Rescue Drugs/Low Neutrophils

[Rosebud41]

Can anyone tell about me taking Neupogen while on Pegasys.
I understand it can be used as a "rescue" drug some people take it while on therapy.

If it works maybe I can start my therapy over again. It was stopped two days ago due to a dramatic drop in my neutrophil count.

Who are some doctors doing this maybe I can get my doctor some more info?

Are there any documented articles that speak to this?

Has anyone in the community taken this Neuopogen or a similar drug  while on Pegasys?

[cruelworld]

my doc told me that some cancer chemotherapies drive your white and neut counts
down to zero!!!!! i not sure how all that works but i expect with the right doc
you can continue. most of our docs will let that number get really low before
using rescue drugs.

[Rosebud41]

I think your're correct.
I'll be seeing a specialist on Thursday.
He's located at a large hospital in my area.

Do you know of facilities that treat Hep C  in the Midwest or doctors who will listen to what I have to say please let me know or work with me on the treatment for at least a few weeks.

I talked to my vacationing Dr. and basically he's leaving it up to the hematoglist.
He's said he spoke with him and he's talking biopsy.  Eventually, I'll have one but presently I can't deal with it mentally. He also said the hematologist said stop everything until he evaluates me.  The doctor also said he did not know of anyone who had take Nuprogen for 48 weeks. That was in response to if I could take it during treatment. I was willing to take it for 12 weeks to see if there was any benefit.  I feel like I gotten myself in a big mess.
The hospital is a transplant facility and I hope they don't want to point me in that direction too early because of my low neutrophil count.

  
Tell me what you think?

[orphanedhawk]

I was almost taken off tx after 5 weeks but instead I changed docs. I was seeing a GI and I switched to an heptalogist, a research guy who has no problem with altering tx to fit the patient.

Now for the bad part, I did Neup 2x weekly for 4 months. It only helped for a short time and the rest of the time I had both bone pain and emotional outbursts. The bone pain came towards the end. I went ballistic when they upped it to 3x per week. I didn't even care about anything at that point other than quitting the nasty neup.However I'm not the 'average' patient.

I know the company that produces neupogen has a free-bie program for those without insurance. In my case, my doc got the nuep for me.

BTW: I think you need a doc with more HCV experience.   Good luck

[Rosebud41]

I called my doctor on his cell phone.
He is to call me back in 1 1/2 hours.

I am concerned about continuing the REBA, but he did mention that is done sometimes in our last appointment on Friday. He just indicated that he didn't want to do that in my case. I didn't have any info to question the decision at the time so I followed his direction.

I believe he was kind of feeling his way after my problem occurred. He has a very busy practice and I am not his only patient so I do understand.

But, maybe if he had not been trying to get out of town I would have gotten a day to think about it and so would he before making the final decision.

I  am sure he didn't want to leave me hanging in a difficult place while he was on vacation and I can understand.

However, my best friend is a an attorney and she gave me the blues for not doing more research. She indicated that just because he had never seen such a dramatic drop didn't mean someone else in the world hadn't had one and to get off my "chair" and start looking for someone. Then I got a response from TeeVee36 which motivated me...
Then I got the message from Bobby 1952 ...and I was off and running again.
Thank you all for you info and support. Sometimes we all need a kick in the pants to keep going. I feel about 100% better today. I guess that's because I had all but tossed the towel in after he stopped the treatment due to my low neutrophil count.

We'll see what he says when he calls and maybe I will contniue the REBA unless there something he is not telling me,  

I am thankful for you all and the world wide web which brings us together today.

Thanks again Bobby 1952 for the push.  I just not certain I have the nerve to swallow the pills without my doctors OK.  I don't want to put myself in some crisis.

I am eternally grateful for you guys.

[Rosebud41]

I called my doctor on his cell phone.
He is to call me back in 1 1/2 hours.

I am concerned about continuing the REBA, but he did mention that is done sometimes in our last appointment on Friday. He just indicated that he didn't want to do that in my case. I didn't have any info to question the decision at the time so I followed his direction.

I believe he was kind of feeling his way after my problem occurred. He has a very busy practice and I am not his only patient so I do understand.

But, maybe if he had not been trying to get out of town I would have gotten a day to think about it and so would he before making the final decision.

I  am sure he didn't want to leave me hanging in a difficult place while he was on vacation and I can understand.

However, my best friend is a an attorney and she gave me the blues for not doing more research. She indicated that just because he had never seen such a dramatic drop didn't mean someone else in the world hadn't had one and to get off my "chair" and start looking for someone. Then I got a response from TeeVee36 which motivated me...
Then I got the message from Bobby 1952 ...and I was off and running again.
Thank you all for you info and support. Sometimes we all need a kick in the pants to keep going. I feel about 100% better today. I guess that's because I had all but tossed the towel in after he stopped the treatment due to my low neutrophil count.

We'll see what he says when he calls and maybe I will contniue the REBA unless there something he is not telling me,  

I am thankful for you all and the world wide web which brings us together today.

Thanks again Bobby 1952 for the push.  I just not certain I have the nerve to swallow the pills without my doctors OK.  I don't want to put myself in some crisis.

I am eternally grateful for you guys.

[Rosebud41]

I was stopped before I took the 3rd shot.
I am not taking Riba he stopped that also.
I should have taken the third shot on Friday.
I'm afraid to take anything now.
I am beginning to feel as if I'm in withdrawl.

[Bobby1952]

If you just took your 3rd shot than you are not officially off of treatment until it wears off. Are you still taking the Riba. I would keep taking it until you talk to your doctor about neupogen. Unless you are on a trial and don't have access to it every day.  

Bobby

[Rosebud41]

TeeVee 36 and friends

I get my Neupogen free too. I now have a package of 10.

The doctor took me off treatment and is sending me to a hematologist that told him to put me on Neupogen.  Unfortunately my doctor was not prepared for my problems.

I can't tell you how helpful your info has been.

I became so depressed about being taken off the Pegasus when I was just starting I could not even get out of bed yesterday. I thought all hope was gone.

Maybe I 'll get to resume my treatment. I only wish I had realized my doctor was only prepared to deal with text book cases.  Well, you live and learn.

Thank you and all the other community memebers who have answered a million time over for taking the time to post and give me some hope to get through another day. I will never forget the kindness of many unknown friends.  God Bless You All and TeeVee 36 you are special.

[TeeVee36]

Neupogen is free for me under my insurance.  I have heard that it is vey expensive (box of 10 for 6,000.00).  I have heard that a lot of people don't like Neupogen bcoz of the side effects (bone pain).  I have been extremely fortunate NOT to experience this and have no idea what bone paind would even be like.  I definately have an angel watching over me and seeing me through this.  I have also heard that the conditions of some of the trials out there do not allow for any 'rescue drugs' therefore if your numbers become dangerously low they reduce med intake and/or stop tx altogether.

I think that most Hepatologists are familiar with the use of the different rescue drugs prescribed as needed.  Once again, sounds like you need to see a specialist...