Neulasta Shot Question

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Dean22
Dean22 Member Posts: 12
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Good morning-

I am comming off my second folflox treatment with Avastin. After my first treatment the rate at which my body was making new white cells was low and my second treatment was delayed one week. Today,after getting disconneted from the take home pump, they are going to give me a Neulasta shot to help with the white cell issue.

Problem is, in looking on the internet I've seen so many horror storeis regarding the bone pain. I'm wondering if receiving the shot is worth it? Can any of your share your experiences. I've also read taking over the counter Claritin can help to reduce the pain. Thanks.

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  • johnnybegood
    johnnybegood Member Posts: 1,117 Member
    #2
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    not to bad
    for me i had 2 of them during my treatments in 2009.they gave them to me in my stomach.for a few days after i felt sore all over kinda like the flu and arthritis mixed together.you can do it, for me it wasnt as bad as it sounds,hope this helps...Godbless...johnnybegood
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #3
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    johnnybegood said:

    not to bad
    for me i had 2 of them during my treatments in 2009.they gave them to me in my stomach.for a few days after i felt sore all over kinda like the flu and arthritis mixed together.you can do it, for me it wasnt as bad as it sounds,hope this helps...Godbless...johnnybegood

    They are a piece of cake...
    slight headache and a little discomfort in the lower back region that you may or may not recognize...I took them after each of my treatments to assure that they were not put off any longer.....Have the nurse hold the injection until it gets body temp then have her inject it slowly behind the arm in the muscle...If it stings its being injected to fast and tell her/him to slow down...you shouldn't feel a thing if done this way...it does effect people differently but for me it was easily handled.......buzz

    one more item.......stay off the internet...if you need to know anything then in here everything is updated by the minute, its not 3-5 years old here....stay off the world wide web for medical answers..its all right here........ :)
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #4
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    Dean
    I have to receive this after each chemo infusion. It was pretty bad the first couple of times I did them and then I started taking TRAMADOL right when I get home to ease up on the head pain and associated aches. My body has gotten used to it as time passes, so it's gotten much better.

    Buzz eluded to having the shot in the arm. Another area they can give it is in the Stomach - where ever there is the most fat is where they like to stick it - that works for me.

    And another thing to consider - my protocol for this is to wait 24-HOURS after the disconnect to get the shot, so I got to the outpatient on Saturdays to do this.

    I'm told they can do it right after disconnect, but their current theory says it works better if you wait a day after disconnect.

    You have to keep your WBC's up during treatment and don't want to risk an infection.

    The pain in the head, I associated with headaches, but my onc tells me that our skulls produce alot of bone marrow and that's where the pain is coming from there.

    It will be ok and just the cost of doin' business.

    Take care.

    -Craig
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #5
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    neupogen
    I did neupogen shots (every day for 3-4 days) rather than Neulasta. Although I had been warned of possible bone pain, I experienced no pain or side effects whatsoever. I think there is a lot of individual variation. Good luck!

    Tara
  • Daffodil324
    Daffodil324 Member Posts: 59
    #6
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    No problems
    I had quite a few Neulasta shots with my 12 Folfox treatments. I never had any problems at all with Neulasta. The first time I went in for a Neulasta shot, there was another woman there who'd been having them for awhile. She said she always took an extra-strength Tylenol with the shot and that had worked well for her. She offered me a tablet so I took it. I had no bone pain, no aches, nothing. Whether the Tylenol really had anything to do with it or it was just my individual reaction to Neulasta I don't know, but I continued to take a tablet with every shot and never had problems. I always had the injection in the back of my upper arm and I don't remember much if any discomfort from the shot itself.
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #7
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    no problem for me
    I've really not had much of a problem with the neulasta. Now, when I was getting neupogen shots before (supposedly the same, but lesser doses and multiple shots days in a row instead of the one shot like neulasta), I had horrible gripping pains all throughout my chest & actually thought I was having a heart attack. They some people do better on one or the other. I was switched to neulasta, which has been much better for me (plus only one shot vs. several w/ neupogen). I have been getting neulasta shots now after each time I get my chemo pump unhooked (every other week) for about the last year. I've only had 2 or 3 times in there where I had flu like symptoms and bone pain afterwards. Most of the time, I haven't noticed any side effects from it.
    My advice is to take a Zyrtec antihistamine (can purchase over the counter) and an ibuprofen or two prior to getting the shot. That is what my oncology office staff told me to do- for some reason the Zyrtec seems to lessen side effects in people who had problems with it.
    Best wishes to you-
    Lisa
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #8
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    lisa42 said:

    no problem for me
    I've really not had much of a problem with the neulasta. Now, when I was getting neupogen shots before (supposedly the same, but lesser doses and multiple shots days in a row instead of the one shot like neulasta), I had horrible gripping pains all throughout my chest & actually thought I was having a heart attack. They some people do better on one or the other. I was switched to neulasta, which has been much better for me (plus only one shot vs. several w/ neupogen). I have been getting neulasta shots now after each time I get my chemo pump unhooked (every other week) for about the last year. I've only had 2 or 3 times in there where I had flu like symptoms and bone pain afterwards. Most of the time, I haven't noticed any side effects from it.
    My advice is to take a Zyrtec antihistamine (can purchase over the counter) and an ibuprofen or two prior to getting the shot. That is what my oncology office staff told me to do- for some reason the Zyrtec seems to lessen side effects in people who had problems with it.
    Best wishes to you-
    Lisa

    shots in the belly
    Oh yeah,

    Just reading Craig's reply above reminded me to tell you that I always request to get the neulasta shots in my belly fat now. It sounds like it'd hurt more, but it actually is much easier there than it was in my arm or back of shoulder area where they were giving it to me at first. Also, if the nurse pushes it in really slowly, there is less sting. After taking many, many of the shots, I've finally learned what hurts the least. Many times I don't even feel the shot at all now. I'll never let them give it to me anywhere other than the belly fat roll again.

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