Rituximab infusion with a cold? 🤧

[Moomin8]

Morning Peeps 😊

So...first week back at school/work after over a year of shielding, and I have a pesky cold! 🤧😏

I am due to have my first Rituximab infusion this Monday - in 3 days time, this being day 1. Should I have my infusion?

[Lolabridge]

Bad luck! I hope you are over that cold by Monday so do your best to sweat it out by then! I think you would probably be advised not to go ahead if you still have the cold.

[bpeal1]

It’s probably best to speak to your rheumatology team but appreciate that’s tricky over a weekend. If your appointment is first thing on Monday I’d probably go but tell them you have a cold, if they have any concerns they will contact the rheumatologists for advice.

[Moomin8]

Someone on here was saying about taking 75mg of Zinc for a couple of days. I have bought some Zinc, but they're only 10mg tablets and it says one a day?

[weathervane in reply to Moomin8]

I was advised to take 75mg of zinc to stave off a cold , i think it helps but its all in my head 🙄 . I would wait till Monday and see what the doctor thinks, good luck 🤞🏻 you feel better.

[Moomin8 in reply to weathervane]

Could I ask - did you take the 75mg zinc in one go in a day, or did you spread it out? I took 5x10mg tablets at the same time after lunch.

[weathervane in reply to Moomin8]

I pop them in all at once !!! Xx

[Neonkittie17]

Sorry to hear that. You could go and let your nurse see. I once did end of a normal cold years ago (so rare for me to have a common cold!) She got the rheumy to come and see me who asked questions and listened to my chest and said you’re at the tail end and your oxygen levels and temp and BP are all fine so go ahead. Hope you’re feeling better for Monday. 💗

[AgedCrone]

It’s probably too late now but your best bet would have been to telephone the biologic nurses at the clinic where you are going to have the infusion.

As it’s your first infusion they will likely defer it....if anyone is going to have a reaction to it it will be at the first infusion and it really is best if you’re 100% fit to have it.

I’d phone as soon as the clinic opens on Monday morning.... and make sure you mention you need to speak to someone who understands you are having a first Rituximab infusion not a chemotherapy infusion.....because they are often done in the same unit and the regulations for each are different.

[Moomin8]

Thanks, but I have to be there by 8:30/ 9 am, so I won't get through to the clinical nurses

[AgedCrone in reply to Moomin8]

Looks like you are going to be up early...unless you have something like a minor injuries unit near you.....they should have a number to call to check for you.

[Moomin8 in reply to AgedCrone]

Morning 🙂Luckily for me, it's a daily therapy unit in a hospital which only about 30-40 minutes away.

[AgedCrone in reply to Moomin8]

If it’s your first Rtx infusion you do realise you will be there most of the day? My first infusion took 7 hours!But I guess all you can do now is turn up & see what the staff decide.

Hope it happens & that it all goes well.

[Moomin8 in reply to AgedCrone]

Thanks, yes..she did say. I've just rung my clinical nurse team and left a message to ask. They might get back to me 🤞I also did a lateral flow test this morning which was negative. I have also asked the nurse whether I can do my Metoject injection tomorrow, presuming I have my infusion.

[allanah]

I was told unless i had bacterial infection it would be ok so virus was ok 🤣🤣🤣 but think covid changed all that !!! Can you do a lateral flow test to check its not covid? Many doctors are now saying if you are double jabbed you mightget no or one symptom ?! Hoping for more data . So that was a long way of sayimg ask rheumy team or call out

of hours gp sevice for advice!! 😘

[Jillyanne]

Contact the Rhuemy team

[Moomin8 in reply to Jillyanne]

Have done - left a message, thanks 😊

[Moomin8]

Thanks, I've left a message on the clinical nurses' answerphone.

[Moomin8]

This is going to seem a silly question...but where, in your arm, is the infusion put? Is it the inside of your elbow, where they usually get blood from? Or is it the back of your hand? Just thinking of what to wear 😊

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Moomin8]

Usually inside elbow/arm crease. Sometimes back of hand if they can’t get a vein on the above. I always wear a long sleeved shirt which rolls up easily above the elbow for the cannula.

[Moomin8 in reply to Neonkittie17]

Thanks for that😁

[AgedCrone in reply to Moomin8]

Tbh they put it where they can find the best vein.....just wear something with a sleeve you can push up.I always ask to have the cannula about 6” above my wrist....that way you can move your wrist...so that you can hold a book/tablet & definitely easier when you need to wheel your drip to go to the loo.

And wear pull on trousers! Don’t end up trying to pull up trousers with a zip with one hand😀.

Remember to take a throw or warm jumper...it can get chilly sitting still for hours....& a book / tablet/crossword to pass the time!

Good Luck.

[bpeal1 in reply to Moomin8]

My hospital won’t put it in the crease if he elbow unless they really can’t find anywhere else. That’s because they say it’s a long time to sit with your arm out straight. They usually try the back of the hand first. If no obvious veins there they usually try the side of the arm a few inches above the wrist.

