Victrelis & Telaprevir, keep cool 6am in the morning

[cliff1961]

Just like to post this tip out to all those who have started or about to start treatment on Victrelis or Telaprevir,
As the drug has to be kept refridgerated and taken every 8 hours you are likely to have to get up approx 6am in the morning to take a dose of your treatment and can be a NUISANCE getting up turning on the lights to get to the main fridge.

Last week i purchased a "Portable Fridge & Warmer" $35.00 on ebay just to fit on the bedside cabinet, it will hold several small bottles of water along with your dose of medication.
This is a Big Relief just turn around open the door and get your drink and medication turn out the light and back to sleep.

I enclose a link of what is available on ebay at present copy and paste into the very top browser:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Inside-the-Home-/159888/i.html?_nkw=mini+fridge+%26+warmer&_catref=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m1538

I am sure if you look around you may find one more local but would like to share the tip for all those on or due to start treatment.

Good Luck to all on Treatment


Cliff

[80mecheng]

Well there seems to be some incorrect info on this forum.  I pull the next bottle from the fridge the night before and leave it on the counter till done.  Additionally, have never seen anywhere separating Vic and Riba by 30 min and frankly that is a good way to forget your dose.  Just take it with some amount of food and you should be fine.

[hirider]

i have been on the peg /ribo tratment since march 2011 in nov 2011 the introduced victrelis After every needle on friday i have to relax till monday i feel bad till wed but can function at workthe victrelis is knockin my blood around but im confident i can beat these side effects i feel spaced most of the time and have little energyit says on the box it doesnt need to be refrigerated so i keep my pills handy as i travel with work i do keep them in a insulated lunch bag though

[cliff1961]

Victrelis will only keep in your home room temperature if the room temperature is below 77F just as his3707 stated above.
if your room temperature is above 77F it is to be stored in a FRIDGE!

16.2 Storage and Handling
VICTRELIS Capsules should be refrigerated at 2–8°C (36–46°F) until dispensed. Avoid exposure to excessive heat. For patient use, refrigerated capsules of VICTRELIS can remain stable until the expiration date printed on the label. VICTRELIS can also be stored at room temperature up to 25°C (77°F) for 3 months. Keep container tightly closed.

[TripleCrown]

Victrelis only needs to be refrigerated until DISPENSED. it keeps in your home at room temperature for 3 months. No need fir a bedside fridge. But nice for water and stuff.

[cliff1961]

I agree that staying in bed all the time is not a good thing, but not everyone may have the same strength as yourself and is easier said than done, especially if you are up all night with sickness and Diarrhea and got little sleep, you need your sleep.

It is wise to share the bed and couch,

One tip (do not stay on the couch for prolonged periods) as you may tend to lie on the one side more often which my Fiance' had done which eventually created internal Ulcers inside the leg.

Getting her to lie down in bed takes the pressure of one spot and at least you can stretch out and turn from side to side.

[oldsarge]

Just a tip I'm passing on. Wake up everyday at 5:45am. Don't go back to bed, use a couch or easy chair for naps. I know your sayin' its a habit, well if you stay in bed for a different period of time during a long treatment, that will be a habit too. As hard as it is, think of that med as a life boat, and pat yourself on the back every morning for making the "swim" to it! Last time I did the combo, my dog took me for a walk, 5:30am, that kept me on schedule...Seems like my issue this time will be keeping down the meds, at least on the day after I take the shot. I'd tie a gag around my neck, but then it would probably clog up my ears LOL . When all is said and done, this is a very very short time in the long life your gonna be living.
Oldsarge...Bobby

[Marcia2202]

When I was on treatment, I was practically in bed for the whole 8 months. I often had to crawl to the bathroom and I would sit on the floor in the shower. I couldn't stand up for very long and was afraid to fall in the bathroom, or anywhere else for a matter of fact. At times I wasn't even able to turn in bed, for hours. It had both to do with being extremely weak and the brain sometimes not being able to command the limbs to move. Trying to work through the brain fog was very hard at times.

I don't fondly look back to those months. I suffered incredibly much from the meds, sometimes I can't believe how I even made it through tx.

I hope your fiancée is not going to feel that bad, but in any case, be prepared. You are a good man going all the way over there to take care of her. She might get cranky and irritated, please don't hold that against her. The meds can make you become a pain in the neck, really.

All the best to you both! And here's to a big fat SVR at the end!!!

