interferon delay

[Jillybean65]

Last Thursday my meds came while I wasn't home. My daughter thought she was doing the right thing by putting in freezer. Per manufacturer those are no good. I'm expecting the replacements tomorrow.

Here's the question. I should have taken the shot last Sunday. In talking with nurse at Dr's office, she says to skip this week all together and then restart on Sunday again. I argued with her saying I want to do shot tomorrow and then just move my shot day to Wednesdays. She said that I can't do that.  I'm in 17th week, undetected at 4 & 12 weeks. First time treating, did Incivek, 1a, CT, 1/1.

What do you guys think?

[crossroadsec]

I'm w the rest of the group. The main thing is: don't let it stress you out. Haha! This coming from the woman who almost hijacked a fedex truck.. Sleep well dear. My daughter left mine in te shipping box one time. I was so worried. Trust the dr n believe that your body is going to be effective NO MATTER WHAT!  Karen ;)

[flcyclist]

Sounds like a compromise.  So, 1/2 dose tomorrow, then stay with full dose on Wednesdays until the end of trt?  It sounds like the doctor is suggesting the 1/2 dose due to low wbc/anc levels??  Do you know what your wbc/ANC level is?

This goes back to the recent discussion that doctors are reluctant to allow the wbc/anc levels to go below "their comfort level" based on their experience and knowledge.  
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Some-clarification-if-someone-knows-or-doctor-has-explained/show/1656098

[Jillybean65]

The nurse called me back and said she talked with the doctor and I'm supposed to take 1/2 dose tomorrow and then full shot next Wednesday. I was like...come again? She said bc my lab values keep dropping that the doctor wants to take this opportunity to help those values come up.  :0(

[pooh55811]

I fail to understand why moving the day of the week would mattern (in this circumstance). It seems to me that taking the missed dose as soon as possible and then rescheduling it for Weds. (if that is the day you recieve the replacement meds), makes a whole lot more sense than skipping the entire week just to stay on the original day of the week.

[eureka254]

The boxes we used to get had those big "do not freeze" stickers all over the place too... sorry you're going through this.  Any chance you can contact the doctor directly to clarify as to why you couldn't switch shot day?  Email or something? As will points out, if you had the shot today she might have been OK with it, but a (good) nurse is only going to go 'by the book'... would take the doc's OK to step outside guidelines, so not surprising that she's sticking to her guns.

Either way, being that you are undetected at week 4 and 12, you're a shoo-in for SVR!  

[willbb]

sorry  ...http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/103964s5204lbl.pdf         page 40

[willbb]

From the Pegays dosing label :  Page 40


"If you miss your dose and you remember  "Within two days: You should give yourself the injection as soon as you remeber,then take you next dose on the usual day you take it"

[Jillybean65]

I called the specialty pharmacy and they gave me the number to the manufacturer. It does state on the box in all caps DO NOT FREEZE. The manufacturer said to not use and that they weren't good anymore. I so wanted to just use anyway. I pushed the nurse hard to ask doctor if I can just switch shot day, and she is going to ask for me but said protocol is to skip the dose. I told her I was going to be $*@& if this affected my outcome. She assured me it wouldn't and I just don't agree.

[Jillybean65]

Thanks Karen. I am curious on how others have handled this type of situation.

[willbb]

Did you read that it was no good if frozen or did the drug company actually tell you to discard it?


Inf. reaches it"s maximum state  between 72 and 96 hours and then starts to leave the system and would be mostly depleted within the 7th or 8th day the way I understand the pharmacokinetics..

Therefore I don"t personally understand the rational to take it a full seven days late..letting it deplete ,rather than 2 days late??

Can you get the treating doctor to clarify this ?

Good luck..
Will

[crossroadsec]

Bummer. It's scary when so much is riding on that blood work. Mine ran late one time. I did what the pharmacy n Dr. told me. Unfortunately I can't remember what that was. lol. They know what they're doing. Trust that everything will be ok. It's hard not to stress over it. I was manic!
Keep us posted on what the outcome is. I just tell my lil stories, but there are those on her who can offer great advice.
Karen :)