Loading Dose IVIG

General General CIDP Discussion
1

Hi there its me again with another general question :) so I started IVIG treatments two weeks ago on 6/24 and while reading the Prednisone discussion I realized that my loading does was very different then what everyone else has posted. Have I been set up for failure because my loading does is less than the usual?? My loading dose was delivered over two days and it was Gamunex-C 70 g 700 ml each day followed by Sodium Chl 0.9% 1000 ML Sol to help flush the kidneys I guess. I tolerated the treatment well and doctor has given a standing order for home hospice to come out each month for the next 5 months I dont know what the prescription is for the future monthly visits but I will call to find out.

Its been two weeks and I am feeling slightly improved. My improvement has been amazing on the Prednisone which I started on 5/4 but I had a lot of side effects with that so we are tapering down the Prednisone. I am also on Imuran 50 mg which I started on 6/2. This makes it a bit hard to tell what is causing the improvements. My hands have greatly improved mostly from the Prednisone.My legs are slightly improved I can walk now and go up and down stairs but still tire very easy, I have to use a walker or cane for balance and if I need to walk more than say 10 feet I have to use the wheelchair. My lower back starts hurting something terribly, I get so out of breath and my legs gets extremely weak. I have water therapy twice a week and I am really trying to strengthen my core so I do my exercises daily even on pool days. I will mention again that I am extremely obese and was before the CIDP so its doubly hard. I cant seem to lose any weight and in fact with the Prednisone I have gained. Seriously depressing but what can I do :(.

Another new side affect I am experiencing is my nails breaking left and right which makes me worry about what vitamins or minerals all of these medications are taking from my body and if or what supplements I should be taking along with all of this. Right now I take a Multi Vitamin, calcium, Vitamin D (I am vitamin D deficient), and the Hair Skin and Nails supplement.

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Thank you so much fof always providing such helpful information. So does it seem strange that this was my loading dose though and that’s your normal maintenance dose? I’m a problem child because I am very petite height wise only 4’8 and am ashamed to say I’m 240 so short big girl which probably makes it tough on the doctors to figure out dosage for me. My loafing dose was only over two days and it seems most of the posts say it’s 3 to 5 days do that concerned me to.

I didn’t think about the chlorine as a culprit for my nail problem darnit, that’s a real bummer because water therapy is helping do much.