Gamunex – Administration Process concerns – saline vs dextrose

Hi, I received Gammunex infusions for around 2 years. Nurses in two different infusion centers – Denver and Fort Collins – always used saline for flushing.

But, pre-hydrating with saline isn’t mentioned. I tend to try and self-hydrate starting two days before w/a Gatorade pint and then drinking as much of fluids, juices, gingerale, tea, water as possible! Being hydrated is important for successful infusions? But additional hydration can be equally problematic. As long as they can ‘stick’ you successfully w/o blow-outs, you should be doing fine. Unless the nurses don’t ‘stick’ well!
I had gone thru a phase while having hospital out-patient infusions where I was ALWAYS given a huge bag of saline prior to infusions…. after about an hour? All I could taste was a bitter salty type of ick! I would gain at least 4-5 pounds between the saline, hydrating AND the infusion! Which would take me about 10 days to lose. It IS surprising to go get infused and come out soo much heavier?
For me now and before? Some sucrose was injected thru the catheter when I was getting ‘sticked’, now that I’ve got a port? I get first some blood thinner, then some sucrose [NOT GLUCOSE-they’re more than slitely different compounds, I believe?] to start things, then sucrose followed by blood thinner to end things. It sounds drastic at first? But really it isn’t.
Here is the ‘full prescribing information’ for Gammunex: url-http://www.gamunex.com/media/Gamunex_Prescribing_Info.pdf-url Read the whole thing! Memorize it! There are a lot of good and some confusing bits of info in there? But the Preparations and Side effects are your key clues to minor or sometimes [not often tho] major problems.
If you have doubts or questions? Call Gammunex’s 800 number-Talecris has a ‘contact us’ feature on their web site. Good luck!

Btw? My port access tubing? All stuff goes into that one tube…how it’s accessed can vary at times tho. My port tubing has two access venues. AND with the port? Sterile procedures: Mask, special gloves and special site cleansers are used. So Get used to that ‘alcohol’ smell!
I’d ask those doing the extra saline infusions? WHY? Either get a good note pad and super short-hand to get it all down? Or, have a secret recorder handy [this is usually illegal in most states -w/o the permission of the other party to record] But It can help YOU sort out and make better notes of what’s said or not said, vs what the Talecris folks say.
For both or your sakes’ I sure hope it ultimately works! Hope and good things – SOON!

I responded to your private message.
Dawn

I have been taking Gamunex for about 18 months now and never had saline prior to infusions. My doc and infusion nurses say plenty of fluid intake the day before the infusion helps veins “pop up” and accept med better. Take pre-meds 30 minutes prior to Gamunex: benadryl, 125mg iv solumedrol and 2 tylenol. They use a small amount of saline to flush the iv. Have had no problems. Good luck.