Be very, very careful with that one. It is effective, but it scared me. Everyone reacts differently and I hope other people jump in and share their experiences so that mine isn't the only one you hear.

They put this one in very slowly because it can attack your body. This hapoened to me and I had trouble breathing. My BP skyrocketed, my O2 dropped, my temperature spiked. I was lightheaded and thought I was going to pass out. The nurses came running- all of them. One turned off the Rituxan, another turned the saline on wide open to try to flush my sytem, another came running with O2, another taking vitals and talking to me, another ran to get a doctor. O2 sensor didn't work on my hands, next thing I know my shoes are coming off and they are putting the monitor on my toes. I'm terrified. Still getting harder to breathe. All I can think of is the release I just signed about all of the risks.

This lasted about 15 minutes. I never did lose consciousness. It took about 45 minutes for me to feel ok. Then they restarted the drug at an even slower pace. This was my 3rd infusion. The first 2 went fine. I called my Rheumatologist and told him what happened and that I wasn't going back for my 4th. I switched to Orencia.

Have you tried other meds before this one?

I didn't post this to scare you but to let you know that you need to read the forms you are consenting to. It lists known side effects. My experience probably won't happen to you. I hope other people post about their success with this drug.

how many anti TNF biologics have you taken? I figure you cycled through enbrel and humira, also at first. How many other antagonist agents have you taken? Have you done the IL 6 blocker one like the actemra yet? or the T cell blocker orencia?

Is rituxan the B cell blocker in dead last position for most people after they have cycled through the other agents?

Yeah I took it - there is no verdict on myself also. Like Kim I had a reaction during the infusion. was stopped. treated for the reaction and re-started slower. and finished it.

Then when I went home I went through three long infection cycles: respiratory, followed by throatbox fungal infection and then sinus. So I am not sure what is going to happen to me. I am still in infection mode for 32 days.

I have been quiet because I have been so sick. Three infections in a row was trying to my awesome (sarcasm) coping skills :)

I am sure you will get a plethora of other positive responses. if we could get a tractor trailer we could haul back buddha who has been on rituxan for something like 40 years (really 10 years) and hikes and frolics like the commercials on television i hear for biologics. I know a lot of folks who have had huge success with rituxan.

Which brings me back to the better use of this group as general support and not anecdotal medical information. Every single rheumatoid person has a unique response to every biologic out there. So you are going to get a response based on which ones are signed on.

Ignore Kim and myself - and keep researching and asking questions of your rheum.

Kim - it was scary huh? I thought so also. Then the chaser of three infections for myself was like mama mia.

depotblue

I have been on Plaquenil (didn't work), Xeljanz (stopped due to severe headaches), Enbrel injecions (didn't work), ActemRa infusions (didn't work) and most recently, Cimzia injections (again, didn't work). My VectraDA scores still haven't improved, so the rheum is suggesting the Rituxan. I am limited on which medications they are willing to try me on because I have a history of skin cancer, and there are a lot of medications that can cause the skin cancer to come back (I'll pass, thanks). I am reading and researching, and scaring the crap out of myself in the meantime...but really would like any and all responses from others who have tried this medication.