Neulasta Freakin' Hurts!

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Shayenne
Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Man, I just got the shot on Saturday, and by Sunday, I felt like I was giving birth! I thought it be like the nurse said, "some aches and pains" well, heck to that, It hurt so bad, I could barely walk, and was screaming for an epidural LOL..I don't know why it hurt for me so bad, but it seems to be tapering off now, ibuprofen didn't do much for it, I just hope these pains don't last any longer...man, It was hurting everywhere down there!

Sorry, just had to get that out there, make sure you have them get some prescription strength NSAIDS if anyone gets this shot...did it hurt anyone else like this?

Hugggsss!
~Donna

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  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #2
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    Neulasta pain
    I didn't have that much pain, sorry you are having so much! Did your doc say to use ib for the pain or tylenol? I can't remember, but i think tylenol might work better for the pain, since it's not an inflammation kind of thing.
    mary
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #3
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    tell your Dr's office
    Hi,

    Make sure you tell someone- the nurses/doctor at your oncology office. Especially don't wait if you have any gripping chest pain (which you didn't mention having, so I'm assuming you didn't have). I had that (from neupogen) and didn't mention it until a few days later when they wanted me to take more shots and I replied, "do I really have to", and then proceeded to describe my pains from it. They got freaked out and said it wasn't a usual reaction and that I needed to go get an EKG right away.
    I did and everything was normal, but I was then told the EKG was measuring what my heart was doing right at that moment, not at the moment I had the reaction. Scary! I'm not taking any more shots unless I end up with an infection. I know you've already had your scare with being hospitalized, so you may really need to keep on w/ the shots, but just be aware and immediately report anything that's in your chest, if it does happen.

    For the pain, someone else mentioned Tylenol over ibuprofen, but I found the ibuprofen helped me better than Tylenol for the muscle pains.
    Sorry you experienced such pain!

    Take care,
    Lisa
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #4
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    lisa42 said:

    tell your Dr's office
    Hi,

    Make sure you tell someone- the nurses/doctor at your oncology office. Especially don't wait if you have any gripping chest pain (which you didn't mention having, so I'm assuming you didn't have). I had that (from neupogen) and didn't mention it until a few days later when they wanted me to take more shots and I replied, "do I really have to", and then proceeded to describe my pains from it. They got freaked out and said it wasn't a usual reaction and that I needed to go get an EKG right away.
    I did and everything was normal, but I was then told the EKG was measuring what my heart was doing right at that moment, not at the moment I had the reaction. Scary! I'm not taking any more shots unless I end up with an infection. I know you've already had your scare with being hospitalized, so you may really need to keep on w/ the shots, but just be aware and immediately report anything that's in your chest, if it does happen.

    For the pain, someone else mentioned Tylenol over ibuprofen, but I found the ibuprofen helped me better than Tylenol for the muscle pains.
    Sorry you experienced such pain!

    Take care,
    Lisa

    Just once shot...
    ...She just wanted to see my reaction this one time only since I had that infection, to get my WBC up, but the way the nurses made it sound, it would only be some aches and pains in my muscles and bones from the hip, back and thighs, and possibly sternum, and that tylenol was all I would need..My pharmacist said they do have prescription anti-inflammatories she could have given me. Some don't have this pain, and some found it to be debilitating like me, my whole insides felt like labor, all down there, it was excruciating, I didn't think she would know I'd hurt so bad, it's tapering off now, after a few days, but I don't like this shot, unless they get something better for that kind of pain, I know it helps in the WBC count, so I can have chemo again, but this was agonizing. Thanks all for the comments, it's slowly getting better each day, it sucks to get removed from that fanny pack, then have to feel like this the next day after the shot, when all you want is to just feel little better till your next chemo :(
  • polarprincess
    polarprincess Member Posts: 202
    #5
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    hi
    hi, there is some good info out there that says that taking claritin (not claritin D) helps prevent the pain from neulasta. i can't remember the specifics but i am sure you can google it or search it here as i am pretty sure it has been discussed. I think it might be to take it the day before, day of and 3 days after or something.. and of course get permission from your doctor... but it is supposed to work really well. It was an incidental finding by some of the big wig oncs..
  • shoppergal
    shoppergal Member Posts: 118
    #6
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    Shayenne said:

