› Forums › General Melanoma Community › First Yervoy Treatment Tomorrow!
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TSchulz.
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- January 26, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Jackie is scheduled for her first melanoma treatment with Yervoy on Friday morning at St. Catherine's Cancer Center. This is of course dependent on the Yervoy being shipped to the cancer center. The oncologist office called yesterday afternoon and said they had spoken with the pharmacist at the speciality pharrmacy and that the Yervoy was in the process of being ordered and shipped. We will get a call if it looks like the Yervoy will not be there tomorrow. We could reschedule to later Friday or Saturday.
Jackie is scheduled for her first melanoma treatment with Yervoy on Friday morning at St. Catherine's Cancer Center. This is of course dependent on the Yervoy being shipped to the cancer center. The oncologist office called yesterday afternoon and said they had spoken with the pharmacist at the speciality pharrmacy and that the Yervoy was in the process of being ordered and shipped. We will get a call if it looks like the Yervoy will not be there tomorrow. We could reschedule to later Friday or Saturday. Otherwise it would need to be the week after next, as I am commuting to Schaumburg next week for a class for work. They want me to be there with Jackie the first treatment and they don't want her to drive after the first treatment until they know how she will react to the Yervoy. The first visit will take 2.5-3 hours, as they will be taking a picture of her port. Also they will give her some preventative medication prior to giving her the Yervoy, which is apparently standard practice for cancer treatment infusions. Its been over 2 months since Jackie's melanoma advanced to stage 4, and we think its important to get the treatment started, as we have seen the melanoma continue to spread. Jackie seems to be doing okay with the port, just having some minor discomfort which seems to be diminishing with time, and she takes pain medication if necessary. Please continue to pray for us, as we enter into this treatment phase. Please pray that Jackie can tolerate the side effects, that the medications we have to treat any side effects make the side effects manageable, and that the Yervoy shrinks the melanoma tumors!
Thanks 🙂
Bruce and Jackie
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- January 26, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Bruce,
From my experience (my hubby has had 3 ipi infusions), the infusion itself for ipi is 90 minutes. Add 30 minutes to the beginning for saline and 60 minutes after for saline. My husband has never had any other preventative medicine prior to his ipi infusion (except saline). His appointment usually starts with labs, then a dr. visit, then the infusion. Start to finish is about 6 hours. Perhaps yours will be different. I just wanted to give you a heads up the way ours has worked.
Best wishes and will be praying.
Barb
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- January 26, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Bruce,
From my experience (my hubby has had 3 ipi infusions), the infusion itself for ipi is 90 minutes. Add 30 minutes to the beginning for saline and 60 minutes after for saline. My husband has never had any other preventative medicine prior to his ipi infusion (except saline). His appointment usually starts with labs, then a dr. visit, then the infusion. Start to finish is about 6 hours. Perhaps yours will be different. I just wanted to give you a heads up the way ours has worked.
Best wishes and will be praying.
Barb
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- January 26, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Bruce,
From my experience (my hubby has had 3 ipi infusions), the infusion itself for ipi is 90 minutes. Add 30 minutes to the beginning for saline and 60 minutes after for saline. My husband has never had any other preventative medicine prior to his ipi infusion (except saline). His appointment usually starts with labs, then a dr. visit, then the infusion. Start to finish is about 6 hours. Perhaps yours will be different. I just wanted to give you a heads up the way ours has worked.
Best wishes and will be praying.
Barb
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- January 26, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Hi,
I think that they give an anti nausea med first….think that is what I got anyways, and besides some fatigue, I had nausea as a side effect. They gave me Zofran to take if the compazine didnt work. Those meds did really help.
Best of luck with Yervoy. It has kept me a year of NED!
Vermont_Donna, stage 3a, NED
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- January 27, 2012 at 2:02 am
Thanks Donna!
Yep they have a standard protocol of pre-meds for allergic reactions, anti-nausea, etc that seem to use for all cancer infusions at the cancer center.
Great news on the 1 year NED!
Thanks,
Bruce -
- January 27, 2012 at 2:02 am
Thanks Donna!
Yep they have a standard protocol of pre-meds for allergic reactions, anti-nausea, etc that seem to use for all cancer infusions at the cancer center.
Great news on the 1 year NED!
Thanks,
Bruce -
- January 27, 2012 at 2:02 am
Thanks Donna!
Yep they have a standard protocol of pre-meds for allergic reactions, anti-nausea, etc that seem to use for all cancer infusions at the cancer center.
Great news on the 1 year NED!
Thanks,
Bruce -
- January 26, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Hi,
I think that they give an anti nausea med first….think that is what I got anyways, and besides some fatigue, I had nausea as a side effect. They gave me Zofran to take if the compazine didnt work. Those meds did really help.
Best of luck with Yervoy. It has kept me a year of NED!
Vermont_Donna, stage 3a, NED
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- January 26, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Hi,
I think that they give an anti nausea med first….think that is what I got anyways, and besides some fatigue, I had nausea as a side effect. They gave me Zofran to take if the compazine didnt work. Those meds did really help.
