Experience with Neulasta?

OzarkGal
OzarkGal Member Posts: 41
edited October 2017 in Colorectal Cancer #1

Anyone have experience with Neulasta?  After seven rounds of FOLFOX and Avastin, my white blood cell counts are down to 3.7/ul (normal range for female is 3.8 - 10.8/ul).  So I am getting my first treatment with Neulasta today.

 

Kat

 

Comments

  • EissetB
    EissetB Member Posts: 133
    #2
    I feel so drained out after

    I feel so drained out after my neulasta shot. But of course, everybody's different. You may feel okay after the shot. I took one Claritin tablet the day before the shot, one on that day of the shot and another one the next day. It seems to help me a little bit. Drink a lot of water too, eat as much as you can to get your strength back and sleep on time. 

    God bless us all

    Eisset

  • Ruthmomto4
    Ruthmomto4 Member Posts: 708 Member
    #3
    My husband

    had one neulasta shot they told him to take Claritin just like Eisset said, he had tiny bit of achiness took Tylenol too. Good luck!

  • Phoenix_66
    Phoenix_66 Member Posts: 118
    #4
    Neulasta

    I had the neulasta shot during treatments in 2006 and 2013 and did not experience any problems.

  • debugy2k
    debugy2k Member Posts: 85 Member
    #5
    My mom has been on neulasta

    My mom has been on neulasta for about 1.5 years.  No issues at all.  Just a painless shot with no side effects.

  • Watersprite3
    Watersprite3 Member Posts: 31
    #6
    Neulasta

    I also had Neulasta after each treatment.  I was advised to take Claritin the day before, the day of and the day after.  Since my treatments were in the spring and I have seasonal allergies, I was taking the Claritin round the clock (with my oncologist's approval) so the effects were minimal.  I had a little amount of achiness in the long bones of my thighs the first time, but after that I didn't have much of anything in effects.

  • Kazenmax
    Kazenmax Member Posts: 463 Member
    edited October 2017 #7
    WBC

    Hi, my white cell count has been low for the past year. Right now (9 months out from chemo) my wbc is 2.7. During chemo my lowest count was 1.8. My onologist said it's because the radiation and chemo killed off bone marrow. I ask all the time what I can do to improve my counts and he says eat a healthy diet and rest.

    I'm wondering if I should ask about Neulasta.

    k

  • Mikenh
    Mikenh Member Posts: 777
    #8
    Kazenmax said:

    WBC

    Hi, my white cell count has been low for the past year. Right now (9 months out from chemo) my wbc is 2.7. During chemo my lowest count was 1.8. My onologist said it's because the radiation and chemo killed off bone marrow. I ask all the time what I can do to improve my counts and he says eat a healthy diet and rest.

    I'm wondering if I should ask about Neulasta.

    k

    My WBC was 6.8 on July 7

    My WBC was 6.8 on July 7 before Chemo/Radiation, 4.4 Aug 16 (two weeks after starting), 3.4 on September 8 (last day of treatment), and 4.2 on September 29. It was 4.22 two weeks later so I think that getting back to normal will take a while. It very well may be due to the radiation. I'm back in the low part of the normal range. I've changed my diet to include much less meat as well - I'm not sure whether or not that's a factor.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #9
    Neulasta - Neupogen

    I was on the neupogen for several weeks during chemo, but had no problems during chemo/radiation. 

    My side effects were mostly bone pain. Shoulders, hips were the worst. I did get chronic belly ache one time. 

    The meds worked and I went back to my chemo treatments, which they cancelled due to the low WBC.

    Tru

  • Woodytele
    Woodytele Member Posts: 163
    #10
    No problems

    I have been using neulasta  first chemo treatment, no issues whatsoever. 

  • Bellen
    Bellen Member Posts: 281 Member
    edited October 2017 #11
    Neupogen - 5 days of shots

    Hello - I am someone who reacts fairly badly to the shots.  I have 5 days of shots - neulasta (one shot) is more expensive so my insurance will not cover.  I get fairly bad spinal and sternum bone pain.  I take tylenol (about 4 per day) while getting shots and does help.  I am trying to use ibuprofen, as having several liver mets, I think it would be better to use ibuprofen than tylenol, as tylenol is not so good for your liver.  I am told to also take claritin to reduce congestion side effects - something to do with histamine in the bone marrow.  I just had my chemo cancelled, as my neutrophil was 1.1 even though I had 3 days of white blood cell shots this time.  Cancelled chemo for one week.  They like it to be over 2, but will do chemo at 1.5.  I had my 28th chemo of avastin + folfiri, and my Onco is talking about more breaks of one extra week to let my system recoup.  I have also had 4 blood transfusions over past months due to red blood cells being low.  I wish I could tolerate the white blood cells better - they do present side effects for me.  

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #12
    Yuck

    That made me feel terrible.  My husband ended up giving me the shots.  They gave me terrible headaches and skull pain, much hip pain and achy all over.  Everytime that the shot was administered it was hard on me.  Didn't feel good for days as it would have to be given at least 4-5 times before chemo.  By the time chemo came, the shot overtook my strength and then chemo drained the rest.  Some do good and some don't.  Hope you fair better.  Didn't mean to sound negative but everyone reacts different.  Wishing you the best.

    Hugs!  Kim

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