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JanetK 
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Joined: Feb 22 2009 Location: Pittsburgh,PA Status: Offline Points: 156 |
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 Topic: neupogenPosted: May 13 2009 at 9:48pm |
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I am due to have my third chemo treatment on Friday. My onc has decided
that I should take 7 shots for seven days of neupogen instead of the
one dose of Neulasta the day after. This is because I had such severe
bone pain from the neulasta. Has anyone else taken this course? Does it
work as well? Differently? Any input would be helpful. I was just
informed by the nurse today, who was doing my pre-chemo blood workup
that this would be the case. I DO plan on asking the onc before I have
my chemo on Friday, but I wanted to know if any of you have any advise.
Thanks and hugs,
Janet |
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TNBC feb 13,2009
2.6x 3.5 neoadjuvant chemo 8 rounds Lumpectomy successful Oct 09 axillary node dissection Nov 09 still awaiting results |
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mainsailset
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Joined: Jul 27 2008 Location: Washington State Status: Offline Points: 5004 |
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Posted: May 14 2009 at 5:05am |
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Hi Janet - I was on the Neupogen for 3 mos. 2 things: I didn't have any bone pain but I also found that it was too powerful for my system so my onc monitored my progress carefully as I cut back on the # of times I injected it. Ended up that my system did well dropping back to 4 times a week instead of 7.
It's worth having the discussion with your onc as, in my case, the one time we did 7x, my count spiked up to 35,000 which was over the limit the onc was willing to accept.
Once we knocked it back down the side effects I noticed: extreme thirst, sometimes a fever for limited amts of time and subsequent chills then hot flashes. Nothing that wasn't manageable and once I got used to giving myself shots everything was fine.
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runawaybunny
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Joined: Jul 25 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 59 |
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Posted: May 14 2009 at 7:35am |
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Hi Janet,
My onc ordered 7 shots of neupogen after 3 of my treatments during chemo last fall. I did experience bone pain from neupogen, which can be severe at times. But my white count did rally after the shots.
Hugs,
Catherine
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Left breast, DX 4/87 DCIS,18 neg nodes, lumpectomy,radiation, Stage 0
Left breast,DX 6/08 TNBC, 6mm grade 3, Stage 1, bilateral mastectomy w/recon, AC X 4, Taxol X 4,BRCA-neg. |
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Nancy
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Joined: Jul 23 2007 Location: Altoona, PA Status: Offline Points: 3814 |
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Posted: May 14 2009 at 7:51am |
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janet,
Do you suppose that you had such a severe reaction to the Neulasta, due to the fact that they did not give you the Neulasta until the following Monday, when you had chemo on Friday? Your WBC's were probably already low, due to the fact that you had to wait the 3 days instead of 24 hours after chemo. That would cause your bone marrow to stress even more attempting to build the WBC's.
I have a link for you for Neupogen which you may or may not have, and I know that the Neupogen is much less expensive, and is the reason that the insurance companies prefer that you use the Neupogen....in other words, they will not cover the Neulasta.
Hugs,
Nancy
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Nancy
DD Lori dx TNBC June 13,2007 Lumpectomy due to incorrect dx of a cyst mastectomy July 6 2007 chemo ACT all 3 every 3 weeks 6 tx Aug-Nov 28 rads ended Jan 2008 |
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JanetK
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Joined: Feb 22 2009 Location: Pittsburgh,PA Status: Offline Points: 156 |
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Posted: May 14 2009 at 8:17am |
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Nancy, That was the first chemo that happened with. I had the neulasta on time the second treatment, with just as bad a reaction. My copay is the same for either, which does not make sense to me. hugs
Jan Thanks everyone else for your imput too <3 |
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TNBC feb 13,2009
2.6x 3.5 neoadjuvant chemo 8 rounds Lumpectomy successful Oct 09 axillary node dissection Nov 09 still awaiting results |
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Annie
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Joined: Dec 19 2008 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 887 |
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Posted: May 14 2009 at 9:04am |
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Dear Janet, I have just finished my 6th chemo last Friday May the 8th and I have taken neupogen starting the day after chemo for 7 days. I have my last one tomorrow. It has been great. I do not think I have had any side effects that I know of from it. Also all my blood test done before the chemo came back excellent. I did read somewhere but cannot remember just now that it is thought to be better than Neulasta. Good Luck to you and take care. Annie
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Nancy
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Joined: Jul 23 2007 Location: Altoona, PA Status: Offline Points: 3814 |
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Posted: May 14 2009 at 9:22am |
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Annie,
The Neulasta is supposedly the "golden" shot and the cost is absolutely rediculous. I pulled up a discussion on another bc site and here is what they had to say. I had heard from Lori that the cost ranged between $2000 to $7000 a shot. Just another way for the drug companies to make a killing off the dx of cancer.
Hugs,
Nancy
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Nancy
DD Lori dx TNBC June 13,2007 Lumpectomy due to incorrect dx of a cyst mastectomy July 6 2007 chemo ACT all 3 every 3 weeks 6 tx Aug-Nov 28 rads ended Jan 2008 |
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Shelley
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Joined: Feb 21 2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 79 |
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Posted: May 15 2009 at 6:40pm |
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During AC I did the Neulasta. During Taxol I did neupogen the 3 days after. I was able to do the 3 at a Hosp. closer to home where I had to drive back to cancer center for the Neulasta. I had much less bone pain with the neupogen and seemed to climb a little more even. In fact I did so well that I didn't even need the shots on the last two rounds of T.
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runawaybunny
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Joined: Jul 25 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 59 |
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Posted: May 15 2009 at 7:51pm |
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Hi Shelley,
Did you try to give yourself the neupogen shots? I was unable to give myself the shots, so my husband had to do it.
It's interesting that I could attach a daily IV antibiotic for 6 weeks via my chemo port because I was also fighting an infection around my expander. But, I couldn't give myself the neupogen shots. Go figure!
Hugs,
Catherine
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Left breast, DX 4/87 DCIS,18 neg nodes, lumpectomy,radiation, Stage 0
Left breast,DX 6/08 TNBC, 6mm grade 3, Stage 1, bilateral mastectomy w/recon, AC X 4, Taxol X 4,BRCA-neg. |
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Shelley
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Joined: Feb 21 2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 79 |
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Posted: May 16 2009 at 6:28pm |
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I wanted to do it, but they said my insurance wouldn't cover it then??? I am from a family of diabetics and have given my mom, sister, and brother shots for years. It sure would have saved some drives. Sorry to hear about the expander infection. I will start reconstruction in three weeks. |
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Nancy
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Joined: Jul 23 2007 Location: Altoona, PA Status: Offline Points: 3814 |
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Posted: May 16 2009 at 7:23pm |
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Shelley,
Want to know why they would not allow you to do it? Because then wherever you got the shot would not receive the payment for that procedure. Did you ever check your bill to see how much they received for administering the shot? I bet it was a bundle!
It is the hospitals or clinics and the drug companies making the most they can from your dx. They work hand in hand with the insurance companies. Anyone can give a shot if trained to do it, and especially to yourself. Think about it Shelley, you gave your mom, sister and brother shots for years, and yet you were not allowed to administer the shot to yourself?
They sure as hell don't consider your health when they make you drive to get the shots. Lori administered every one of her Neulasta shots to herself.
Hugs,
Nancy
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Nancy
DD Lori dx TNBC June 13,2007 Lumpectomy due to incorrect dx of a cyst mastectomy July 6 2007 chemo ACT all 3 every 3 weeks 6 tx Aug-Nov 28 rads ended Jan 2008 |
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