Hi Doggymama and Chirpybird! ( and everyone else)
I was reading through your blogs and understand both the IVIG and the Subq. I don't know where you live, but I went from the IVIG for 5 years in a hospital center to Subq at home once a week. I did the Flebogamma (5gm/100ml) and then the Gamunex (5mg/50ml) by IVIG. I stopped the IVIG last December. My veins were shot and I had to drive almost an hour one way. I had to be there by 7:30am and didn't get out of there until 3:30-4pm. It had to be during the week because they didn't do this other than weekdays. (And I won't go into when my ankle was broke on cruthes trying to do this). LOL. I tried to go with home infusions, but because I wasn't "bed-ridden" my insurance wouldn't pay for it.
I started the Subq medicine last week of December. I went to Hizentra (4gm/20ml) 20% solution. I started at 4gm, then 6gm around April and just requested it to be increased to 8gm. I only do Hizentra ONCE a week. (Monday's). I prefer to use 4 needles and the tubing lets me set up and infuse in about an hour and a half. Sure, sometimes I get small bruises, and the tapes that come with the needle set I am allergic to, so they send me IV3000 hand adhesives. It doesn't bother me at all now that I use this specific brand. We had even tried using adhesive remover, but it didn't help.
I heard the Gamunex was twice a week subq, but the Hizentra sub-q was an easy transition, and like the IVIG's, all treatments are a learning experience. They can adjust the size of the freedom tubing so that the infusion goes quicker once you see how your body is adjusting to the infusion. I drink alot of water before and during the treatment and I also take 25 to 50mg Benedryl (diphenhydramine) about an hour before I start infusing. Makes me tired, but really helps as far as any side effects. I don't get migraines or have the never ending ups and downs of IVIG. When the dosage needs increased is when I have the downs on Sat and Sun. I tell the dr and he will increase dosage. I don't want to take to much, but I don't want under dosed and miserable either.
Hope you are all doing well and I don't feel so alone like I used too!