Anybody else refused Neulasta?

I never had the Neulasta shot but it sure sounds like it having a terrible effect on you! Do you have any oxycodone? I know that helped me sleep when I was in so much pain and discomfort during chemo.( between bone and joint pain, restless leg syndrome that just would not stop, neuropathy, and general malaise, I was pretty miserable throughout chemo).

I hope you find some relief soon,  Sandy

Eldri, Neulasta wasn't offered (thankfully) and I didn't get it.  My last chemo was delayed one week because my numbers weren't high enough, but we figured that might be an issue becasuse of the combo chemo and radiation to the pelvis and all the bone marrow in the hip bones.  

I was told "push the protein" and had to really force myself to eat protein every day.  Meat, cheese, yogurt, nuts, it was all about protein.  

For me, treatment was possible without this shot.  That's just me.  

TeddyandBears_Mom said:

I refused Neulasta.  I had it

I refused Neulasta.  I had it with chemo #3 and experienced exactly what you are going through. With chemo #4 I refused it and still had bone pain but it wasn't as bad as it was with the Neulasta. Still hurt like crazy but I didn't get the muscle pain and the bone pain was less intense.  My doctor continues to push me to take it.  My next chemo is on Monday.  I told them I would only take it IF my blood was so low that I would have to delay my chemo treatment.  I fully expect to have a bit of a fight on my hands when I go in.

I was told that Neulasta pushes the bones to make more marrow. So, our bodies already push to rebuild and it makes sense to me that the extra push has to create some level of pain.

So sorry you are going through this. It looks like you are going to be one of us unlucky ones that hurt with chemo. Dang it!  I promise it will pass but it does take several days.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

Every drug has side effects.  I had a lump removed from my left breast in 2009.  After it was tested it came back as BENIGN and the (crazy) surgeon wanted me to take tamoxifin.  WTH?!  I said "no".  In fact, uterine cancer is a side effect of tamoxifin and, as it turns out, I didn't need any help getting that!

Eldri:

I hope you are feeling better today.   Thinking of you.

Kathy

I refused the Neulasta.  My little brother had just died of a heart attack a week before it was offered to me, and since it carried a risk of heart attacks. that was all the reason I needed to refuse it.  I also had a co-worker who had taken it for her kidney failure, and she claimed it had caused tumors in her. 

I guess I was lucky that I didn't get any bone pain from the Taxol.  I did get chemo-induced anemia and non-stop UTI's though.  There are an awful lot of women who've had problems with the Neulasta shot.  I'm glad I refused it.

pinky104 said:

EZLiving66

I refused the Neulasta.  My little brother had just died of a heart attack a week before it was offered to me, and since it carried a risk of heart attacks. that was all the reason I needed to refuse it.  I also had a co-worker who had taken it for her kidney failure, and she claimed it had caused tumors in her. 

I guess I was lucky that I didn't get any bone pain from the Taxol.  I did get chemo-induced anemia and non-stop UTI's though.  There are an awful lot of women who've had problems with the Neulasta shot.  I'm glad I refused it.

I had the Neulasta shot but the bone pain was to bad for me. I also have RA  The Dr. gave me Neupogen but I had to go more often to get that shot.  It woked better for me.

EZLiving66 said:

I tried everything.

I'm taking Clariten for my runny nose so was taking it when I had the Neulasta.  I also was taking two Oxycodens at a clip and still I was vibrating in pain.  I have a really high pain tolerence and usually half an oxycoden is enough to stop it.  And I developed one other symptom - I could see correctly.  I couldn't read or watch tv because bright lights kept flashing on and off (no headache - I never get headaches).  The lights were even colored turquoise and worse in the right eye.  My husband turned the lights in our family room down and it helped although it took about an hour for them to go away.

I am feeling better today, just extremely tired.  Our youngest daughter is home from college with her boyfriend and they are going to make Thanksgiving dinner today so we can have it tonight.  Tomorrow morning they leave for her boyfriend's grandparents' house for another dinner.  I have the turkeys all done, just need to assemble my "Thanksgiving on a Bun" or you can have it on mashed potatoes too.  It has pork sausage and stuffing and gravy and, of course, turkey.  Then, I'm making baked beans and picking up a Honey-Baked ham to the dinner we're invited to tomorrow.  

Take care,

Eldri

Dear Eldri:

When I close my eyes or sometimes even if I just bend over, I get these "halo"s in my eyes.   Its like you can see the outside of your iris.   I also get the not the headache I call it head pressure.   When the pressure is a lot sometimes the halos are worse.    I did also get headaches which started last year.    I went to every doctor I could (physical and eye) and nothing was determined except that maybe I was having migranes.   After I needed a stent for my left ureter because it was blocked, most of the symptoms went away.   Although recently I have been getting the head pressure and the eye halos again.

With the head pressure, if I went and layed down on my stomach and looked up, I would sometimes get a bad head pressure which I could feel all the way down through my left leg.   All I needed to do was turn over and wait a minute and then turn back and it was ok.

I do wear corrective glasses and the halo thingy is sort of a condition of my eye sight or so they say.   

With regard to the tiredness, exactly two days after I would receive chemo, I would probably make it to lunch time and then I would have to go to bed for the rest of the day.   It was like turning a light switch off and on.   You could be feeling fine and great and then BAM!  it would hit you.

Wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving.

Kathy

EZLiving66 said:

I tried everything.

I'm taking Clariten for my runny nose so was taking it when I had the Neulasta.  I also was taking two Oxycodens at a clip and still I was vibrating in pain.  I have a really high pain tolerence and usually half an oxycoden is enough to stop it.  And I developed one other symptom - I could see correctly.  I couldn't read or watch tv because bright lights kept flashing on and off (no headache - I never get headaches).  The lights were even colored turquoise and worse in the right eye.  My husband turned the lights in our family room down and it helped although it took about an hour for them to go away.

I am feeling better today, just extremely tired.  Our youngest daughter is home from college with her boyfriend and they are going to make Thanksgiving dinner today so we can have it tonight.  Tomorrow morning they leave for her boyfriend's grandparents' house for another dinner.  I have the turkeys all done, just need to assemble my "Thanksgiving on a Bun" or you can have it on mashed potatoes too.  It has pork sausage and stuffing and gravy and, of course, turkey.  Then, I'm making baked beans and picking up a Honey-Baked ham to the dinner we're invited to tomorrow.  

Take care,

Eldri

I am sad that you have felt so bad.  I would talk to your doctor about your side effects because they do seem to be extreme. I  think it is so odd that everyone's side effects and reactions to even the same treatments can be so very different.  No wonder we are all a statistic on one.  My head gets some kind of super tired feeling, but is not a headache.  My eyes act up get kind of watery then dry and my vision gets blurry.  Sometimes when I close my eyes I see little specks of bright white light almost like stars.  Just wierd!

I am glad you are feeling better and it sounds like you will have a good Thanksgiving.  May you have many many more and may they all be with NED.

Hugs and Prayers, Lou Ann