When Jeffrey was around ten years old, he was started on intravenous gamma globulin (IVIg) therapy to replace the missing antibodies his body couldn’t produce. These treatments sometimes improved his life for weeks at a time!
Today, we want to share more about the infusion process (Ig therapy) so that our JMF community better understands the importance of plasma donation. For patients living with Primary Immunodeficiency, donated plasma can mean the difference between life and death.
Ig infusions are made from donated plasma. We know that plasma is the liquid part of your blood that contains essential antibodies to protect PI patients from harmful infections. These vulnerable patients rely on regular plasma donations to create their weekly or monthly Ig infusions to help their immune systems stay strong and healthy.
There are two types of Ig therapy: IVIg and SCIg. During IVIg, a healthcare professional will administer the Ig through an Iv inserted in a vein every three to four weeks. This type of infusion can take up to 8 hours, whereas plasma donation takes just about 90 minutes. During SCIg, the Ig is administered subcutaneously using a fine needle by the patient (or parent/guardian) at home every week.
Although these treatments can be time consuming and physically exhausting, infusions offer PI patients the chance to enjoy a relatively normal and improved quality of life. To pass the time during infusion, some patients read, work on homework or crosswords, draw, listen to music or podcasts, rest, or watch TV shows and movies. Remember, your plasma donation today can save a life tomorrow!
Please consider signing up to be a plasma donor to keep PI patients healthy and strong! To find a plasma donation center near you, visit: https://www.donatingplasma.org/donation/find-a-donor-center.