Hi Manny,
You should check with your doctor and pharmacist about exactly what was prescribed, but from what you say it sounds like you're taking six pills of ribavirin a day and each pill is 200 mg. That sounds right for a geno 1's of a certain weight, but from your other thread it sounded like you might be well over 200 lbs? If so, you might talk to your doctor about taking seven pills a day (1400 mg) as suggested by some recent weight-based studies.
All the best,
-- Jim
Also, not sure what "Interon A" is.
The two SOC (standard of care) drugs used to treat Hepatitis C are PEGASYS (Peginterferon alfa-2a) and Peg Intron (pegylated interferon alfa-2b).
I'll do that, I was going to be calling them as soon as I woke up so I can start this journey. INTRON A is interferon alfa-2b it's made by Schering Corporation. The injections are in a multidose pen you just switch out with new needles...just typing that gave me the chills, but I'm sure I can handle it ok.
Thanks for your reply,
Manny
Definitely double check what you're taking. Intron A is non-pegylated interferon and is long outdated therapy. Three times a week was how it was prescribed, but the stuff only has a half-life of about 8 hours. That's why it was only about 10% effective.
Thanks for posting that! I'm not having my insurance paying for outdated meds especially $1729.00 for every months supply :(
Hopefully there is some reasonable explanation for this - either the wrong package insert getting put into the meds or a newly hired asst. pharmacist reading a doctors scrawl wrong. The thought that any doctor would Rx that stuff or any licensed pharmacist fill the 'script without questioning it in this day and age is sorta chilling. I didn't know they even still made Inron A or Roferon..
OK, after going and looking at the actual meds sent and not reading the medication guide I was sent PEGASYS.
4 Single-Use Prefilled Syringes
PEGASYS 180 mg/0.5 mL, NDC 0004-0352-30
I'm still going to ask for the correct dosage as I'm not sure what exactly I'm supposed to take here. Guide says 3 shots a week, the box contains only 4 needles.
Pegasys is one of the two current/standard pegs for treating Hepatitis C. What I assume you are looking at is a box containing four-prefilled syringes. Standard treatment is one injection per week, so not sure what "guide" you are looking at, but please check with your treatment doctor to discuss this very important issue. (Never heard of anyone injecting three vials a week, so I'm assuming that the "guide" is not a Pegasys guide, but one for the earlier non-pegalayted interferons). As for the dosage, Pegasys is one dose for all weights, so that means the you inject the entire syringe unless told othewise.
Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that your doctor or nurse hasn't gone over all this with you, including giving instructions on how to inject. Hopefully, that is in the works. Also, when you do speak to them, don't forget to ask about your ribavirin dose. If you're well over 200 pounds -- as the hydration post seemed to suggest -- then you probably want to take 1400 mg/day of ribavirin to be weight based.
-- Jim
I'm concerned, too.
Something doesn't sound right.
I would check with Dr. on Monday before starting injections.
GL,
wyntre
Me too, concerned! You have to be really careful with these meds, do correctly. I can't even imagine what 3 dose's at once could do to you!?
PLEASE write down all questions and MAKE this "DR" (??) go over everything with you. I have not heard of anyone not getting instructions and info. before tx. I had to go in and do my 1st dose with them.
Please do this before dosing, starting. Let us know how they said to do it, etc.
LL
What is the source of these drugs? Are you getting them from a legit pharmacy? Is this one of those "discount deals" or meds from overseas? Sounds like someone at the warehouse is up to no good, you have the wrong package insert and that is a big red flag. What insurance do you have? They should look into this right away. Also, someone at your doctor (doctor, PA or NP) should examine the meds for you and walk you through the whole process. I'd get some answers before taking any of these meds.
Make SURE you're given the right stuff. Good luck.
JD
Wish you good luck on your journey. Hoping your sx will be easy on you..
Giving yourself the shot is no big deal you will get use to it by shot 3- it doesnt hurt at all.
Welcome.
Charm27
I took the same treatment as you're about to start. 1200mg riba daily (3 morning, 3 evening) and an injection every Friday of 180 Peginterferon alfa-2a. Definitely don't do 3 shots of this stuff in a week. My meds came via UPS from CareMark every 3 months in a packaged cooler (wish the cooler had come with handles). Like everyone says though, make sure you get clarification from your doc before you start your journey. We want to make sure you start off on the right foot. As far as being nervous...don't. After all, if you can't trust us, who can you trust? You'll do fine. Best of luck!
Thanks everyone, I'm going to see my doc tomorrow and will be bringing my meds along as well. I will be asking about the guide sent with the meds as well cause It's talking about a different drug compared to what was sent...
Thanks again,
Manny
Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
JD
I'm going to be interested in hearing this explanation. I could see a Roferon package insert accidently getting stuck in a box of Pegasys or Intron A into a box of PegIntron, but how do you end up with Schering-Plough literature with a Roche product.....?