Low WBC

monty gizmo
monty gizmo Member Posts: 12
in Anal Cancer #1
Going into my 5th week of treatment of 5-FU and second round of chemo.
My last blood test showed a low WBC and my doctor wants to give me
an injection (?) to boost the count. Has anyone had the injection, and
what are the side effects if any? Thanks for all your information.

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #2
    Neupogen
    I had to get Neupogen during my first round of chemo. It was 2 shots, one on the day my bloodwork came back showing low WBC, then one the following day. They told me it would give me bone pain--it did! I hurt deep down in my bones, like having the flu, only worse. However, that pain was shortlived and soon I was feeling better. The drug did boost my WBC and allowed me to continue on with therapy with no break. How I managed to escape having to get the shots during my second round, I don't know. I am approaching 3 years post-treatment next month and my WBC is still below normal. Good luck with getting your WBC back up.
  • sephie
    sephie Member Posts: 650 Member
    #3
    yes, neupogen
    i had the shots also. they worked. i had so much pain anyway that i do not remember it adding any bone pain. but i was an inpatient in the hospital at MDA with multiple IV's in both arms when they gave it to me so i was pretty miserable (and I still had 3 radiation tx to go . they just rolled me into the radiation area on my hospital bed and worked around the iv's.) going to the bathroom pulling all these iv's and patting my bottom was quite the challenge. but i did it. the problem was that right before i got sick, i had them remove my picc line after chemo tx was over and the very next day ended up in the hospital needing all the iv's. sephie
  • janke
    janke Member Posts: 29
    #4
    sephie said:

    yes, neupogen
    i had the shots also. they worked. i had so much pain anyway that i do not remember it adding any bone pain. but i was an inpatient in the hospital at MDA with multiple IV's in both arms when they gave it to me so i was pretty miserable (and I still had 3 radiation tx to go . they just rolled me into the radiation area on my hospital bed and worked around the iv's.) going to the bathroom pulling all these iv's and patting my bottom was quite the challenge. but i did it. the problem was that right before i got sick, i had them remove my picc line after chemo tx was over and the very next day ended up in the hospital needing all the iv's. sephie

    low wbc
    still have abnormal WBC. No one can actually answer how long this will last? Seems to be a personal issue. All I can say is I am very careful about exposure to ....EVERYTHING. Almost to the point I am obessive. But it's my life so what the hell. I will continue to be extremely careful, despite all the comments about being paranoid. One thing I have noticed is when I seem to be fighting something I sleep...and then I sleep a lot! Everyone expects me to be over this illness since I have been CURED. And I am cured, but I am still vulneable and I still feel very protective of my body. My understanding is there is nothing you can do to improve your WBC it is just a healing process. So when does the WBC improve? I am 9 months out of treatment.
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #5
    janke said:

    low wbc
    still have abnormal WBC. No one can actually answer how long this will last? Seems to be a personal issue. All I can say is I am very careful about exposure to ....EVERYTHING. Almost to the point I am obessive. But it's my life so what the hell. I will continue to be extremely careful, despite all the comments about being paranoid. One thing I have noticed is when I seem to be fighting something I sleep...and then I sleep a lot! Everyone expects me to be over this illness since I have been CURED. And I am cured, but I am still vulneable and I still feel very protective of my body. My understanding is there is nothing you can do to improve your WBC it is just a healing process. So when does the WBC improve? I am 9 months out of treatment.

    Janke--
    As I said above, my WBC is still low even after 3 years out from treatment. My docs are not overly concerned and say it could be that it's just my new normal. I am quite diligent with the hand washing, etc., but go out to public places without being paranoid about it. I have just had the typical common colds in the past 3 years, nothing more serious. And I believe you are correct--there's really nothing one can do to raise their WBC.

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