Where something with sleeves which can easily be pushed up to give them plenty of options!

Good luck. Hope it goes well!

[Maxadolf]

Sorry to hear about the cold infection and the possible complication with the Retuximab therapy. It would be interesting to know whether you have had any of the COVID vaccinations. There is a suspicion that the vaccines may be providing some immunity from the common cold. Your experience might help throw some light on the hypothesis.

The relative rarity of the common cold during the last year since the pandemic could also be explained by the improved personal hygiene encouraged to limit the rate of infections: eg frequent hand washing, mask wearing and shielding etc.

[Moomin8]

Morning Maxadolf🙂I have had both vaccines now - Astrazeneca. It was over 4 weeks ago, when I had my 2nd one. I had been shielding since March last year and had only started work again a week ago. Working in a school environment continously, usually makes me fairly immune to any bugs going around, but stepping back into a classroom this time was like starting again with the germ situation. We are quite vigorous with our cleaning and hygiene at school, the adults wear masks in corridors etc, we have open doors and windows and we stay in our pods. It's just bad timing as regards my first infusion and returning to work, because it was inevitable that I'd pick something up. I'm just lucky it wasn't 🤮and 💩😂😂

[bpeal1 in reply to Moomin8]

I’ve had more colds in the last 14 months than I’ve ever had before. I decided social distancing is not good for me!! Although I gave up teaching several years a go, before the pandemic I was still volunteering in school a lot. I think that continuous low exposure to germs meant I rarely picked up bugs. Now I’m not getting that exposure every time the children come home from school with something I’m getting it.

[Moomin8 in reply to bpeal1]

I understand that feeling x

[Moomin8]

Well, I'm here! Heard from the Day Therapies Clinic, just as we pulled in, and they said it can go ahead 😬

[Moomin8]

It's taken me 30 minutes to find the ward!! The lifts didn't go to the 4th floor...I went up and down loads of times in different lifts! So I found some stairs...climbed all the way to the 4th floor, only to find there was no access through that door!!! Ended up asking a cleaner, who asked a nurse, who asked a doctor!!! 😂😂I'm waiting outside now, feeling far to hot and very stressed! I need a wee but all of the toilets were being steam-cleaned!!! Not a great start 😅

[bpeal1 in reply to Moomin8]

Oh dear! Hopefully things can only get better.

[Moomin8]

🤣

[Lolabridge]

Hope it all goes smoothly for you now so lie back and relax.

[sunnyweek]

Hope you've found a way in now and all goes well. I usually have the canula in back of left hand or just above the wrist so I can use a pen with my right hand. All the best xx

[Moomin8]

Morning update 🙂So, I was first person in and last one out yesterday - in fact, I ran over their normal day!

They tried to put the canula in the crease of my arm, but nadah - veins not good enough - so back of my hand it was. Antihistamine bolus, intravenous steroids...then over a 2 hour wait until the Rituximab arrived! Apparently, they don't make it up until the day, and I'm ready to receive it. Started that at just after 12. Started at 25ml, half hourly obs and increments of 25ml each time. I got to 175ml and then I reacted - throat started to close and heavy chest. I was given another load of antihistamine and rested. All go again until the end, then a flush through.

Thanks for all of your top tips, I used them all! 😀 I got to be an expert at going to the toilet with my meds because I went every half an hour!🤣I had tea and biscuits at 10, at which time I was given the menu for lunch. My mind was thinking 🤔do I go for the works? 💬Hot dinner and hot pudding? Or a sandwich? My stomach said 💬a sandwich, you are sitting around all day - so tuna mayonnaise in wholemeal bread it was...and, I must say, it was yummy! Afternoon tea and biscuits ended up being hot chocolate and biscuits - I think she misheard me, but I'm not complaining 🤭

All of the staff on duty were really lovely. I'm a bit of a people watcher, and it amused me to see their interactions with each other as the day went on. Other than people watching, I couldn't get into my book, or my mindful colouring (which my thoughtful son and daughter-in-law had sent me especially) because my eyes were dead tired - a mixture of the head cold I have and the meds. I ended up watching bits and pieces which I'd previously downloaded from Netflix. I hooked onto the free hospital WiFi, so also kept in touch with friends and family throughout the day, sending them gory photos of my medical interventions🤣

When I finally got home (picked up by hubby in torrential rain) I felt like I'd been run over by a bus - stonking headache to boot. No dinner (didn't fancy it) early night and voila!

Up at the crack of dawn and 🤞not feeling too bad, so I'll go to work today.

I asked my rheumatologist about doing my Metoject yesterday, as I normally do, but she said to do it today because Rituximab is a powerful drug, so I will. In fact, I didn't take any of my meds last night because I felt like I'd had enough going into my body.

All in all, a successful first infusion day.