Hospitalization & Isolation @ BMT unit

Day +1[1 day post BMT] – Day 15 [15 days post BMT]

This is a very critical period in the recovery cycle of a BMT patient. This phase is divided in two phases. Neutropenia and Engraftment. Neutropenia essentially is a drop in overall cell count due to the impact of the high dose Chemotherapy. This is also the phase of low immunity; hence caregivers and patients must exercise extreme caution so as not to expose themselves to any kind of infection. Any infection during this stage could lead to complications and poses multiple challenges for the doctor and the patient.

Engraftment is when the body accepts your new cells and your blood cell counts return to normal. This usually happens two weeks after infusion. As per BMT protocols, full engraftment is considered when:

• • • ANC is 500 or higher for three days in a row.
    • Platelet count is more than 20,000 without transfusion for three consecutive days.

This phase brings with it a lot of changes, physically and mentally. The patient will experience the impact of high dose Chemotherapy resulting in loss of hair, weight loss, loss of appetite, etc. Emotionally also the patient may experience mood swings, lack of motivation, fear of uncertainty, etc. Caregivers attention, Support from friends and family, Peer to Peer support, Counselling is very important during this phase.