Has anyone ever skipped the Neulasta shot?

Options
Marlene_K
Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

I had my 4th chemo on Thursday... just 2 more to go! I have always had treatment on a Thursday and my Neulasta shot the next day after work. Because yesterday was Christmas, they said I could wait until today. It's my son's birthday tomorrow; he's turning 18 and I wanted to take him out to dinner but I know once I get the shot, I'm always exhausted for a couple days. I've been doing excellent on treatment and my blood counts have been great and when it comes down to it, I doubt that I will be brave enough to skip it, but I just wanted to know if anyone here has ever done it.

Thanks and once again, I appreciate your advice.

Oh, and by the way, the Emla cream worked like a charm (or I got a good nurse again)... I didn't feel a thing. I put it on 2 hours before treatment and put a regular giant bandaid over it.

Comments

  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #2
    Options
    no I never skipped the shot,
    no I never skipped the shot, but I have tested my WBC in between and it was quite low. It seems the nadir is 10 days so you will be ready for the next chemo. which I always was. I was suprised that you 'wbc goes that low in between. not a steady state. i wouldnt test your good luck so far and skip.
  • TLynn0102
    TLynn0102 Member Posts: 86
    #3
    Options
    Skipping Shot
    I did skip a shot. It extended my treatment by a week because my counts were low the next week. My doctor said this is normal. Call and ask your doctor what skipping it will do to the treatment schedule. Enjoy your day with your son!
  • ladybug22
    ladybug22 Member Posts: 646
    #4
    Options
    neulasta
    i had 8 chemo treatments the first 4 i had the neulasta shot. the onc told me when i took the next chemo i didnt have to take the shot.i didnt ask why i was so happy i run out of his office. i took my chemo every 3 weeks. i would call onc and let him /her knowwhat i wanted to do i would say they will let you skip one good luck
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #5
    Options
    I'm not sure why some people
    I'm not sure why some people get this shot every time and others don't. I had chemo once every three weeks for a total of 8 cycles and only had the Neulasta shot once the next day. If you have questions about it ask the doctor. Maybe it's because some people get chemo more often? Or a difference in their condition? I don't know. I had A/C for the first 4 cycles before surgery and Taxotere for the last 4 cycles after surgery.
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #6
    Options
    Hi Marlene, Glad the EMLA
    Hi Marlene, Glad the EMLA worked! It was a godsend for me. Ask your onc. nurse for a "window" bandaid. This middle is clear, unglued plastic and only the edges are sticky.

    As for the Neulasta, I never skipped, but my chemo was on Wednesday and the shot was on Friday. Maybe you can wait til Monday a.m. for your shot? Couldn't hurt to ask!

    Good luck.

    xoxoxoxo Lynn
  • Sam726
    Sam726 Member Posts: 233
    #7
    Options
    lynn1950 said:

    Hi Marlene, Glad the EMLA
    Hi Marlene, Glad the EMLA worked! It was a godsend for me. Ask your onc. nurse for a "window" bandaid. This middle is clear, unglued plastic and only the edges are sticky.

    As for the Neulasta, I never skipped, but my chemo was on Wednesday and the shot was on Friday. Maybe you can wait til Monday a.m. for your shot? Couldn't hurt to ask!

    Good luck.

    xoxoxoxo Lynn

    Never had it
    I had 6 rounds of taxotere/carboplatin..never had neulasta once. Blood counts were fine each time I went in. Good luck....I hear that shot is rough. I can bet that one miss wouldnt hurt.
    Sam
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #8
    Options
    Sam726 said:

    Never had it
    I had 6 rounds of taxotere/carboplatin..never had neulasta once. Blood counts were fine each time I went in. Good luck....I hear that shot is rough. I can bet that one miss wouldnt hurt.
    Sam

    I never skipped
    my Neulasta shots.
    I had 6 Taxotere/Cytoxan.
    I did not want to take any chances and delay treatments. Talk to you doctor about rescheduling not skipping. It can be done on Monday morning.
    Good luck
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    #9
    Options
    I got it
    I went & got the shot like I was supposed to. I chickened out. The way things have worked out, I haven't had to miss work because of not feeling good, so I didn't want to chance that either. I'll have to hope for the best and that I'm not feeling too bad to take my son out. If so, I'm sure he'll understand and I can take him out another night when I feel better. My oncologist is on vacation and I just don't want to play games.

