[tuffer82Participant]

Hi

My father was diagnosed with MM in May this year. He has been through his 4 cycles of DVTD and is now in-line to have his HDCT-SCT. Since before his stem cell harvest he was injecting Filgrastim for stem cell mobilisation and experienced strong side effects such as nausea, headaches, diarrhoea and pins & needles. He has had the harvest and since then has felt terrible. I suggested it was the effects of the anticoagulant used in the harvest but it has been over a week since the harvest and he is still suffering. I believe it is the gastric issues that are the worst! So my question is, has anyone else experienced similar reactions to either the pre harvest injections or the harvest itself? How long do these side effects last? And is there anything I can suggest to him to do to deal with them? Unfortunately it’s really getting him down and I was hoping he’d have a few weeks side effect free as he is no longer taking all the chemo meds but unfortunately there seems to be no respite for him. Any advice and suggestions welcome. TIA

[mulberryParticipant]

It isn’t inevitable that there are side effects from filgrastim, although some patients have some. (I didn’t have any at all). I think that your father should contact his myeloma nurse or another member of his team, his side effects really sound difficult to tolerate, and as he has said, this should be a period, after harvest, when he feels pretty well.

[Author]

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