Bones

I have been experiencing bone pain. Yesterday it was downright medieval. The pain is the result of the drug Neulasta which was given to me after my first infusion (one week ago today).

White Blood Cell

Neulasta is a protein that stimulates the production of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that is depleted during cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Neutrophils are the most common type of white blood cell made in bone marrow, comprising about 50-70% of all white blood cells. They are phagocytic, meaning that they can ingest other cells, though they do not survive the act. Neutrophils are the first immune cells to arrive at a site of infection, within an hour, through a process known as chemotaxis. They are fast acting, plentiful, and responsible for the bulk of an immune response.

• Neutrophil chasing bacterium

This increased white blood cell production has caused a change in my bone marrow pressure and inflammation. I've been prescribed Clariton D, an antihistamine, that in theory reduces inflammation.

• Understanding your complete blood count