15 patient evaluations for Rituximab

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Aug 30, 2011 (Started Mar 01, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for neuromyelitis optica)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 1000 mg Yearly
Advice & Tips: worked for 2 years, then stopped working

Jun 22, 2010 (Started Mar 01, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for neuromyelitis optica)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 1000 mg Yearly
Advice & Tips: Had 1000 mg infusion 4x at weekly intervals @ 10 months, had 1000 mg infusion 2x at 2-week interval

  • 0 helpful marks

Nov 22, 2011 (Started Oct 15, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for neuromyelitis optica)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (fever, whole body ache, generalized weakness (asthenia), fatigue, decreased appetite)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 1000 mg Every 3 months
Advice & Tips: I was diagnosed with NMO in October of 2009, and began chemotherapy using Rituximab almost immediately. The treatments were VERY hard on my body, and I almost invariably had alarming cardiac/respiratory crises with every session. As stated in my previous evaluation of this drug, it reached a point where the drug was so hard on me that my doctor (and my anesthetist parents) stopped treatment after my treatment in June of 2010. My husband and I moved from South Carolina to North Carolina in October of 2011, where I met with several new doctors in the Asheville area. My new hemotologist convinced me that he could administer my treatments without causing the issues I'd previously experienced. I conceded, and to my surprise, he lived up to his claim immensely. He infused the same drug in the same dosage, but with a totally different method. My side effects (both during treatment and after) were minimized greatly - I had NO cardiac/pulmonary crises, and my recuperation time was cut in half. My opinion on this treatment has improved by leaps and bounds. That being said, however, it is still a VERY powerful drug, and should be used with extreme caution - and only if you have exhausted the less dangerous treatments available.
Cost: < $25 monthly

Jun 2, 2010 (Started Oct 15, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    None (for neuromyelitis optica)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 1000 mg Every 3 months
Advice & Tips: If you take Rituxan, be VERY aware of the strength of this drug, and of the possible side effects. Also consider that NMO in itself causes a great deal of fatigue and weakness, and that the Rituxan exacerbates these effects 100-fold. I deteriorated very quickly neurologically speaking, so much so that my parents (who are CRNAs) were truly afraid I would not survive the last treatment. Just be cautious, and be sure your body is physically strong enough to endure such risky treatment.

  • 0 helpful marks

May 1, 2012 (Started Nov 01, 2011)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for rheumatoid arthritis)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (major depressive disorder, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, tremor in hands, tremor(s))
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Advice & Tips: stop medication did not help with swelling or pain in joints added actemra 2012 may
Cost: $200+ monthly

Jan 1, 2012 (Started Nov 01, 2011)

  • Effectiveness
    None (for rheumatoid arthritis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (major depressive disorder, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, tremor in hands, tremor(s))
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Advice & Tips: very expensive was disappointed it did not work
Cost: $200+ monthly

Dec 10, 2011 (Started Nov 01, 2011)

  • Effectiveness
    None (for rheumatoid arthritis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (major depressive disorder, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, tremor in hands, tremor(s))
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 7 hr Monthly
Advice & Tips: i had to submitt 2 infusion with no success for me i had alot of inflamation and fatigue infusion 1 month apart 7 hours for each was hoping it would work for me
Cost: $200+ monthly

  • 0 helpful marks

Jul 4, 2008 (Started Jan 15, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for chronic lymphocytic leukemia)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (crash)
  • Adherence
    Never taken as prescribed
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 10 mg Monthly
Advice & Tips: Make sure your providers are monitoring you closely. During my first course of chemo, my blood pressure crashed and I nearly flat-lined. To administer the complete the first day's dose took 8 hours compared with an anticipated 1 hour. Later cycles were easier.

  • 0 helpful marks

May 18, 2018 (Started Jan 15, 2016)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for follicular lymphoma)
  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (fatigue)
  • Adherence
    Never taken as prescribed
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Advice & Tips: Discontinued December 2016 because treatment was no longer having any effect on my lymphoma
Cost: < $25 monthly

Jan 29, 2017 (Started Jan 15, 2016)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for follicular lymphoma)
  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (fatigue)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Cost: < $25 monthly

Dec 15, 2016 (Started Jan 15, 2016)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for follicular lymphoma)
  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (fatigue)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 10 mg Weekly
Cost: < $25 monthly

  • 0 helpful marks
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