    However, thanks again to all you beautiful ladies for taking the time to write!
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #10
    Options
    Marlene_K said:

    I got it
    I went & got the shot like I was supposed to. I chickened out. The way things have worked out, I haven't had to miss work because of not feeling good, so I didn't want to chance that either. I'll have to hope for the best and that I'm not feeling too bad to take my son out. If so, I'm sure he'll understand and I can take him out another night when I feel better. My oncologist is on vacation and I just don't want to play games.

    However, thanks again to all you beautiful ladies for taking the time to write!

    You can wait up to 48 hours
    You can wait up to 48 hours after treatment to get the shot. When i was on AC every two weeks its dose dense, so it drops your WBC, and you need the neulasta to be ready for the next chemo. In between my count dropped to 1.2 and some people drop lower then the midpoint 10 days is when your count starts to come up to be ready for the next treatment. Silly me thought it kept you at a steady state until that happened. I would not want to chance it and drop even lower or not come up to where I needed to be and delay treatment. On once a week taxol the WBC does not drop as low (theoryticaly) so you do not need the neulasta. My coounts have been anywhwere from 2 ish to 4 . Glad you got the shot you come first. I have had to miss several things because of this nasty business, but I have come to the conclusion LOL that my family needs and wants me around so i have to what i should.
  • cantthink
    cantthink Member Posts: 36
    #11
    Options
    carkris said:

    You can wait up to 48 hours
    You can wait up to 48 hours after treatment to get the shot. When i was on AC every two weeks its dose dense, so it drops your WBC, and you need the neulasta to be ready for the next chemo. In between my count dropped to 1.2 and some people drop lower then the midpoint 10 days is when your count starts to come up to be ready for the next treatment. Silly me thought it kept you at a steady state until that happened. I would not want to chance it and drop even lower or not come up to where I needed to be and delay treatment. On once a week taxol the WBC does not drop as low (theoryticaly) so you do not need the neulasta. My coounts have been anywhwere from 2 ish to 4 . Glad you got the shot you come first. I have had to miss several things because of this nasty business, but I have come to the conclusion LOL that my family needs and wants me around so i have to what i should.

    claritin for neulasta
    Claritin, an over the counter allergy pill helps me with the pain.
    I was in such pain and useless in bed before I discovered this---guess where? Here of course!---I don't know if neulasta causes more fatigue, those first few days I'm pretty woozy anyway, (I'm on TAC) anyhow,
    I highly recommend taking just one of these claritin a day the day of the neulasta shot, and the next few days, really helps me to get through it. Happy Holidays anyways!
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #12
    Options
    I had 8 rounds of chemo and
    I had 8 rounds of chemo and never once had a neulasta shot. They only had to postphone one treatment due to excessively low blood counts and that was just a little over a week.
  • Schtickle
    Schtickle Member Posts: 1
    #13
    Options
    My first Neulasta shot took my WBC so high...

    I am considering skipping my next one and using it after my next chemo. I am on 9 of 12 Folfox for colon cancer and I didn't take my first Neulasta until after #8. My WBC went from 4 to 11 and Neutrophils went from 1.3 to 7.3 in 10 days after one treatment. I think my body can handle the chemo I'm currently on and I can hold the Neulasta shot until after the next treatment in two weeks. I don't think my counts will possibly drop low enough to be a problem in that time based on my previous history. 

    I will say that I looked up foods to eat to help your body produce white blood cells which are mostly just foods that you should be eating anyway; but I redoubled my efforts the first time my WBC's were low and got my numbers up without the shot. However, since chemo can have more severe side effects the further you go in, I may be at the end of what nutrition alone can do.

  • tufi000
    tufi000 Member Posts: 745 Member
    #14
    Options
    Please do not skip

    I skipped the first one and my blood pressure went to 154 over 40. I wound up in a private room for a week. I am sure this wouldn't happen to everyone as we are all different, but why take the chance?

    anyway , it's up to you

Discussion Boards