Bruising after IVIG infusion

    • April 12, 2011 at 4:32 pm

      Has anyone started to have bruises show up after their IVIG infusion? I have about 4 or 5 thumb-print size bruises on my right lower leg and one big fist-size bruise that covers most of my knee cap. The came on yesterday (2 days post infusion). They don’t hurt, leg is not swollen. I was not worried but mentioned it to my clinic and now that want me to have some lab work done. I don’t want to do extra blood tests if this is something common and will just go away. I can’t find anything when I google bruising and IVIG. Anyone else who experienced this please let me know what happened. Did they just go away and everything was fine or do you thing this is a symptom of something that could be going wrong with my body due to the IVIG.

    • Anonymous
      April 12, 2011 at 5:30 pm

      Probably not caused by the IVIG, but likely it is coincidental. Bruising easily is worthy of investigating–looking for anemia, platelet disorders etc. Good luck and absolutely go for the blood work.
      Laurel

    • Anonymous
      April 12, 2011 at 7:32 pm

      I have certainly had many odd things happen over the past 9 months and I believe all were connected to my cidp. I have read that this disease is very hard to diagnose because we go to the doctor for something before we know we had cidp and the doc thinks it is one thing so he gives you medicine. I did this for a couple of months until the more serious symptoms set in and then he felt the need to send me to a neurologist. The bruising sounds odd so I’m not saying that it is cidp related but….. Paul

    • Anonymous
      April 16, 2011 at 10:03 pm

      My first bout with GBS in 2007, reddish thumb-sized “splotches” appeared on my legs, mostly below the knees, and they are still there. One of the docs who I saw was a Rheumatologist. He said that they were caused by tiny blood vessels which “closed down” as a result of the nerves shutting down. He said there’s no danger, but they don’t look good.

    • April 18, 2011 at 8:55 am

      My bruises went away and no new ones have appeared. I really think I caused the bruising because I did not take it easy on my second day of infusion. I felt really good that day. It was sunny and nice our (which is not always the case living here in MN). So i decided to clean my dirty winter car to get it ready for spring. I knelt on that right knee for quite some time while I vacuumed and shampooed my carpet in my car. Later that night the bruises showed up – the biggest on my right knee and smaller ones down on the chin (probably due to knocking my chin a lot on the car door). So I guess the lesson i learned is to take it easy on the day and a few days after you receive infusions. Even if you feel good. The hardest thing for me is to slow down. I usually am going full-speed ahead at 100 mph. I don’t know how to take it easy. But I will have to learn I guess.

    • Anonymous
      April 21, 2011 at 5:41 pm

      I apolgize beforehand for busting in on a thread like this. I have searched everywhere and even tried to contact my BC/BS provider (as I have had insurance with them for 30 years…and could not get one iiota of simply ‘what if’ detail from them) for help. The ‘story’ is as follows: I have a dear friend from Eastern Europe who moved to America a couple of years ago. Due to difficult work circumstances he has been unable to afford insurance (he now understands the necessity of such despite his limited income). As fate would have it he had to check into the local emergency room (and was ultimately admitted to the local hospital) on Christmas Day 2010 and was eventually diagnosed with ITP (Idiomatic thrombocytopenic purpura – which is basically an unknown condition wherein one’s immune system attacks/destroys one’s platelets). Normal platelet levels (I believe) run about 120,000 to 150,000. His were 1000 upon entrance into the hospital (he was bleeding from eyes, through skin, in mouth, in urine, etc)…and subsequently he was administered a 140units (infusion/bag) of Privigen (10/gm per 100ml)…which when the dust settled cost $44,000.00. He also had a number of xrays/test and spent 4 days in the hospital at a charge of $1185/day.

      I was able to help him with information about usual and customary (like BC/BS – Blue Cross/Blue Shield) insurance allowances for the hospital room. For instance, when my wife was in the hospital some time ago…they charged about $1100/day for her hospital stay per day…but BC/BS only allowed about $300/day and the bill was considered paid in full. I am hoping that someone might be willing to share with me some kind of similar feedback with regard to how thier insurance (hopefully something like BC/BS) handled the charges from the hospital for Privigen infusion. I don’t think anyone is privy to how these behind the scenes ‘allowances’ are derived. But for instance, when I had achilles tendon surgery last year…the doctor charged over $10,000.00 for the actual surgery and again BC/BS only allowed him payment of about $2600.00. Again the bill was considered “Paid in Full”. I’ve got to believe that there are similar situations or ‘allowances’ with regard to the payment for Privigen through powerhouse insurance providers like BC/BS.

      I am requesting this information so that my friend can have at least some sense of usual and customary insurance related/established allowances with which to barter with the hospital. If anyone has information wherein they were administered a similar transfusion of Privigen…and were charged a similar amount (HCPCS billing code for Privigen is J1459 ($275 per unit…140 units = $38500.00)…and then their insurance provider paid fractions of this cost (say 20-35%) and the bill was considerd “Paid in Full” and would share this detail with me…it would be GREATLY appreciated.

      My friend’s life was saved with this Privigen protocol and he wants to honor payment. However, he is simply a waitor in a restaurant…and even sends portions of what little money he makes home to his parents in Romania…and will never be able the pay his hospital bill of $62,000.00+. He would like (to offer/negotiate) to pay whatever is usual and customary (like possibly BC/BS would do) if at all possible. Again, any detail and/or helpful information that anyone can share will be very GREATLY appreciated.

      Sincerely,

      Bobby Griffith

      PS – Feel free to call me at (334) 324-9687 if it might be easier than posting. A basic idea of what is acceptable payment from a large insurance provider is all that I need to move forward/negotiate with a sense of purposeful accountability.

    • Anonymous
      April 23, 2011 at 1:58 pm

      I was told by one of the people associated with FFF Enterprises four years ago that the wholesale price of Carimune NF, made by the same company as Privigen, was approximately $75/g, with a higher price to the hospital, probably something near $150/g. I don’t know how Privigen and Carimune differ, but I would not expect there to be more than a 20% variation. I know from Baxter’s website that the current list price of their Gammaguard is $129/g in a 10 g vial.

      My guess is that the hospital paid something near $140/g for the IVIg, unless they are part of a big system that deals directly with the manufacturer.

      Godspeed in finding a way to deal with the costs,
      ~MarkEns

    • Anonymous
      April 24, 2011 at 11:41 am

      Hey Mark, Thank you very much for your efforts. Every piece of information is of great value. Sincere appreciation to you.

      Regards,

      Bobby Griffith

    • May 17, 2011 at 9:14 am

      No bruising this time with my IVIG treatment. So i guess the big bruises last time were not caused by the IVIG but they were probably caused by me over doing it right after my IVIG treatment. I took it easy this time and did not kneel on my knees for any length of time. I am so new to this CIDP thing and IVIG treatment. I guess you learn as you go what to do. :p