I was diagnosed in November 7th 2019 following a bone marrow biopsy.
Was on Wait & Wacht until November26th 2023 when they diagnosed hypoimmunoglobulinemia IgG and started GAMMA IV with 45 g of IgG (Privigen every 4 weeks).
Use to have MANY pneumonia and exacerbations that was getting me hospitalised every 3 to 6 weeks. Now NO MORE hospitalisation.
Anybody is or was on that treatment.
Written by
doc1947g
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I had monthly IVIG whilst on treatment but then Covid struck and it wasn’t considered safe to go into the day-unit. My immunoglobulins are still sub-optimal but as my IgG is over 4, I no longer meet the criteria for infusions on the NHS.
I recall my first infusion being quite long as they introduced it slowly but apart from a bit of tiredness, I was fortunate enough not to suffer any side effects.
I have been on Privagen since 2018. Hopefully you will get used to it. I always get them to start at a low rate and ramp up because the one time they started at a faster rate I got breathless. Just be prepared with plenty of snacks, drinks and reading material. I also alternate arms for the canella and have become adept at reading one handed. It will hopefully prevent you from getting any infections 🤞
Just a thought doc. 45g sounds a large amount ? It is usually weight based and I am weighed every month. Perhaps question the amount next time because obviously that will affect the time taken.
Then 45g sounds too much. I am 69kg and I have a 20g bottle and a small one not sure how much in that but probably 5g. So worth questioning at next visit.
Doc I have never seen figures like this so I am totally confused maybe AussieNeil can comment. As I understand it only helps with IgG and is weight based.
Colette, doc1947g 's results don't make sense to me either.Doc1947g, with your reported IgG =21g, that IgG result is above the upper IgG of 16g/L, so on that basis, you don't need supplementation. That is unless your IgG was measured soon after your infusion (when it is still higher than I would expect) , however, it's standard practice to check your IgG blood serum level before an infusion.
The amount of infused IgG is primarily determined by weight, then adjusted as necessary to boost your IgG to around 8 to 10g/L prior to your next infusion. I'm a similar weight to you and only need around 35 grams every 4 weeks.
IgG infusions at considerably higher doses that replacement therapy doses are used to control auto-immune conditions, but I couldn't see mention of you having IgG infusions for that purpose. Are there any typos in the quantities you've shared?
Thank you for confirming that your high IgG result was from when the blood test was taken "the day after Privigen 45g/4weeks".
I've attached a plot of my IgG counts from when I started IVIG infusions. The peaks are calculated from assuming I have 5.5 litres of blood. I calculated my IgG half life by adjusting the half life decay until it most closely matched my measured IgG prior to my IVIG infusions. The smaller changes at the end of the graph what I theoretically anticipated from shifting to weekly subcutaneous IgG. In practice, I've had a slightly higher IgG and even less variation. That's because with subcutaneous IgG, the IgG diffuses gradually into your blood from the bolus under your abdominal skin over several days.
Neil
IVIG infusions cause an IgG spike, after which the IgG drops with a ~3 week half life.
My wife (76) has been receiving an Gamunex-C IVIG IgG infusion every two months for 7 years with no side effects. The dosage is based on her weight at the time of infusion. Prior to infusion, she gets two tylenol tablets and IV benedryl.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.