[Lisa V]

Chills, fever, shaking, aches and general flu-like symptoms are pretty standard for the first infusion. They just gave Ken Tylenol for it. He was already getting Solumedrol (IV prednisone) and had been given Benedryl beforehand, so that's about all they can do until it passes, which should be within a few hours.

Sherry, you can be glad your husband's medical team has experience with ATG and recognizes the rigors for what they are. Sounds like he's in good hands. Our local hospital doesn't do that many ATGs, and the on-call physician on his second treatment mistook the fever and shakes for symptoms of infection and gave him antibiotics, which made him feel even worse (C. dificile) until they figured out their mistake. This only happened because they started his infusions late at night after his regular hem/onc and I had both gone home (they'd told me they were going to wait until the next morning). Had either of us been there, we could have told them this was a normal reaction, and if we ever have to do it again, I'm going to make sure that everybody involved knows the drill!

It really does make a difference how much experience your team has. I doubt this sort of thing would ever happen at a center like Moffitt. You're lucky to be within traveling distance of someone like Dr. List.