Re: results and injections

[Guest guest]

My brother has a creatine clearance of 1.63 and is losing protein at 3 grams

a day. He is at 14% kidney function and is in line for a fistula. The doc

recommends ipogen injections for stimulating red blood cell production. Any

feedback on the above would help.

Thanks, B

[Guest guest]

Start getting him " worked-up " to be placed on a transplant list.

Marty

Re: results and injections

My brother has a creatine clearance of 1.63 and is losing protein at 3 grams

a day. He is at 14% kidney function and is in line for a fistula. The doc

recommends ipogen injections for stimulating red blood cell production. Any

feedback on the above would help.

Thanks, B

[Guest guest]

Arm still sore, so this will be short : )

If the epogen injections are recommended, trust me - they are needed. Epogen

is so expensive to the health care systems that it's only used when a

patient passes a " treshold " level of anemia. As for fistula for hemodialysis

or catheter for peritoneal dialysis, whichever is the choice, he should get

it done pretty darned soon if he only has 14% kidney function.

Pierre

Re: results and injections

> My brother has a creatine clearance of 1.63 and is losing protein at 3

grams

> a day. He is at 14% kidney function and is in line for a fistula. The doc

> recommends ipogen injections for stimulating red blood cell production.

Any

> feedback on the above would help.

>

> Thanks, B

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I have been on that medication now for about 8 weeks. I give myself a

weekly injection of 10,000 units of Eprex. As Pierre mentioned, quite expensive

If I had to pay the full price. It has made a tremendous difference to me. It

took a couple of weeks before I started to feel the benefit.

Derrick

Sydney, Australia

Re: results and injections

My brother has a creatine clearance of 1.63 and is losing protein at 3 grams

a day. He is at 14% kidney function and is in line for a fistula. The doc

recommends ipogen injections for stimulating red blood cell production. Any

feedback on the above would help.

Thanks, B

[Guest guest]

Thank you Derrick! I've heard good things about it. Hopefully we'll get his

insurance to cover.

B

[Guest guest]

Hi Pierre.

Just wanted to comment on your note about epogen ( " is so expensive to the

health care systems that it's only used when a

patient passes a " treshold " level of anemia " ). I had very severe anemia and my

hmo was giving me a lot of problems getting it, and unfortunately the people at

the doc office wasn't much help either. Luckily I have my wife who is very

persisent and we were able to finally get it for myself. My hmo didn't consider

it a drug benefit, but rather a medical device benefit (whatever that is). It

all comes down to who you get on the other end of the phone -- so if the first

10 people won't help you with it, maybe the 11th one will -- that's pretty much

what happened with me -- though I think my wife spoke to more than 10 people...

[Guest guest]

I forget exactly without looking it up, but I think your hematocrit has to

go below a certain level, like 35 or 37 - somewhere in there. The cost can

be a problem, even here in Canada, if the person isn't already on some kind

of disability coverage that includes prescription drugs. That's why we have

social workers on the renal teams - to help sort those things out. I guess

it easier (or harder) in some places than others.

Pierre

Re: Re: results and injections

> Hi Pierre.

>

> Just wanted to comment on your note about epogen ( " is so expensive to

the health care systems that it's only used when a

> patient passes a " treshold " level of anemia " ). I had very severe anemia

and my hmo was giving me a lot of problems getting it, and unfortunately the

people at the doc office wasn't much help either. Luckily I have my wife

who is very persisent and we were able to finally get it for myself. My hmo

didn't consider it a drug benefit, but rather a medical device benefit

(whatever that is). It all comes down to who you get on the other end of

the phone -- so if the first 10 people won't help you with it, maybe the

11th one will -- that's pretty much what happened with me -- though I think

my wife spoke to more than 10 people...

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

In the US I think it has to go down to 33 and they target 36 as a high. Once it

gets to 36, they stop for a while.

Marty

Re: Re: results and injections

> Hi Pierre.

>

> Just wanted to comment on your note about epogen ( " is so expensive to

the health care systems that it's only used when a

> patient passes a " treshold " level of anemia " ). I had very severe anemia

and my hmo was giving me a lot of problems getting it, and unfortunately the

people at the doc office wasn't much help either. Luckily I have my wife

who is very persisent and we were able to finally get it for myself. My hmo

didn't consider it a drug benefit, but rather a medical device benefit

(whatever that is). It all comes down to who you get on the other end of

the phone -- so if the first 10 people won't help you with it, maybe the

11th one will -- that's pretty much what happened with me -- though I think

my wife spoke to more than 10 people...

>

>

>

>

>

>