Neulasta after Folfiri and Avastin

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charelaine
charelaine Member Posts: 36
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I just had my third round of chemo last Friday. After the first round, I was horribly sick for a few days, but bounced back quickly. After the second round, I was not nearly as sick, but it took almost 2 weeks to feel better. I had only 3 good days that time. My onc said it was because my wbc was low-- 3.2 at the chemo appointment so much lower the previous week. This time, she gave me a shot of Neulasta the day after my pump came off. I felt terrific on the Tuesday after chemo, and was thrilled about it! Tuesday nite, though, I started getting really achy all over, and yesterday I was crying because my bones hurt so much. Not terrible pain, just achiness. (The crying was likely more pity than pain). Anyway, i took two advil and went to bed super early. today I am still a little stiff and sore, but it is going away. Is this normal?

I would take a day of bone pain over a two week chemo recovery period anyday, but I want to make sure this is not something I need to alert my doctor about.

Also, I have had a little rectal bleeding, but I thnk it is because I have been constipated and really have to strain to go. Concerned or not?

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  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #2
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    Tell your dr EVERYTHING
    My understanding is that the severe bone pain is a known side effect from Neulasta. I know others who have had that.

    Also, severe straining will cause bleeding.

    However, what is most important is to tell you dr everything, no matter how trivial it may seem. Both of your issues sound very standard to me, but I'd still let my dr know. They expect calls on every little and big thing, because cancer is a BIG thing.
  • C Dixon
    C Dixon Member Posts: 201
    #3
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    Neulasta
    I have heard others complain about bone pain with Neulasta. I did not have this though. But I have read where lots of people will take Claritin and that helps. Why, I have no idea but do a search on it and you will find a lot of people who say Claritin took the Neulasta pain away.

    The bones will hurt because that is where your white blood cells are made. At least that is my understanding.

    There is also another medicine that may not hurt as much but you have to go in daily for shots as opposed to the one time shot with Neulasta. Are they giving it to you in your stomach? I found that it was the best spot.

    Catherine
  • charelaine
    charelaine Member Posts: 36
    #4
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    Not my stomach...
    I had my shot in the arm. The dr. said she didn't care where I had it, and that place is the least scary for me. Imagine, a cancer patient STILL scared of needles! This was my first shot. The way I understand it, I will take them only when my counts have been low. Is that right?

    I will add these symptoms to my list of things to report next Friday when I go for treatment 4. I searched Neulasta pain and found horror stories! My pain was bad, but not bad enough for prescription pain meds or anything. It also really was just one day... many peple report pain that lasts days and days. I am pretty active. I am a middle school teacher, and I wonder if the activity helps some.

    Good news.... my CEA is dropping slightly after each chemo. Bad news... I gain 4 pounds after each chemo. How do you lose weight when the anti-nausea meds and steroids make you want to eat a house?
  • victory10
    victory10 Member Posts: 75
    #5
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    charelaine said:

    Not my stomach...
    I had my shot in the arm. The dr. said she didn't care where I had it, and that place is the least scary for me. Imagine, a cancer patient STILL scared of needles! This was my first shot. The way I understand it, I will take them only when my counts have been low. Is that right?

    I will add these symptoms to my list of things to report next Friday when I go for treatment 4. I searched Neulasta pain and found horror stories! My pain was bad, but not bad enough for prescription pain meds or anything. It also really was just one day... many peple report pain that lasts days and days. I am pretty active. I am a middle school teacher, and I wonder if the activity helps some.

    Good news.... my CEA is dropping slightly after each chemo. Bad news... I gain 4 pounds after each chemo. How do you lose weight when the anti-nausea meds and steroids make you want to eat a house?

    i Just want to share with
    i Just want to share with you that Nulasta helps to reproduce the rbc at a faster rate so that infection won't come from low white blood count.
    I am just off my 11th treatment and I too got really sore in my upper back (between shoulders) and the lower part of my back. I started taking 2 Tylonol when I got home from getting the fanny pack removed. That helped. (It feels like the flu is how I explain it...

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