Hello all,
James is currently going through his 10 days of G-CSF injections ahead of his harvesting next week, and of course is experiencing the great joys of incredible bone pain.
My question is, does anyone have any tips on how to relieve this BESIDES using the heavy painkillers? He's got those on hand, but is hesitant to start popping those with 5 days left until apheresis, as he doesn't like how you continually end up needing higher doses to get relief, and they make him feel very "out of it". He'll use them if he really has to, of course.
In the meantime paracetamol seems to do nothing, except maybe help him sleep a bit.
Any tips from the many of you who have been through apheresis would be much appreciated! If we come up with anything that really works we'll post it as well.
Cheers!
Forums
9 posts
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carlinandjames - Name: Carlin and James
- Who do you know with myeloma?: James
- When were you/they diagnosed?: April 2010
- Age at diagnosis: 39
Re: Pain from G-CSF injections- any relief tips?
I had the same pain, and really hadn't been warned by my oncologist as to how intense it would be. (My back is starting to hurt just thinking about it!) I didn't find painkillers to be much help. Good news--it did go away shortly after I stopped taking the injections. Good luck!
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lyndaclark - Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: August 2005
- Age at diagnosis: 49
Re: Pain from G-CSF injections- any relief tips?
I ached all over the last few days before harvesting and had a hard time staying still because no position was comfortable. The nurse had warned me about this occurring and told me to take Tyleonol or Tylenot 3. Nothing really helped, but I kept telling myself that the pain was good because it meant that the stem cells were leaving the bone marrow. Once the stem cells were collected the pain ended. You will feel much, much better after harvesting.
Nancy
Nancy
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NStewart - Name: Nancy Stewart
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 3/08
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Pain from G-CSF injections- any relief tips?
I experienced great bone pain getting ready for the harvest. If I recall it was most severe only a couple of days. Even morphein did not seem to help.
My harvest was over in just 70 minutes! Many of us think that bone pain is a good sign....because it means your marrow is overcrowded and is producing lots of cells. Many who harvest quickly say they had lots of bone pain. And some claim they had no bone pain at all. Perhaps that's why some harvest for 3 or 4 days??? That's the hunch some of us have but it is only anecdotal.
I am in remission 5.5 years after auto SCT. I pray every day. I am praying for "infinite remission."
TIP: Use "line spacing" in your posts to make them easy to read on the screen! Hit ENTER often and you'll avoid creating huge paragraphs of single-spaced type that are difficult to read on a monitor.
My harvest was over in just 70 minutes! Many of us think that bone pain is a good sign....because it means your marrow is overcrowded and is producing lots of cells. Many who harvest quickly say they had lots of bone pain. And some claim they had no bone pain at all. Perhaps that's why some harvest for 3 or 4 days??? That's the hunch some of us have but it is only anecdotal.
I am in remission 5.5 years after auto SCT. I pray every day. I am praying for "infinite remission."
TIP: Use "line spacing" in your posts to make them easy to read on the screen! Hit ENTER often and you'll avoid creating huge paragraphs of single-spaced type that are difficult to read on a monitor.
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Sir_Vivor
Re: Pain from G-CSF injections- any relief tips?
This reply is a bit late, but I have read reports that antihistamines such as Hydroxyzine are effective in reducing bone pain in G-CSF treatment. I hope this is useful to anyone else searching for relief.
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Barry
Re: Pain from G-CSF injections- any relief tips?
I know this is super late, but I'm just writing this for anyone who may have to go through this.
I was a perfect match for my sister who'd gone completely neutropenic and slipped into coma after 2 months of no immune system.
My stem cells were harvested for her. Before the doctor finally gave me some strong pain killers to help the pain, the only thing I found helped, was sitting in a hot bath for hours until I passed out from exhaustion. I was given the injections for 4 days and the bone pain was very intense.
I found relief from hot baths, I think, was probably based on the idea of...punching your knee to distract yourself from the cut on your elbow...or something like that.
The stinging of the hot water on my skin made my body focus on something else besides the bone pain. Or it could be the circulation on my skin took attention off whatever was going on in my bone marrow.
Can't rightly say, except that it did help. I'd sit there for 6 or 7 hours, refilling again and again. I'd try getting out of tub and trying to deal...but would have to give in and run back into the bath.
Hope this helps. Good luck to everyone dealing with this terrible disease.
I was a perfect match for my sister who'd gone completely neutropenic and slipped into coma after 2 months of no immune system.
My stem cells were harvested for her. Before the doctor finally gave me some strong pain killers to help the pain, the only thing I found helped, was sitting in a hot bath for hours until I passed out from exhaustion. I was given the injections for 4 days and the bone pain was very intense.
I found relief from hot baths, I think, was probably based on the idea of...punching your knee to distract yourself from the cut on your elbow...or something like that.
The stinging of the hot water on my skin made my body focus on something else besides the bone pain. Or it could be the circulation on my skin took attention off whatever was going on in my bone marrow.
Can't rightly say, except that it did help. I'd sit there for 6 or 7 hours, refilling again and again. I'd try getting out of tub and trying to deal...but would have to give in and run back into the bath.
Hope this helps. Good luck to everyone dealing with this terrible disease.
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Jey
Re: Pain from G-CSF injections- any relief tips?
Advil - the once a day dose - did the trick for me, and it is not a heavy pain killer.
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Dan D
Re: Pain from G-CSF injections- any relief tips?
Claratin (Loratadine) Really works for the pain associated with stem cell collection.You can use the generic we found the oral disintegrating 10mg tablets worked the best.
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Jade
Re: Pain from G-CSF injections- any relief tips?
I take an injection once every two days and find the pain excrutiating. Back, pelvis, neck. a couple of panadols every four hours help but reading all your posts helped more. I am not alone!
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Mario tal-ilma
9 posts
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