Monoclonal antibody infusion?

amother

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 6:08 pm

For someone in their early 40s who's average weight/barely overweight, would you recommend this for covid? Does it have to be taken right away?

NotInNJMommy

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 6:28 pm

I hear it's needed right away. I also hear it only has EUA from the FDA.

ra_mom

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 6:34 pm

Call Refuah Helpline and find out if you're eligible and if they can find an available appointment for you.

Back in January it was available for people with pre-existing conditions like asthma, smoking, diabetes, obesity, etc. Has to be taken within 3 or so days since symptoms started. Needs a positive covid test. The parameters might still be the same or may have loosened, I don't know.

amother

Magenta

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 6:57 pm

OP where are you located? I know 2 places in Monsey where you can get it.
Needs to be taken asap, certainly within 10 days of onset of symptoms.
I took it a week after onset of symptoms.

amother

Jade

Tue, Aug 17 2021, 11:23 pm

I got it on day 3 of fever onset. Some organization dh contacted on my behalf walked us through it, got us connected somehow. I do ever the name though.
I am overweight but not enough to qualify. We found a place that gives it no questions asked. They told us the stuff is sitting around not being used because of all the rules and people loves really get saved from this. By the time ppl come to an er it’s too late for the infusion, you need it before the virus progresses.

amother

Wed, Aug 18 2021, 11:11 am

Did you feel much better afterwards? What if it's 6 days after symptom onset?
We called Refuah, they said they can arrange it, because if someone has bmi of 25 they now qualify even though in the past they didnt. but the borderline bmi and weight loss with the virus, hoping that's enought to qualify.
But I'm wondering if it's too late.
Not in Monsey. In Brooklyn.

amother

Magenta

Wed, Aug 18 2021, 12:36 pm

I took it a week after symptoms started. I'm pregnant so maybe I was in a more vulnerable position. Felt much better after bh.
There was someone else there getting the infusion 9 days later. Obviously sooner is better, but it's definitely worth getting, it's a game changer.

ra_mom

Wed, Aug 18 2021, 12:49 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Let them arrange it for you.

Day of, feel fine.
Day after very weak.
Day after that - visibly getting better every day.

amother

Wed, Aug 18 2021, 2:00 pm

thanks, how long is the infusion. Where in Brooklyn do they do this?

amother

Wed, Aug 18 2021, 2:35 pm

Also did they weigh you when you went at the infusion place?

nicole81

Wed, Aug 18 2021, 2:41 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

thanks, how long is the infusion. Where in Brooklyn do they do this?

The people I know in Brooklyn who received it were sent to Cornell weill in Manhattan.

amother

Tulip

Sun, Oct 03 2021, 11:02 pm

Does anyone know if the infusion is totally safe? Are there any side effects from it?
My close relative just got it

amother

Tulip

Sun, Oct 03 2021, 11:03 pm

Where I live they now come to your house to do the transfusion if its needed
Does it always help with the virus?

amother

Burgundy

Sun, Oct 03 2021, 11:04 pm

amother [ Tulip ] wrote:

Does anyone know if the infusion is totally safe? Are there any side effects from it?
My close relative just got it

It's brand new. We don't know enough but it's probably safe. I know people who have gotten it and it helped them BH. Refuah shalaima to your relative.

ra_mom

Sun, Oct 03 2021, 11:06 pm

amother [ Tulip ] wrote:

Does anyone know if the infusion is totally safe? Are there any side effects from it?
My close relative just got it

It is a bag of saline with lab grown antibodies to fight off coronavirus injected into the bag before it is given. There are two companies that make it. Eli Lilly & Regeneron. B"H it is really a good shaliach from HK"BH. May your relative have a Refuah Shelaima quickly!

amother

Olive

Mon, Oct 04 2021, 12:23 am

Don't know about other places hut in Monsey they do jot weight you- u can give an estimate of your weight and not worry about if u lost five pounds recently. I got it and so did other family members. I think it's a miracle gift from Hashem!

amother

Tulip

Mon, Oct 04 2021, 1:34 am

Amen!
Ty for the info!
Women on this site are just so nice and helpful 🤗

amother

Rose

Mon, Oct 04 2021, 2:11 am

I took it within hours of a positive test (within 24 hours of fever onset) and was told it was critical to take within first 24 hours. Within 24 hours of treatment I went from feeling like I was dying to feeling like I had a bad cold. It was a miracle from Hashem. I cannot describe the change between how ill I was to how much better I felt afterward. Of course I was still weak and isolated etc but it was like night and day. I don’t know how I would have managed without it.

In my community the rabbanim put out a kol korei that anyone who realizes they have COVID must call and go for the treatment even on shabbos or yom Tov. I do not think the distinction was made between patients with comorbid factors or patients with “just” COVID. My understanding is that the success rate of the treatment depends on how quickly you get it after onset of symptoms, with the first 24 hours the most crucial.

(In my case I am pregnant so the Rav had me drive in ASAP even right before shabbos Ans an uber drove me home Friday night!!)

My husband got it when he had COVID the second time and the difference between both times was shocking. The first time he was hallucinating and in pain and total collapse for two weeks straight (he couldn’t even hold a conversation or eat or make decisions or even hear what I was saying), the second time (after monoclonal within 24 hours of onset) BH BH BH he was working remotely 10 hours a day while he quarantined and was mamash 100% himself. I have no words to thank Hashem for this miracle!

tryinghard

Mon, Oct 04 2021, 10:39 am

Amazing to hear about people getting immediate treatment. For some reason, in my hometown, a big medical town, it’s very difficult to get the monoclonal antibody treatment treatment. First you need a pcr. But they don’t have the rapid pcr tests here. Results take 48-72 hours. You also need a referral from a doctor, all kinds of forms they have to fill out. And THEN scheduling takes 2 days. It’s crazy.

When I was bH finally getting my treatment, I asked the nurse about it. Obviously she has no say over policy. But she said they do 5 or 6 infusions a day. Which was shocking to me, because there’s only one other location I know of that is giving it. Here you have a life-saving treatment, and instead of making it super-easy to access, almost nobody can get it. Really sad.

amother

Burgundy

Mon, Oct 04 2021, 10:44 am

amother [ Rose ] wrote:

In my community you can only get monoclonal antibodies by a dr or urgent care or hatzala if you had a positive test (rapid ok) and have an underlying condition.

If you are young and healthy and not pregnant and you want it, you need to go to an ER and wait hours so it is not worth it for most people and not necessary. I don't think healthy 30 year olds would even feel good about taking a treatment away from 50 year old diabetics at much higher risk. It is limited. Hopefully this new merck medicine will help as well iyh.