Those are my two options. My doc has said to me that IM is only about 2-4% less effective but is more painful however less of a pain in the butt.
I am still working, I sell cars I just don't like the idea of being limited from the PICC...? I have to work to pay for docs and meds as I live in Canada and none of this will be covered.
Any thoughts on this? I like the idea of IM for ease of use, I did IM Bicillin for 9 months, hurt but it was so easy! I am just worried that it is much less effective?
Thank you,
Kuda
Posted by lymekuda (Member # 23972) on :
UP, anyone have any experience with either??? More so IM Rocephin? Does it share roughly the same potency?
Posted by jbiology (Member # 15839) on :
I didn't even know rocephin could be done IM. I take it IV, but I have a groshong catheter which is much less of a hassle than a picc.
Posted by lymeboy (Member # 24769) on :
I had Rocephin IV for 3 months, followed by IM Bicillin. The shots seemed to get at the illness better, for me! Either way, make the Doc give you a cvyst buster....
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
If the cost would be less with IM, I'm sure it would be effective. If money is not the issue, I highly recommend the IV Rocephin over the IM. IMO IV is much easier to use than IM and more effective.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
IM Rocephin would be easier and cheaper to use than IV. No PICC or other type of IV catheter required, no maintenance supplies, no nursing visits needed. No worries about IV complications. Your only costs would be vials of Rocephin, saline or lidocaine for reconstitution, syringes, needles, and alcohol preps.
Be sure to rotate injection sites. With Rocephin you can use the upper outer thighs, dorso gluteal (butt area), and ventro gluteal (hip area) sites.
Ask your doctor for lidocaine to reconstitute the Rocephin with instead of saline. Make sure that the powder is fully dissolved before drawing up the med for administration. Rocephin can burn and make the muscles sore, it's better when mixed with lidocaine.
If you are paying out of pocket for the Rocephin (ceftriaxone) be aware that different generic brands will have different costs. I found the Hospira brand of ceftriaxone to be my favorite for lowest cost and ease of mixing/ reconstituting.
To answer your question about potency, IM and IV forms should have similar potency. IV will always be slightly superior because it is injected directly into the blood stream instead of being absorbed. They are both used to treat serious infections and as surgical prophylaxis. Dosages for IM and IV use are the same.
Good luck with your new treatment plan Kuda. I hope that you feel better soon.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
There are a number of posts in the archives about IM rocephin.
I used it and it reduced my pain by 70%! I had to eventually stop due to very painful large lumps at the shot site. They were all over and it got so painful that I could barely sit down. I rotated everytime but that did not stop them from forming. I eventually broke them up with a massaager but I still have a lot of little ones left and I am thinking at this point that I'll have them forever.
Terry
Posted by KaitlinB (Member # 11718) on :
I used IM rocephin daily for 17 months and found it very effective. I have never used it IV, so can't say if IM is as effective as IV.
I used lidocaine to reconstitute the rocephin and it was not painful. The muscle I injected into was at the top front of my hip, adjacent to the pelvic bone (can't remember the name of it).
My doctor did not want his patients to inject into the rear of the hip because he was concerned about hitting the sciatic nerve. It seems there is a large area of the rear hip you could inject into though without danger of that happening.
I was using what would be considered a low dose of rocephin so the doctor did not think I needed to take Actigall, which is a drug that prevents gallstone formation.
I eventually had to stop using the rocephin because it was causing elevated liver enzymes. I also discovered it was causing bile "sludge" to form in my gallbladder...I found this when I did a gallbladder flush after stopping the rocephin.
Fortunately I did not lose my gallbladder, but it is a concern even if one is using low doses of rocephin. In hindsight, I would have requested my doctor prescribe Actigall.
Other than that, I had no problems with the IM rocephin and thought it was much preferable to having a PIC line.
Good luck...I hope it is helpful for you!
Posted by Maradona (Member # 24552) on :
Effect is almost the same of IV or IM rocephin .
Just find what is best for you .
For me it was IV because I do it myself in the veins 2gr a day mix them with 09% 20 ml NACL sterile and inject them on vain for an hour no need for anything ells just a syringe peripheralal IV cath,and 20 Ml of sterile 09%nacl.
In my opinion you are missing something ( other infecion) because bicillin is only 2% less effective then Rocephin and if you were in bicillin shots 2.4mil. a week dont see how rocephin alone will do more.