Re: Re: Nervous about starting..

January 6, 2007

I understand completely. I am not hyping xolair but I can tell you I have been

dog sick with a sinus infection, fever, asthma, cough up pus like stuff and

usually I have to go to the er and go to the hospital when I get this way. I

mean my bronchea were making some awful wheezy noice. Thru it all, my flowmeter

has not once gone down to the level it used to stay at all the time when I was

" wellish. " I went in to get checked finally yesterday and everybody can't

believe I am the same person--I think when your peakflow was 300 and now it is

45p sick that's great for 3 injections. I am not itching all over and that's

one reason I took xolair as well. I intend to get totally better on xolair. We

have all been nervous. I am so allergic to things like fire ants I have to not

only cart around albuterol but epi pens and children's liquid benadyl. Jane

uca79iii <uca79iii@...> wrote:

>

> I know this is going to sound silly or stupid.. but insurance approved

> my Xolair and I'm going to start it next Wednesday. Thing is I'm

> extremely nervous to the point of almost having a panic attack about

> starting it. I NEED relief from my asthma symptoms and the idea of

> getting off of the steroids is definately exciting but I'm just very

> nervous.

> I know part of this is because of my Anaphylactic reaction on 11/21 to

> my allergy shots and I'm scared to death that since I'm one of those

> people whos body has a mind of it's own and truthfully NEVER does

> stuff the way it is supposed to, I'm just terrified of having another

> reaction. I talked to the RN at the pharmacy and my asthma/allergy doc

> have told me allergic reactions only occured in 1 out of 4000 patients

> on Xolair but my body tends to be the 1 in most cases!! I know this

> sounds silly, but I can name soo many times in which I've heard

> the " your a statistic " and I really don't want to be that this time!!

> Sorry if I sound whiney I just need some reassurance! My doctors

> office says they've never had a patient out of the 30 or so who are

> taking Xolair have a reaction but as I said I tend to be that

> statistic in so many other cases

>

I was scared too. It was a brand new drug just approved by

the FDA and I was the first person in the state to get it.

Now I have been on Xolair for 3 1/2 years without any problems whatsoever. The

only thing that will happen is LESS ASTHMA!

It will be ok

Doug

Group founder

Co-owner-moderator

__________________________________________________

January 8, 2007

Thank you Leena.

I'm glad to be able to share my experiences with everyone. Someday someone

will be able to draw from something I have learned and shared, and that will

make all the difference to me, and it will all be worth it!

It's so wonderful to have a forum where we can not only discuss Xolair, but

our experiences as well. For people that haven't been battling asthma long,

a simple post can have so many of their questions answered. Members have

written asking questions and many of us have told them to call their doctor

right away!

I've learned so much from my doctors, and from the members of this group.

It's only fair that I continue to share it with others. My personal

experiences don't feel like they were for nothing anymore!

Keep feeling better!

~

-------Original Message-------

From: Leena Grace

Date: 01/07/07 14:06:18

Subject: [ ] Re: Nervous about starting..

,

Thank you once again for sharing so much with us. It is stunning to read

your experience when my own is nowhere near as severe. But more importantly,

you sharing details of these aspects helps me to understand how I am not

completely " weird " (I'm also hypersensitive to many things and have highly

sensitive skin) . Your description of what it feels like to be in such a

serious situation helps those of us who haven't walked in your shoes quite

yet. Hopefully we won't but if we do, at least we'll understand it a little

more than if you hadn't shared. Thanks again. I'm so glad you have gotten so

much relief from this medication - what a blessing! Wishing you continued

improvement.

Leena

> wrote:

> You sound exactly like I felt just before I started Xolair.

>

> My life was a mess 2 years ago. I was completely steroid dependent, had

> gone into anaphylactic shock more times ........

> Cold air, stress, perfume, chlorine,

> over 20 foods, molds, pollens, dust mites, animals, formaldehyde, latex,

> theophylline, penicillin, compazine and insects are just SOME of the

> things

> that trigger attacks for me.

>

> Unfortunately, I don't have " mild " attacks. ........

> keep me from being intubated. I used to wake every hour or 2

> in the middle of the night gasping for air. Twice, in full blown

> respiratory arrest. Blue lips, pins and needles in my head and neck

> ...........

> Now, my life is incredibly different. I still need albuterol once in a

> while, but I can't tell you when I last needed my nebulizer in the middle

> of the night. I can walk around stores without panic................

> My kids don't have to worry about me anymore, we get to do things as a

> family. I'm OFF steroids COMPLETELY!!! I'm down to TWO medications for

> asthma other than my Xolair........

>

January 8, 2007

I had never given myself a shot in my life and had the opinion that a

reasonable person would not intentionally stick a needle in himself.

After a short but reasonable period of time my Dr suggested I could

do it, although apprehensive, I agreed. The time, inconvenience, and

problems going to the clinic every 2 weeks out weighed my fears. They

sent a nurse to show me how to do it and I have had no problems, been

doing it for over a year. I have not regretted my decision. There are

only a few people in my Dr.'s office that they allow to administer

their own shots, most of the others keep asking to be allowed to do

it, it frees your schedule up and is far less stressful to me. I

still have regular Dr.'s appointments and my Dr monitors my health. I

have never felt that because I was self injecting I was being ignored.

Absent insurance requirements, if I had advised my Dr I could not

self inject, I would still be going to the clinic every two weeks and

they would be doing it for me. They would not have required me to do

it. I am still grateful to my Dr for allowing me to do it.

Ron

On Jan 8, 2007, at 6:36 AM, uca79iii wrote:

>

> >

> > How do I find a good xolair doctor in DFW? I don't feel comfortable

> about giving myself my own injections after receiving just a few. I

> want a doctor to monitor my progress like all of you seem to have.

> Any suggestions? My doctor gives you a certain number of xolair

> injections and then you are on your own. Also have not been tested

> for hamster. Jane ANN

>

> Jane Ann,

>

> And, I was wishing my doctor would LET me give them to myself.

> The medical group he is in was NOT In my network for a while and it

> cost me a killing for him to administer the shots.

>

> I gave myself regular allergy shots for over 20 years with NO

> problems.

>

> Doug

>

January 8, 2007

I am very sensitive and have had bad allergic reactions to things in the past.

That's my issue. Jane

uca79iii <uca79iii@...> wrote: --- In

, jane mosher <janeannmosher@...>

wrote:

>

> How do I find a good xolair doctor in DFW? I don't feel comfortable

about giving myself my own injections after receiving just a few. I

want a doctor to monitor my progress like all of you seem to have.

Any suggestions? My doctor gives you a certain number of xolair

injections and then you are on your own. Also have not been tested

for hamster. Jane ANN

Jane Ann,

And, I was wishing my doctor would LET me give them to myself.

The medical group he is in was NOT In my network for a while and it

cost me a killing for him to administer the shots.

I gave myself regular allergy shots for over 20 years with NO problems.

Doug

__________________________________________________

January 9, 2007

I agree with you Ron. Although my doctors are all fantastic, I really think

that injecting at home would help me tremendously and I feel I could handle

it. I guess I'm content for now that what I'm doing is a small price to pay

for the other benefits I get from having such a great doctor.

Whenever he retires though... I'm going to try for the self-injection route!

~

-------Original Message-------

From: Carpenter

Date: 01/08/07 13:05:09

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Nervous about starting..