that make it hard to breathe, and kidney or heart problems.
As time goes by, you'll be able to stretch out these visits if you're responding well to the treatment. "We’ll put you on a surveillance schedule after your transplant to confirm remission going forward," Dr. Costello says.
Getting Stronger, Day by Day
It can take several months for your new stem cells to grow and your blood counts to increase. Gradually, your immunity will build up. You’ll also start to feel better.
"Over the course of the next many weeks you’ll find that your nausea has really settled down and maybe slowly your appetite is picking up a bit," Dr. Costello tells SurvivorNet.
That renewed appetite will help you gain back any weight you lost during treatment. "Most people lose ten, sometimes more pounds during a transplant," she adds. Your energy level should also start to improve, making you feel more like your old self again.
A stem cell transplant is a long process. From the time you start testing to see if you're eligible for this treatment, to the time when you’re healthy enough to go back to work is a period of about three months, Dr. Costello says. Be patient with yourself, and give yourself enough time to recover fully.
Reviewed by Dr. Sairah Ahmed, associate professor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
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