I’m looking for some advice to help support my mum.
She’s currently going through chemotherapy and, as part of her treatment, she has to self-inject filgrastim for 7 days after each cycle. The first two rounds were uncomfortable but manageable with ibuprofen/paracetamol. However, this third round has been much harder on her.
Physically, she’s in quite a lot of pain and the usual pain relief doesn’t seem to be helping much. It’s also starting to affect her mentally — she’s feeling really low and worn down by it all.
For context, she had her first injection of this cycle on Sunday. By Monday she felt awful and very low, but she gradually improved through the week and even managed a short walk on Thursday. Then on Friday she woke up feeling just as bad as Monday again, which really knocked her.
She was so disheartened by what felt like a setback that she called her oncology nurse, but was told to “keep going” as she’s near the end of the cycle and that the symptoms are normal.
I understand this may be expected, but it felt quite dismissive not to be offered any additional support — whether that’s stronger pain relief, adjustments, or alternative options.
She thankfully only has one more round of chemo and injections to go, but I’m worried about how much this is taking out of her, both physically and mentally.
Has anyone experienced something similar? Is there anything we should be asking her medical team for, or anything that helped you/your loved ones get through this stage a bit more comfortably?
@selkie hi, sorry to hear your mum is struggling but great that you are obviously being a very lovely supportive daughter! Is your mum taking an antihistamine before her Filgrastrim jabs? Believe it or not this helps with the bone ache - not sure how, but I had one jab in hospital and therefore didn’t take the tablet before and the pain was unbearable. You can get the cheap supermarket ones - the loratadine type (or clarityn) x hope that helps x
I too was advised to take Loratidine antihistamine every day while having the filgrastim injections. She can take 4 hourly paracetamol as well, up to 8 tablets a day and sometimes taking them at the same time as 2 Ibuprofen is more effective. It may be worth asking the GP for Naproxen, in the same family as Ibuprofen, as I find these very effective. They do have to be prescribed. I had 6 lots of chemo and each time I found i didnt quite get back to the level I was at before. In other words I think each round drains you a little bit more both physically amd mentally. You being supportive is a great help. I finally accepted that trying to predict how I’dfeel based on previous rounds was useless and that accepting that I felt how I felt, and doing nothing if I didnt feel up to it, was the only way to go. Initially I tried to do ‘normal’ things and it simply didnt work, made me feel worse and more depressed. I surrendered to how I felt and did what I could and felt like. Having constant pain is very draining so see if you can get better pain relief sorted for her. Hopefully your GP will be helpful.
Agree with PP about antihistamines. I believe there is a single injection called pegfilgrastim available which can be used instead of the daily ones. I don’t know if it would be suitable (clinically) or help with the side effects.
I hated those injections. I think the last day I used them was better than any other treatment milestone!
@selkie the pegfilgrastrim injections are only given on some nhs trusts, I asked and was told they don’t do them, all down to cost! Glad you’ve got some tips - hope it helps! Xx
Hi @selkie. I’m so sorry your mum is going through this and it is not helpful of the nursing team to be dismissive of you. They can arrange for stronger pain killers. Is she taking antihistamine at all? If not, then it is worth doing just before doing the injection.
I really do feel for your mum. These injections are not pleasant at all, but I just kept telling myself that they’re helping me to stop getting anything nasty. Doesn’t help in the least, but reminding myself of their purpose made the misery that bit more bearable, though if anyone had said that to me, I’d have bitten their head off.
Sending her love and hoping the final round is as smooth as possible. xxx
I took Loratidine a few minutes before filgrastim injections after reading about it in one of these forums and it made such a difference. It’s thought to work due to histamine production being part of the inflammatory process. My oncologist was happy for me to take it even though it’s not part of any official guidelines
Selkie, speak with the oncologist again. They are the ones with the power to alter a prescription. Some hospitals will require a good reason to alter due to costing.
Mine has authorised Pegfilgristim rather than a course of post chemotherapy filgristim as they could argue I needed it as a single injection to be able to cope. Still have to ask DH to administer it though as the day after chemo l am a mess from hospital based PTSD.
I’m also having Pegfilgristim but wasn’t offered anything else, not sure why? Given other’s experience of the alternative jabs I’m feeling fortunate that was the case.
