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By My Side™ Cancer Treatment Chemotherapy
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Find out more about chemotherapy and different side effects associated with chemotherapy...
 
Nausea & Vomiting
Weight Change
Diarrhea & Constipation
Mouth Sores
Pain
Temporary Hair Loss
Depression & Anxiety
Whether it's sudden or ongoing, pain is treatable.

Research has shown that about one-third of patients with cancer have pain, caused by either the cancer itself or its treatment. The good news is that pain can be controlled through medication or other means. You may have already read about managing the pain of mouth sores and the discomfort of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.

Another type of pain experienced by some patients with cancer is neuropathy (new-raw-puh-thee). This is numbness, tingling, or pain in the hands and feet, resulting from nerve damage caused by some types of chemotherapy.

Let your doctor or nurse know if you are feeling pain. You should call right away if you have sudden pain that you didn't have before, particularly pain in your chest or when you breathe.

Your doctor or nurse will ask you to describe your pain: where it is, how bad it is, how long it lasts, and how often it occurs. They will ask you whether it is dull or sharp, and what makes it better or worse.

Once your health care team knows the type of pain you're having, they will work with you to choose the best treatment. It could be over-the-counter medication or a prescription pain reliever, or even breathing and relaxation techniques.

Many patients with cancer fear that they'll become addicted to prescription pain medication. This is a myth—discuss your concerns with your doctor or nurse. You don't have to live with pain—you can manage it with the help of your doctor and nurse.
 

Neulasta® (pegfilgrastim) is prescribed to reduce the risk of infection (initially marked by fever) in patients with some tumors receiving strong chemotherapy that decreases the number of infection-fighting white blood cells.

Important product safety information
Ruptured spleen (including fatal cases), serious allergic reactions, and a serious lung problem called acute respiratory distress syndrome have been reported. Call your doctor or seek emergency care right away if you have abdominal or shoulder tip pain, shortness of breath, trouble breathing, a fast rate of breathing, or any allergic reaction. The most common side effect of this injection is mild to moderate bone pain. If you have any questions about this information, be sure to discuss them with your doctor. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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