posted
I froze some Rocephin a week before the exporation date back in Sept. This is pre-mixed by my old home health care provider in a saline bag.
My question is how long does Rocephin last if you freeze it? My homehealth care provider of course told me not to use it, but I already infused the first of the two bags I have tonight.
I probably should have posted this question before I did the infusion, but so far I am fine.
Ne wayz, if anyone has any clue please let me know. I think from the time I unfreeze it I have the amount of time before it would have gone bad. So if I had 7 days before it was no good and I froze it then I should have 7 days after I unfreeze it.
Does anyone know how long you can freeze Rocephin though, before it will no longer actually work and just become a useless infusion.
Also, I have a new Rocephin where the powder and the saline are in the same bag, but not reconstituted. Does anyone know if I can shake this or if I just wait for it to dissolve?
I used to re-consitute 10cc into a vile, shake, and reconstitute into a saline bag. They told me to shake back and forth and not up and down.
Ne wayz if anyone has any clue about these, please let me know!
Thanks Lindsay
Posts: 484 | From Burlingame, Ca | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
I would call Roche Pharmaceuticals. They should be able to answer your questions.
I do think frozen Rocephin is good for 6 months. Only one bag should be taken out of the freezer at a time. Defrost at room temp. and use right away. Never refreeze one it is out.
I have called Roche is the past. They were very helpful.
Posts: 488 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2004
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
Good call fatgiued!!! BING BING BING!! 6 months! ************************************************
1: J Pharm Sci. 1989 Jan;78(1):73-7. Links
Stability of parenteral ceftriaxone disodium solutions in frozen and liquid states: effect of freezing and microwave thawing.
Kedzierewicz F, Finance C, Nicolas A, Dixneuf P, Hoffman M. Faculte des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques de Nancy, France.
The stability of ceftriaxone disodium solutions stored in glass bottles was tested in two parenteral solvents (0.9% NaCl; 5% dextrose) at two concentration rates (10 and 50 mg/mL) and three temperatures (-22 degrees C, 5 degrees C, room temperature). The solutions, which had been initially frozen, were thawed at room temperature or by exposure to microwave radiations. The stability of each sample was determined by a quantitative bacteriological agar gel diffusion assay and by high-performance liquid chromatography.
The results of this study indicate that admixtures of ceftriaxone disodium at the concentration rates tested can be frozen for
six months
without a significant loss in antibiotic activity.
At room temperature, the stability is dependent on the concentration of ceftriaxone disodium.
At 5 degrees C, the stability is related to the concentration of ceftriaxone and of the solvent. The results obtained by both analytical methods are very close. In order to perform routine assays, the high-performance liquid chromatography method was chosen on the basis of its rapidity and reproducibility.
PMID: 2709324
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Well, it's been just over 6 months...I dunno if I'll use the other bag..it was diluted in 250ml bag of saline..I am sick today, so perhaps I shoulsn't have infused that.
Oh well, live and learn.
Posts: 484 | From Burlingame, Ca | Registered: Sep 2005
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beachcomber
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5320
posted
It can last a few months, I think. Hold it up to the light when it is unfrozen. If it is clear it is fine. If it is slightly hued it may be ok. If it is amber toss it.
Good idea to call Roche.
Posts: 1452 | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
We tried the same thing. I obtained a significant amount of Rocephin already reconstituted and near the end of it's shelf life.
I tried to freeze it in hopes of being able to have our daughter use it, assuming freezing would delay the expiration.
When we thawed it out, it had turned a darkish amber color. I called a trusted pharmacists and he said the same thing as Beachcomber; if it is clear; it's probably safe, if it turns that dark amber; throw it away.
How's your source for Rocephin treating you? Our daughter has just recently been told she needs to stay on the Rocephin infusions at least until the end of this year.
I'm fairly happy with our pharmaceutical supplier. Drop me a PM and we can discuss price comparisons.
LymeDad
Posts: 681 | From California | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
Ok, I have a dumb question. Do you (the ones that get Rocephin themselves) have your LLMD write a script for it? I guess I just don't understand how you get it. I would love to know that I could infuse myself if my insurance will not cover my whole 3 months (min) of infusions.
Thanks!
-------------------- "don't ever write anyone off, you'll never know who or what they will become" Posts: 115 | From la la land | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Lyme Dad, I actually found a pharmacy that supplies me with everything pretty inexpensively (can pm me if you want to know details).
I just met with my LLMD today and she wouldn't give any specifics on time frames. She said well, you started in Sept and as long as it kept working I would have kept you on till the following Sept. But since I went off in Oct and then restarted in January and then went off in March and back on in April, she's really not sure. She would love to see me on it and strong for a good few months and then 2 months more to make sure-but after restarting it in April I am not seeing the same kind of progress I was having when I started in January.
Basically a year with no breaks is what she would like, but that is not realisitic for me. She also said school in the fall doesn't look like an option for me any more. Maybe a class or 2 is ok but not a full load.
How do you get Rocephin-your doctor writes a script and then it depends on your insurance company. You can try to get it as a regular script from your local pharmacy. It may take them a couple days to get it though. This would require you getting your own supplies and mixing it yourself.
Most people start out with some sort of home healhcare provider. These have nurses, pharm who premix the rocephin, and supplies they send to you.
You need to decide if you want a picc or a port or if you just want to do IM injections. IM is definately a lot cheaper because you don't need any supplies really, but personally I kinda like infusing. It makes me have to STOP my life and take two hours and just rest.
Send me a pm if you want to discuss more.
Thanks,
Lindsay
Posts: 484 | From Burlingame, Ca | Registered: Sep 2005
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beachcomber
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5320
posted
I got mine premixed and delivered frozen to my MD's office. I went and picked it up every week with a cooler to keep it frozen, then just tossed it in the fridge. I used it within a week so, it stayed ok in the fridge.
I think I was too sick to figure out how to mix my own at the time.
Posts: 1452 | Registered: Feb 2004
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