To use Procrit or not? 86 with end stage renal failure

[Lv4Uncle]

My Uncle is 86 and has end stage renal failure. He does not want dialysis. His Dr wants him to start Procrit to help with the anemia. The side effects are daunting and he does not want to take it. Anyone have experience with Procrit?

[Herkidney]

I was on Procrit for one year prior to my transplant at age 48. I don’t recall any side effects. I remember feeling more energetic.

[Bond-007 in reply to Herkidney]

Being more energetic is not insignificant - by restoring Hgb & red blood cells you are providing much needed oxygen to your brain, heart, lungs & kidneys. It will save your life & preserve the quality of your life. A Dr who ignores this is negligent & you are blessed with a caring Dr who treats anemia. My mother needed this but we had uncaring Drs who were insensitive to the needs of the elderly.

[Lv4Uncle in reply to Bond-007]

Thank you for your response. I’m so sorry to hear about your mother and her lack of care. My Uncle feels fine and is scared of the possible side effects. I know it will help but it’s hard to get him to realize.

[Lv4Uncle in reply to Herkidney]

Thank you for your reply, I’m so happy to hear you got a transplant! Thanks you again for sharing your experience with this drug.

[KidneyCoach NKF Ambassador]

I've taken procrit without negative side effects. They are wonder drugs in helping alleviate anemia. Blessings

[Lv4Uncle in reply to KidneyCoach]

Thank you so much for your response. I’m so happy to hear that this medication is working for you. Blessings to you as well.

[jodaer]

I think it is up to your uncle. It's his life and his decision. I tend to avoid drugs who have bad side effects. One question to ask is if he starts it and does have ad side effects how easy would it be if he wants to stop taking it?

[citruskayaker in reply to jodaer]

By refusing dialysis he has already decided his time is up. So he can take procrit as long as he understands it is intended to boost his energy in the time remaining. If my circumstances and age were the same, I suspect I would also choose to avoid dialysis.

[Lv4Uncle in reply to citruskayaker]

Thank you for your response. Yes, dialysis at his age and medical conditions may only keep him alive at best 2.5 years. He is not the best human specimen either with all his smoking and lack of movement. He has been sedentary for many years. Reading and doing crossword puzzles. Lack of movement has made him very weak. I don’t think he could take it. He wants to live the way he is living now. He is pain free so let him be I say.

[Lv4Uncle in reply to jodaer]

I don’t think there is any adverse reactions to stopping only taking.

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

I took Procrit before my transplant and even a year after. I never had any adverse reactions. It was great to feel good and have more energy. For me anyway the positive far outweighed any side effects that I never experienced.I would think he deserves to feel well for as long as possible.

[Lv4Uncle in reply to WYOAnne]

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I agree he deserves to feel good. He is scared of the side effect. He feels good now and does not want to get sick by taking it. Ive asked him to try one dose and see. He is thinking about it

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador in reply to Lv4Uncle]

You have to remember that we are all different. I was giving myself Procrit shots 3 x a week right before I had my transplant. To get the full effects I think he needs to get more than one shot. Think it builds up in your system.

[Lv4Uncle in reply to WYOAnne]

I agree with you. I was trying to get Him to take one shot to see if he had any adverse reactions. If not we could continue. It’s hard sometimes with very senior people. They are not as adventurous as us 60 year olds 😊

[Missy1950]

Hi,I am not an advocate of Procrit. I have a good friend who developed cancer from Procrit and it killed him. There are many similar cases. It is not even a warning on the box . My friend went to a lawyer and they had many people complains of the same issue.

Stay away if you can. A very dangerous drug. Look it up.

[Lv4Uncle in reply to Missy1950]

Oh Missy1950 I have read all the warnings that's why I am asking for comments. I'm sorry about your friend ;-(

[Lv4Uncle]

Hello everyone. My Uncle decided to try the Procrit yesterday. 24 hours later he only felt a little something different in his chest for about 10 min. That’s it! God willing this will help him feel much better. Thank you all for responding 💕

[horsie63]

If he's mentally fit it's his decision. My mom doesn't have CKD but suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. She has mobility issues now too at 86 and has repeatedly told us she doesn't want any more pills or treatments than she already has. She's still mentally fit so I can only suggest things. If I were in the same position as your uncle I'd be ready to go.