Finally approved

[MichelleHarper]

So I have passed all the tests to start Gilenya. What should I expect during my first dose?

[Arthur Spooner]

Hi Michelle,

I did my first dose in January, and for me it went really well.

I arrived at the hospital in the morning and was hooked up to the ECG machine and they checked my heart rate before I took the capsule with a glass of water. Most people sit in a recliner all day, but I have a bad back and cannot sit too long, so they gave me a bed.

Every hour they rechecked my heart rate and regularly hooked me up to the ECG machine. My heart rate dropped to mid 40's, so I would drink coffee and get up for little walks to help get the rate back up. Blood pressure dropped, but nothing to be alarmed about.

For me, the whole experience was very relaxing, having nothing to do other than watch tv and play with my iPad. They even fed me (roast chicken).

After 6 hours my heart rate moved up to better levels, just as they say in all the literature. It took a week or so until my heart rate was back to normal (60 for me).

Honestly, I wouldn't get overly anxious. You couldn't be in a safer place should anything go wrong (which is not very likely).

[snowy]

Michelle,
Hope your first dose goes well. Let us know how it goes. I just had the testing needed and waiting on the results of the blood tests. EKG and eye tests came back great. I am also waiting on Ins. approval.

[cosake]

The whole process was very easy. They set us up in a private waiting room with a DVD player. We could roam the hospital, go get lunch, whatever. I just had to be there for the nurse to check my pulse and BP every hour.

I had all of my pre-screen appts. done a few weeks before that - dermatology, EKG and PFT, blood work and eye testing. No EKG on the day of my first dose.

Everything went very well and I was able to go home after the 6 hours. I did need to have someone to drive me home, just in case.

Good luck !

[MichelleHarper]

My first dose is scheduled for May 15th. Mine is not at a hospital, so they told me to bring a lunch. Mine is at the actual doctors office, so I guess if anything goes wrong they can take me over to the hospital which is right down the street. I plan on bringing my Kindle and reading.

[cosake]

I didn't think about that - my doctor's office is right in the hospital itself, so his nurse was monitoring me. It was good to be where I knew the nurse and the doctor, and that it was in a hospital in case anything went wrong.