Severe pain with taxol and neupogen

melanie · New User Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 1 Location: Marin Co

After 4 cycles (8 weeks) of AC during which I gave myself neupogen shots days 3-8, 3-7, and 3-6, and one cycle of taxol (3 to go on a dose sense regimen), I gave myself only 2 shots. Day 3, I had such intense pain that I made a trip to emergency to find out what hurt so much that it had me crawling on the floor. My wonderful body generated a WBC of 44,000 in response to the combo of the new chemo and the neupogen or the prayers of my friends or both. After the medical tests determined it was not a massive infection, my doctor stopped the neupogen for this cycle.

I'd like to hear more about what pain meds work for Taxol bone pain. My doctor may stop the neupogen or increase the dose time to three weeks. It hurt as bad as the electric shock and didn't stop for a week.

Jin Shin Jitsyu treatment helped when I could drag myself out of the house. I've been having weekly acupuncture, massage, and warm baths which distract and do gentle yoga, take artemesium immune builder. Drink buckets of water, eat prunes and apricots, take B, zinc, potassium, magnesium and calcium. Don't sleep well when I hurt. Darvecet does not work well.

Open to further suggestion, vitamins etc.

Blessings, Maylani
_________________
chaplain at Unity
62
on and off Estrogen some of life
PRM 1/05
4 nodes
IIIA Estrogen and Prog +Her2-
Electrocuted in '98
AC 4 T 4 Rad 35

RachelEsther

Hi Melanie/Maylani!

Welcome to the board.

The only thing I did for the bone and joint pain from Taxol and Neupogen (I had 7 shots after each chemo, also DD like you) was ibuprofin. 4 tabs instead of 2. For me, it worked like a charm. Usually, one or 2 doses would take care of it for the day. I couldn't stand the pain meds, they don't seem to get rid of the pain anyway, just sort of masks it, and it made me feel bad. I am unusual, and do not seem to have had as much pain as most other women at every stage, but still, your pain does sound out of the normal range.

I don't know anything about this, I am so dreadfully ignorant. But is it possible that the calcium or one of the other supplements could be interfering with or reacting with the neupogen? Would cutting out the supplements and the immunity builder for a few weeks be a possibility, just to see? The only reason I say this is that I didn't take anything at all, and my pain (which caused me to gasp) went away with ibuprofin.

Please do not take offense - I think it is wonderful all the good things you are doing for yourself, and I wish I had had the umph to do some of it myself. Sometimes you may just have to experiment a bit.

Wishing you no pain,

Rachel
_________________
Rachel
Age 50 at diagnosis, Stage IIIA
IDC grade 1, DCIS grade 2
LB Mastectomy, Expander Recon 3/3/2004
Dose Dense Chemo completed 07/01/04
Radiation completed 09/02/04
Silicone Implant 11/22/04, removed 7/05 due to infection (dental cleaning), replaced 12/05. Reduction RB for symmetry 04/06
Tamoxifen 10/04-10/06, Arimidex 10/06 on

leo · Site Admin Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 1574

Hello

I suspect your pain was more related to the Neupogen than Taxol. Neupogen causes pain because it causes the bone marrow to expand, so it can cause a lot of bone pain. Usually it is treated with narcotic pain medications if it gets that bad.

best regards,
Leo
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Leonardo F - Webmaster Cancer Forums
Disclaimer: this information is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice.

sassy · New User Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 5

i have been having pain around my rib cage, similar to but not as bad as the pain i had on dose dense a/c with neulasta. i am now on weekly taxol and herceptin. i had mostly rib, back and sternum pain previously. would the taxol or herceptin be causing the rib cage soreness/pain? didn't really expect this. any thoughts leo?

sassy

sassy · New User Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 5

forgot to give my info

dx invasive dcis 1/05
modified radical left mast 2/16/05
.9cm tumor 5 of 14 positive nodes
stage II, grade 2
er+, pr+ her2+++
4dose dense a/c
completed 4 weekly taxol and herceptin 8 to go then 9 mos heceptin
33 rounds of radiation to come

sassy · New User Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 5

[quote="sassy"]i have been having pain around my rib cage, similar to but not as bad as the pain i had on dose dense a/c with neulasta. i am now on weekly taxol and herceptin. i had mostly rib, back and sternum pain previously. would the taxol or herceptin be causing the rib cage soreness/pain? didn't really expect this. any thoughts leo?

sassy[/quote]
dx invasive dcis, 0,9cm tumor 5of 14 positive nodes'
er+,pr+ her2+++
Stage II
modified radical left mast 2/16
4 rounds dose dense a/c
5 treatments of 12 taxol and herceptin, then rads nd 9 mos of herceptin

Regi · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:12 pm Post subject: Shots and Bone cancer

