IVIG while on extended vacation?

    • Anonymous
      July 15, 2011 at 7:57 pm

      Hubby keeps talking about retirement and heading south to the USA for the winter months. He would like to spend winter in hot places.

      Here is my problem….I require monthly IVIG.

      Does anyone know of a way to get IVIG done while travelling?

      My guess would be I would need to come back to British Columbia, Canada to get my IVIG for free.

      Anyone have experience dealing with this situation?

      It is so frustrating planning my life around IVIG treatments but at the same time I am blessed that I can get them and they are free!

    • Anonymous
      July 16, 2011 at 12:14 pm

      Hi Rhonda,
      My husband is in the same quandry. We sold the farm and just moved into a townhouse with the hope to travel a bit, but he gets IVIG every 3 weeks. The only thing we have thought of is down the road asking for subcutaneous IVIG (not approved in BC yet for CIDP). That way we could pack it up in a cooler and travel. But at this point we know we can only stay away for 2 weeks at a time. I don’t think there is anyway around not returning home to get the IVIG. There was a member from Australia who brought this topic up in the past i.e. wondering what to do on a six week trip. And I don’t think she was able to find an afforable way to get it in the States.
      Laurel

    • Anonymous
      July 16, 2011 at 9:47 pm

      Thanks Laurel,

      This is the answer I was afraid I would get. Hopefully subcutaneous IVIG will be approved in BC. That would help. I wonder if there is anything we can do as patients to try to get this approved. I’ll have to think about it.

      Do you know how difficult it is to IVIG done in another city or town in BC other than your home hospital?

      Take care,
      Rhonda