My (unsettling) experience with Rituxan
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:13 pm
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 awakened Sunday morning with nausea, and severe dizziness (worse than my usual vertigo). My right arm and both feet had lost more sensation. (I awakened with my right hand was in a tight fist; it is usually open.) These worsened symptoms lasted for 5 days. It was as if I had had a a recurrence of this winter's flu, though not as severe.
I did not think it was appropriate to continue treatment given this reaction. In addition, I have no information about the usefulness of the drug for SPMS, just the doctor's recommendation that I try it. The docs I reported to did not get back to me with advice---I confess that I was not persistent.
Is anyone having better luck?
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 awakened Sunday morning with nausea, and severe dizziness (worse than my usual vertigo). My right arm and both feet had lost more sensation. (I awakened with my right hand was in a tight fist; it is usually open.) These worsened symptoms lasted for 5 days. It was as if I had had a a recurrence of this winter's flu, though not as severe.
I did not think it was appropriate to continue treatment given this reaction. In addition, I have no information about the usefulness of the drug for SPMS, just the doctor's recommendation that I try it. The docs I reported to did not get back to me with advice---I confess that I was not persistent.
Is anyone having better luck?