TPE (therapeutic plasma exchange) takes the bad antibodies out of your body through your plasma. 1 exchange takes out about 70% of the antibodies. Each following exchange the % is lower. IVIG gives your body the good antibodies that attach to the bad antibodies and prevent them from attacking your myelin sheath. Make sure you keep your calcium intake high. So you don't develop hypocalcemia from the anticoagulant used for the procedure. The acda (anticoagulant) binds with the free calcium floating in your blood. When this happens, it causes your ionized calcium level to drop. Which in turn can cause numbness, tingling, chest vibration, cramping fingers, toes, legs, arms. And if not corrected can cause nausea, vomiting, and low blood pressure. Also keep your protein level in your diet high while getting procedures done. Hope this helps. I am a RN with CIDP, SFN, RSD. And for the past 14 years, I did therapeutic apheresis procedures. Good luck and if you have any questions I might be able to answer, just ask.
Laura, thanks so much for your reply and information. I did 3 IVIG and I had no results. They changed me to PE and I have done 3 sessions so far. This week I’m up for two more. I have not seen any improvements. According to you and what you’ve heard from other patients, when do you start feeling results with the PE? Thank you.
Plasma Pheresis saved my butt. IVIG had no effect, in fact after two months in the hospital I was totally paralyzed from the neck down. Since the IVIG seemed to do nothing, my doctors said I had ALS and it was only a matter of time before my swallowing, breathing and heart would shut down. Went to Mayo for a second opinion. Did a series of 7 plasma exchanges followed by a few days of 1000 mg steroids by IV. The first thing I noticed, and it was almost right away, I stopped getting worse. About two weeks later, I started yelling for the nurses to come see. There was a tiny twitch on the top of my leg. Over the next three months, those twitches turned into muscles moving and finally, into actual movement of my long dormant and horribly atrophied muscles.I was down to under 130 lbs, having lost nearly 70 lbs. Learning to crawl and then walk was probably the hardest but most exciting thing I have ever done.
Two months of PT and OT in the hospital, came home in a wheelchair, did a couple more months of out patient therapy. Quickly left that wheelchair behind! Never have had any more plasma exchanges, but not ruling it out, either. I'm on a daily dose of 2000 mg of Mycophelonate (cellcept) and prednisone. Had been tapering down on the prednisone over the last year and a half, but after a few weeks on 5 mg /day, it seemed like symptoms were coming back a little - in a different way. Pains, tingling, etc, but not weakness. My neurologist and I decided to bump the prednisone back up to 20 mg /day and that's where I am now.
Long, round about way of saying, be patient. It takes time, but it does work for most of us. I think how quickly you feel results partially depends on how bad your nerve damage was.
Best of luck to you!
I believe it cleans or replaces your plasma - which is where your nasty antibodies are originating from. Let me know how you do. I have heard that you are susceptible to illness while getting PE. Take care.