Gold injections

sugarbuttie
sugarbuttie Member Posts: 225
edited 17. Oct 2011, 03:37 in Living with Arthritis archive
Just wondering whether any you have any experience of gold injections? Did they work? How often did you have them> Could you do them yourself or have to go to hospital? Side effects?

Hope to hear from you soon.
SB x

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I'm heading for these when the humira stops working (it's my third and final anti TNF as far as my PCT/TCP is concerned). I know from someone on here that you cannot do them yourself (well, she couldn't, I think they have to go into your backside) and that you do have to go to the hospital (well, she did): whether a GP's nurse would do them or not I do not know. I think it's like all our meds, if they work for you then that is a good thing. Good luck! DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I had these twice but a long time ago. I doubt you can do them yourself even now but you certainly couldn't back then. It was a hospital job, monthly as I recall and into your backside but I could be wrong there.

    They did work well for me but 2nd time round I got the 'gold rash' & had to come off them, much to my annoyance.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • tillytop
    tillytop Member Posts: 3,460
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Sugarbuttie

    Although it seems that Gold injections are considered "old hat" I had them for a while (a year or so I think) less than 10 years ago.

    Because (I think) they were deep intra-muscular injections, they weren't something I could do myself so they were done at the GP surgery by the practice nurse. Even though injecting onself is very much "the thing" these days, I don't think it would have been physically possible with the Gold.

    I seem to remember having a few "test doses" over 2 or 3 weeks, to make sure I didn't react badly, then I think they were monthly but I can't remember for sure. I also seem to remember regular blood tests but that may have been as much for the other meds I was taking alongside.

    As to whether they helped - difficult to say because I was taking them alongside at least one other DMARD. But I don't remember having any particular problems with the Gold. I only had to stop because I became over-immunosuppressed but again, that was probably down to the combination of meds, rather than the Gold, specifically.

    Good luck with it if you do go that route.

    Tilly xxx
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi SB,

    i really hope the gold jabs will work for you. a mat if mine had them and they made a huge difference to her so they can work really well. let us know how you get on please. Cris x
  • julie47
    julie47 Member Posts: 6,041
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi sugarbuttie

    I had gold injections 23 years ago when I was diagnosed with RA.

    I had them weekly to start off with to build me up to a dose of (ithink) 1000 mgs. These were in the backside as it is deep intramuscular. It was done also at my gp surgery buy a practice nurse. My rhummy gave me the 1st injection and the prescription for more then the responsibility was given to my gp to prescribe them (by the rhummy dr) and the practice nurse to perform the jab. I used to keep the ampules under my stairs as it was a cool place and take them with me at every visit. A blood test was done each week too and the result back before i could carry on.

    When the target dose was reached I was then on them monthly but I am not quite sure of the dose (50mg ????)

    They worked brilliantly for me for a good few years.

    Hope they do for you too.
    Juliepf x

    (my gp surgery have always given me my meds, I do understand though that alot of people have to go to their clinics for such things )

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