Forgot

[Mishelli]

Good morning,

Tonight I will be doing my 4th shot.  I forgot to take my two Riba pills this morning.  I take 2 in the am and 2 in the pm.  What should I do?  Should I skip and go on and take 2nd dose?  Im at work and dont have them with me.

Thanks

Shell

[NYgirl]

Just take them and then space out the later ones a bit longer.

Once the serum level builds up in your blood, it's more of a CONSTANT hanging out so it's not life threatening to take them to the minute.  At 4 weeks you should have plenty in there.

This is the reason why once we quit doing the meds - we are not better immediately.  They hang around for quite a while (riba - not as much Int which is why we MUST take that on a weekly basis)

Debby

[Mishelli]

So I will be ok if I take them at 2 and then at 9?  Sorry I just dont want anything bad to happen.  How are you feeling?

Shell

[GrandOak]

According to the CoPegus medication guide:

If you miss a dose of COPEGUS and remember THE SAME DAY, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If the WHOLE DAY HAS PASSED, ask you Healthcare provider what to do.  Do not take 2 doses at the same time.

I guess this means that there must be an interval between doses which is considered safe.  If you are unable to talk with your doc, you might try your pharmacist or call the Roche (1-877-734-2792) or Schering (1-888-437-2608) hotlines provided for the IFN treatment.

I know I can call the Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy or Roche lines 24/7 if I have any questions and have found them extremely useful.

[FlGuy]

Or, you can take 3 tonight (istead of the usual 2) and 3 in the AM (instead of your ususal 2).  If sleep is a challenge and you go for the 3 tonight, take them a little earlier than usual.

[NYgirl]

7 hours apart seems fine to me as long as it's not all of the time you know?

Since it is STILL in your blood right now already - it's not such a big deal.  I take mine at 7am with breakfast and about 7pm with dinner.  That way I don't forget AND the riba has some fat to gel onto.

If you have trouble remembering buy a pill box that has AM and PM.  I did it that way at first until I got into the habit.

I wouldn't take them any later than 9PM because they might start to mess big time with your sleep.  Do you have a sleeping pill prescription yet?  If not you might want to get one, the riba is a major pain with sleeping.

Plus it's awful nice to take the shot and the sleeping pill on Friday - sleeping through a lot of the aftershot is a GREAT thing.

You're fine, don't worry anymore AT ALL.  Honest!

[Mishelli]

thanks everyone that was very helpful.  I hope you are all doing well.

Shell

[Mishelli]

HI

I am not on a sleeping pill yet.  I need badly.  I have an appointment on the 19th and will tell my dr then.  I usually take at 7 and 7 also.  I do have a pillbox but dont bring to work.  I cant wait til this is over!!  I just start to feel better and a little back to normal on thurs-fri and then do that shot on fri and its feeling crappy all over again....uuuuugggh.  Im only on week 4.  I hope you are doing ok.  Thank you for all your advice.  you are always so helpful.  Thanks for being there.

Shelli

[cajunlady]

Hi Mishelli,  
I missed a dose at the beginning and started to panic too.  I was fine and still was UND at 12 weeks.  I am on shot 29/48 tonight is my shot night too.  I had the same feelings you have, just about the time I would start feeling good, around rolls Friday/shot night.  I was told, it will get easier as you go along, I waited and waited, when I thought this is not going to change; it did.  I was able to have a few good weeks including the weekend after shot.  Good weeks will come and go and I have found now that I am further along in treatment I do not get the fever and chills like I used to.  If, I have a sign of that, it is very mild and I go for the Tylelnol and seems to get rid of that feeling and I have a better weekend.  One thing that does not change though, is the tired feeling.  Mostly because of the blood counts.

I promise, you will get some better weekends as time goes on, your body will start to adapt and this will help. I did not think the ugly weekends would ever end.  But, to my surpise it did get better.  

HANG IN THERE GIRL.


NYGIRL:

So nice to see you posting again.  Took a little VACA did we.  You deserve this.  How are things at work now.  And how are things in you own little world.  There are alot of newbies and very hard to stay ahead of the reading with all the threads.  I have noticed alot of the newbies are younger.  I have a feeling we will see more and more people here as knowledge spreads of this disease.  I noticed that you posted your synthroid is working on your thyroid. OOOOOOOOOOKAY.  Synthroid worked for me before tx and I only had to up doseage one time.  Synthroid is pretty good.

Have a great weekend.

Cajun

[bobbyullc]

try and keep it in context. you will take about 1400 riba in 48 weeks. if you are late with 2? it sounds like you are VERY compliant, just be as consistant as you can and love the fact you can keep needles around the house with no hassle, i do.
bobby