Has anyone had to have neulasta shots to increase wbc? After my mom's first round of chemo her wbc are still low and they had to put off the second cycle of chemo for a week. They told her that for now on she will get the Neulasta shot for the next 5 cycles. I heard that this can cause horrible pain. She has not had any side effects from the first cycle except for being a little tired. Thanks for any info.

yes Deb used to get those and Aranesp is for Red Blood cell production. Alternative to Red Blood cell shots was Blood transfusion and that took hours. The shots are just a few minutes and no side effects. The Whites are for fighting infection and Red is for energy.

_________________
April/03 My Wife Deborah, age 46, diagnosed adenocarcinoma NSCLC
1/20/2006 Admitted to hospital Respiratory distress
1/23/2006 Ran to the light and is waiting for us to be rejoined in the Kingdom Of Heaven Her journey is Over but mine lingers on for Now!!!
4/23/07 DEb is joined in Peace by her Puppy Dawg Daisy from Cancer
8/30/07 Got new Pup named Mocha!!

"No matter hnow much it hurts, No matter how alone you feel, Your friends will help you get through anything!!"
Scrubs!!!!Yes the comedy show!!!

The Reason I advocate
If you would like to see our family photos Click on this link!
http://deborah-wallin.memory-of.com/

My memory-of Link is good to go now if you want to see it!!

I refused the Aranesp, but had Neulasta after every chemo. In my case it made my bones hurt - but didn't last long. They don't want your wbc to get too low. As Randy said, it increases your chances of getting an infection. As I remember, I had it the day after chemo - so it was kind of a nuisance as it meant an additional trip to the cancer center.

Best of luck to you and your mom.

_________________
3/98 Dx squamous cell NSCLC 2a at 50 yrs
4/98 Left lung removed, no chemo/rad
8/08 Persistent cough and shortness of breath, first appt. with pulmonary doc 11/4/08
11/08 X-ray and CT show tumor in right lung. PET scan confirms tumor, shows no apparent spread
12/08 CT/needle biopsy shows squamous cell NSCLC IIIB, doctors don't seem to agree if its a new cancer or recurrence - but onc believes it is a new one
12/08 Start concurrent radiation/chemo, Cisplatin/Etoposide
1/09 Chemo switched to Carbo/Taxol due to intolerance of Cisplatin
2/09 Radiation completed
3/09 Chemo completed
5/09 CT shows spot where tumor was likely/hopefully scar tissue
6/09 Begin Lucanix trial
9/09 CT scan - stable
12/07/09 CT scan - stable
3/1/10 CT scan - stable
6/1/10 CT scan - stable - begin 2nd year of trial
8/23/10 CT scan - stable
10/25/10 CT scan - stable
1/20/11 CT scan - stable
4/25/11 CT scan - stable - completed drug portion of trial, now follow-up with 3-mo scans
8/1/11 CT scan - stable
10/24/11 CT scan - stable. At my request, switching to 6 mo scans.
4/24/12 CT scan - stable.
10/30/12 CT scan - stable.
2/26/13 CT scan - stable

Avatar is with 10-mo-old grandson Ethan at Xmas

Hi there! I am having the Neulasta injections after my rounds of chemo, to do exactly what you, Randy and Diane described. Like Diane, I too have had bone pain. For me it's been a little rough (but horrible would be way too strong of a description). The pain medication they have prescribed handles that, and I'm doing fine. Everyone is very different in how they respond to medications. And if Mom has already had one injection, and didn't have a painful reaction to it, it's likely she won't with subsequent ones.

The shot is one that amps up the bone marrow to help boost the white blood cells. In some of us, when the bone marrow gets amped up, it can cause some pain. But that is a rare side effect from what I've read on it.

Judy in MI

_________________
6/07 DX NSCLC, Left Upper Lobe wedge resection: Stage 2.3/4, (2B?) Adenocarcinoma, measures 2.5x1.5x1.1cm. Involving visceral pleura but not through it. 5 rounds chemo, carboplatin and Taxol. Subsequent scans NED.

1/11 3.5 mm node found. 10/11 CT node now 8 mm, and new 6 mm node. 11/11 CT Pet shows slight uptake. 1/4/12 Biopsy - Pneumothorax complication. 1/14/12 Lobectomy of upper rt. lobe. NSCLC Adenocarcinoma in situ, nonmucinous (bronchioloalveolar carcinoma) 1.4cm involves pulmonary parenchyma.
3/14/12 Begin 4 cycles of Cisplatin/Navelbein, with Neulasta shot
4/6/12 Chemo changed to Carboplatin/Navelbine without Neulasta shot. Reduced chemo by 50% due to intolerance.
7/5/12 CT scan is clean, NED for lung cancer! There are issues with liver and stomach that will be investigated but not believed to be because of cancer. Wait and see!

