I don't think it matters. I had to have neulasta shots, but they didn't bother me. I'm one of the lucky ones. Good luck to your mom..

I've been taking Claritin along with an aleve an hour before the shot and it seems to be working!

Ask the oncologist. I believe Claritin D may cause an increase in blood presure.

I take a regular Claritin and a couple of Tylenol right before the shot and it helps a lot!!!
If you already have it at home of course bring it along, but in my case my oncologist orders the Claritin and Tylenol along with the Neulasta so I don't have to remember to bring it along with me which helps because of my chemo brain! Love and blessings! xoxo

Important tip!!!
For my body at least I have to take the Claritin and Tylenol right before the injection in order for them to work....I guess it works like regular narcotic painkillers, in that they must be taken before you feel pain not after you are already in agony, and migraine medications as well have to be taken right at the start of a migraine in order to work.
Probably other people have had a difference experience, but the one time I decided to just take the Claritin and Tylenol when I got home instead of at the hospital- it didn't work and I felt like I was run over by a bunch of trucks for days. :-( And I only live 15 minutes from the hospital so I got the Claritin and Tylenol not more than 20 minutes after the Neulasta shot! Just saying that is what happened to me.....Good luck and best wishes!

Regular Claritin, not the D. And the Tylenol on a regular basis. For me, it lessened the intensity, but it was still uncomfortable. It was just another evil necessity, however, because without the Neulasta, my count was low and I wouldn't have been able to receive my treatments. Hoping it will work for her.

Great information ikickedit and illymadeline. I may need that shot because of my levels being too low. Thanks for the advice. Claritin and tylenol will be ordered.

Thank you all!

Its regular claritin along with an Aleve. .. I suffered horrible bone pain from these shots.. I had a neulasta inj after each of my 8 chemo tx

I was told Claritin -- NOT Claritin D. I took it the day before, the day of and the day after the Neulesta shot and I had no bone pain so it worked great for me.

I took regular Claitin & also used Motrin, helped alittle.

My onc's nurse told me Claritin D works much better than regular Claritin, but I've heard others here say just the opposite. My first round I didn't take the Claritin D, and I was miserable with horrid bone pain. Told my husband I wasn't going to do this again, b/c I had to have neulasta after all 6 of my main chemo infusions. Next round I took the Claritin D, starting the day of chemo, the day of neulasta, and for 3 or 4 days after. It made a huge difference for me, and made finishing my chemo doable.

Everybody is different, and reacts to the meds differently. It's important to always check with your doc before taking anything during chemo. Best wishes to you and your mom!

Not Claritin D, according to my medical staff. Just Claritin. It works, too!

I use regular Claritin and it seems to work great.

I took generic Claritin (not D) starting before my first Neulasta and continued daily for the rest of my treatment to help with my watering eyes, causing a runny nose. It helped with the bone pain but did not stop it. The pains are weird as they move around and have no pattern. They were tolerable, but I'm used to arthritis discomfort. Hope things go smoothly. jojo2

Please take the Claritin. I did not know about until my third round and had really BAD bone pain but with the Claritin it was so much better. Save yourself some pain by taking it!

It's amazing that half say the D and the other say NO....Can't the Oncologists get their act together and work from the same script. It's hard enough doing all this and then you get conflicting opinions.....GEEZE

Amen to that Barryboomer. Mine told me Claritan--not Claritan D. I was to take it 1 hour before the shot then every day for two days after at the same time of day as I took it the first day. It helped much more than the oral steroid --dexamethasone that I used the first round of chemo/neulasta, BUT I did end up taking it for 5 days total each time--with the blessing of my oncologist. I would use Ibuprofen or Tylenol as needed for break through pain. I was one of those for whom Neulasta caused a lot of generalized pain in bones and muscles. It would hit about 24-48 hours after the Neulasta shot which coincided with the chemo effects (Taxotere/Cytoxan) hitting so the third day out was literally "a pain". The Claritan seemed to make it more tolerable so I was only down and out for a day or two for the second and third rounds of chemo/neulasta. Thankfully I only had 4 rounds of chemo as the last time it really took me down for 5 days just aching and tired and unable to rest comfortably even with the Claritan and Ibuprofen. The Neulasta did help keep my white blood cell count within the acceptable range and that was my goal so that I could get the chemo over and done with and move on. So, if I had to do it again ---which I REALLY am hoping and praying I never have to---I would take the Neulasta again and just use the Claritan and Ibuprofen to get me through the pain.

Okay, I should clarify, after reading more answers. Claritin helped with muscle pain as my body withdrew from the steroids that were in the chemo 'cocktail' 2 days after an infusion. Claritin did nothing for me regarding bone pain. Not even heavy pain killers helped that - that was major pain.

When I was receiving Taxol, which I did dose dense in four treatments, I had a lot of bone pain. I don't think it was the neulasta. In my case, it was the Taxol. Claritan did not help. My onc. gave me prednisone (20 mg. a day) with my second treatment and that did help some. The pain was fairly intense and the steroids took the edge off. Of course, they made me a little antsy so I reduced my daily dose to 10 mg and spread it out a little longer. Worth asking about this if your Mom needs something else to get her through the treatments ok.

