Only one more IVIG (cytogam - spelling?) remaining!

[kellyt]

I had my second to last IVIG treatment today and boy was I surprised!  Usually I get there at 11 a.m. and they don't even put in my IV until 12 or 12:30 p.m.  Then treatment lasts until about 2:45 or 3 p.m.  Today I got there at ten til 11:00 a.m., she hooked me up immediately and my treatment was finished by ten til 1:00 p.m.!  They get a tad shorter at each session.  I was so happy!  The time just flew by!   Only one more the fist week of March and I should hopefully be done with hospitals for a while!   

[Dan.Larrabee]

thats great, but I have no idea what IVIG is. I will look it up, I love more learning.

[monrein]

   Kelly.   

[kellyt]

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a blood product administered intravenously. It contains the pooled IgG immunoglobulins (antibodies) extracted from the plasma of over one thousand blood donors. IVIG's effects last between 2 weeks and 3 months. It is mainly used as treatment in three major categories:

Immune deficiencies - Immune deficiencies such as X-linked agammaglobulinemia, hypogammaglobulinemia (primary immune deficiencies), and acquired compromised immunity conditions ([secondary immune deficiencies), featuring low antibody levels.
Inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Acute infections.

After transplant they told me I was CMV (cytomegaly virus) negative, meaning I had never been exposed to the virus, and my donor was positive.  Therefore, I had to do 7 IVIG treatments to hopefully help me never get CMV.  Search for CMV on Ihatedialysis and you'll find much more information than I could ever give you.

Basically they hook me up to an IV and I sit there (similar to dialysis, I guess, but not nearly as traumatic).  It's boring.

[Dan.Larrabee]

Wow, thanks for the great info. I am glad you only have one more to go!

[paddbear0000]

Yay!!  How long will your last treatment be? And I assume they will test you again once you are done with the treatments?

[Wenchie58]

  I had 12 IVIG treatments and I agree Kelly.....boring!  But the fact that they go faster at the end helps.  Plus mine were always after a plasma pheresis treatment...which took two hours up front.

  I assume since you were bored with them that you didnt have adverse reactions to the IVIG...me either, but I was told horror stories.  I, too, am a CMV negative recipient with a CMV positive donor.  This wasn't the reason I had to have the IVIG but no one ever told me that it could help with the whole CMV issue!!  WoooHooo  thanks for that infor Doctor Kelly!

[kidney4traci]

Great news Kelly. I know you will be relieved to not have to keep going back for treatments along with all the office visits you need too.

[kellyt]

I don't know if they'll test me again or not.  They haven't said.

I had no reactions, thank God.  I would have dreaded the sessions even more.  My only complaint was that they have to register me as a new patient each and everytime I go (which was every other week for the first 5 sessions) and that took forever!  Tey went over all my meds (which as you all know is a lot after transplant) and they wouldn't just take "there have been no changes" as an answer.  After about the 3rd treatment they started filling out the registration papers the day before I came in and then we would just have to do the meds.  I just found it ridiculous.  The treatments don't hurt and you can still use the arm with the IV in it during the treatment (they put mine in the top of my right hand).  It was just a waste of an afternoon.  The last two sessions are monthly, so that's why I don't go back until March.

I sure hope I don't get CMV.  I heard it's a bugger, right Chris?