Re: home injections vs infusion vs doctor's office

[Guest guest]

>

> My pulmo has given me the option of injecting myself or having it done

> in his office.

>

> Addy

> Group co-owner

>

I have never had any choice in the matter and have go to the

allergist's office. They charge 129.00 for each shot to give them to

me there.

Fortunately, they are in contract with my insurance which knocks the

price down to 89.00 a shot and then pays for them.

Doug

Group founder

[Guest guest]

I take it that you're still alive since you're posting? <----- said

tongue in cheek (smile) (i.e., the black box warning makes it sound

like we're all about to drop over dead)

You're making the good point - there are people who are perfectly able

to inject at home successfully. It saves time and money and makes the

difference between taking Xolair and not taking it for me. When I

called either the pharmacy or Genentech (can't remember for sure now)

at the time I quit, they or someone (maybe a nurse in the clinic?)

admitted that one of the reasons they stopped sending it to people is

because it was being mishandled. I guess they meant perhaps not

keeping it at the right temperature or perhaps losing or forgetting or

whatever. It was not altogether an issue of danger to the patient.

I can understand that initially it might be good to inject in a medical

environment but I'm way past that. Obviously you are too.

>

> My pulmo has given me the option of injecting myself or having it

done

> in his office.

>

> Addy

> Group co-owner

>

[Guest guest]

Got my two bi weekly injections at the doctor's office today.

After about 15 minutes I THOUGHT I might be having the start of a

reaction. The nurse looked me over and had the doc standing by but it

turned out to be nothing.

I know it is a hassle to go to the doctors office and I would really

rather give myself the injections at home but being there made me feel

a little safer.

Just my thoughts

Doug

Group founder

[Guest guest]

Terry - My last three IgE scores were all drastically different. I

think it does depend on when and to what you've been exposed to

recently as to what the score is.

A number of us have had the same experience that you describe with

symptoms increasing 2-3 days prior to dosage and decreasing a day or

so after getting Xolair again. I usually see an increase the day

before I'm due to get my shots with definitely noticeable symptoms if

I'm late getting them, which I will be due to the BCBS issue.

FYI our docs have a new RN and she is not as sharp as Barbara and

messed up my Xolair BCBS reauthorization by not submitting an IgE

score with the paperwork and now the doc and I are having to write

appeal letters. She does try, though. She got right on it when I

called her and told her what was going on.

Addy

Group co-owner

--- In , " Terry " <onabeach@...>

wrote:

>

> Doug - I get my three shots at the hospital in its outpatient

services unit. As I've indicated before, my pulmonologist says I

have to do it this way in order to get them at no cost via Medicare

(not plan D) and BCBS. At any rate, I go in, sit down, get my shots

and leave - no need to wait after the shots. The only reaction I

ever had was the next day after the shot. Speaking of paying for the

shots, is anyone else Medicare/Medicare supplemental ins. able to get

their Xolair free and inject at home? Wife is RN, so I wouldn't have

to do it myself. Obviously, it would be less expensive for

Medicare/BCBS for me to get shots at home, but that would make too

much sense for medical bureaucracy, physicians bureaucracy, hospital

bureaucracy and insurance company bureaucracy to deal with.

>

> Anywho, my pulmonologist and I had lengthy discussion yesterday

about my lungs and Xolair. One thing he said really struck home -

they've only just scratched the surface of what they know about the

effects of Xolair in the body. For example, I started Xolair with

IgE level of 900. During the nearly two years I've been on it, my

IgE has fluctuated from 300 to 1900. He's discussed with Novartis,

and they don't know why. Personally, I feel it has a lot to do with

when the blood samples are taken, and we're looking into this. I

explained to the doc that in the last few days before my shots

(375mg), I feel really lousy and have mucho symptoms. I get the

shots, and feel much better within a day or two. Much mystery. I

showed him the recent CT scan of my sinuses. He says they're the

worst he's ever seen - all of my sinuses are completely filled with

crud again - no air anywhere - total opacification. Hotshot ENT

specialist at Duke says they're a disaster. He's going in with his

roto-rooter and shop vac soon to do his sinus D & C, which he did four

years ago - then they keep me in hosp. a day to see if I live. After

that, we're going to experiment with spray antibiotics and oral

antibiotics and steroids. Much fun and games, all due to childhood

allergies and asthma about 65 years ago when they didn't have the

foggiest notion how to treat them.

>

> Ohldepharte

>

>

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: uca79iii

>

> Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 3:55 PM

> Subject: [ ] Re: home injections vs infusion vs

doctor's office

>

>

> Got my two bi weekly injections at the doctor's office today.

> After about 15 minutes I THOUGHT I might be having the start of a

> reaction. The nurse looked me over and had the doc standing by

but it

> turned out to be nothing.

>

> I know it is a hassle to go to the doctors office and I would

really

> rather give myself the injections at home but being there made me

feel

> a little safer.

>

> Just my thoughts

>

> Doug

> Group founder

>

>

>

>

>

>