Interferon Injections

[Gee704]

I am preparing to begin treatment in the next two weeks and I am trying to figure out timing to coincide with appointments, work and days off. Can I get some help in understanding  how one can adjust the time of each injection and how much play one has in the timing for hour, Ex: if you start your injections on a Monday at noon - does the next injection have to be the following Monday at noon? Or can you move it by a few hours backward or forward? I would like to take my injection Saturday nights but my first injection has to be on a Friday afternoon at the trial site. How would I go about moving the injection time?

[Gee704]

Thanks to all for your personal experience and knowledge. Lots of great advice to consider and a few issues I hadn't thought could be an issue.

I will be on PegIntron and I had not previously read on the boards it reaches peak level sooner than Pegasys. Perhaps if I start on Friday, I could stay on Friday.

I just want to figure out the best day for me with my schedule, then the trial nurse can decide which day I start.

Thanks again!

[desrt]

Depends on which PegIFN you're doing. Pegasys and Peg-Intron have different times they reach peak levels during the week. I took my Peg-Intron at noon Fri. and usually felt OK to be back at work Mon. People doing Pegasys sometimes feel the most sx a few days later.
As for bloodwork, I had blood drawn on Wed. and had gastro appts. on Fri., every week the first 6 weeks and once a month after that.

[newleaf09]

Let the study team figure it out and take their advice.  I needed to move from Tuesday to Friday.   The Tuesday shot was a serious problem, because blood was drawn on Monday and I took the next shot before the results got back, so important dose reductions weren't made as they should have been.  I was told I could go either way, so I chose to go to Wed., then Thurs., then Fri. BUT I had been clear for a long time by then and that may have had something to do with their casual attitude.  Just ask them.

[DD9th]

You might also want to see how well you tolerate the shot.  I started mine on Thursday and planned on taking Fridays off along with the weekend.  But as it turns out (in my case at least), I start to feel my worst 2-3 days after I do the shot.  I've moved mine up to Wednesdays now, and by Saturday I'm really tired, and I'm taking Mondays off because that is a hard day for me.    I also moved the shot to the early am on Wednesday, vs evening because I think it might add to my not-sleeping well problems.

I honestly think it is the Ribavirin that makes me feel the worst.   Again, I try to do my 2nd daily pill dose at around 3 pm (so it is early enough to hopefully let me sleep), and then I do the other one at around 4-5 am (I'm usually up at that time anyway).

Anyway, good luck with your treatment.

[WriteItDown]

Ask your study nurse.  My husband was told it was fine to move the shot forward one day per week until he got to his desired day. Just tell them when you want the shot to end up, and they will tell you how you can get there. Good luck!

[epiphiny]

I was on a trial and changed mine from a Sunday afternoon to a Friday night with the guidance of the study team, I followed the same routine that Bill has outlined above.

I don't know your schedule but it takes a wee while to feel the effects of the shot due to metabolism of the inteferon in the body.  Generally peak concentration is reached somewhere between 72 and 96 hours after the shot.  I used to inject on a Friday night and find that Monday and Tuesday were my worst days and as I got closer to my next shot the better (more normal) I felt.  The effect is not instant.

And yes, once you are underway it is best to take the shots at the same time on the same day each week although a few hours either side won't hurt.

All the best with the trial.

Epi.

[Bill1954]

Hi Gee—

We’ve had others ask there doctors this question in the past; generally, they recommend the interferon injection day can be changed by ‘ratcheting back’ one day per week; so if you inject on Friday, the next week you’d change to Thursday, the next to Wednesday, and so on until you reach Saturday. This would take several weeks in your instance; I’m not sure this helps. The idea behind this is that you actually *increase* serum concentration by shortening the time interval between injections, rather than decreasing it.

However, if you’re in a clinical trial, you should consult with the trial nurse. While they tend to be fairly rigid with their requirements, you might find otherwise with your particular case.

Good luck as you go forward—

Bill