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vickie h · 04-25-2009, 09:21 PM

Hi Ellie,

When I had Navelbine the first time, I was given Neupogen to take home and self adminster the shots in my abdomen for 4 days after every weekly treatment. that was 2 1/2 years ago. I am on Navelbine again, and even though I had to skip chemo a few weeks ago due to no neutrophils I was not given the shots to self administer. Instead, I had to go in every day for 4 days to receive a shot. It seems some Oncs give it as a preventative and others wait and see how your counts hold up. Since I have a history of low white counts I would assume that this Onc (up here where I live, or my local Onc) would give me the shots as a preventative, but he has decided to wait and see.
I just went in for a blood draw today and will know on Monday whether I will need some Neupogen. Since we are leaving for Las Vegas for a week on Monday, that could be a problem as I don't intend to stick around for a series of shots and cancel my vacation.
I know it is expensive but my insurance has never questioned it and has always paid.
I hope you will receive the Neupogen before your counts go too low.
Hang in there, sweet sister, you'll get through this.
Love, Vickie

04-25-2009, 09:21 PM	#16
vickie h Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: san luis obispo, ca Posts: 1,150	Hi Ellie, When I had Navelbine the first time, I was given Neupogen to take home and self adminster the shots in my abdomen for 4 days after every weekly treatment. that was 2 1/2 years ago. I am on Navelbine again, and even though I had to skip chemo a few weeks ago due to no neutrophils I was not given the shots to self administer. Instead, I had to go in every day for 4 days to receive a shot. It seems some Oncs give it as a preventative and others wait and see how your counts hold up. Since I have a history of low white counts I would assume that this Onc (up here where I live, or my local Onc) would give me the shots as a preventative, but he has decided to wait and see. I just went in for a blood draw today and will know on Monday whether I will need some Neupogen. Since we are leaving for Las Vegas for a week on Monday, that could be a problem as I don't intend to stick around for a series of shots and cancel my vacation. I know it is expensive but my insurance has never questioned it and has always paid. I hope you will receive the Neupogen before your counts go too low. Hang in there, sweet sister, you'll get through this. Love, Vickie __________________ Love and Hugs, Vickie Life's not about waiting for the storm to pass, It's about learning to dance in the rain. Feb 04 IBC IIIC/IV er-/pr- her2+++ 3/04 TCH X4 7/ 04 MRM 9/04 Taxol/herceptin wkly 1 yr 33X rads 11/04 skin mets 33x rads,10/05 Avast/Herc. 11 mos. 8/ 06 PET mets lymphs, neck 9/ 06 Navelbine/herceptin 11/ 06 PET NED 2/ 07 skin mets, 4/07 Xeloda, 5/07 add Tykerb 2/ 08 Tykerb failed. Doxil /Herceptin 6 months 8/08 PET skin mets, 8/08 Abraxane/Avastin 11/ 08 PET prog., skin mets 1/09 PET/CT progress, 1/09 Ixempra, 2/09 add Xeloda and low dose Naltrexone 2/09 off Ixempra/Xeloda 3/09 navelbine/herc/cytoxin 4/09 PET shows regress.7/09 start Topotecan. Failed. 8/09 extensive mets rgt brst, back and torso. starting Pazopanib clinical trial.