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Neulasta - Any advice or tips?

Posted by kirasea @kirasea, Jan 8, 2017

Neulasta - Any advice or tips to relieve the symptoms from Neulasta injections?  (Claritin not helping). Debilitating fatigue & inflammation is worse than chemo side effects.

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@suexhens

I had severe bone pain after nulasta. Claritin did nothing for me. When I found out I would be needing nulasta after every second dose of chemo I told my oncologist he had to give me pain meds if I was going to get through this. He did prescribe oxycodone and a fentanyl pain patch which worked great.

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He's been on the Fentanyl 12.5 since the original injection. The fentanyl is the minimum 12.5, still trying to get insurance to cover it "all over again", but Blue Cross is still fighting, even though it's the minimum dosage prescribed. That's a whole different forum... I will try to get him to take the Oxy again, he said the first couple times "Oxy doesn't help the inflammation pain". So instead, I gave him Ibuprofen since it's an anti-inflammatory. He did say the Ibuprofen was BETTER than any of his Rx's for the inflammation. Were you able to work through this @suexhens, it knocks him flat off his feet, literally. Nothing is more enjoyable than explaining to an insurance company why these meds are critical...he was recently denied on his Refill of Creon, obviously the insurance companies have no comprehension of what Pancreatic Cancer does.

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I had severe bone pain after nulasta. Claritin did nothing for me. When I found out I would be needing nulasta after every second dose of chemo I told my oncologist he had to give me pain meds if I was going to get through this. He did prescribe oxycodone and a fentanyl pain patch which worked great.

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I had neulasta after my first two rounds. I had such terrible bone pain and shoulder tip pain . Since I had had my spleen removed my oncologist was concerned about the shoulder tip pain . Spleen pain can refer to shoulder tip. I was given neupogen injections which are not as strong. Sometimes for the next four rounds of chemo I needed two or more injections to get my anc up.

But I agree the pain from the injection was worse than chemo. I know that because after they stopped the neulasta I didn't experience that pain.

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@suexhens

I had severe bone pain after nulasta. Claritin did nothing for me. When I found out I would be needing nulasta after every second dose of chemo I told my oncologist he had to give me pain meds if I was going to get through this. He did prescribe oxycodone and a fentanyl pain patch which worked great.

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Maybe they can increase his fentanyl patch. The first few injections I could barely walk but it got better each time. I don't know if it was the pain meds or my body somehow adjusted to it. I still took the clariten as well.

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@charles , we'll definitely try that - We read all the journals you sent as well, very optimistic.
Now to figure how to conquer the monstrous fatigue after the injection!
Thank you!!!

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@suexhens

I had severe bone pain after nulasta. Claritin did nothing for me. When I found out I would be needing nulasta after every second dose of chemo I told my oncologist he had to give me pain meds if I was going to get through this. He did prescribe oxycodone and a fentanyl pain patch which worked great.

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kirasea,
The pain caused by neulasta can be deep aching pain and some patients told me it felt like someone was pulling the bones inside out. It can truly be close to unbearable. Acetaminophen does nothing for reducing inflammation, aspirin and ibuprofen do reduce swelling. The second two can also cause bleeding so if a person has low platelets, aspirin or ibuprofen might increase that risk.
Neulasta is the same drug as neupogen, but it has some large molecules in it to make it stay in our bodies longer than the neupogen. That said, you can ask the doctor if getting neupogen might cause less pain. You can be taught to give the daily injection at home.
Carol

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kirasea,
I think you may have to plan on the fatigue after each injection. I'd get a prescription for oxycodone (which you may already have) and ask if he can use ibuprofen or aspirin, too. It's okay to just focus on pain management the day he gets the injection. Let him sleep through some of the nasty side effects.
Carol

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Let me know if it works; it has for many others. Fatigue will get better over time unless you have anemia

C

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I am curious if you have had any difficult getting Neulasta covered by your insurance-we seem to be having some problems

C

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