• All About INTRON® A
  • What Is INTRON® A?
  • Why INTRON® A?
  • Getting Started
  • Treatment with INTRON® A
  • Managing Side Effects
• Understanding Your Condition
  • Malignant Melanoma
  • Skin Basics
  • What Is Cancer?
  • Types of Skin Cancer
  • Focus on Melanoma
• Give and Get Support
  • For People Living with Melanoma
  • For People Who Care
• Professional Resources
  • Indications
  • Why INTRON® A
  • Managing Therapy
  • Patient Support
  • Professional Resources
  • Contact Information

The First Month with INTRON® A

Learning, adjusting

Your doctor or health care professional will discuss your treatment schedule with you. Be sure to ask questions. In general, the first month of treatment requires going to the doctor's office 5 days a week. There, you will have some lab tests and receive INTRON® A. This will be a higher dose of medicine than you will have during the rest of your treatment. The first month is called the "induction phase". It helps jumpstart the treatment process and lets your body adjust to the medicine while you have almost daily support from your medical team.

An infusion (IV) takes longer than a regular injection

These early doses are called "infusions" - the medication will drip slowly from a dosing bag into a tube that is attached to a needle in your arm. Infusions, commonly called IVs, of INTRON® A generally take less than half an hour each. Many doctors have a special room where you can sit comfortably during the infusion. You may want to bring something to read, some music to listen to with your own player and headphones, or something else you like to do quietly (such as puzzles).

Side effects

Most people begin to feel the side effects of the medicine within a few hours after the infusion. Common side effects are similar to what you feel when you have the flu, including:

• fever
• chills
• aches
• nausea

Be sure to discuss with your doctor any side effects. You can learn more by reading the Medication Guide (PDF).

Read more about side effects and how to manage them.

Depending on how your body reacts, the doctor may offer you some medicine to relieve these side effects - or suggest things you can do at home to feel better. Drinking plenty of fluids is recommended to help you stay hydrated. Learn more about why fluids are important (PDF).

Planning for the first month

Daily infusions will affect your normal routine. Plan ahead for yourself, your household, and your employer.

Questions to discuss with your health care team and others:

• Can I go to work as I normally do? (For some people, scheduling the infusions late in the day allows them to go to work first, then go to the doctor's office, and then go home to rest.)
• If I find out that I'm not able to work during the first month, can I arrange for time off?
• Do I need help with transportation for daily appointments? Can I drive myself? Can I take public transportation?
• Are there children at home who need rides to and from school or care during and after my infusion appointments? Who can help with that? How much responsibility can older children take?
• How will household chores such as shopping, cooking, and cleaning be taken care of?
• What can I do on the weekends to make weekdays as easy as possible?

Rest is good. So is activity.

You will probably feel better if you find ways to make room in your schedule for both rest and light activity. Gentle exercise - such as a short walk or an easy bike ride - can actually help give you more energy. Be sure to discuss any exercise plan with your physician.