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so i'm set to start Thursday morning 9am and was wondering if there's anything i should do to prep? Any suggestions on 1st infusion?

My best friend is coming with me... and i've taken the day off work to just come home and relax afterwards.

I'm a little worried about side fx.... anyone experienced anything?

Lots and lots of questions... and my nerves are starting to kick in with the clock hitting the less than 48 hr mark.

Meegs,

I'm trying to remember my first infusion - I also have one scheduled for Thursday afternoon (my 20th). Make sure you use the washroom - its a pain in the butt to bring an IV stand with you...Just relax, they may offer you some benadryl; they'll go through a checklist with you, set you up comfortably in a chair, set up your IV, and check your vitals about 4 times over the next hour. ...You sit for another hour to make sure that you're not having any kind of allergic reaction, and go home! I remember being a little tired after the first one - probably from the stress of worrying about anaphalaxis, but that was it. From infusion 2 on, it becomes very routine and fairly boring - most people go to work after their infusion - I'm actually partial to going to the driving range. From about infusion 5 on - most people don't even wait around for the extra hour - it really becomes very routine. Good luck, and get some rest.

B

Monday I had infusion number 10 or 11. As yonderboy describes, it is fairly uneventful. I still get tired after but the next day its all good. I take no benadryl but take zertec(?) every morning anyway. It'll be fine.

thanks so much...

still nervous... but less than i was yesterday.

wish me luck tomorrow morning! *deep breath*

Meegs,

Congrats on the Tysabri.

I had my 1st Infusion 2 weeks ago and it was very uneventful. I take Claritan every morning so they did not have to give me any benadryl.

You need to drink plenty of fluids so you will be very hydrated for the IV stick. And stay hydrated for severals days after. I had a bit of nausea on the 4th day after the infusion.

Taking a buddy helps or take a book, Ipod, Laptop any thing to pass the time.

Good Luck.

CF

just got home

IV was uneventful... feeling a little tired and might lay down for a nap.

But so far so good... thank you for all the support!

Meegs,

Glad to hear it was uneventful. Question for you - did you have your infusion at the Toronto clinic? If so, we had the same nurse yesterday! My nurse said that she had a new person for the morning infusion and that everything went smoothly.

Stay well.

B

Hey yonder,

At the Doctors Office in the Atrium? Yup.. that was me.

The nurse was fantastic....

Last night i got hit with a headache and my stomach was a bit off... but 1 gravol and 8 hrs sleep later i'm feeling better.

Maybe I'll see you next month! hahaha.. Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to you too!

Glad to hear everything went well. Yes, that nurse was quite good - apparently they're shipping her in from Ottawa on a weekly basis, because they're short-staffed. FYI, the person after you was running late - so she was still in the chair when I walked in (which is very rare). A very nice lady, she was in the original trials, and had just received her 50th infusion!

Take care.

yah, she was telling me how she's based in Ottawa, but was here for Wed/Thurs, then to Montreal next week then back to Ottawa.... craziness!

I was wondering if i would delay people all day because we were a little late getting started because they'd forgotten to do the checklist with me... so we had to do it in the office.

Ahh well.... Hope you had a fantastic Easter Weekend!