Your experience with Tysabri

[Baden]

Having my first Tysabri infusion tomorrow. Makes me cringe to think about it so I would love to hear your experiences with this drug and procedure. Thanks, Baden

[ru4cats]

With your infusion tomorrow, a limited time frame to get answers, and rather than repeating information already available, I recommend you search the Tysabri forum for the multitude of posts already available. You can search my name for a large number of posts I've contributed.

I will say I just celebrated my 65th infusion anniversary which means I am starting year six! I love Tysabri and love getting my infusion. I eat before, have a drink available, take a blanket, and enjoy reading a good book on my iPad. I had two bad "sticks" early, and I now let the nurse know where I want to have the infusion site (right inside elbow). My money! My choice.

Hope this helps.

[Teekybird]

good luck on first infusion!

Hi!
Good luck on your first infusion. Honestly, I did not feel any different while getting it or the next day. Some warn about feeling tired the evening or day afterward. I didn't experience that at all.

I hate needles and getting blood drawn. For me, the hardest part of it is the initial inserting/stabilizing of the needle. I've had 2 infusions and so far they have done great with the needle-work. I get my 3rd on July 16.

I think it is always a good idea to be well hydrated for any type of needle related procedures.

You may be given an allergy medicine or even a low dose IV steroid before the Tysabri infusion is started. In my case, I get an IV steroid for 30 minutes prior to the start of the Tysabri. It seems like this is not necessarily common practice. (But my doctor does the steroid for the first 3 tysabri infusions). Just like some have you take allergy medicine, I believe it is just to help minimize any initial adverse reactions that might happen.

[toot2818]

Baden, let us know how it went today. I'm on #4. No bad experiences

I too look forward to infusions. Enjoy nurses at clinic where I go. It's always nice that everyone knows your name--like bar on Cheers!!