Why is neulasta not working?

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Jyount
Jyount Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Im posting for my mother. She began her TAC treatments last Tuesday, had her neulasta injection on Thursday. The oncologist called today concerning her blood test from yesterday. She found out her wbc was "basically nothing" in the drs words. She was checked this afternoon for sinus/ear infection because of some drainage and pain. Her PC saw no signs of infection but did see what she felt was the beginnings of thrush. Why did the Neulasta not work? Is this unheard of? Mom has basically been put on house arrest until the counts come up. Im so worried for her.



Her side effects have been okay. Some nausea and fatigue and terrible joint pain from the Neulasta injection. Any advice to offer? This has been the hardest things ive been through.

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  • Angelfalls
    Angelfalls Member Posts: 849
    edited February 2012

    Bump!

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited February 2012

    I don't know, but I got ear aches from taxotere. I think because of the inflammation.



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  • juniper17
    juniper17 Member Posts: 14
    edited February 2012

    I had the same thing happen. Each AC treatment, my WBC count went to 0 despite the Neulasta. Because of this, I was given a prophylactic antibiotic. It really was unnerving, though, knowing I didn't have any defenses for a few days. My counts always bounced back before the next treatment, though, and my onc didn't seem to be too concerned. She just wanted to be sure my counts were high enough for the next treatment. I also never got an infection, though I know women who did.   

    It is hard watching someone you love go through this. Hang in there, and know that your mother is so much better off with you there supporting her.  

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  • beegee
    beegee Member Posts: 32
    edited February 2012

    Same thing happened to me and I ended up in the hospital after the first two treatments for IV antibiotics and fluids. I picked up some nasty infections diareah and cdiff. My onc kept tweaking my doses, and I didn't bottom out as bad for the next two treatments.  Also took prophylactic antibiotics.  I also got switched from neulasta to neupegen.  Neupegen involves 7 days of daily shots, but it's faster acting than the neulasta.  

    Both times that I got hospitalized, I passed out and needed someone to take care of me.  I've never been so helpless in my life!  So I made sure that I was not home alone during my low days. It's important that someone is with her during her "low" days.  

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