gammaguard infusion time vs gammunex

    • Anonymous
      November 1, 2008 at 11:58 pm

      okay, so I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced this…..

      I had my infusion this week and I specifically asked the hospital if I could have gammaguard again.

      My reason was that I had gammguard when I was admitted last year, but now the hospital has a contract on gammunex so I have been getting gammunex for the last couple of outpatient infusions. I personally feel like I have not been getting the same benefit from the gammunex so I wanted to go back to gammaguard so I will know for sure if I am imagining it or if I am right. The doctors and nurses all say it doesn’t matter, but I know from talking to people here that it can. I don’t get any side effects from either (knock on wood!), but I just really felt like I had better results from the gammguard.

      So, sorry so long winded, but anyway, here is my question. I get 65g and with Gammunex it usually takes 3-3 1/2 hrs to infuse. So this time with the Gammaguard it was still 65g but it was A LOT more liquid and it took 5 1/2 hrs to infuse!

      Is this normal? Has anyone else had this happen? The nurses just said that “thats how Gammaguard comes” but I don’t remember when I was in the hospital, because basically I had nothing else to do! 🙂

      Thanks for your help!

      marjie

    • Anonymous
      November 2, 2008 at 8:52 am

      For me it seems like 65 grams should always be 65 grams. It’s a measurement so it shouldn’t matter which liquid is being measured – it should all be the same amount.

      Also, 3 1/2 hours for 65 grams is SUPER fast! You might ask to slow your infusion down. Emily’s infusions are fast & 30 grams took 3 1/2 hours. You get more than double of what she did & you go the same amount of time. 5 1/2 hours seems more safe for me. I know it sucks to have to sit there for that long but it really is a the safer route to go.

      Hope that helps.
      Kelly

    • Anonymous
      November 2, 2008 at 10:30 am

      Marjie,
      I had the same experience. I was getting Gammunex all the time which took about 4 hours. One time they couldn’t get it and substituted Gammuguard. It took all day. Difference is Gammunex comes ready to use, this particular Gammuguard came in powder form and had to be mixed first. No idea why they made it less concentrated.

    • Anonymous
      November 2, 2008 at 10:38 am

      65 gms is the amt of drug but the dilutent is what is different. Apparrently the powder form requires more dilutent to be infused. I always looked at it as less water I had to drink! :rolleyes:

    • Anonymous
      November 2, 2008 at 10:43 am

      Marjie, I get liquid gammagard 45 gm over 4 hours at home. Any faster and I get a headache. I had a reaction to Octogam, so I really believe the brands are different. I agree with Kelly, you were getting that 3 1/2 infusion too fast and the 5 1/2 hour rate sounds a bit better. I know it’s hard to just sit there, it is so much better now that I get it at home. I can lie down, listen to music, come here and read with my notebook, and anything I want to do. Friends visit and bring food. It is really working out well.

    • Anonymous
      November 2, 2008 at 2:19 pm

      I think Norb has a point because I had to wait long for the prescription to come up because it was “being mixed” I just wonder if the liquid is more diluted, the infusion rate must be based on the liquid not the concentration of IVIG.

      I don’t mind the time, of course last week i hadn’t planned for it and had to do some last minute juggling while I was sitting there. And trust me, if the Gammaguard does work better as I think it might, I’m more than happy to sit there. The only problem is I may have to change to home infusion anyway if I stick with Gammaguard because the hospital can’t guarantee being able to get it because they use Gammunex.

      Thanks for all the input! I know the Gammunex infusion seemed fast, but I never had a problem with it (like i said knock on wood!)

      Marjie

    • Dawn Kevies mom
      November 2, 2008 at 6:05 pm

      Marjie,
      Think it has to do with a 5 or 10 % dilution. Kevin had s/d, or powder gammaguard the first time, it got him so sick. Now he gets gammaguard liquid, it takes him 6 hrs 40 min. for 30 grams. There is a standard formula for figuring out the rate. It is done by your weight. As of this month, the pharmacist re-did Kevin’s rate. At 107lbs, he was a 39 max. Now 2 years later at 124, it is 57 max. Some of the time delay cmes from his slow ramp up, but the end # is the same, 57.

      Regarding the gammunex, it is not always easy to get, even though the hospital has a contract and that could lead to having to switch, not to mention you like gammaguard. About the powder form. I was told by Baxter that the powder is not supposed to be used unless you fit a certain criteria. Mostly for immune suppressed people, apparently stronger for them. Who knows?? Might be a good question at the symposium I am sure the pharm. companies will be there, selling their goods!! See you Friday,
      Dawn Kevies mom