LymeNet Flash: IM Rocephin

This is topic IM Rocephin in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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https://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/1/24679

Posted by kam (Member # 3410) on :

I will possibly be starting rocephin intermuscular tomorrow.

I have heard of this drug used IV but not IM.

I would like to hear from others who have used rocephin IM and how it went?

Thanks

Posted by TX Lyme Mom (Member # 3162) on :

Quite a few folks failed because they didn't master the proper technique of doing the IM injections. Here's a link to a topic which contains links to professional nursing websites with accurate information on how to master this technique.

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/020465.html

Also, be aware that you will need someone to help administer the shots to you so that you can rotate injection sites. There are 3 sites on each hip or thigh, but only 2 are self-accessible. So, that means that if you have someone who can come in occasionally to hit you in the spot which you cannot reach yourself and you give the shots in the other spots when no one is available to come in, then you should do just fine.

If you don't do it properly, then cellulitis cysts can develop which may require surgery and extra antibiotics to get rid of. That's why it's so important to master the proper IM injection technique to avoid developing these painful (and dangerous) cellulitis lumps.

PS - I'm editing to add another link to a topic about doing the IV "push" method of infusion. It's a do-it-yourself method, too, of getting Rocephin into your body. It requires a PICC line, but it's almost as low cost as ding the IM shots. Pay special attention to what I posted under that topic, also, about a low cost method of infusing with the old-fashioned gravity flow drip bags of saline.

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/024675.html

[This message has been edited by TX Lyme Mom (edited 21 April 2004).]

Posted by WildCondor on :

Hi there,

I have done IM Rocephin and I loved it!
Its easy to do and so much better than and IV or swallowing stomach ripping pills.

Let me know ifyour insurance does not cover the Rocephin, I have a cheaper place that you can get it from, just email me.

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Lyme Disease Help
http://www.wildcondor.com

Posted by Lymelighter (Member # 5310) on :

WC, how does IM Rocephin compare w/ IM Bicillan?

Posted by k-lyme (Member # 5574) on :

don't mess around with the IM antibiotics, they don't work very well at all because the antibiotic goes striaght into the muscle and can easily be metabolized by any spirochetes that may be hiding there. Ask your doc to switch you over to IV rocephin, works a hell of a lot better because it goes straight into your blood stream

Posted by kam (Member # 3410) on :

My LLMD is having me do the shots until he gets the rocephin in for the IV.

I was supposed to start 2 months ago, but ran into obstacles regarding getting the needles and syringes.

Problem solving skills were not very good either. I finally started doing better and got the problem solved.

Then the in home health care person and I couldn't recall how the LLMD showed her how to give me the shots.

So, I called a doctor an hour and a half a way who helped with the bicillin shots.

Then I kept having to cancel appointments because I was too low functioning to get there.

We went there today and the head nurse spent an hour teaching my in home health care person who to give me the rocephin, bicillin and B12 shots.

I have the knots you were talking about from trying to give myself the bicillin shots.

(I have her for 10 hours a week...we used up 8 of those hours this week today while at doctor appointments)

I am hoping they will go away.

I also thank you for the instructions on giving the shots.

I did fairly well for about an hour in the doctor's office, but by the time it came to the instructions on the shots.....I wasn't able to even articulate what the nurse was saying. I could hear her speaking but the mind was not processing it. And the sound of the fan in the room was really getting to me.

This happens when I am really running low. I've been down the rest of the afternoon.

The good news is that both the doctor and the head nurse is open to learning about lyme.

I gave each of them a copy of ILADS, wrote down the calchannel web site, and loaned them my DVD and audio from a presentation Dr. B gave.

The difference between this office and the one in my home town is like night and day.

The nurse also gave us needles, syringes, antiseptic pads, the drug to mix with the rocephin and bandaids.

We just need to get some gloves now.

Today was a very encouraging day and I seemed to handle the rocephin OK so far.

I sure appreciated the supplies too.

Thanks for the replies. Wildcondor, if you can do it, I can do it! See you backpacking on the trail one day....I Hope!

I was hoping the bicillin shots would do it. Now, I am hoping the Rocephin will turn things around.

Posted by LymeGirlInAz (Member # 5460) on :

I am also wondering if the IM bicillin will leave the cysts like the IM Rocephin? And so did the IM shots not work for most people? I am doing IM Bicillin now for 1 month and if it does not work well I want to get off and start something else because it is expensive. Plus I do not want to take chances and have cysts that may need to be removed surgically.

Posted by kam (Member # 3410) on :

Lime Girl in AZ,

I have been taking the bicillin shots for quite some time and it has been fine.

When I have had the knots in the past, they have gone away.

I thought it was because I hadn't keep the needle still or hadn't inserted the medication slow enough.

Most the time I didn't get the knots.

Posted by WildCondor on :

I did IM Rocephin and IM Bicillin at the same time!

Rocephin was 1 gram Sat & Sun, Bicillin 1.2 MU LA M, W, F.

Works great! Take them both if you can.

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Lyme Disease Help
http://www.wildcondor.com