When you live with a chronic condition, you know it’s necessary to work with your healthcare provider to develop a treatment plan. As you do, you may want to consider IVIG home infusion companies as an alternative to in-office treatments. At-home treatments differ from those you receive in hospitals or medical facilities in multiple ways; however, they’re a straightforward and convenient option for many people who have conditions to manage.
Chronic Conditions: What Are They?
There are several definitions of a chronic condition. Still, they all converge in certain respects, including the condition being a lasting one, treatments being ongoing, and this limiting or impacting daily life. Some conditions are chronic if a person has them for over three months, while others are considered chronic after 12. Many are incurable, but modern medicine offers ways to manage these conditions and reduce uncomfortable symptoms.
Types of Chronic Conditions
The following is a list of common types of chronic conditions a person can manage with various treatment plans from a medical specialist.
- Cancers
- Autoimmune diseases
- Crohn’s disease
- Myasthenia gravis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Immune thrombocytopenia
- Gastrointestinal diseases and disorders
- Nutritional disorders
- Iron deficiency
- Immunodeficiencies
- Diabetes
- Chronic pain
In fact, each of these can be managed with infusions prescribed by your healthcare professional as part of your treatment plan.
How Do They Impact Daily Life?
Before any treatment plan is created, many chronic conditions limit activity levels, increase discomfort, and lead to physical manifestations of symptoms. Some lead to fatigue, pain, or worsening physical condition. Diagnoses may also impact mental health.
Additionally, treating the condition can affect daily life as you travel to and from medical offices, receive treatments, and try to work out how to see your friends and family outside of treatment hours. Conditions like cancer, which can require chemotherapy, also have aftereffects that leave a patient recovering from the treatment sessions for some time.
What Kinds of Treatments Are Available?
Depending on the condition, several treatment options may be available, including oral and intravenous medications or a combination of both. Your medical team determines the regularity and strength of treatments. One standard treatment for many chronic conditions, including neuromuscular and dermatological autoimmune conditions, is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusion.
IVIG Infusions: What Can They Do?
IVIG delivers healthy antibodies directly into the bloodstream. For patients with an immunodeficiency, IVIG may increase antibody levels, strengthening the immune system and protecting against infections. For people with autoimmune conditions like myasthenia gravis or other chronic conditions, IVIG can replenish or block antibodies that cause the immune system to attack the body’s own tissues.
Benefits of IVIG Infusions
IVIG infusions can help mitigate or reduce symptoms associated with certain conditions by supporting your immune system and replenishing antibodies. They’re not a cure, but they do help manage symptoms. In fact, symptom management only occurs when patients regularly receive their approved treatments.
Other Intravenous Infusion Types
Other types of intravenous infusion treatments include chemotherapy, nutritional therapy, fluids, pain management medication, and many more. Depending on your condition, your provider may add these treatments to your care plan. Many of these intravenous infusions are also available through IVIG home infusion companies.
Home Infusion Companies: What Services Do They Provide?
IVIG home infusion companies offer services for various conditions, and not just IVIG. They can provide infusion treatments for dermatological, neurological, rheumatological, gastroenterological, and oncological conditions, among other types. Once you find a trustworthy, accredited company, talk to your doctor to see whether it’s a viable option for you. Your doctor will refer you to the company and complete the necessary prescription intake information for your treatments.
How Often Do You Get Infusions?
The frequency of your infusion treatments depends on your prescription and care plan, which your doctor creates and sends to the company. IVIG treatment at home usually takes place once a month, but it can be as frequent as once a week if you need it. You and your doctor can discuss any changes in frequency and dosage, and your doctor can send a new prescription to the home infusion company.
Who Do You Talk to About At-Home Treatments?
You would talk to your doctor about your treatments and medication. They’re the ones who are more familiar with you, your condition, and all the nuances of your treatment plan. However, when you have questions about scheduling or want information about the IVIG home infusion process, reach out to the IVIG home infusion company. They coordinate your treatments and should have a 24-hour call line where you or your doctor can reach someone on their team.
Who Manages and Administers the Infusions?
Your doctor will manage your prescription and treatment plan, the home infusion company coordinates your treatment, and a licensed infusion nurse will administer the treatment. Your doctor will send your prescription to the home infusion company when they refer you, and someone on the company’s intake team will enter the information to get you scheduled as quickly as possible. As the coordinator, the home infusion company will partner with a trained infusion nurse in your area and send your medications so that the nurse can administer them in the comfort of your home.
Where Can You Receive Treatments?
With IVIG home infusion companies, you can receive IVIG at home, your personal doctor’s office, or at a close relative’s home who is overseeing your care. If you need more details about the specific locations where a home infusion company can deliver your medication, reach out to their team.
While home infusion is only available in certain states and areas, you may qualify, and it’s worth it. Receiving IVIG infusion at home means that you can stay in a comfortable space for treatments that often last hours, and you don’t have to commute to and from a medical office. With home infusion, the medication is also stored in a waist bag during the sessions, so you’re not restricted to a chair or couch. You can take your infusion with you as you move around your home.
Chronic conditions will impact your daily life, but supporting your body with regular at-home infusion sessions will help you feel more like yourself again. IVIG treatment at home is a great option for people who want added convenience. Even if your healthcare provider deems it necessary for you to receive an infusion treatment in their office, this is typically more comfortable than an infusion center. At your provider’s office, you’re more familiar with staff members, and your care team is present in case of any issues.
When the treatment comes to you, you’ll save time and reduce stress, thereby supporting more successful treatment outcomes for a more comfortable future. And, hopefully, a longer lifespan.
About Medrx Infusion
Medrx Infusion brings specialized infusion services to the comfort of your home. As one of the leading IVIG home infusion companies in California, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona, Medrx Infusion is dedicated to providing customized, trustworthy care. Their pharmacists use your doctor-provided treatment plans to administer regular infusion sessions with the proper dosing and frequency, ensuring you get the treatment you need to improve and maintain your quality of life.
Find out if at-home infusion is an option for you when you visit https://medrxinfusion.com/
