IViG Therapy

Ouch!!! And I just thought there would be no side effects! I have now had three infusions of the drug. After Monday's therapy I felt pretty good and actually felt a very slight improvement in pain and stiffness Tuesday morning.

I get pre medicated with antihistamine (atarax in my case since I am allergic to benedryl) and tylenol for potential headaches. Didn't have any problems Monday.

After Tuesday's infusion where I only took 1 Tylenol and half an atarax, I felt really wasted and slept most of the afternoon. As the evening crept on, I started feeling a bit nauseated and started getting a headache, the typical sinus kind with a little tension thrown in. Didn't think much of it and took a Tylenol before bed. During the night I woke up feeling a bit sick to my stomach and head-achy and didn't like it much.

Wednesday, I just felt awful and crawled into the infusion room almost in tears!Samantha, my infusion nurse took good care of me! She gave me Zofran for nausea, ativan for the aggravation, and toredol for the headache. I felt better in 5 minutes and had a nice infusion.

A lady across the room from me heard what all I was moaning about and said, "IVIG flu!" I guess these are normal side effects of the therapy. Everyone there promised the headaches and agony would go away in a few days.

Everything went well until about 9 PM when the headache crept in again. I took a Tylenol before bed but woke up at 4 with the worst headache I have ever had. Even worse than the one I got when i fell off my bike head first into the stone wall on the road near my home going about 25 mph after heading down the hill after the railroad bridge. ugh. Got up and took an Advil and put an ice pack on my head and it was better when I got up at 7 AM. Took another Advil for good measure with my yogurt at breakfast and its under control today. Luckily, I didn't have any nausea.

One more day of IViG this month, then another round mid December. I am looking forward to the benefits and hope they kick in soon, like maybe Saturday? Sure would like to ride my Motorcycle around the hood again. Weather permitting.