I have a PICC line and am going to be switching from IV Rocephin to IV doxy next week and neglected to ask my doctor how it's administered. I'm used to the Rocephin IV push which takes 5 minutes but for the doxy I got these tubs in the mail that say they take 90 minutes 2x's a day!!! I'll talk to my doctor tomorrow - but is this the only way?
Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
Doxy, depending on the dose needs to infuse over a longer period of time than rocephin because it has to be much more dilute.
I don't know how you will obtain your doxy, but when you do your first dose, the infusion nurse will probably show you how to mix the doxy into the sterile water. Usually you can mix a days worth of doxy at one time.
Depending on the method of your infusion company, you may have and1. iv pole, gravity feed, and2, iv pump,battery or electic, or3. a preasure pump. The most convenient is a preasure pump, because no battery is involved, but not all infusion companies provide these containers.
Preasure pumps are disposable pressurized containers instead of iv bags, some look like baby bottles with balloons insdes which hols the meds and slowly release meds over caclulated time. You can carry then in a large pocket, purse or fanny pack.
Posted by Sammi (Member # 110) on :
Hi Scottie. What dose is it? IV Doxy is a much longer infusion. When I was on it it was through a port-cath. I was told it is too caustic for a PICC line.
Posted by scottie (Member # 9956) on :
I can't remember the dose off hand (am at work and can't check) but when I opened it - sent from the mail order pharm- it is indeed in these baby bottle like containers with balloon things inside. I guess that answers my question about administration. As far as the PICC line goes, it's in my upper arm, near the crease in my elbow and my doc said the line is in the right place to do the doxy. I trust him but jeez, should I double check? Thanks so much, guys for your feedback.
Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
The doxy is dilute enough in the infusion that it will be fine in you picc.
Glad you got the portable pumps they are so much easier! I hope the doxy make you feel better. Just remember it's doxy and really really watch your sun exposure!
Posted by AmyInMI (Member # 9506) on :
Hi Scotty,
I recently switched from IV Rocephin to IV Doxy as well. I take 200mg a day. My Doxy comes as a power in a little bottle hooked to a 100ml bag of saline. Each bottle of Doxy contains 100mg, so I do it twice, either one right after another, or once in morning, once at night.
The neck of the bottle is snapped open and you squirt some saline into it to dilute and mix the power. This is then squirted back into the bag of saline.
I was also sent tubing that has a dial on it to control the flow of the abx, because it is very important Doxy is infused at 100mg/hour.
All in all, it was a lot to remember to do compared to my rocephin, but it is a breeze now. I try to do one infusion in the am and on in the pm because if I do both bags back to back it will take over 2 hours!!
I hope this helps you!! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask or PM.
Amy
Posted by LookingforHope (Member # 9680) on :
I am doing 200 mg twice a day. Each time it takes 2 hours thought the PICC. I use mine thought a IV pump. Also my bags are premixed and come form the hopsital every 3 days. (Ot's nice as I don't have to mix anything) The bad part for me is I also do a full bad of fliuds (1000) over 4 hours to help with fliuds (I have low blood volume, and POTS) so I am stuck to IV pole 8 hours a day!
But if it makes me better is worth it! Lets Hope!
Is anyone else on 200 mg IV of Doxy every 12 hours?
Posted by LC (Member # 7070) on :
I am on IV Doxy 400 mg once per day.
It comes in an eclipse ball. A spherical pressurized delivery system about 4 inches in diameter, no pump needed.
It comes from the infusion company already mixed and I just screw it in to my picc line and it infuses over two hours.
Very convenient. You can put it in your pocket and work, cook, eat, drive or whatever.
I think the eclipse balls are a little more expensive, but worth it.
Careful with the sun sensativity on IV doxy, I got a burn walking around in the snow on a cloudy February day!
Posted by scottie (Member # 9956) on :
I am doing 200 every 12 hours. I do see that Dr. B recommends 400mgs a day but in one dose. Has anyone has success with this drug at 200 every 12 hours?
Posted by Sammi (Member # 110) on :
I infused 400 mg at one time.
Posted by Cobweb (Member # 10053) on :
Thanks for posting this Scottie- I think I see my next line of defense on the horizon!
Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
I used to infuse 200 x2 a day . It work out fine. I can't imagine getting 400mg at once. I think that would knock me out for the day. Even with the 400 mg, I only did 4 days infusing and 3 days off, because the die off has too harsh. But overall, it was a good lyme killer.