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Neulasta: 7 things you should know

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 22, 2023.

1. How it works

2. Upsides

3. Downsides

If you are between the ages of 18 and 60, take no other medication or have no other medical conditions, side effects you are more likely to experience include:

Note: In general, seniors or children, people with certain medical conditions (such as liver or kidney problems, heart disease, diabetes, seizures) or people who take other medications are more at risk of developing a wider range of side effects. View complete list of side effects

4. Bottom Line

Neulasta injection is a prescription medicine that may be given once every chemotherapy cycle to prevent febrile neutropenia in those people at high risk of it because of cancer treatments they are receiving or from radiation. Neulasta needs to be given no less than 24 hours after chemo and at least 14 days before the next dose. It is available as an on-body injector (OBI) which a health professional can set up and which will deliver a dose of Neulasta 27 hours after the OBI has been placed on the skin over 45 minutes.

5. Tips

6. Response and effectiveness

7. Interactions

Medicines that interact with Neulasta may either decrease its effect, affect how long it works, increase side effects, or have less of an effect when taken with Neulasta. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications; however, sometimes it does. Speak to your doctor about how drug interactions should be managed.

Common medications that may interact with Neulasta include:

Any medication that also increases the risk of infection has the potential to interact with Neulasta. Also if Neulasta is given too soon after chemotherapy, or too close before, it may potentially alter the way the chemotherapy works.

Note that this list is not all-inclusive and includes only common medications that may interact with Neulasta. You should refer to the prescribing information for Neulasta for a complete list of interactions.

References

Further information

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Neulasta only for the indication prescribed.

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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