Why Continuing Your IG Treatment Is Vital for Long-Term Health

If you’re diagnosed with immune conditions like antibody deficiency or autoimmune disorders, then immunoglobulin (IG) therapy may become a lifelong treatment to stabilize your long-term health. 

Consistently receiving IG treatment as prescribed by the healthcare provider is important. It ensures that your immune system remains supported, reduces the risks of recurrent infections and symptom flare-ups, and prevents other disease-associated complications. 

However, when you discontinue your IG therapy early, your health may begin to deteriorate, and your body becomes more vulnerable to life-threatening complications. 

In this article, we will explore why continuing IG treatment is vital for long-term health and what potential risks you can experience if you discontinue it prematurely. You’ll also learn some practical tips to help you stay consistent so you can prioritize your health and live life to its fullest.

Importance of IG Treatment in Maintaining Long-Term Health

IG treatment plays a vital role in managing and treating immunodeficiencies, autoimmune disorders, and certain neurological conditions that compromise the patient’s immune system. 

When a concentrated solution of antibodies is administered in the patient’s body via intravenous (IVIG) or subcutaneous (SCIG) infusions, it strengthens the immune system and helps manage disease-associated symptoms. 

The following are some of the vital roles of IG therapy in maintaining long-term health: 

It Boosts Immune Function

The primary role of IG treatment is to boost immune function in patients who lack essential antibodies due to a disorder, such as primary or secondary immunodeficiency, making them more prone to infections. IG treatment provides the essential antibodies required to fight off infections. 

Also, regular IG infusions are vital for these patients to reduce the frequency and severity of infections and support long-term health. 

It Regulates Immune Responses

IG treatment also regulates the immune system in patients with autoimmune disorders like Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), multiple sclerosis (MS), or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). It does this by preventing the immune response from overreacting against healthy cells. As a result, patients experience significant improvement in their symptoms and regain control over their lives with their continuous regular infusions. 

It Prevents Complications

In some patients, IG treatment helps to prevent long-term complications such as organ damage caused by recurrent infections or uncontrolled immune activity. Regardless of the condition being treated, IG therapy maintains balance in the immune system and improves quality of life. 

Benefits of Adhering to Prescribed IG Treatment 

IG treatment offers long-term health benefits to patients who adhere to their prescribed therapy, including:

Reduced Infection Rates

If you adhere to your prescribed IG treatment, the antibody levels will remain steady in your body, and your risk of recurrent infections will be reduced significantly. Continuing your IG treatment may also reduce hospital visits and improve your overall quality of life.

Improved Disease-Associated Symptoms 

IG treatment also improves disease-associated symptoms if continued as prescribed by a doctor. The anti-inflammatory properties of IG therapy help manage the symptoms of autoimmune diseases (i.e., GBS or MS) by lowering inflammation, thereby decreasing discomfort. 

With time and continuous treatment, you will feel more resilient and energized. 

Enhanced Overall Health

By adhering to your IG treatment plan, your body can overcome challenges and live life to the fullest. Many individuals have shared their transformative journey where they experienced an improvement in their overall health when they stayed consistent with their IG treatment. 

Conversely, early discontinuation of IG therapy can lead to various consequences that may impact your long-term health. 

Risks Associated With Discontinuation of the IG Treatment Prematurely

Sometimes, when a patient notices improvements in their condition or faces challenges like high costs, side effects, and time demands, they discontinue their IG treatment prematurely without realizing the consequences on long-term health. 

If you stop or delay your IG therapy, even temporarily, you can experience several health-related risks, which are as follows:

Increased Risk of Infections

If you have a primary or secondary immune deficiency syndrome, you may experience more frequent and severe infections after discontinuing your prescribed IG infusions. Since the level of antibodies declines over time, it leaves your body more vulnerable to potentially serious infections. 

For example, common respiratory tract infections can progress into more serious and life-threatening complications like pneumonia if IG treatment is discontinued abruptly. 

Worsening of Autoimmune Conditions

If you have an autoimmune disorder, your condition may get worse if you stop your IG treatment without consulting your healthcare provider. Even a temporary pause in IG therapy can lead to relapses or progression of autoimmune symptoms, tissue damage, and a decline in overall health. This can make your recovery even more challenging.

Loss of Progress

Regular IG therapy stabilizes your condition. Conversely, if you miss doses frequently or stop therapy too soon, it might reverse a lot of your progress and force you to restart from a less stable starting point.

Reduced Efficacy of Treatment

The efficacy of the IG therapy is also reduced if restarted again. Since the immune system may become more difficult to control or stabilize, you may not find promising results if you resume IG therapy after a break.

Compromised Quality of Life

Your quality of life may also be compromised if you discontinue your IG treatment prematurely. You may experience anxiety or depression due to your untreated symptoms, recurring illnesses/infections, and deteriorating physical condition.

Tips for Staying Consistent With IG Treatment

You can stay consistent with IG treatment by following some practical tips:

1. Schedule your regular infusions to make the treatment part of your routine.
2. Set reminders using alarms, calendars, or apps, so you won’t miss your next IG infusion.
3. Track your progress by noting symptoms and improvements in a journal.
4. Regularly check in with your doctor or nurse, as they can help address concerns and keep your treatment on track.

Takeaway

IG therapy is a life-saving treatment for many patients, and continuing IG therapy is vital to maintain long-term health and regain control over your life. However, early discontinuation of IG treatment can lead to serious health consequences, ranging from recurrent infections, worsened symptoms, and reduced quality of life and overall well-being.