Best of luck with Yervoy. It has kept me a year of NED!
Vermont_Donna, stage 3a, NED
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- January 27, 2012 at 1:59 am
Thanks Barb! Jackie is doing labs 2 days before infusion, and an xray of the port, then the pre-meds, the yervoy. So we were told to expect about 3 hours the first visit. Its all local for us, so that probably makes it a littler easier, the cancer center is attached to hospital where blood draws take place, and both are about 2 miles from home.
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- January 27, 2012 at 1:59 am
Thanks Barb! Jackie is doing labs 2 days before infusion, and an xray of the port, then the pre-meds, the yervoy. So we were told to expect about 3 hours the first visit. Its all local for us, so that probably makes it a littler easier, the cancer center is attached to hospital where blood draws take place, and both are about 2 miles from home.
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- January 27, 2012 at 1:59 am
Thanks Barb! Jackie is doing labs 2 days before infusion, and an xray of the port, then the pre-meds, the yervoy. So we were told to expect about 3 hours the first visit. Its all local for us, so that probably makes it a littler easier, the cancer center is attached to hospital where blood draws take place, and both are about 2 miles from home.
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- January 27, 2012 at 2:04 am
Yervoy has not been shipped yet from Speciality pharmacy as they have no stock. Pharmacist there is working with supply chain there to see if they can find a local source and get it here as soon as possible. For the time being, tomorrow's Yervoy treatment is cancelled due to a lack of Yervoy. 🙁
Very frustrating! God is still in control 🙂
Thanks,
Bruce and Jackie
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- January 27, 2012 at 2:04 am
Yervoy has not been shipped yet from Speciality pharmacy as they have no stock. Pharmacist there is working with supply chain there to see if they can find a local source and get it here as soon as possible. For the time being, tomorrow's Yervoy treatment is cancelled due to a lack of Yervoy. 🙁
Very frustrating! God is still in control 🙂
Thanks,
Bruce and Jackie
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- January 27, 2012 at 2:04 am
Yervoy has not been shipped yet from Speciality pharmacy as they have no stock. Pharmacist there is working with supply chain there to see if they can find a local source and get it here as soon as possible. For the time being, tomorrow's Yervoy treatment is cancelled due to a lack of Yervoy. 🙁
Very frustrating! God is still in control 🙂
Thanks,
Bruce and Jackie
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- January 27, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Well we have finally heard back from the specialist pharmacy and have confirmation that the health insurance company will pay for the Yervoy! We have a 90/10 plan with a fairly low annual deductible as well as a fairly low annual per person out of pocket maximum. We also have health care reimbursement withheld from my paycheck to pay for out of expenses like this, so this is very good news, and is more or less exactly what we expected.:)
Now that the authorization is in place, and we agreed to the co-insurance payment, the Yervoy has been ordered and is expected to be at the St. Catherines Hospital Cancer Center next Wednesday. Jackie is scheduled to be at the cancer center at 11, with a x-ray of her implanted port scheduled for 11:30. Our pastor's wife Virgie will take Jackie for her treatment and bring her home, as I will be commuting to Schaumburg, IL, near where I used to work, all next week. It also looks like the 2nd treatment will fall during my 2nd class in Schaumburg. We might move that treatment to the following week, but first things first.
It's really good to have a great job with excellent health insurance! This is a very expensive treatment, but our out of pocket expenses falls within what we have budgeted. While we are disappointed that the treatment didn't start this week, we are relieved that the paperwork has been done, and it looks like we have a good schedule to work with now. The oncologist office will check on Wednesday to make sure the Yervoy has been sent to the cancer center, and that it has been received. Guess when we hear that the Yervoy is there, we will have more confidence that Jackie is actually going to receive this treatment.
Will send an update if there are any changes, and an update after Jackie has had her first treatment.
We continue to ask for your thoughts and prayers! They are working!
Thanks,
Bruce and Jackie -
- January 27, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Well we have finally heard back from the specialist pharmacy and have confirmation that the health insurance company will pay for the Yervoy! We have a 90/10 plan with a fairly low annual deductible as well as a fairly low annual per person out of pocket maximum. We also have health care reimbursement withheld from my paycheck to pay for out of expenses like this, so this is very good news, and is more or less exactly what we expected.:)
Now that the authorization is in place, and we agreed to the co-insurance payment, the Yervoy has been ordered and is expected to be at the St. Catherines Hospital Cancer Center next Wednesday. Jackie is scheduled to be at the cancer center at 11, with a x-ray of her implanted port scheduled for 11:30. Our pastor's wife Virgie will take Jackie for her treatment and bring her home, as I will be commuting to Schaumburg, IL, near where I used to work, all next week. It also looks like the 2nd treatment will fall during my 2nd class in Schaumburg. We might move that treatment to the following week, but first things first.
It's really good to have a great job with excellent health insurance! This is a very expensive treatment, but our out of pocket expenses falls within what we have budgeted. While we are disappointed that the treatment didn't start this week, we are relieved that the paperwork has been done, and it looks like we have a good schedule to work with now. The oncologist office will check on Wednesday to make sure the Yervoy has been sent to the cancer center, and that it has been received. Guess when we hear that the Yervoy is there, we will have more confidence that Jackie is actually going to receive this treatment.
