Neupogen

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jalusa
jalusa Member Posts: 21
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I just had my 3rd round of folfoxiri.  This is hitting me much harder than the folfox.  My white count went down so I am now taking 5 shots of neupogen on the 5 days after the pump is off.  This seems to really drag me down.  Does anyone else have expriance with Neupogen?

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  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #2
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    I did the Neupogen

    I was just reading back in my journal about my weeks of Neupogen shots. The side effects for me were bone pain and sometimes - but not often - muscle spasms. The Chemo was what got me down, as in tired.

    I hope your counts go up soon, as its a right royal pain tracking down to the hospital to get shots every day, unless you are able to administer them yourself at home. 

    Sue - Trubrit

  • jalusa
    jalusa Member Posts: 21
    #3
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    Trubrit said:

    I did the Neupogen

    I was just reading back in my journal about my weeks of Neupogen shots. The side effects for me were bone pain and sometimes - but not often - muscle spasms. The Chemo was what got me down, as in tired.

    I hope your counts go up soon, as its a right royal pain tracking down to the hospital to get shots every day, unless you are able to administer them yourself at home. 

    Sue - Trubrit

    My wife gives them to me at

    My wife gives them to me at home.

    I am also on a low fiber diet to avoid blockage.  They tell me a balanced diet is important.  That is a bit tough with the food choices I have.

  • mom_2_3
    mom_2_3 Member Posts: 953 Member
    #4
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    Jalusa

    During my treatments my counts fell so low I had to do home Neupogen shots during my treatment weeks.  The first couple times I had severe pain in my breastbone.  After a couple rounds, however, I had no reaction at all to the shots other than my counts increasing as expected.  I hope they get easier for you....

  • TheLadySkye
    TheLadySkye Member Posts: 203 Member
    #5
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    I am the oddity

    My response to neupogen was pretty rare.  I had severe bone pain a few hours after the shot that left me crying and barely able to breathe.  Pain meds alone wouldn't touch it.  However, I surpising combination recommended by the doctor of pain meds, flexeril, and benadryl made it subside.  They don't know WHY that combination works, just that it does.  My theory is that it makes you so loopy that you are completely unaware of the pain ;)  The docs beg to differ though.

    Anyway, I dont have much more to add.  After that reaction they said never again and so I don't know what other effects or "normal" effects might be.

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #6
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    Not Very Fun

    Woke one morning with my skull hurting so bad thought I'd die.  One problem is with me they never told me that those shots would have any side effects.  Be warned that your whole body will hurt especially the bones that make white/red blood cells.  Skull/hip/legs.  They can give you something for the pain and hope you ask for it.  Hope that you feel better - it is a terrible shot to have but it can do wonders to boost your cell count.  Sometimes paying a price isn't always what it's cracked up to be - ugg.

    Kim

  • jalusa
    jalusa Member Posts: 21
    #7
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    Annabelle41415 said:

    Not Very Fun

    Woke one morning with my skull hurting so bad thought I'd die.  One problem is with me they never told me that those shots would have any side effects.  Be warned that your whole body will hurt especially the bones that make white/red blood cells.  Skull/hip/legs.  They can give you something for the pain and hope you ask for it.  Hope that you feel better - it is a terrible shot to have but it can do wonders to boost your cell count.  Sometimes paying a price isn't always what it's cracked up to be - ugg.

    Kim

    I have done two sets of 5

    I have done two sets of 5 shots each.  Luckily I have not had the pain.  I just think that the Neupogen ads greatly to my fatigue.

  • hippiechicks
    hippiechicks Member Posts: 509 Member
    #8
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    I experienced awful

    I experienced awful bone/joint pain as well.  Adding to that the muscle spasms and severe fatigue.  I had a shot on day of pump removal or the very next morning.  It was a real wipe out for me ... land me in bed for at least one day maybe two depending.  it also made me queasy.

    It did always do its job very well though, and I am very very thankful I had that drug available to me to get me through chemo twice.  

    I sat beside one woman in chemo one day and she was telling me how her insurance would not pay for that drug, and her retirement savings was drained because of it.  It brought me to tears and broke my heart as she was on chemo for life. 

    I wish you comfort during these days.  Rest and hydration help. 

     

  • Steve444
    Steve444 Member Posts: 105 Member
    #9
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    hippiechicks said:

    I experienced awful

    I experienced awful bone/joint pain as well.  Adding to that the muscle spasms and severe fatigue.  I had a shot on day of pump removal or the very next morning.  It was a real wipe out for me ... land me in bed for at least one day maybe two depending.  it also made me queasy.

    It did always do its job very well though, and I am very very thankful I had that drug available to me to get me through chemo twice.  

    I sat beside one woman in chemo one day and she was telling me how her insurance would not pay for that drug, and her retirement savings was drained because of it.  It brought me to tears and broke my heart as she was on chemo for life. 

    I wish you comfort during these days.  Rest and hydration help. 

     

    Allergy meds

    I had an alternate version of this drug, andt the nurses recommended taking Claritin the night before and for the next two days to prevent the bone pain.  I always did this and the bone pain was very minimal.  A stab here and there lasting about 10 seconds a shot, but not bad.

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