@anim4l good luck for tomorrow. Hope the session goes well for you and the cannula works out.
Lovely photo @bellbert, somebody is keeping a close eye on you 
@story1 how do you know the pembro is kicking in? I’ve only had one pembro so far but interested to know maybe what things to look out for at my next one.
@emsd hope you are feeling better after the Filgrastim and it doesn’t give you any issues today. 
Good luck to anyone having treatment today. Sending hugs 
Hi, good morning, I had a bad reaction to Filgrastim last week, I did take the antihistamine and paracetamol beforehand but woke up 4 hours later with a swollen, flushed face and developed red face rash. I also had high blood pressure and heart rate, as well as a sore throat. So I am quite worried about trying it again.
So the first time I had it my white blood cells jumped high and the way it was explained to me is that’s it’s a massive immune system reboot and I felt as though I’d been in the ring with Mike Tyson, the muscle ache and swelling could also come from steroids and filgrastim too though so I guess it’s the whole cocktail. 2nd time round not as bad, taking anti histamine daily so far so good. They also said that could explain the shock to my liver too. I gave up booze 5 years ago and they said that is a factor too! I should have been training harder🤣
Might go back on the sauce when this is all over🤪
Oh no @healed that sounds rough!
I ended up in A and E with a temp yesterday but luckily all fine, just a pesky chest infection but the antibiotics are working. miss wine but haven’t dared to have it really. How is everyone doing.
I haven’t had any wine for 2 months, miss a drink in the pub. Hope you feel better soon! How was it at the A&E, did you get seen to quickly?
I know same, I quite like an alcohol free shandy. I’m ok today - back at another appt for a kidney function test.
A&E was super busy so I was there for 5 hours but they were really good!
Thank you Jane, I’ll try that x
I worried about that as well, especially after one nurse had a couple of failed attempts to get cannula in (have had loads of cannulas over years never any issue) but then another nurse managed no bother. This caused extensive bruising, much more than normal, and I was concerned about leakage/damage (they provided a leaflet on it) but it was ok. Hopefully remains that way as session 2 is next week. Best wishes going forward x
I forgot about the red flushing and rash I had too, I’d thought it was the chemo but come to think of it it tied in more to the injections, same with the elevated HR and BP as it was the nurse giving the injections who recorded it all. Wishing you well next time x
Hello, I am wondering now if the rash I have on the back of my head, is from the Filgrastim, started after injection 4 out of 5, but now settling as I finished the injections on Tuesday. My heart also races and does strange things, although I didn’t get the bad throat with this second lot of injections. I phoned the helpline about the rash on my head, but they said to monitor it and my temperature, but if I felt ok otherwise, than not to worry about it. Glad to have finished them this time, but another round of them left to go…
Hello everyone.
I hope you are all doing ok?
My Chemotherapy is starting next week. The nerves are starting to kick in. x
@bellbert - I also have had a racing heart on the last day of my filgrastim injections - along with bone pain. I have my 2nd chemo tomorrow and am going to ask if I can go ahead an antihistamine before the injections as I’ve read others in this thread are doing…
I think the filgrastim side effects are worse than the EC chemo so far…
Good luck @kaz9!
I think this was the worst time for me @kaz9 all the waiting. Honestly my first week was a shock but I was so sleep deprived and emotional and still very sore from biopsy/marker insertion. It’s been so much better mentally since I got going, number 5 Tuesday. You’ve got this x We’re all here for you. As you can see from the time one of my side effects from the weeks I have steroids is insomnia! Management of side effects is very well considered and reading through the feed helped me xxx good luck 
Rachel
@healed how are you feeling now? I definitely flush hot after filgrastim. Hope you’ve got it managed xx @mrsb6 I’m trying not to think about my EC after this, what is the main difference do you think? X
Rachel xx
Good morning, I do already take a Clarityn, once a day, anti histamine, before the Filgrastim injection, I hadn’t asked the nurses, but when I reported the rash on my head the other day, I did tell the nurse on the line, that I take one each day whilst injecting and she said ’ that’s a very good idea’, so I think my side effects would be much much worse if I didn’t take it 
Thank You so much for the lovely message. It is the waiting, and going into the unknown. x
Morning all - sorry I’ve been quiet. Been in my feels about looking “cancery” and struggling with energy.
However today is a new day and despite my eyelashes making a run for it I feel pretty and ready for chemo number 5… not quite as fun as mambo number 5 but going to dance my way through anyway!
Good luck to everyone this week starting their journey or riding the steroid highs and side effect lows.
Pics show my week of two halves!