*Avatar was taken 7/3/12 on our way out to see the Fireworks on a friends boat on their lake!

Mom dx SCLC 1/96, passed 10/19/96, age 62
Dad dx Brain cancer 4/87, passed 6/87, age 57
Sister dx Brain cancer 4/83, passed 12/83, age 25

Thank you so much for the information. She has not received her first shot yet and should be getting it with her next cycle of treatment (hopefully next week.) I also believe we are changing her meds for carboplatin to cisplatin. I will keep you updated to how she is doing. She is scheduled for a brain mri this week and we are hoping her wbc goes up so she can begin her next chemo cycle. Judy, you said you get pain medication during chemo for the side effects? I heard you can only take tylenol or motrin, but I can be wrong. I am sending my good thoughts and vibes to all of you always.

Hi again! You can get just about anything you need for the pain that accompanies chemotherapy and the neulasta shot. For a lot of folks, pain meds like Vicodin, or morphine are not needed. But if they are, you should ask for them if she seems to be in pain.

I take morphine immediate release for the breakthrough pain from the neulasta shot, which is the bone pain. In addition to that I take MS Contin which is morphine extended release that is a slow release pain medication to help my body stay ahead of the pain I'm in. Five years ago, I had my left upper lobe removed, and this time had my right upper lobe removed. The pain relief needed, in addition to the already mentioned is for the muscle, and nerve pain associated with the surgeries.

They actually cracked a couple of ribs when I had the surgery, and had to dislocate my shoulder as well. I am still on the mend for that hence the extended release medication. I've talked to lots of folks that have had surgeries and different chemo's and some folks have pain, and some don't. But no one needs to suffer. My pain doctor told me "if it hurts, you call me." He cautioned me from playing "brave" when it's not needed, and we need all our energy devoited to healing, and not to feeling pain.

Take care,

Judy in MI

_________________
6/07 DX NSCLC, Left Upper Lobe wedge resection: Stage 2.3/4, (2B?) Adenocarcinoma, measures 2.5x1.5x1.1cm. Involving visceral pleura but not through it. 5 rounds chemo, carboplatin and Taxol. Subsequent scans NED.

1/11 3.5 mm node found. 10/11 CT node now 8 mm, and new 6 mm node. 11/11 CT Pet shows slight uptake. 1/4/12 Biopsy - Pneumothorax complication. 1/14/12 Lobectomy of upper rt. lobe. NSCLC Adenocarcinoma in situ, nonmucinous (bronchioloalveolar carcinoma) 1.4cm involves pulmonary parenchyma.
3/14/12 Begin 4 cycles of Cisplatin/Navelbein, with Neulasta shot
4/6/12 Chemo changed to Carboplatin/Navelbine without Neulasta shot. Reduced chemo by 50% due to intolerance.
7/5/12 CT scan is clean, NED for lung cancer! There are issues with liver and stomach that will be investigated but not believed to be because of cancer. Wait and see!

*Avatar was taken 7/3/12 on our way out to see the Fireworks on a friends boat on their lake!

Mom dx SCLC 1/96, passed 10/19/96, age 62
Dad dx Brain cancer 4/87, passed 6/87, age 57
Sister dx Brain cancer 4/83, passed 12/83, age 25

Deb did a combo of Oxycontin & oxycodone for her pain. I think it was 2 oxycontin daily with smaller doses of Oxycodone during day for heavier pain.

_________________
April/03 My Wife Deborah, age 46, diagnosed adenocarcinoma NSCLC
1/20/2006 Admitted to hospital Respiratory distress
1/23/2006 Ran to the light and is waiting for us to be rejoined in the Kingdom Of Heaven Her journey is Over but mine lingers on for Now!!!
4/23/07 DEb is joined in Peace by her Puppy Dawg Daisy from Cancer
8/30/07 Got new Pup named Mocha!!

"No matter hnow much it hurts, No matter how alone you feel, Your friends will help you get through anything!!"
Scrubs!!!!Yes the comedy show!!!

The Reason I advocate
If you would like to see our family photos Click on this link!
http://deborah-wallin.memory-of.com/

My memory-of Link is good to go now if you want to see it!!