Re: Anyone ever have to go on Procrit? SOS!!!

May 14, 2003

HI Anita, I am a bit confused. There has been medicine for hep c that

requires only 1 shot a week for a year. I just finished it. It is Peg-intron.

I took 120 mcg weekly (the Peg-intron) and 800 mg daily of ribiviarin.

I am 1a and was undetectable at 16 weeks..

I believe there is a weight chart for how much medicine is needed.

I know there is a man here Gene who had to take procit.

The treatment is strong medicine and there are numerous side effects.

You did contact your insurance and they have no mail delivery service?

When I switched to mail delivery it cut my costs tremendously.

Sincerely,

Donna

May 14, 2003

HI Anita, I am a bit confused. There has been medicine for hep c that

requires only 1 shot a week for a year. I just finished it. It is Peg-intron.

I took 120 mcg weekly (the Peg-intron) and 800 mg daily of ribiviarin.

I am 1a and was undetectable at 16 weeks..

I believe there is a weight chart for how much medicine is needed.

I know there is a man here Gene who had to take procit.

The treatment is strong medicine and there are numerous side effects.

You did contact your insurance and they have no mail delivery service?

When I switched to mail delivery it cut my costs tremendously.

Sincerely,

Donna

May 14, 2003

my ins company had mine delivered every 3 mo Fed Ex

Alley

alleypat@...

May 14, 2003

Aloha Anita,

I am on week 32 of my treatments and have been on Procrit since week 8. With

hemoglobin that low, procrit is really needed.

Procrit is a once-weekly shot and usually you need to do it for the duration of

treatment. It is expensive (an example is I am on an individual insurance plan

as I am self-employed and have to pay 30% of injectables - $545 for 4 vials is

my co-pay). Because of the cost issue, I did try every other week, but it wasn't

enough...now we are trying every 10 days.

It definitely has made a difference in my quality of life. No leg aches and lots

more energy. Not winded anymore either. I haven't experienced any side-effects

except that it does smart when the shot is given.

Anyone ever have to go on Procrit? SOS!!!

Hi All,

Help!

Anyone ever have to go on Procrit? Her hemogloben has dropped down below 800

and they are lowering her dose of Ribaviran to

4 pills instead of 5. She is undectable and is 1A in Genotype.

If so how much was it and how many shots did you

have to take?

Did anyone get it through their Mail order Pharmacy? Our insurance is saying

it has to be picked up at a pharmacy at a walk in store and the price is to

the tune of $250 a shot 3 times a week. If it could be delivered we would

get a much better deal....

Did you experience any side effects? Did you feel better or worse on it?

Looking for answers,

Anita

May 14, 2003

Anita,

Hi. I'm also 1a. My hemoglobin dropped while on combo. I injected procrit

once a week (epoetin alfa, recomb 40,000 units/ml).

I think it was the ribavirin that dropped my red blood count. My arms would

get tired immediately as soon as I raised them in the shower to wash my hair.

Had never felt so weak. The procrit brought my hemoglobin back up closer to a

normal level. There weren't really any side effects, not in comparison to the

combo and the neupogen injections that raise your absolute neutrophil count.

Even though my viral load dropped from 850,000 to 133,000, the VA took me off

combo after 22 weeks. I wanted to continue but was told the combo wasn't

working for me and that I should wait for new technology.

I'm patiently waiting. Protease inhibitors are looking good.

I'm a little confused about the 800 figure you were talking about concerning

the hemoglobin....and the more than one shot weekly of the Procrit. One shot

a week did the trick for me.

Hope this helps. You can look up any info on Procrit.com.

Gene

May 14, 2003

Anita,

Hi. I'm also 1a. My hemoglobin dropped while on combo. I injected procrit

once a week (epoetin alfa, recomb 40,000 units/ml).

I think it was the ribavirin that dropped my red blood count. My arms would

get tired immediately as soon as I raised them in the shower to wash my hair.

Had never felt so weak. The procrit brought my hemoglobin back up closer to a

normal level. There weren't really any side effects, not in comparison to the

combo and the neupogen injections that raise your absolute neutrophil count.

Even though my viral load dropped from 850,000 to 133,000, the VA took me off

combo after 22 weeks. I wanted to continue but was told the combo wasn't

working for me and that I should wait for new technology.

I'm patiently waiting. Protease inhibitors are looking good.

I'm a little confused about the 800 figure you were talking about concerning

the hemoglobin....and the more than one shot weekly of the Procrit. One shot

a week did the trick for me.

Hope this helps. You can look up any info on Procrit.com.

Gene

May 15, 2003

Dear ,

And all others who wrote me back about the procrit

Thank you so much! It has give me the info I need... Now if I can just get

the price down.

Pray for us please.

Love

Anita

moderator/owner

Hepatitis CLEARINGAndClear

May 15, 2003

Dear ,

And all others who wrote me back about the procrit

Thank you so much! It has give me the info I need... Now if I can just get

the price down.

Pray for us please.

Love

Anita

moderator/owner

Hepatitis CLEARINGAndClear

May 15, 2003

Hi Donna,

is on Pegesys... and needs to take Procrit because her blood level has

gone down so low.. Hemoglobin... in particular..

We just broke down and are in the process of getting 1 vial today.. at a

whopping $565.00..

all this and no fortune cookie..

Gonna inject her as soon as I get it... and will keep you posted.

Thanks for the input.

Anita

In a message dated 5/14/03 3:03:46 PM, Mscue40@... writes:

<< HI Anita, I am a bit confused. There has been medicine for hep c that

requires only 1 shot a week for a year. I just finished it. It is Peg-intron.

I took 120 mcg weekly (the Peg-intron) and 800 mg daily of ribiviarin.

I am 1a and was undetectable at 16 weeks..

I believe there is a weight chart for how much medicine is needed.

I know there is a man here Gene who had to take procit.

The treatment is strong medicine and there are numerous side effects.

You did contact your insurance and they have no mail delivery service?

When I switched to mail delivery it cut my costs tremendously.

Sincerely,

Donna

>>

May 24, 2003

Dear Anita, sorry this is so late in coming but have been off my mail for a

couple of weeks. Yes, I had to take Procrit while on standard combo. My count

went below 8 also. I dropped like a bomb only 2 weeks into Tx and tried to

regain red cells using Vit.C, E & Folic Acid...to no avail. Was put on procrit

about 2 months into Tx for the duration (13 months). I was on 40,000 units

weekly. I got it at my pharmacy & had it injected at the Hemotologist's

office. I did have some sides...can't really remember now (been off tx since

Aug.2001 & procrit a month later.) But I think I had headaches...altho it was

hard

to tell what sides came from what drugs! My Riba was lowered to 3 pills

daily. Whenever we tried to increse, my counts would drop and I would usually

end

up puking alot. But I have to say, there was nothing worse than dropping

counts really fast. I couldn't get out of bed, short of breath, dizzy and just

felt really crappy...so the Procrit is defiitely worht doing. Good luck to

you, gee

May 24, 2003