I am on IV Zith along with other orals and it kept making me sick to my stomach anytime I'd run it.
So experimenting over the Christmas holidays, we slowed it down to take about 2 hours vs 1 hour and I haven't been having the same problm.
I'm hoping to get my tolerance up for it so I can start shortening the time, but can anyone tell me if this drug isn't working as well if I take longer to infuse it than the hour?
Since I started it two days before Christmas and had myself so darn sick, I needed to try something to be able to tolerate it other than my gingerale and ginger tea and anything else ginger I could get my hands on.
Thanks for any input. Will check with the LLMD after the holidays but since I didn't want to keep being sick, I figured I'd try this and will check on Monday. For now, wondered if anyone had experience with this.
Cathy
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
If you need to put chocolate syrup in your IV line to keep you on it.. my bet is it would be ok.
NOT REALLY... just kidding.. but..
I see nothing wrong with a longer drip time. It is easier on the veins too.
I think taking it, rather than not, is what is most important.
Plus the Zith lasts weeks in your system after you stop taking it... so if you put it all in at once or over 4 hours... shouldn't make no never-mind.
You KNOW I am not a doctor. I am just sharing some stuff until you can reach your doc.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday!
Posted by david1097 (Member # 3662) on :
2 hours is normal rate according to the safety sheet. I did 2 hour infusions and even that was tough some times. Less than 2 hrs was highly discouraged by the pharmacist.
On the pharmokinetics- Half life is 3 days so 1 2 3 or 4 hours does not have that much of an effect. Short infusion times will give a higher drug concentration spike but 1 or 2 hours is bascially the same if you calculate it out. The drug remains in your system for a while so you do not reach maximum concentration until day 3 or 4.
Doxy IV vs Doxy pill form is different since the half life is a lot shorter.
Posted by JKMMC09 (Member # 15795) on :
My daughter is on IV Zithromax right now, it is in one of those little self-dosing "balls". It runs for about 2- 2.5 hours. She also had some GI upset the first 2/3 doses.
Hang in there!
Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
Thank you so much for the feedback. At this point, I wanted to get past the holidays the best I could so even though I know in emergencies, you can still reach your LLMD, I figured if I could drag it out and it worked, I wouldn't worry about it.
It was very comforting to hear that I'm really probably not doing anything wrong anyway.
TC....the chocolate syrup sounds like it should be a great treat for the holidays. Naw...guess that's pushing a wee bit past the limits but thanks for the smiles.
David, Thank you for the calculations. I do know when I was on IV Rocephin, I was using the balls and they were ALWAYS running at different speeds, but this is a drip bag and you can have more control of how often to let it drip. Thank you for your input.
JKMMCO9, Sorry to hear that your daughter had G.I. upset as well. Are you saying that it only lasts a few days anyway and I would have felt better even if I hadn't slowed it down on its own? Here I thought I was so clever and found a way to tolerate it better. Hehehehehehe.
Again, thank you all for helping me not feel quite so guilty. I guess we all do what we can to get the meds down us.
Cathy
Posted by JKMMC09 (Member # 15795) on :
quote:Originally posted by tdtid: JKMMCO9, Sorry to hear that your daughter had G.I. upset as well. Are you saying that it only lasts a few days anyway and I would have felt better even if I hadn't slowed it down on its own? Here I thought I was so clever and found a way to tolerate it better. Hehehehehehe.
No, not at all! I am glad you slowed it down, my daughters drip has been at 2 hours to begin with-- and she still had GI upset for a few days. Infusing at 1 hour is discouraged (per David's info), and my LLMD has said infusing IV Zithro. too quickly . can cause tachycardia in some patients.
Hope you're doing alright and had a great holiday Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
Thank you for getting back to me, JKMMCO9.
On my IV Zith bag, it SAYS to infuse the bag in an hour. I can't recall the exact wording, but that's where the information came. The doctor never actually SAID.
I think you all have me convinced that I'll stick with the two hour time frame. It's definitely more comfortable and it's not going to do much good if I quit the medication because I can't tolerate it.
Thanks again for the insight.
Cathy
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
On the package insert on my IV zith ..
It said to infuse while eating chocolate marshmallow ice cream.
GOOD thing I happen to like ice cream or I'd be in BIG trouble!
BTW- For anyone reading this that doesn't know... I"M KIDDING!!!
And td.... Glad you are going the more comfortable route. Hope that helps.
Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
TC,
I need to get my IV Zith from your pharmacy or infussion company. Mine is obviously not up to date and left that important factor off my label completely. :-)
Again, thanks for the smiles.
Cathy
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
Lol Tincup.
Chocolate IV's
I just remembered the Christmas carols werent brought to the top!! OH NO!!!! IV Pole racing!!!
Anyway....infuse your IV as long as you need to so you don't get sick. It used to take me 2-3 hours on the IV Zithromax. If I would speed it up, I'd get nausea. Do w/e is right for you. Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
Just a follow up to my own question. Checked with the pharmacist/infusion company and they agreed with all of the advice I was given here. Isn't Lymenet great?
They say that with IV Zith, I could take four hours if that is what it takes to get it in me comfortably. I'm just not to have it stop dripping all together, but slow is fine.
The pharmacist also discussed what David did on the half life, which is why it isn't a med that has to be slammed in all at once.
Tincup, sorry, but I forgot to ask the pharmacist about the chocolate syrup IV's. Guess that will have to be another call in the future.
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