neulasta

Pegfilgrastim is a long-acting form of the drug, filgrastim. These drugs, called colony-stimulating factors, are used to help stimulate the bone marrow to make white blood cells in patients who are not able to produce enough white blood cells on their own. White blood cells help the body fight infections. Certain medical conditions (e.g., cancer) and/or medications (e.g., cancer chemotherapy) may reduce the body's ability to make normal white blood cells.

If you miss a dose, contact your doctor to establish a new dosing schedule.

Read the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start using pegfilgrastim and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions regarding the information, consult your doctor or pharmacist. Avoid shaking this medication; doing so may make the drug ineffective. Remove the medication from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you inject it to allow it to reach room temperature. Inject this medication under the skin (subcutaneously) usually once during each chemotherapy cycle, or as directed by your doctor. The dosage is usually one 6 milligram injection, but it may be adjusted for children or small adults (weighing less than 100 pounds or 45 kilograms). Do not give this drug during the period 14 days before to 1 day after your chemotherapy. Giving this drug during this time may increase your risk of certain side effects. Consult your doctor for details. If you are giving yourself this injection at home, make sure you learn how to prepare and inject this medication properly. Ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse any questions you may have about how to give yourself pegfilgrastim. Learn how to properly dispose of used syringes, needles, and any unused medication. Never reuse needles or syringes. Before using, check this product visually for particles or discoloration. If either is present, do not use the liquid. Choose a new injection site each time you give yourself a dose. This will help prevent soreness. Never inject pegfilgrastim into skin that is tender, red, bruised, and hard, or has scars or stretch marks.

Your healthcare professionals (e.g., doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: lithium. This medication may interfere with certain laboratory tests (e.g., bone tests such as bone imaging). Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug. This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For enrollment information call MedicAlert at 1-800-854-1166 (USA), or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).

Do not share this medication with others. This medication must be taken under close medical supervision so that your blood counts can be monitored. Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., blood and platelet counts) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details. It is very important to keep all scheduled medical and laboratory appointments.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US national poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.

Before using pegfilgrastim, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it or to filgrastim; or to other medications made in a similar way (biotechnology-produced proteins using E. coli); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients (such as dry natural rubber/latex in the needle cover on the prefilled syringe), which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: sickle cell disease, spleen problems. If you are scheduled to have radiation therapy, tell your doctor you are taking pegfilgrastim. This medication should not be given during the time you are receiving radiation therapy. This medication should be used only when clearly needed during pregnancy. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Store in a refrigerator between 36-46 degrees F (2-8 degrees C) away from light. Do not freeze. This medication may be kept out of the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. After that time, if the medication is left unused, discard it. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

Bone pain may occur. Taking a non-aspirin pain reliever such as acetaminophen may help with this pain. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Injection site reactions such as redness, swelling, itching, lumps, or bruising may also occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Seek immediate medical attention if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: breathing problems (e.g., trouble breathing, shortness of breath, fast breathing). Rarely, possibly fatal damage to the spleen may occur. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience the following side effects: stomach/abdominal pain and/or shoulder pain. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, fast heartbeat, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.