• Effectiveness

  Major (for neuromyelitis optica)
• Side effects

  Severe (for Overall) (allergic reaction)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 10000 mg Every 3 months

Advice & Tips: Make sure you are not allergic to the medication. Thought it was just an chronic infusion rxn, when I consulted the allergist, he said I was very allergic to it. Hated to stop the medication as it was very helpful. If you are allergic to guninea pigs/ mice do not take it!

Cost: $200+ monthly

Side effects: allergic reaction

• Effectiveness

  Major (for neuromyelitis optica)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (allergic reaction)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 10000 mg Every 3 months

Cost: $100-199 monthly

Side effects: allergic reaction

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for neuromyelitis optica)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (allergic reaction)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 1000 mg Every 3 months

Advice & Tips: Due to increased severity of pain from the Devic's uncontrolled with the max dose of 200mcg Fentanyl, it was decided that by neurology to do an early dose of Rituxan. In other words, instead of 3 months, we did the Rituxan in 2 months as in the past this has helped with the pain. The infusion was over 24 hours and I had severe issues with hypotension and ventricular arrythmias, needed increased fluid support and keeps the support meds scheduled at every 6 hours (increased the dosages of Benadryl and demerol, tylenol). Will see if the pain improves!

Cost: $100-199 monthly

Side effects: allergic reaction

• Effectiveness

  Major (for neuromyelitis optica)
• Side effects

  Severe (for Overall) (allergic reaction)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 1000 mg Every 3 months

Advice & Tips: This is the only tx that seems to be best though for some reason my relapses try to recur with two months after the infusion. With the other chemo (MTX) I had too many life threatening infections so I had to stop, I will have to deal with the side effects for now. I do feel great for the first two months after the treatment. Usually the tx is done outpatient, but in my case I must stay inpt and the infusion is done between 12-18 hours due to side effects. Need hydration and cardiac monitoring before, during amd after to help deal/ monitor some of the adverse side effects. Myneurologist doesn't understand these increasing adverse reactions with each successive dose. Afraid to increase the frequency for this reason.

Cost: $100-199 monthly

Side effects: allergic reaction

• Effectiveness

  Major (for neuromyelitis optica)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall) (insomnia)
• Adherence

  Never taken as prescribed
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 10 mg Every Other Week

Advice & Tips: Has made me feel alot better; however, I still have symptoms from permanet scare tissue damage. However; after my last two treatments: 1) Feb 2) Oct...both MRI's following each treatment showed significant improvement and no activity and no inflamation. I was and am happy with the results. However, if you are thinking about starting this treatment, it is very important to monitor your B cells through monthly Blood Tests to make sure the medication is doing its job and working.

Side effects: insomnia

• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  None (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: As needed

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for Other)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall) (low blood pressure)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Very hard to take

Dosage: 1000 other Yearly

Advice & Tips: In 2005 when I had this treatment it gave me moderate improvement but this time in 2008 I only had slight improvement and that only seemed to last for not quite a full year, unlike the other time which I had some benefit up to 3 years.

Cost: $200+ monthly

Side effects: low blood pressure

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (respiratory infections)
• Adherence

  Never taken as prescribed
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 10 mg Weekly

Side effects: respiratory infections

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (respiratory infections)
• Adherence

  Sometimes
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 10 mg Weekly

Advice & Tips: Got too many respiratory infections after the first dose. Second dose, tomorrow after three weeks

Side effects: respiratory infections

• Effectiveness

  Major (for systemic lupus erythematosus)
• Effectiveness

  Major (for rheumatoid arthritis)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall) (nausea, migraine)
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: As needed

Advice & Tips: I use the Scopalamine Patch the night before (helps eliminate the nausea - I have tried Phenergan and Zofran -both used to work, but don't any more). Occasionally I have side effects during the drip (itchiness in throat, ears and head - now they add tagamet and claritin to stop that - last infusion it worked well). Retuxan has changed my life - I was unable to work before i was on it- after the first infusion about 1 month later I went to EUROPE for a week (I never could have gone before!) and I walked, went to Paris, London, had a blast! Prior to retuxan I had stopped working completely and spend most of my life in bed. I had researched this drug and was waiting for for the FDA to approve. As soon as it did my doc got approval ( had been on EVERYTHING prior to that) and had a needle in my arm! I was the second patient to receive treatment at my clinic! It is a godsend! I'm not "normal" but I am a LOT better (I can tell when I can't afford it- it is pricey but the company has started a program to help you pay for what insurance wont (it's apprx 7-20,000 per infusion)So with a copay or if you get it early in the year you owe all of your out of pocked and deductible (3K for me!). It is an all day infusion (about 6 hours) and bc of problems years ago with an insurance company that paid for it, then when we moved to a different insurance company they went back and "retroactively denied treatment" I fought but still owed the clinic $8000 which I did NOT have on hand. They have told me I can NEVER get infused at their clinic (which is a problem bc many clinics are with hospitals and they won't let me get infusioned if my doc doesn't have privs, or the hospitals want the doctor to get approval and her office refuses since they aren't getting paid. SO..advice - even if your doctor says you are approved CALL INSURANCE find out how much you will owe. Once it's in your arm you could owe a lot of money. AND some clinics don't actually get authorization (then they will charge you a LARGE fee - your insurance). BUT apart from the cost (LOL) it is brilliant! OH - the typical dose is 2 infusions 2 weeks apart every 4 months (that is NOT ON THE LIST OF CHOICES). You can get it more frequently (and I did once) but you need to get approval from your insurance.

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for multiple sclerosis)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: As needed

Advice & Tips: i had the rituximab treatment 01.27.10 and 2 weeks later 02.10.2010 the next treatment was given 10.22.2010 and 2 weeks later 11.05.2010 my insurance did not cover at atll nor the infusion time! unfortunately i am still declining…, no relapses… but = this treatment did not work for me

Cost: $200+ monthly

• Effectiveness

  Major (for neuromyelitis optica)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall) (muscle pain, tiredness)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: As needed

Cost: $200+ monthly

Side effects: muscle pain, tiredness, tiredness

• Effectiveness

  Slight (for Prevention of recurrence of disease)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 1 other Weekly

Advice & Tips: It's a painless infusion. You don't feel, taste, or smell anything.

Cost: $50-99 monthly

Side effects: hair loss, hair thinning, nausea, hair curling, fatigue, fatigue

• Effectiveness

  Moderate (for Other)
• Side effects

  Mild (for Overall) (migraine headaches)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 10 mg Yearly

Cost: $100-199 monthly

Side effects: migraine headaches

• Effectiveness

  Can't tell (for Other)
• Side effects

  Moderate (for Overall)
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  A little hard to take

Dosage: 10 mg Yearly

Cost: < $25 monthly

Side effects: migraine headaches