I had my first treatment at 8 am today. They got the IV in on the first try
Hi Micheleb, glad that your infusion went well. I will be having my 1st one in 3 weeks. how long did the infusion last? did they give you benadryl? I'm nervous about it so thank you for making it sound like no big deal!! I pray that Remicade will help you. JanSurvival is always a good thing. I wish you continued good luck in future survivng. Hope you get some relief as well.Glad to hear all went well. I hope everything contiunes to go well and improves. Good luck.Thanks Girls! I was very nervous as well but it was really simple. I checked in at the oncology department waiting area, they called me back in about 10 minutes. First, they showed me around a bit. The room was shaped like a big U with reclining chairs all around the walls, about 30 in all. They had bathrooms right there and a snack station!
Then they took me into a small room off to one side and had me sit down and the girl put just the IV in. I have bed veins so they put some heat wraps on my hands for a bit first and they got it in on the first try. They tape the iv down but you aren't hooked up to anything yet. Than they showed me to my chair and the nurse came right over and introduced herself. She than ran off to get the meds. I do believe they gave me benadryl and something else for allergic reactions but it must have been put right into my iv line once she hooked it up. I have a heart condition called pro-longed QT and we talked about what meds I could and could not have and she did ask about the benadryl and another drug, I forget the name of now. She got me a pillow and two warm blankets. I was already tired so just dozed off. It pretty much took exactly two hours, than she just turned on regular old saline for almost another hour. I guess they only do that the first time to make sure you don't have a reaction right after the medication is done.
Like I said, I felt a little fuzzy and nauseous but not like get me a bucket I am going to puke now or anything! LOL!! I was so nervous, I made my hubby go with me and I was glad as he drove us back home and we had some lunch. By then, I was ok to drive to work. I am still tired and a little off feeling but nothing to really complain about. I know you are still going to worry but it was really easy and not a big deal at all! I hope it goes as well for you your first time. I go again in two weeks and will let you know if anything different happens. My next infusion is at a different location of the same hospital, one thats closer to my house which I am happy about. Today, I had to go to downtown which I don't like driving the highways and I am just not familiar with that part of town so I asked if I could go to the other hospital which is between home and work and they said "sure!"
Glad to hear they got you on the first stick. Here's to hoping that Remicade works for you.
I'm so glad to hear the Remicade seems to be doing something, just don't wear yourself.
I agree about having someone drive for the 1st infusion. My family made me take a cell phone and I had to call them when I got back in the car to tell them I felt ok and was on my way back home. Now I go early in the morning, have the infusion and then do all the shopping for the next two weeks and head home.
I hope the Remicade is the answer for you.
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