It’s day four of International Plasma Awareness Week! Today we are sharing some helpful ideas for how to prepare for your plasma infusion (Ig therapy).
Before your treatment begins, you’ll meet with your Ig nurse who will stay with you throughout the course of your infusion. Your Ig nurse will insert a needle connected to an IV line into a vein in one of your arms, and then attach a plasma bag to the IV line. The plasma will enter your body through the needle to replace the missing antibodies in your body and will help to keep you healthy and strong.
Here are our top tips for how to prepare for your Ig therapy (please be sure to always consult a medical professional for the most accurate information):
- Hydrate before, during, and after treatment.
- Try to get a good night’s sleep before and after treatment.
- Monitor yourself after treatment for any side effects and report them to your care team.
- Prepare fun and entertaining activities for yourself during treatment.
- Be sure to ask any questions you may have—you are your own best advocate!
Typically, Ig therapy will be administered every 3-4 weeks at your medical facility. If you administer your own Ig (SCIg), you’ll be trained to administer the treatment on your own, wherever you may be, weekly.
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. Share your ideas for how to pass the time with us on social media @info4pi!
Interested in supporting people living with PI who need plasma for lifesaving treatments? Head to your nearest donor center, which you can find here: https://www.donatingplasma.org/donation/find-a-donor-center.