o_rooly Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 (edited) ***Sorry, duplicate thread posting -- not sure how I managed that!*** Edited June 1, 2014 by o_rooly Quote every day a tiny adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o_rooly Posted June 1, 2014 Author Share Posted June 1, 2014 (edited) So, in the poopstorm of medical issues that we were treating in Aston three months ago, and high dosing of pred and adding Imuran (given to treat IMPA, likely secondary to an undetected tickborne disease), I didn't equate Imuran with chemo, and didn't realize there were special handling precautions... just saw precautions mentioned in an older GT thread, while researching other things. Have been pre-cutting the 50mg tablets and pre-sorting them into a translucent daily pill holder with his other meds. Didn't realize that it needs to be kept in at least a semi-opaque/tinted container. Didn't realize it requires gloves. I knew it was a more hardcore drug, since we were dealing with a very acutely bad issue, but. Should have read up, I guess. My husband and I have been dosing him for three months now with bare hands, though at least I wash my hands after feeding him anyway (but I touch the refrigerator door handle and our shared bottle of fish oil with chemo-hands). My husband isn't as "obsessive" as I am with handwashing. sigh. Guess all we can do is take up better practices from now on, and clean up the med-prep area in the corner of the med shelf, since it's probably covered in dust from splitting tablets. From now on, I'll pre-sort his other meds, but will keep the pre-split Imuran tablets in their bottle, and shake one out onto Aston's food every other day.We're still tapering him down slowly -- he's still on 25mg every other day for the foreseeable future.Anyone care to reassure me that my husband and I won't curl up and die of lymphoma any time soon? I'm feeling particularly obsessive-compulsive tonight. At least I'm not pregnant... Edited June 1, 2014 by o_rooly Quote every day a tiny adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MnMDogs Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I have no words of reassurance, since I really don't know, but it's likely such a small dose it's not going to hurt you in that amount of time. Did your vet or pharmacy discuss this before he started? Macy is on low dose oral chemo daily and we were told about the need for gloves by both (and it's on the bottle). Hers also need refrigeration, but that's obvious since it's shipped in a cooler Hope your boy is doing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o_rooly Posted June 1, 2014 Author Share Posted June 1, 2014 I texted the vet to ask, and she responded saying she's never taken that precaution. So, I guess I can take comfort in her lead in the race to get residual side effects The bottle is secondary, just the translucent green plastic one that the clinic uses to dispense from their supply. No warnings. Aston is stable and happy, aside from his recent bewilderment at the apparent start of fireworks season in our neighborhood. Blargh. Quote every day a tiny adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I would not worry about the Imuran. My husband takes it every day, and has taken it for several years, for IBD/ulcerative colitis issues (50 mg pills). His pills don't have any special handling instructions either on the bottle or the info leaflet. And he has to split the pills to take 2 1/2 each day. He just keeps them in one of those white, plastic 7 day pill organizers. It's an imunosuppressant, not a chemo drug. I just checked and the bottle does say not to take it if you're breast-feeding, so I guess you might have some exposure in that event. Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I have handled it without taking special precautions-never had a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carriej Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 It's not chemo or anything like that. It's an immune suppressant. I take it for an autoimmune disease. I wouldn't worry about touching it. I also keep mine in those pill dividers. Not a problem. Works for me lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alannamac Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Thanks for posting this. I've just started giving Red this drug and didn't know it might be an issue. My guess is as long as it's in dry pill form, your handling it wouldn't be a problem...once it gets wet it might cross the skin barrier and you get a low dose, or inhale the powder dust from cutting the pills. But either way your dose would be pretty small. Cumulatively over time perhaps it would be an issue. You could wear a dust mask when doing the pill cutting, especially if you cut a whole bottle at once..... Thanks again for bringing this up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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