low back pain from Neulasta

dkdrew

has anyone experienced low back pain from the Neulasta shot? I had to have the shot after round 3 of chemo (Taxol and carboplatin). They told me to take the Claritin the day before and 3 days after. They said I would probably have some degree of pain in my arms and legs. I didn't. Everything was fine. Then the evening of day 3 I noticed my lower back was hurting a little. I put my rice sock on it and took tylenol. The next day it started to spasm and by the next morning the spasms wouldn't stop. I couldn't stand up straight, I couldn't get a whole sentence out, all I could do was cry. We went to the ER and they thought I was passing a kidney stone. But they called the cancer center and came back and told me it was the Neulasta shot and it was not muscle spasms but actual bone pain. I was never told to expect that. I have 3 more rounds of chemo and I have to have the Neulasta after each round. I was told I would probably have the same thing happen after each round. OMG!

Mary27609

Ask to try Neupogen?

Do you get steroids with your chemo? If so, that's probably why it didn't bother you until day 3-- that's when my steroids would wear off.

This is all very familiar to me! I had a horrible reaction to Neulasta-- terrible aching bones for about a week afterwards-- I couldn't do anything. So my chemo doctor let me give myself Neupogen shots. You give them to yourself at home. He had me do mine on days 15 through 18-- to prepare for my next chemo (mine were 21 days apart). If you've ever given yourself Insulin or Lovenox (shots after surgery)-- it's like that. Hair-thin needle and pre-loaded syringes. My co-pay was $75 for the shots, but it was worth it. 

Which is not to say I had no discomfort from them-- my bones would still ache some, but I could work. They both (Neupogen and Neulasta) stimulate your bone marrow. I never ever in a million years imagined that you could feel your bone marrow. It was the worst. And actually later on-- when I finished chemo and my neuropathy began to subside-- the bones in my legs and feet would feel so cold. I don't know what that was but I suspect it had to do with all that bone stimulation.

Good luck! This too shall pass (doesn't that just make you want to slap me? :> But it's TRUE.)

dkdrew

Mary27609 said:

Ask to try Neupogen?

Do you get steroids with your chemo? If so, that's probably why it didn't bother you until day 3-- that's when my steroids would wear off.

This is all very familiar to me! I had a horrible reaction to Neulasta-- terrible aching bones for about a week afterwards-- I couldn't do anything. So my chemo doctor let me give myself Neupogen shots. You give them to yourself at home. He had me do mine on days 15 through 18-- to prepare for my next chemo (mine were 21 days apart). If you've ever given yourself Insulin or Lovenox (shots after surgery)-- it's like that. Hair-thin needle and pre-loaded syringes. My co-pay was $75 for the shots, but it was worth it. 

Which is not to say I had no discomfort from them-- my bones would still ache some, but I could work. They both (Neupogen and Neulasta) stimulate your bone marrow. I never ever in a million years imagined that you could feel your bone marrow. It was the worst. And actually later on-- when I finished chemo and my neuropathy began to subside-- the bones in my legs and feet would feel so cold. I don't know what that was but I suspect it had to do with all that bone stimulation.

Good luck! This too shall pass (doesn't that just make you want to slap me? :> But it's TRUE.)

Haha. I keep telling myself

Haha. I keep telling myself the same thing ("this is only temporary", is my new mantra). I'll have to ask my doctor about that shot. We are FOR SURE going to discuss the pain I felt and how likely it is I'll have that same reaction. I wish they would have at least given me a heads up that that was possible. I probably wouldn't have waited so long to get some help. Thanks for the suggestion

Kathy