    Just once shot...
    ...She just wanted to see my reaction this one time only since I had that infection, to get my WBC up, but the way the nurses made it sound, it would only be some aches and pains in my muscles and bones from the hip, back and thighs, and possibly sternum, and that tylenol was all I would need..My pharmacist said they do have prescription anti-inflammatories she could have given me. Some don't have this pain, and some found it to be debilitating like me, my whole insides felt like labor, all down there, it was excruciating, I didn't think she would know I'd hurt so bad, it's tapering off now, after a few days, but I don't like this shot, unless they get something better for that kind of pain, I know it helps in the WBC count, so I can have chemo again, but this was agonizing. Thanks all for the comments, it's slowly getting better each day, it sucks to get removed from that fanny pack, then have to feel like this the next day after the shot, when all you want is to just feel little better till your next chemo :(

    Neulasta Freakin' Hurts
    I whole heartally agree with you!! When I had it, they said they have to give it in the stomach where it hurts less.Thats not true,it hurt (and I'm not afraid of needles)and they said I might have some muscle and joint pain but it would be mild. Then they told me if I had chest pains, don't think it's a heart attack it's just one of the side effects. I thought oh goody, what else will I feel! I never had chest pain but my whole body hurt, not mildly but really bad.So being the week off chemo I felt just as bad as if I was on chemo. They wanted to give it to me the next time, which was a 3day weekend and I wouldn't be onm chemo, but I didn't want to ruin tne 3days. My onc was great about it and she just lowered my chemo dose so I would'nt need the shot.
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #7
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    sorry
    Sorry to hear this. I had neupogen (3-4 days), not neulasta. I had no pain whatsoever. I gave myself the injections at home (in my thigh -- stomach was the other option -- I couldn't!) . You might want to consider?

    Tara
  • butterfly23
    butterfly23 Member Posts: 256
    #8
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    Shayenne said:

    Just once shot...
    ...She just wanted to see my reaction this one time only since I had that infection, to get my WBC up, but the way the nurses made it sound, it would only be some aches and pains in my muscles and bones from the hip, back and thighs, and possibly sternum, and that tylenol was all I would need..My pharmacist said they do have prescription anti-inflammatories she could have given me. Some don't have this pain, and some found it to be debilitating like me, my whole insides felt like labor, all down there, it was excruciating, I didn't think she would know I'd hurt so bad, it's tapering off now, after a few days, but I don't like this shot, unless they get something better for that kind of pain, I know it helps in the WBC count, so I can have chemo again, but this was agonizing. Thanks all for the comments, it's slowly getting better each day, it sucks to get removed from that fanny pack, then have to feel like this the next day after the shot, when all you want is to just feel little better till your next chemo :(

    Hi
    Hi Shayenne, I'm sorry about your experience. I do get pain, but only when they are actually giving the shot, it actually burns! Let the nurses know how you felt, maybe they can help!
    Praying for you!
    Karyn
  • mom_2_3
    mom_2_3 Member Posts: 953 Member
    #9
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    taraHK said:

    sorry
    Sorry to hear this. I had neupogen (3-4 days), not neulasta. I had no pain whatsoever. I gave myself the injections at home (in my thigh -- stomach was the other option -- I couldn't!) . You might want to consider?

    Tara

    I will second that...
    I give myself Neupogen shots at home for 3 days in a row. It's very easy and doesn't hurt. I had some bone pain the first night I had it and have had no pain since for any other round.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #10
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    mom_2_3 said:

    I will second that...
    I give myself Neupogen shots at home for 3 days in a row. It's very easy and doesn't hurt. I had some bone pain the first night I had it and have had no pain since for any other round.

    Neulasta
    If you will have the RN hold the neulasta in her folded hand for a bit to warm it up it helps tremendously...also if it starts to burn it is because they are administering it to fast. Tell them to slow down, it only burns if its being injected to fast. Remember, they are working for you not you for them..... :-)........
  • daydreamer110761
    daydreamer110761 Member Posts: 487 Member
    #11
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    Buzzard said:

    Neulasta
    If you will have the RN hold the neulasta in her folded hand for a bit to warm it up it helps tremendously...also if it starts to burn it is because they are administering it to fast. Tell them to slow down, it only burns if its being injected to fast. Remember, they are working for you not you for them..... :-)........

    so sorry
    Oh Donna - you are having such a hard time all the way around - but such a great attitude - keep on truckin kid, it will be over before you know it. But thanx for the warning, I haven't had to have anything other than the chemo, but I'm learning what to expect if I were to need it - yuck...

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