[cliff1961]

Cost of $30 - $40 is nothing regards to expense of the medication.
Symptoms of being shaky walking to the bathroom and back feeling as if your legs do not have the strength to hold your body you will not consider twice about the cost of $30 - $40

Just like "alagirl" above stated look how she suffered shaking dropping dishes with her hands, the same applies to your legs too and you do not want to get up and walk to the fridge.

[Livinontheedge]

wow I was about ready to flip out on the INC thing !

[can-do-man]

Yes dave and what a pain that was, plus we had to enter everything on their palm.......... These people have it made...:)

[spectda]

during the trials for victrelis we had to keep it refrigerated all the time. After it was approved the information was changed to what his3707 provided above.

[mykids247]

ust reading the patient info that came in the incivek "Welcome" packet and it says. Keep your incivek pills on the kitchen table or counter so you can remember to take them when you eat. Got a little nervious about having to get a fridge for the bedroom. Wow, I dont even have a tv in there. For sleeping only. And listening to some of the side effects probably nothing else for a while. LOL!! I just got the visual of alagirls son drinking his milk in the morning from a champagne glass. :)  

[alagirl]

I don't have any experience with the PI's, as I SVR'd on the SOC.  However, I did have problems with my legs on SOC as well as vertigo.  I had problems walking sometimes and I had problems with my hands.  I would drop things.  I broke every dish in our house.  Literally every glass and every dish.  By the end of my tx my son was using my Christmas wine glasses to drink out of because it was either that or champagne glasses.

[cliff1961]

I stated to my fiancee' get a little pudding and get a spoonful of it and stick the capsules in amongst the pudding so it hides the metallic taste of the capsules in her mouth "Works Well" as long as you get it down is the main thing!

[lynda607]

You're an awful sweet fella to travel from the UK to take care of your gal.
Good luck to both of you, I hope she does well.

[his3707]

16.2 Storage and Handling
VICTRELIS Capsules should be refrigerated at 2–8°C (36–46°F) until dispensed. Avoid exposure to excessive heat. For patient use, refrigerated capsules of VICTRELIS can remain stable until the expiration date printed on the label. VICTRELIS can also be stored at room temperature up to 25°C (77°F) for 3 months. Keep container tightly closed.

Is your doc going to prescribe more than one months supply at a time?   Seems like an awful lot of trouble and extra money  to buy a fridge to keep by your bed. I guess I've been on Riba too long now to think rationally.  

@ willbb.  And also..I was beginning to feel the guilt.  "That's why I didn't get und. at 4 weeks"    ugggh!

[cliff1961]

you are eating breakfast with the pills, right??  It's better to give your stomach a buffer, first thing in the morning.

She mainly takes two or three spoonfuls of pudding only just to get rid of the metallic taste in the mouth which the capsules cause,

But the metallic taste never goes away while on treatment.

[cliff1961]

Hi beeblessed,

I am not on treatment for Hepatitis C my Fiance is, i am over from the Uk to Texas caring for her while on treatment.

Her legs have become very weak and shaky only while on treatment.
Walk to the bathroom and back and her legs start shaking.

[cliff1961]

Always stored in my fridge is two bottles of water, Bottle of Victrelis & a variety of two small choclate puddings which is taken with the medication.  

[beeblessed]

Hey Cliff.  Good idea.  But I'm curious.......you are eating breakfast with the pills, right??  It's better to give your stomach a buffer, first thing in the morning, so maybe some yogurt or something in the fridge too. Needless to say, ignore this if you are already doing this :)

Also, you said very shaky legs.  When did this start for you??  Before or after adding the VIC?  I haven't added the VIC yet but am a bit shaky, but I also have Vertigo.  Thanks

[lynda607]

I agree, bedside refig is great for the Victrelis.  Keep in mind though, you need to take the Victrelis with food as in some kind of snack, not just liquids and the Incivek must be taken with 20 grams of fat so it's not like you can just roll over, drink some water or juice and then go back to sleep.  Wish it was that easy!  

[willbb]

whew........and there for a minute you thought you had to start all over  :)

[cliff1961]

Victrelis has to be kept Refridgerated, for what i have read of Telaprevir it has to be taken every 8 hours like "Victrelis" i assumed Telaprevir may have to be Refridgerated.

Sorry i was wrong on Telaprevir being Refridgerated!

But this is still an ideal item to have for all those on "Victrelis" due to the course of treatment as you may experience you can become very shaky in your legs and do not want to get out of bed.

[lynda607]

Victrelis must be refrigerated but Incivek is NOT refrigerated.  Incivek is stored at room temperature.