Refusing Neulasta

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JennieKeaton
JennieKeaton Member Posts: 80
edited December 2018 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

Anyone refused Neulasta on TC? I'm halfway through and thinking about refusing it for my last two cycles. The bone pain is awful, and I'm not sure I want to go through it just to reduce risk of infection I can manage other ways. I don't want to delay my cycle, so maybe would be more willing to take it after round 3, but really thinking about not after round 4. And maybe not round 3. I am taking Claritin and Tylenol, but still having the pain.

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  • hapa
    hapa Member Posts: 920
    edited December 2018

    Are your WBC counts trending up or down? Mine were the highest they've ever been while I was on chemo and I don't understand why they kept giving me Neulasta. I didn't have a lot of problems with it though.

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  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 3,085
    edited December 2018

    are you doing claritin 2 days before chemo day and a total of seven? That's what I was told to do and I never had any pain.

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  • JennieKeaton
    JennieKeaton Member Posts: 80
    edited December 2018

    My WBC are acting funny. After my first infusion, I had a six day migraine that started the very next day. On day 7, my WBC count was only 1700, with my neutrophylls at 340. But by day 10, I was up to 16,000 on my WBC. I'm currently at day 5 after second infusion and, other than the bone pain, I feel great. I am taking the Claritin. I'm just not sure how much I need/want the Neulasta.

    We aren't doing any mid-cycle counts, so how will I really know if I need?

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  • NotBrokenJustBent
    NotBrokenJustBent Member Posts: 394
    edited December 2018

    I turned it down and they did a blood test after. My WBC was always just fine. My thoughts, why have more drugs in our system if not needed?

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  • Toscaxoxo
    Toscaxoxo Member Posts: 18
    edited December 2018

    Neulasta gave me a HORRIBLE headache; no pain other than in my (large) head! My MO wanted to scan my brain, but I knew it was the Neulasta. Stopped taking it and everything was fine. Perfect blood work thereafter.

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  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited December 2018

    I begged for Neulasta, and good thing too because my CBCs took a dive and my neutrophils dropped into the neutropenia zone weeks after my final infusion when the Neulasta wore off. I didn't have more than minor aches and pains with it...I did stay in bed those days though and I think that helped.

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited December 2018

    I had no medications to help with WBC's with my first round of chemo. My MO was of the opinion to "wait and see" and I ended up with Febrile Neutropenia and was hospitalized for three days.

    With the Neulasta on subsequent rounds, my counts were crazy high (36,000) and I felt much worse in general - despite Claritin. I opted for taking Neupogen instead. It's not as convenient but worked well for me.

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