Immune Deficiency

What is it? Immune deficiency is pretty much what it is says. The human body produces antibodies called immunoglobulins. There are a few different kinds of antibodies. I’ll add more on those later, but the one I will focus on now is stran G. More commonly called and known as IgG.

There is a deficiency when the body doesn’t produce enough of the antibodies required to help fight off infection. This is why most people diagnosed with immune deficiency are prone to reoccurring illnesses or infections.

The infections/illnesses that are most commonly associated with immune deficiencies are upper respiratory such as: *ear or sinus issues. *Bronchitis/pneumonia

While the diagnosis sounds simple, the treatment is anything but. Since the body lacks production in something it’s supposed to make enough of, the only option is to input the right amount that it lacks. There is no pill to take, the only option is to infuse antibodies into the system.

Which is why it is vital for more people to become blood and plasma donors. When people donate blood, it gets filtered ect for someone else to use it. The same happens with plasma.

The donated plasma gets a complete and careful screening before getting shipped off. It goes to medical companies that get it ready for distribution to hospitals and patients for infusions. There are two ways that one can take the immunoglobulin.

IVIG. The first is consists of a day trip to the hospital as an outpatient. There the nurses will put in an IV. The patient better get comfortable. The immunoglobulin gets infused slowly over the course of several hours. Some can take the majority of the day depending on the amount their doctor has prescribed as well as how often.

SubQ. The second route is at home. The medicine is shipped directly to the patient as well as the medical supplies needed. A nurse comes the first few times to teach the patient how to properly administer the medication. *warning, image below may cause discomfort in viewers*

Consisting of four needles (usually), they are placed in a fatty tissue area of the body. Upper thighs and stomach are the most common but upper arms and hips can be used. The syringe filled with the medicine is placed into a pump that slowly administers the medication. The amount of time it takes varies, again, depending on the patients needs.

SubQ is different from the IVIG not only in that aspect, but also that it requires more frequent administration. In my social media support group, some people get subq a couple times a week, others is every other week…again, it varies depending on need. I have to do my infusions weekly. The nice thing about subq is that it is totally flexible! I have a two day window (per my dr). If I infuse on a Friday evening one week, I can do the next infusion as early as Wednesday or as late as Sunday the following week.

Infusion day: Stay well hydrated. Drink proper amounts of water and drinks with electrolytes in them. Take the medication out of the fridge to get to room temp.

Side effects: What most people don’t realize is that the immune deficient battle side effects fom the medication and long term body issues. Personal experience, as well as a number in my social media support group:

• Lasting fatigue
• Minor headaches
• A rash accompanied by an itch

There are more, but the biggest one for me is lasting fatigue. I know not to commit to something the day after my infusion. I try to work around when I know I’m free to sleep in the next morning because after it finishes for the evening, I am out. Often times I have a headache the next day and extreme exhaustion, so I tend to just rest. At least for the morning anyway. And definitely no driving. My body and brain work too slow to drive safely.