Will send an update if there are any changes, and an update after Jackie has had her first treatment.
We continue to ask for your thoughts and prayers! They are working!
Thanks,
Bruce and Jackie -
- January 28, 2012 at 1:43 am
Now the Yervoy is being shipped from New York to the cancer center on Friday morning, and Jackie's apppointment has been moved to Friday noon. Jackie is frustrated with all the changes. Hopefully this is the last schedule change for this first Yervoy treatment!
Thanks,
Bruce Komarowski -
- January 28, 2012 at 1:43 am
Now the Yervoy is being shipped from New York to the cancer center on Friday morning, and Jackie's apppointment has been moved to Friday noon. Jackie is frustrated with all the changes. Hopefully this is the last schedule change for this first Yervoy treatment!
Thanks,
Bruce Komarowski -
- January 28, 2012 at 1:43 am
Now the Yervoy is being shipped from New York to the cancer center on Friday morning, and Jackie's apppointment has been moved to Friday noon. Jackie is frustrated with all the changes. Hopefully this is the last schedule change for this first Yervoy treatment!
Thanks,
Bruce Komarowski -
- January 27, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Well we have finally heard back from the specialist pharmacy and have confirmation that the health insurance company will pay for the Yervoy! We have a 90/10 plan with a fairly low annual deductible as well as a fairly low annual per person out of pocket maximum. We also have health care reimbursement withheld from my paycheck to pay for out of expenses like this, so this is very good news, and is more or less exactly what we expected.:)
Now that the authorization is in place, and we agreed to the co-insurance payment, the Yervoy has been ordered and is expected to be at the St. Catherines Hospital Cancer Center next Wednesday. Jackie is scheduled to be at the cancer center at 11, with a x-ray of her implanted port scheduled for 11:30. Our pastor's wife Virgie will take Jackie for her treatment and bring her home, as I will be commuting to Schaumburg, IL, near where I used to work, all next week. It also looks like the 2nd treatment will fall during my 2nd class in Schaumburg. We might move that treatment to the following week, but first things first.
It's really good to have a great job with excellent health insurance! This is a very expensive treatment, but our out of pocket expenses falls within what we have budgeted. While we are disappointed that the treatment didn't start this week, we are relieved that the paperwork has been done, and it looks like we have a good schedule to work with now. The oncologist office will check on Wednesday to make sure the Yervoy has been sent to the cancer center, and that it has been received. Guess when we hear that the Yervoy is there, we will have more confidence that Jackie is actually going to receive this treatment.
Will send an update if there are any changes, and an update after Jackie has had her first treatment.
We continue to ask for your thoughts and prayers! They are working!
Thanks,
Bruce and Jackie
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- February 1, 2012 at 12:23 am
Just my ipi experience. I finished my 4th dose a couple of weeks ago. Start IV, 90 minutes of infusion, no pre or post medications at all, no nausea, no reaction, no need for "preventative" meds. I ate during the infusions sometimes as I went for infusions after work and it was dinner time. Pull IV and go home. Never a need for a driver etc. My wife came during the first 2 infusions since we didn't know what to expect.
It sounds as if your center may not have too much experience with this drug, that is why I wanted to share. This is not "standard" chemotherapy that centers are much more familiar with. I, personally, am against taking medications uneccessarily so choose to avoid anything that may interfere with the ipi.
All the very best to you and your wife. I hope the drug is kind to her and very unkind to her melanoma.
Troy
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- February 1, 2012 at 12:23 am
Just my ipi experience. I finished my 4th dose a couple of weeks ago. Start IV, 90 minutes of infusion, no pre or post medications at all, no nausea, no reaction, no need for "preventative" meds. I ate during the infusions sometimes as I went for infusions after work and it was dinner time. Pull IV and go home. Never a need for a driver etc. My wife came during the first 2 infusions since we didn't know what to expect.
It sounds as if your center may not have too much experience with this drug, that is why I wanted to share. This is not "standard" chemotherapy that centers are much more familiar with. I, personally, am against taking medications uneccessarily so choose to avoid anything that may interfere with the ipi.
All the very best to you and your wife. I hope the drug is kind to her and very unkind to her melanoma.
Troy
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- February 1, 2012 at 12:23 am
Just my ipi experience. I finished my 4th dose a couple of weeks ago. Start IV, 90 minutes of infusion, no pre or post medications at all, no nausea, no reaction, no need for "preventative" meds. I ate during the infusions sometimes as I went for infusions after work and it was dinner time. Pull IV and go home. Never a need for a driver etc. My wife came during the first 2 infusions since we didn't know what to expect.
It sounds as if your center may not have too much experience with this drug, that is why I wanted to share. This is not "standard" chemotherapy that centers are much more familiar with. I, personally, am against taking medications uneccessarily so choose to avoid anything that may interfere with the ipi.
All the very best to you and your wife. I hope the drug is kind to her and very unkind to her melanoma.
Troy
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