Have been sent home from yesterday’s chemo with a neulasta injection to self administer tonight for the first time - any tips?
Have been told to take out of fridge 30 mins before & take some paracetamol (can take it or sore bones for next two days if need to). Pinch an inch of tummy fat - no probs there - and hey presto.
Any other positive advice needed? Or just some “it doesn’t hurt” re-assurance would be good.
Please save negative comments until tomorrow (Friday) unless you are suggesting something to help that I can do tonight.
I had that injection but the district nurse did mine. Didn’t hurt to get any more than a normal injection so wouldn’t think you’d need paracatamol, they did it in my stomach and alternated between left and right sides and pinched an inch of fat, I would take the injection out of the fridge half an hour before so it wasn’t as cold.
I found i started having aches about 4 days later but quite mild not to bother about (Nothing compared to the TAX aches). It is obviously worth doing as i had no problem with my temp at all, a bit high sometimes but never enough to go to A&E so it obviously boosted my white blood cells which is what it does. I think it’s the same as some other people have but they take theirs for 4 or 5 days.
I have Filgrastim injections for 7 days but have the District Nurses in to do it so can’t give you advice on doing it yourself - however I would say definitely take the paracetamol!! I didn’t on my first injection this course and oh boy I was like an old lady going around the supermarket!
Just remember whatever discomfort you get it’s worth it to get your “newts” up. Having spent 4 days in hospital with neutropenic fever, I would do everything I can to prevent going back!!
Hello Sue, I self administered my GCSF injections after chemo and the only tip I can offer is pinch the inch but don’t squeeze too hard,otherwise the skin becomes too tight and this in itself can make it hurt (a nurse gave me this tip a few years ago when I was self administering clexane injections daily for 7 months). I managed it…pain free! Do take the painkillers for the after effects of the injection.
I give myself Neulasta, I go with the pinch the skin but not hard, put it in with no hesitation but no need to put any force behind it (the needles are very fine and sharp) and then push down the plunger slowish. I don’t find it hurts. But the bone pain can come in quite quickly, sometimes within half an hour so have analgesia at the ready if you need it.
I did my own injections as well. Really very simple, very little discomfort, if any. Great advice been given already. The clever thing about the neulasta injections is that it only works when your particular blood levels (neutraphils, i think thats how you spell it!) drop below a certain amount. So it sits in your system until it is needed to work - this is what I was told - very clever! So you may find that you don’t get any leg aches for a while, or you might get them striaght away. I was fortunate that I didn’t find them too uncomfortable. Hopefully you will find the same. All the best xxx
Hi, your apprehension is understandable - I’m a nurse but I found the thought of giving injections to myself a little unnerving!
It really doesn’t hurt. The tummy is less sensitive than elsewhere, you won’t do yourself any harm. Tell yourself they are helping to keep you well after the chemo. Good luck x
Hi all. Cherrytom, I didn’t know about the Nealasta kicking in only when it’s needed. It makes sense, the first time I had GCSF I was in hospital with neutropeania and the ache started within half an hour, now I’m on them on the day after chemo it doesn’t happen until about day 6 post chemo
A tip I picked up from an Amercian website is to take a piriton tablet before or at the same time as the neulasta as well as your normal analgesia. I spoke to my oncologist who hadn’t used this before but was happy for me to go ahead, and I really feel it heloed to lessen the bone aches.
Assuming you’re being treated by the NHS in the UK, it’s not too late to ring the hospital and ask someone there to do it. If you’re being treated privately or are not in UK, my apologies if I’m talking out of turn as arrangements may be different in your situation.
Personally I think it’s a flaming cheek that you are expected to administer this procedure yourself and I see it as another example of the NHS shirking its responsibilities for someone who is already going through a lot. If you have any apprehension I think you should insist that it is done by someone who is trained in this work. Mine was done by the district nurse who came round my house to do it. On one occasion I was unable to take the injection home after chemo (as a delivery hadn’t come in) so I insisted on going to the hospital the next day to have one of the chemo nurses do it.
I self administer neulasta… I take the jag out the fridge 30 mis before along with a cold can og gin and bitter lemon which I stick down my pants to numbe the skin a bit… Then after 30 mins I pinch an I h and follow th instructions… Not sure though If you should be doing if yourself I you have never administered an injection and you haven’t been show how to do it… If your unsure why not call your surgery and see if the practice nurse will do it there or if a DN can come in and show you how to do the first one.
The instruction come in the pack and are quite clear but you should really be shown what to do and where to do it… I’m doingbmine tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks everybody - mission successful - Can of Boddingtons to cool my tummy gave me the reassurance I needed.
I better make it clear I did have a practice with a placebo needle/syringe and piece of sponge - but it was kind of thrust upon me - I don’t think the nurse realised I hadn’t had it before because we had a confused conversation about how I had got on with the jab in my tummy - and I thought she meant the enoxaparin (Clexane) I’d been given in hospital - but she meant the Neulasta.
Anyway, feel confident for next time - some aches and pains today but may be chemo not Neulasta.