How long do Neulasta side effects last?

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Shrek4
Shrek4 Member Posts: 1,822
edited March 2015 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

I know the shot is effective for up to one month after it is administered. Do the side effects also last longer than a few days? 10 days after the shot I still have some bone pain (right now mostly in my tail bone but also some in my femurs and knee joints), true, not as debilitating as in the first week.

Did anyone else experience this?

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  • Shrek4
    Shrek4 Member Posts: 1,822
    edited March 2013

    Bump... anyone?

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  • LRM216
    LRM216 Member Posts: 2,115
    edited June 2010

    I sure did.  I HATED the Neulasta shots worse than any other part of my chemo.  I had to have Neulasta shots after each of my 4 AC rounds and after each of my Taxoteres as well.  It was funny because I would always have the shot on a Friday a.m. - 24 hrs. after the chemo, and I'd be ok for 2 or 3 days, and then it would hit really bad - muscle spasms, aches, so bad that I would literally cry - lasted about 2 solid days, would leave and then EACH time - on day 9 after the shot - it would hit all over again for another 3 days.  I pray to God I never recur or metastisize - I am not sure I could ever go through the Neulasta again.  Good luck to you - I know only too well what you are going through.

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  • Shrek4
    Shrek4 Member Posts: 1,822
    edited March 2013

    So that is it - I had them real bad the week after the shot, then it subsided for a few days, then it started again for a couple days, then subsided again. Second time wasn't as bad as first time - but also, I already had the Percocet and got it before it would get worse.

    Thank you for replying, I was really starting to get worried that it might be something else.

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  • chainsawz
    chainsawz Member Posts: 3,473
    edited June 2010

    Hi Day!  I called that shot "newnasty"...bleck!  I had aches for 7+ days.  My jaw, teeth and thighs ached the worst.  I took the combo of an aleve and claritin once a day and that really helped cut down the pain.  When that wore off I took a vicoden.  It was important for me to stay ahead of the pain and it sounds like you are doing that now. Hang in there!!  lisa

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  • lorrhaw
    lorrhaw Member Posts: 751
    edited June 2010

    The Neulasta shot does cause me problems but they are minimal.  They have me take a Claritin an hour before the shot and it seems to help a lot.  Apparently you can continue to take Claritin if necessary while you are still have problems but I only need to take them the first day.  I do have some aches in my teeth and a bit of a backache but I am able to control with Tylenol.  I know the shot is doing really good things for me so I put up with the SEs since my white cell counts are remaining really high.

    Hope you can get these side effects under control.

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  • alew71
    alew71 Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2011

    Hello. I just had my first chemo treatment yesterday and my first Neulasta shot this morning. You guys are making me nervous! I have already started medicating just with aleve and ibuprofen. The doc said if I needed something stronger to let them know. Any other tips? I have read the Claritin thing in another post also. Does anyone else have any experience with this?

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited June 2011

    I didn't have any bad reaction to Neulasta. I was glad to have them because I wanted to get the whole chemo thing over as quickly as possible. I know people who take Claritin (not Claritin D) and they say it helps a lot. Best of Luck!

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  • tougherthanithought
    tougherthanithought Member Posts: 454
    edited June 2011

    I took Claritin about an hour before each Neulasta shot and continued for 2-3 days with more Claritin.  It definitely helps.  Why, I have no idea, but once I forgot to take the Claritin and the bone pain was pretty intense.

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited June 2011

    I took the Claritin too for a day or two after the Neulasta shot. I'm not sure whether it helped or not. Yes, the SEs of the Neulasta were not so pleasant, but at least I knew the cause and that it would eventually let up. Also the benefits of Neulaata were there to see in how quickly the white cell count rebounded.

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  • o2bhealthy
    o2bhealthy Member Posts: 2,101
    edited June 2011

    I did the sames as Sherrill - took Claritin the day of and for three days after and had few few issues.

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  • sewingnut
    sewingnut Member Posts: 1,129
    edited June 2011

    The Neulasta is a time release shot where as the Neupogen has a shorter life. The Onc told me the Neulasta is a histamine and the Clariton is an antihistamine so it helps with the histamine reaction. I started the Clariton a day before and continued for 5 days after and had very little painbut everyone will have a different reaction.

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  • Astarte
    Astarte Member Posts: 45
    edited March 2015

    I had my last newnasty injection last Wed. I had horrific pain so bad last night I was marching trying to get the pain and cramping to pass. I missed two days of work as well. Happened for the last two shots. I also have very bad OA I should state. No amount of pain meds helped today.

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