Doctor Appointment Today

[AJVDK]

Well I had my doctor appointment today. For the most part it went really well. We are going to wait on the Ep study as the doctor is worried about problems as this would be the 3rd abltion, and the first and second one did didn't help much, other then land me with a pacer, which has made thins worse. What we are going to do is he is adding toprol xl 25 mg twice a day again, and I am starting Erythropoietin on monday. I could started to day as my insurance want the durg to some one of there RX's so the are overnight it on ice to my family doctor so they will get it on Friday, and I will go in for the shot on Monday. I am going to start with 10,000 units weekly and see how it does. ( Who I new is was costly but wow, that why my imsurance makes a use on of there RX's so they get a better deal on the med.) The good news is the are covering the med!!!!

I hope this will help me start feelinh better. For those of you that take it does it give you more energy? Or are you more tired on it. Do yoy think it is worth taking?

I am only the 2nd person my doctor has ever put on the med. So I am not thinking they know much about it.

Talk to you later!

Amy

[Ernie]

HI,

I at my 6th shot of Procrit and it has been helping me since the first shot. I got the result from my bloodwork yesterday and I am still in the safe zone.

I have more energy and more endurance.

If it continues to help me the way it does I will keep it for a long time.

How much did your 10,000 unit cost total?

[AJVDK]

Well when the doctor went to order it he sait it would be $12800.00 now I don't know if this is for 4 shots ( for the month or just one) but my insurace said no! So I had to go to an out side company that ships it over night to my doctor, the goodnews is my copay is $10.00 a soht, by ordering it out. Thank goodness the found away to get it, as then is know way I could pay that as I am not working.

Ernie- I am glad its giving you more energy. I am hoping that I will to. Did you have anyside effect from the shot? I guess to me I can even handle some of them if the overall picture that it helps!

Thanks,

Amy

[Ernie]

Hi,

I was first givien 10,000 units and had severe migraine for 5 days. After the second shot I called the doctor and he was on vacation. I had to skip a week and then I tried 2,000 units twice a week. I don't have any side effect whatsoever at that dosage.

So far I am satisfied with the product.

Good luck.

[goldicedance]

Ernie...At what level are you maintaining your hematocrit? Lois

[Ernie]

Hi Lois,

I started with hematocrit at 35, last week it was 41 and we are aiming for no higher than 50.

I have only 2 liters of blood in my body out of the 3.8 liters that I should have. I am missing 1 liter of red blood cells and 0.8 liter of plasma.

The Procrit help decrease my syncope.

[lalalisa]

Hello!

I thought I'd join in on this discussion since I am also on Procrit these days. I hesitate to write because I haven't had the positive results from the med that i was hoping for (i don't want to discourage anyone). I've been on it for 8 weeks and it's been a bit discouraging coming to grips with the fact that it may not help me.

Upon starting the med I had a 35% deficit of red blood cells. The goal has been to raise my hematocrit to 50, keep it there, and see how I feel with the increase of red blood cells.

Positive effects: Less lightheaded

Negative effects: "Fluish" feeling

Feverish

Achey

Stabbing/Intense muscle pains

Heachaches

I was really hoping that Procrit would help with the fatigue as this is my worst symptom. I am going to continue taking it for a few more weeks just to see if anything changes.

I don't want to discourage anyone...I think this is a GREAT medicine to try and seem to be promising for MANY!!

Take care,

Lisa

[Ernie]

Hi Lisa,

The symptoms you listed are the ones I had when I was on 10,000 units of Procrit. I could not tolerate the migraines so I decreased the dosage to 2,000 units and at that dosage I have no side effect. Maybe you can try different dosages and see what works best for you.

[Sunfish]

amy -

i hope you have the good fortune/luck that many have had with procrit. i did want to chime in to make sure that you have had or are going to have your iron checked. this is NOT the same as hematocrit & hemoglobin but rather a complete iron panel that includes serum iron, ferritin (iron stores), TIBC (total iron binding capacity), & % saturation. procrit needs iron to work so it's an important piece of the puzzle & plan.

i've been getting weekly shots since february 1st (almost 3 months now). unfortunately they're doing little to nothing for me but my iron stores are pretty much nonexistent which is likely why. i may still be getting some vasoconstrictive effect (as opposed to the increased blood volume effect) but my blood counts are lower than when i started and i certainly don't feel any better. we had wanted to get my hematocrit into at least the mid-40s and not above 50 but i'm currently hovering at 30 (hematocrit) & 9 (hemoglobin). gggggggrrrrrrrrrrr.

but....on a good note...i have had NO problems whatsoever with side effects. perhaps this is because i'm not really getting the red cell production effect; i'm not sure. i started at 10,000 units/wk then moved up to 20,000 & am currently at 30,000. i'm likely going to be stopping soon though unless we can figure out a magic way to increase my iron stores.

ernie, i'm glad you're seeing some positive results.

and lisa, i hope you can figure out a good dosage & start to see some soon...

melissa