Hi,
I’ve been sent two appointment letters related (I assume) to starting on kesimpta. The first is for an online appointment, the second is in person.
I need to tell my work a.s.a.p. exactly when I am going to be off and for how long - or potentially move one or both appointments.
Does anyone know what to expect?
The online appointment - is that just a sort of preliminary chat?
And the first in-person appointment is at 9am, would that be where I actually get my first dose? Or would it be some other investigations? How long does it take and would I be e.g. fit to travel or work later on the same day, or next day?
It’s really awkward with work to have two dates in a row like this and I don’t even know how much time off I’ll need to take, what contracts I can accept, or whether the hospital has any flexibility.
I wish their letters were more informative. And that they didn’t just assume we were all unemployed.
I wrote to the MS nurses but I just get an automatic email back saying it will take them days to get round to responding.
Hi Leonora. I’m not on Kesimpta so don’t know for sure but: depending on what discussions you have already had with the MS team, the online meeting could be to check your medical history, what other and recent vaccinations you have had or plan to have - a sort of preliminary check and triage. Behind that I don’t know but I believe that with Kesimpta the medics might want to do some preliminary blood tests but don’t take my word for it - others who are on Kesimpta will have a much better idea
Thanks for responding.
If they do just want to do basic blood tests or vaccinations, that would be far better organised via my GP. Much easier for me to get to.
I just wish they would say - and give me notice.
They also seem to do all their appointments on Tuesdays. And I’m not very keen to be stuck with Tuesday for kesimpta jabs, given that it’s midweek and I am in work. Since I’m self-administering after the first jab, my plan was to do it on Saturdays, have the weekend to recover…
My hospital’s MS nurse phoneline has been shut down, not sure if others have the same issue.
Hello Leonora,
The 1st injection is quite straightforward, not messy and quick to administer; the MS nurse guides you while you do it.
The SensoReady pen is easy to use, just press on the skin and it pricks you.
I hardly felt any after effects, I popped a painkiller beforehand just in case, wore short pants as opted to shoot in the fleshy part of the thigh, then simply jab and go.
Good luck,
JP
That’s reassuring. I’m glad - for the first time - that there are no shortage of such fleshy parts…
So did you not have to do any previous appointments for things like blood tests/vaccines?
Oh yes, my last Covid vaccine (in May) and Pneumonia vaccine (in June), I didn’t bother with Shingles vaccine (I had Shingles over lockdown anyway); I’m not planning to have any further vaccines whilst on Kesimpta.
If you do catch any virus, best to delay a dose until you’ve recovered; my 5th dose I will delay this week as I’ve got stomach flu (Norovirus) at the moment --I had to delay 4th dose due to catching Covid last month also.
Keep well,
JP