Rituxin

[Anna77M]

I was wondering for those who have done Rituxin/Rituximab how soon you saw results, if any? I finished on the 30tb of December (with a week off in between my 3rd and 4th treatment because I had to get IVIG). My platelets keep dropping. Thank you.

[Robert1959]

Anna,

I was given 4 weekly doses of Rituximab but it made no difference to my count over that month and I even dropped to 0 on the day of the 4th dose. That said I understand that it takes 3-4 months (possibly longer) after the treatment for it to take effect but I could not wait as my symptoms were severe from the low count and I had to move on to another treatment (NPlate) which was eventually successful and I went into remission.

When I was given Rituximab I was also given Cyclosporine and Dexamethasone at the same time but this combination was unsuccessful. Even though I think it was NPlate alone that made a difference to my count, it is hard to say whether the cocktail of other drugs that I had taken since diagnosis (also Prednisone, IVIG, Dapsone) may have helped over the period of my illness in putting me into remission - I guess I will never know.

Robert

[Anna77M in reply to Robert1959]

I have had to have IVIG infusions also because my platelets just don't stay up. Glad to hear you are in remission!!

[Hogze]

Actually, I did have a good count (520,000) after the first dose of Rituximab and I took the other 3 doses anyway. After the 4th dose, the count dropped to 250,000. Now, I am in a remssion since August 2015, hopfully it continues for longer time. However, the effect of each medicine differs from one to another. I wish you find your remission after all.

Hegazi

[Anna77M in reply to Hogze]

520,000 😳, holy moly that's a lot! So glad it worked for you! Have they stay up in the 250,000's?

[Hogze]

Yep, Thank god. My last count was 270,000. It was one week ago