Et

[Jbut]

I have ET for 10 years been on interferon 2b,been to hospital to pick meds up today and they said dont do 2b anymore,so my new med is interferon 2a any advice would be great ,does it do the same x

[swimswam]

Hi jbut,

I have ET, and was on Intron (interferon alfa-2b) also told by my hospital two months ago it could no longer get supplies. I was given Roferon (interferon alfa-2a) instead and on phoning to check told it was the same thing. I have found no difference, just the fact that the Intron came in pen form and the Roferon is single injections. I don’t know whether it’s my technique but I find the longer needle slightly harder to inject and seems to bruise my stomach more, but other than that it seems no different, just made by a different company.

[Malaika]

Hi I have had the same happen to me. It does appear in my case to behave in the same way. I am to have an early blood test to see how it impacts my blood counts. It is a single injection and as I had no help it did give me some issues as not overly confident with this kind of application but went to see my nurse which reassured me and now I have no issues with the injection. Hope you manage it.

Best regards

Malaika

[charl17]

Maybe this helps. 6 months ago, when I started Pegasys they prescribed ridiculously large capacity syringes for me with long needles. I switched to over the counter half-ml insulin syringes with short narrow gauge needles. They work well and they are cheap. The low capacity makes it easier to extract the precise dose from the vial. It surprised me that the hematologists staff seemed to have so little practical experience with Pegasys injections. One-ml syringes are also available for higher doses. Diabetics do sub-q injections very frequently.

[light]

Hi jbut, I am ET patient and I have been on Pegulated Intferon Apha 2 for 6 years now. Started with small dose of 45mc during slow transfer from Haydroxy, over few months and slow increase of dosage and decrease off hydroxy. Now I am on 135mc everywhere weeks. I found that it helps me to take injections in the evening. At 5pm I take paracetamol and at 6pm I take Peg injection. Sometime I have very bad side effects like very bad flue symptoms and could last for a few or longer days. Every time is a different reaction and timing as it could be few days after I take injection or week after for whole week, etc.. Reaction is always different from bad to less bad. I keep taking paracetamol to help me with the pain, fever, etc.. Apart of side effects Peg is managing my blood counts, platelets. So it is working for me. My last appointment I was told by my nurse and pharmacy that they are having problem obtaining Peg, but they found the way to supply me with Peg.

Good luck with your treatment on Peg.

[Jbut]

Had my first injection of interferon alpha 2a on sunday, done this myself hope i done it ok, its crazy i have been fine for 10 years with the 2b,didnt even think about my ET that much,now am back to worrying about the change in medication,if my bloods will be the same,if i will have any side affects. Thanks for all your advice x