Yep, just got home from my shot. Second time. Used Claritin and Tylenol. So far, so good

I would try anything to help ease the side effects. My bone pain was horrible and I did not know about this. Pain pills did not help. Epson salts bath helped somewhat.

Please make sure you have pain meds on hand too. I honestly can't remember if the pain was due to the Neulasta injection or the actual "TCH" chemo. Had six total & I suffered severe bone pain. Took Aleve night & day which didn't even take the edge off. Good luck & no matter what don't stop treatment!

I dont think it matters which one. Praying for you. Stay strong.

Wow! This is interesting news! I wish I had known about this when I went through IV chemo. I had 6 very brutal rounds. Hooked up 72 hours straight and each bag was the size of a throw pillow. I had onc. nurses that had been in the field for over 20 years and said they had never seen bags that big. Im now on oral chemo (Xeloda & Temodar) and I have a lot of weakness and due to inactity, a lot of joint pain so maybe I'll try this combination! I'm not sure if my pain after the Neulasta injections or from the chemo and laying in a I comfy hospital bed all weekend or a combo.
Thanks for the info and best wishes to your Mom & your family!
~Live,Laugh,Love~

Gee nobody told me about claritan. They had me take Tylenol which wad just alright. Doesn't hurt to try. I wouldn't take claritan d tho.

No one told me about Claritin either. I couldn't move for three days after the Nulasta shot. What dosage do I take? Just 1pill per day?

My oncology nurse told me to take 1 regular Claritan on the day before the Neulasta shot and 1 regular Claritan for the next 3 days for a total of 4 days.

I forgot the Claritan before my second shot and could for sure tell a difference.

My cousin didn't understand that it HAD to be Claritan and took Zyrtech instead on his first time. Did nothing for the pain and was in bad pain.

Just to give a update, My mom has been taking regular Claritin and Tylenol and with that the pain has been bearable, her words not mine. Although she's still achy while taking it, she can certainly tell the difference. The bone pain intensifies when it is time for the next dosage of Claritin. I'm really grateful for forums like this. Thank you all for the well wishes. I'm sending you the same in return. Sending you all good Health, Love & Blessings!!!

Claritin and Tylenol keep taking them they really really help.

It's criminal that EVERY Oncologist and their staff don't know this or don't tell patients about it. Docs are ok but they aren't always the best. My Surgeon who is monitoring my lymphoma and is doing some minor surgery to take out a few nodes close to the skin doesn't use non stick gauze after surgery and stitches. When I was an LPN at ALF's I noticed this all the time....Doc's offices etc. It's a little thing but it really is important because the gauze sticks into the wound and when you take it out it rips some of it......even with saline it can do it.

My onc nurse told me to start the Claritin a couple of days before and continue for a couple of days after! it worked!

I wonder if Claritin can do other things as well. Wonder WHY it works and what exactly IN Claritin.

I wonder if any scientist has ever investigated WHAT could there be in Claritin that can do this amazing thing. I wonder what else it could be good for. Maybe for Cancer????? Lots of wonderful things were discovered by accident and curiosity....B

The neulasta/neutogena shots stimulate histamine in addition to white blood cells. This can add to the bone pain, hence why Claritin (an anti-histamine) can help. The Claritin-D contains the added ingredient of the decongestent pseudoephedrine which is not needed in this context and which could be counter productive for people with high blood pressure and other conditions.

I just found this message board and I must say thank you so much. This is my 3rd recurrence of breast cancer in the last 3 years. The Neulasta this time seemed unusually unbearable. I took a Claritan this morning. What a difference. Motrin and Tylenol could not even take the edge off. I will be doing this through the remainder of my treatments. Thanks again for sharing!

Hey SUE....WHY do you think this isn't standard practice or protocol with every Oncologist in America.... It seems crazy not to know this....UGH

I have Triple Negative IDC breast cancer and I am again taking the Neulasta shots 24 hrs after my chemo. I have used the on body device twice and found it absolutely inconvenient and cumbersome wearing it for 27 hours.

I also took Neulasta almost 5 years ago with my cancer (HER2 NU). Aleve liquigels are very good but take 1 after your shot and BEFORE the bone pain starts.You will want to take the shot as far away from your bones as possible. I recommend in your belly, alternating each time on each side of your navel. I personally found the Neulasta is more evenly disbursed and seems to draw from the bone marrow more evenly through the body.

I took it for my sinuses because my nose would run clear watery mucous like a spigot. I have taken Claritin and it does work very well to take the day before your chemo to get it into your system.

Claritin is not taken for the relief of bone from the Neulasta.

Well Della I guess it's a matter of opinion. It worked for me and to me that is what matters. To each his own! Also, I personally like the on site injection unit. Again, everyone is different.

Suemommy2, I totally agree with you. I took Claritin the day before and a couple of days afterwards and the results were amazing. There is enough to deal with so that it was a relief not to have that bone pain. I wish you the very best.

isn't Claritin for allergies?

Yes it is. I'm not sure why it works but it helped my mom a great deal with the pain from the neulasta shot.