After reading about the nuepogen shots Im not looking forward to going to get my first one tomorrow. Now Im scared Im already in pain from taxotere and bone cancer and I have a rod in my leg and Im so scared I have enough pain right now with taxotere. And all that Ive been through the ol' double mastectomies and the reconstruction and the hernia repair due to the tram flap surgery and of course the nice rod in my leg ,, so Im not looking forward to more pain and the rules with pain meds are incredible for people that have legitimate pain. Its a 30 day wait, and Im always running out because my pain surpasses my script and now they gave me more and its worse because if I go off of them (norco ) I go through horrible withdrawels. Its horrible. Im also on pain patches. They do nothing as far as Im concerned. But anyway I am so scared because Im running out of pain meds and the nurse said dont worry we will give you a script and thats not the problem the problem is the pharmacy rules. I dont know if anyone else has this problem but Im really stressed about it and I shouldnt be. Its all so painful everyone needs something .. I wish I just could use an aspirin but it doesnt quite work. I dont know anymore I get tired of the run around I get the script and cant get the meds I need so badly for pain its sort of unreal in a way I know people abuse meds but I have real pain. Oh well I vented ..

brainman

Hi Regi, I am so sorry that your pain is still not being maneged effectively Sad

. I wish that the doctor could just call the pharmacy and tell them to make you an exception to their rules. However, it is not the pharmacy's rule; it is the law. Narcotics are strictly controlled and a pharmacy can get into big trouble if they violate the laws that govern narcotics. I know this information does nothing to help you with your pain. I just wish something else could be done for you.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

Ann · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:19 am Post subject: Now a Neupogen candidate

Somehow I became a Neupogen candidate during my first chemo treatment ,so today I start my second cycle of chemo and practices giving myself saline injections so I can self inject my Neupogen for eight days ,starting on the fifth day after treatment. I have read up on Neupogen and know what it can do to my bone marrow,some reference was from here and some elsewhere.

But being a bit too practical about my breast cancer ,everything has it's reason to happen .No shot , low WBC ,too low it put my being on this earth at risk. I will have pain, got to do what I got to do. I know it's hard for all of us to go through this cancer,the pain,the emotions, but for myself I survived raising 5 daughters through those teen years(shudders at that memory)I can get through this new addition to making myself healthy as best as I can .

I am still coping better with my cancer than my mom whose 74 years old. She asked me again where on earth did I get cancer from .After being still asked this question so many times ,I finally got fed up and said , Walmarts, had a darn roll back on it so I got it there . Then she started giggling and I hope that ended that question ,[quote]giggles[/quote].

Hope no offense to anyone but for me laughter is a great cure to my coping .One can only cry so much but one can laugh forever. That's my story and I am sticking to it . Hugs ,love and prayers for all ...Ann
_________________
- Age of diagnosis: 56 (current age)
- Menopausal at diagnosis January 21,2008
- Specific type of cancer : Left breast IDC
- Markers:ER+/PR+/HER2 negative
- Stage :2
- Treatments:MRM 2/1/08
Axillary Dissection: 10 lymph nodes,three hot,
highest axillary node negative,
Started chemo first cycle of 4 on 3/12/08

mymaria · Experienced user Joined: 28 Feb 2008 Posts: 57

Ann,

Laughter is good. I pray that your days are filled with laughter much more than the other "stuff."

My wife will be resuming chemo in an out-patient status and will need to begin administering Neupogen injections. I am very positive that I will be the one doing it, but not looking forward to the next few months while she is on chemo, etc.

I'm praying for you.

Richard
_________________
Dallas, TX

brainman

One stop shopping at WalMart?

It seems they have everything these day.

Keep laughing. Laugheter is good medicine... the type not sold at WalMart.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

Ann · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:44 am Post subject: Hi again

It is always good medicine. I'm on day three of neupogen, any discomfort is being managed with tylenol rapid release . I inject 1cc of neupogen before bedtime . Only discomfort I have at this point is sore nail beds and heartburn which both are being treated .I'll get a WBC done on the 21st of April so see how this injection is doing.
_________________
- Age of diagnosis: 56 (current age)
- Menopausal at diagnosis January 21,2008
- Specific type of cancer : Left breast IDC
- Markers:ER+/PR+/HER2 negative
- Stage :2
- Treatments:MRM 2/1/08
Axillary Dissection: 10 lymph nodes,three hot,
highest axillary node negative,
Started chemo first cycle of 4 on 3/12/08

Cindy · Senior User Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 156

Melanie, your story could have been written by my daughter. The same thing happened to her and she was transported from her job to the emergency room via ambulance. Sorry for your discomfort. Hope you feel better really soon.
_________________
Where is the cure???
www.truefacesofbreastcancer.org
www.diepbreastreconstruction.org
www.bcsisters.org/forum
www.mybreastcancerstore.com

Mrslw · New User Joined: 22 Jun 2008 Posts: 1

After my third chemo session post-mastectomy I was prescribed three shots of nuprogen, which I took without to much pain. I did start having back pain, I mentioned this to Dr. at my next chemo treatment. He said the shots could cause back pain. After my fourth chemo I was again prescribed shots of nuprogen. After one shot the pain was so intense on my right side, I called my Nephrologist from last years kidney surgery, thinking I was having a repeat symptom with my right kidney. He had me take a c-scan and x-ray which showed no problem. However, the pain has worsened and is now on both sides in my ribs. I have been taking vicodin to counter the pain as much as possible, but I am now 6 weeks past that shot and chemo. Will this subside, am I still just getting rid of chemicals. I have an appt. with oncologist and nephrologist next week, but am at wits end with this pain. Anyone else experience this ? Confused

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