Neulasta is a prescription injection used to prevent infections in people undergoing chemotherapy. This eMedTV resource describes the effects of Neulasta, explains how it works, and offers general dosing information for the drug.
Common side effects of Neulasta may include bone pain, headache, and vomiting. As this eMedTV page explains, most side effects are mild, but tell your doctor immediately if you develop allergic reactions, difficulty breathing, or increased cancer growth.
Hair loss is a reported side effect of Neulasta, but it may actually be a side effect of chemotherapy. This eMedTV Web page further explores the link between Neulasta and hair loss, and explains how common hair loss is with chemotherapy treatment.
Neulasta is used for reducing the risk of infections in people who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment. This eMedTV article discusses Neulasta uses in more detail, including information on whether the drug can be used in children or adolescents.
For the prevention of infections, the recommended Neulasta dosage is 6 mg once per chemotherapy cycle. This eMedTV resource discusses Neulasta dosing guidelines in more detail and offers precautions and tips for administering the injections.
If lithium or chemotherapy medicines are taken in conjunction with Neulasta, drug interactions could occur. This eMedTV Web page describes the potential side effects or complications that may develop during drug interactions with Neulasta.
Very rarely, Neulasta can cause enlargement and rupture of the spleen. This section of the eMedTV site contains a list of other Neulasta warnings and precautions, and offers an explanation of who should not take the drug.
Little is known about what to expect from a Neulasta overdose because few cases have been reported. This eMedTV segment describes the possible effects of a Neulasta overdose and explains what treatment options are available.
Neulasta has not been studied in pregnant humans but does appear to cause harm to fetuses in animal studies. This eMedTV page offers more information on Neulasta and pregnancy, and describes the complications that were seen in animal studies.
It is not known whether Neulasta passes through breast milk in breastfeeding women. This eMedTV article discusses Neulasta and breastfeeding in more detail and describes the possible problems that may occur if the drug does pass through breast milk.
At this time, Neulasta is not available in generic form. As this article from the eMedTV archives explains, Neulasta is currently under a certain set of laws and rules that prevents any generic Neulasta products from being manufactured.
