Pegfilgrastim Injection

Pegfilgrastim is used to reduce the chance of infection in people who have certain types of cancer and are receiving chemotherapy medications that may decrease the number of neutrophils (a type of blood cell needed to fight infection). Pegfilgrastim is in a class of medications called colony stimulating factors. It works by helping the body make more neutrophils.

Pegfilgrastim comes as a solution (liquid) to inject subcutaneously (under the skin). It is usually given as a single dose for each chemotherapy cycle, no sooner than 24 hours after the last dose of chemotherapy of the cycle is given and more than 14 days before beginning the next chemotherapy cycle. Your doctor will tell you exactly when you should use pegfilgrastim. Pegfilgrastim may be given to you by a nurse or other healthcare provider, or you may be told to inject the medication at home. If you will be injecting pegfilgrastim at home, follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use pegfilgrastim exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor. If you will be injecting pegfilgrastim yourself, a healthcare provider will show you how to inject the medication. Be sure that you understand these directions. Ask your healthcare provider if you have any questions about where on your body you should inject pegfilgrastim, how to give the injection, or how to dispose of used needles and syringes after you inject the medication. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient.

<p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Pegfilgrastim may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

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redness, swelling, bruising, itching or a lump in the area where the medication was injected</li>
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bone, joint, or muscle pain</li>
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headache</li>
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weakness</li>
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constipation</li>
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vomiting</li>
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swelling of the arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs</li></ul></p> <p></p> <p>Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

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pain in the left upper part of the stomach or the tip of your left shoulder</li>
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fever</li>
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shortness of breath</li>
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trouble breathing</li>
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fast breathing</li>
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wheezing</li>
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dizziness</li>
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sweating</li>
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hives</li>
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rash</li>
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itching</li>
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swelling around the mouth or eyes</li></ul>Pegfilgrastim may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.</p>

Before using pegfilgrastim, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to pegfilgrastim, filgrastim (Neupogen), medications that are made using the bacteria E. coli, or any other medications. Ask your pharmacist if you do not know if a medication you are allergic to is made using E. coli. Also tell your doctor if you or the person who will be injecting pegfilgrastim for you is allergic to latex. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. tell your doctor if you are being treated with radiation therapy and if you have or have ever had cancer of the blood or bone marrow or sickle cell disease (a blood disease that may cause painful crises, a low number of red blood cells, infection, and damage to the internal organs). If you have sickle cell disease, you may be more likely to have a crisis during your treatment with pegfilgrastim. Call your doctor right away if you have a sickle cell crisis during your treatment. if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using pegfilgrastim. you should know that pegfilgrastim decreases the risk of infection, but does not prevent all infections that may develop during or after chemotherapy. Call your doctor if you develop signs of infection such as fever; chills; rash; sore throat; diarrhea; or redness, swelling, or pain around a cut or sore.

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.