Hepatitis C and Neupogen

[czechm]

I started the pegasys and ribavirin treatment on 01/07, three months into the treatment I got a call at work that I have to go in and take a neupogen injection immediately; I have been on it since.  I take the injections every three days and as far as I know everything is going well, but how long can a person stay on neupogen without it completeely destroying my body?  I read most cancer patient stay on it 20-40 days, is it ok for me to take it this long and until the end of my treatment 01-08?
I am worried please let me know the doc always tells me just that everything is ok

[Lilla]

Everyone is different with how they react to drugs.    I'm geno2b/24 week tx./180 Peg-Inf.Alpha2a - 800mg Riba.     At week 8 my neutrophils were 694  (1500-7800cells) and NP wrote prescription  for neupogen for me.  I didn't want to take it.   Doctor's office told me I'd have to have blood work every 2 weeks and I went that route.   Neutrophils went 694, 695, 545, 790, 844.   I also read an article wherein it had been cited that patients who developed neutropenia during tx of chronic HCV with a combined therapy based on pegylated INF alpha2a plus riba did not show a higher infection rate or increased severity of the disease.    I realize everyone will not react the way I did and Neupogen is necessary for some.  I chose the route I took as a first step as I just didn't want another drug in me, not to mention the cost, as well as side effects.  Good luck to you.

[Teufelhunden]

I was on Neupogen almost from the onset until week 21. I'd get one every Thursday. At week 22, the doctor started monitering my ANC and took me off Neupogen and I stayed off for the rest of my treatment. He said if my ANC dropped below 1000 I'd need a shot but it stayed just above it for the rest of the time. My WBC never got above 3.5 and my Hemoglobin dropped to 10.7 my last 2 weeks which left me fatigued all the time. Pegasys and 1200 Riba. 48 wks. Geno 1a. One week post treatment. Good luck!

[orphanedhawk]

I was also told not to worry although the insert lists loads of potential side effects. Cancer patients may be taking it 5 days a week. They aren't as tough as us (lol).  The reason they give us neupogen is to increase our white blood cells which drop in response to the interferon. The problem with low wbcs is it leaves us open for infections that can be very serious. My doc allowed me to take less and then stop only after he explained to me the risk and I told him I'd rather be a hermit than take anymore of that stuff .    I assume you are getting weekly CBCs. If your wbc rise, then you should ask your doc about reducing the neupogen.
    To be fair, I am biased against neupogen. Others here have done it for more than 48 weeks without problems afterwards.
   If you are a heavy smoker or have other lung related problems, I think you are in more danger. There was a recent article dealing with older patients having trouble breathing from neupogen use.You can search the archives here or do a google.
  good luck.