This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

I hope this can help others decide whether or not to try Rituxan. Perhaps I did not make the right choice. Three weeks ago, I had my first infusion of Rituxan; I decided to discontinue the treatment. This is what happened: I had no reaction for the first 72 hours or so (I had the drug on a Thurs.). ...

I am so glad to read these posts on Rituxan, and thank you all. I have resisted taking Rituxan, despite my neurologist's enthusiasm. When I inquired how people survive with an immune system so compromised (i.e., B cells down by 90%; and T cells at 55%), he answered, "You don't need B cells. The...

Dear All, What wonderful news about antibiotic therapy! I wish I had that option in Boston. I'm still trying to figure out how rituxan works. Unfortunately, my knowledge of the immune system is primitive. (Nor does it help that more and more T and B cells variations are discovered every year. Back i...

gwa (and all) Can you give me more info about the Biogen execs dumping stocks? I know that they tried to sell the company (which may reflect simply profit-taking, rather than uncertainty). They had no buyers. I take it that Carl Icahn scared some people off with his entry into Biotechnology. Like yo...

This may be a silly question, but. . . can anything be done when the interferon-gamma level rises? Is this where the "wash-out" is appropriate?

Thanks much.

Elin

Dear All, I've been trying evaluate the risks and benefits of rituxan and found these items of interest below. Given that rituxan has such a devastating effect on both B and T cells, I am actually surprised that only 23 cases (and 2 deaths) have been reported from PML. Rituxan seems to be rather lik...

Hello: I have SPMS and am considering Rituxan. (This would be a Brigham and Women's Hospital). I know that initial studies show some promise for RRMS. Has anyone taken it? I wonder if it is worth the risk, because--- On 19/12/06, Biogen announced that two Lupus patients had died from PML and that 23...

Thanks so much for all the info. I recall reading that I am supposed to be able to keep my knees bent such that I can keep my legs in place (more or less). This is not easy as my right leg is often stiff as a board. Is this a problem for anyone? Could one actually get injured, were one's leg to misb...

Your discussion of stair lifts is the only one I've found, so I greatly appreciate your collective wisdom. Can you give me some further information? What are the positive advantages to the non-battery stair lift? For instance, is it less bulky so it might fit better on a narrow stairway? What has be...