IVIG and Water

they want you to drink lots of water to flush your system and move along the (medicine). i was on i.v.i.g. and chemo. at the same time and i drank tons of water to keep flushing out my system. besides water is very healthy for you. i drink a lot of bottled water. don’t know why; i guess i just like holding a bottle. (which isn’t easy when you’re numb and paralyzed). hope i didn’t confuse you. drink up!!! 🙂

All I know is that they want you very hydrated because it is supposed to cut down on any side effects or reactions you may have. I can attest to the fact that it works too because one time I didn’t hydrate as well as I should have the day before and of the IG and had severe reactions. Then the next time I did hydrate well and had no problems. So it does help

Your kidneys need water to process all that protein from the Ig.

If you’re sleepy (maybe from the Benadryl) and/or not feeling well, you can easily skip drinking lots of water, especially since you’re getting fluid from the IV. Making a point of it is a good thing (I start drinking lots the night [I]before [/I]my infusion anyway, to help make my veins nice and full so they’re easier to access.)

I also find that by working at staying very well hydrated, it reduces the likelihood I’ll have to deal with any post-infusion headaches. Anyone else find that?

Howard
I have not had a problem with the I V I G. As a matter of fact, it usually makes me feel much better. I drink fluids as normal. Usually I have a cupof tea /coffee as soon as I get to the out patient dept. Maybe that helps. But this is not to say you should not hydrate beforehand, it is that I simply do not have the problem that others do. Drink up, it is good for you !
Mary Ann

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Not only is it a good practice for every day but it’s particularly important for days of ivig. I drink gazillions of gallons of water the day before, day of the treatment and throughout the treatment. I believe that it helps move the ig through your system better. Also, as Cat has noted in her post, it helps to prevent the severe headache/migraine that I almost always develop after the treatment.

I also receive a steriod drip prior to the ig infusion, otherwise I develop a full body rash from the treatment (actually right now I have several rather not very attractive rashy areas on my bed but it’s not as bad as it was formerly) and the taste of the steriod is so icky that I have to drink water to try to get the taste out of my mouth.

Drink your water!

best,

brad