First Rituximab Infusion

[Sioux]

Well I had my first infusion today ............ and survived! Thanks to all staff at Kingsmill Welcome Centre. It was a very very long day but hopefully it'll be worth it

[miss]

hope it works wonders for you xx

[Paula-C]

Hope it works.

I attend Kingsmill and I can't praise them enough!!!!!!

All the specialist nurses are wonderful, it's a pity that others can't have the same care.

Fingers crossed

Paula

[Neverwell]

Hope it works for you x

[sheenerweener]

Hope it works for you xxx

[Hidden]

were is kinsmill? and how long does infusiuon take? i was potential given choice of infusion or self inject if i pass criteria x

[petalnumber2 in reply to Hidden]

Hi summer,

like you, I have been offered Anti-tnf and have been give some reading on 4 different types, 2 infusion & 2 self inject. Have had all blood tests, 2 x-rays to come and another das score. I've heard that even if you pass the criteria the funding can hold things up. Do you know who provides the funding ? June x

[Sioux in reply to Hidden]

Summer Kingsmill Hospital is at Mansfield, Nottingham. I do have a fear of needles and have a Methotrexate injection every week there. The infusion is on top of that.

[SaraF]

Sioux, good luck hope it works well for you. You may we'll feel that you can take on the world tomorrow but remember to take it easy x

Summer it depends on the infusion that you have been offered i believe? rituximab is around 6 hours for the first one and then around 4 and half for the second one which you have two weeks after the first x

[Sioux in reply to SaraF]

SaraF I have taken on board your comments. You are so right. I do feel I can take on the world today. I will take it easy. Thanks for the advice.

[Munchkinella]

Good to hear it went well Sioux. Hope it works quickly for you. Take care love Janet xx

[Sioux]

Thanks all for your good wishes. I too am so hoping it works well for me.

Summer Kingsmill Hospital is at Mansfield, Nottingham. I do have a fear of needles and have a Methotrexate injection every week there. The infusion is on top of that.

SaraF I have taken on board your comments. You are so right. I do feel I can take on the world today. I will take it easy. Thanks for the advice.

I got there at 9am and left about 4.15. As you say it wont take so long when I go in a fortnight.

[petalnumber2]

Hi Sioux,

I've just picked up your blog and read with interest as i'm just starting on the path toward Anti-tnf.

I'm glad that your first infusion went well for you. Like you I'm not fond of needles, so tell me how did you cope with the the canular being inserted? because I'm not keen on that bit, I think I might cope better with self inject!!

It sounds like you have a spring in your step so i hope you continue to feel well. It would be good if you could give us the odd up-date of your progress. June x

[Sioux in reply to petalnumber2]

Hi June.

I think we may have differing treatments here. I couldn't face giving myself injectons so the nurses at the hospital give me a Methotrexate injection every Wednesday which will be an ongoing treatment.

I couldn't have the Anti-tfn treatments because I have had breast cancer and the treatments are unsuitable, so the hospital put me on to the Rituximab.

Right, on to the canular insertion. This is the thing I've been working myself up about over the last weeks. Bear in mind I can only have things done to my left arm because I had some lymph nodes taken from my right armpit due to the cancer.

My veins are very spidery and the blood ladies have awful trouble getting anything from me. Anyway, the nurse tried twice to insert the canular but had no luck. She told me two nurses try twice to insert one and if they have no luck they will get someone with more practice to do it. After she'd tried twice she took me to put my hand in some warm water before asking the 2nd nurse to have a go. The 2nd nurse did it more or less straight away. It was painful but for a very short time. Once it's in there's no pain at all.

The best advice I can say is to try to keep your hand warm, which wasn't easy as i was cool in the ward. Also, if you can ask them if they want you to make a fist that can help. And I know this is very very difficult, but if you try to relax while they are doing it that helps as well.

I do feel good today but am aware that this treatment isn't supposed to take effect for about 3 months so I am just thankful any time that I feel a little better. I often find the following day I shouldn't have bragged to my long suffering husband as I go downhill again.

I will give you an update June. I would like to hear about how you are getting on as well. If you want to email me my addres is [e-mail]. I hope this has helped. Please don't be too frightened. They are used to frightened patients and are very kind to them.

Kind regards, Sue.

[petalnumber2 in reply to Sioux]

Hi Sue,

I really appreciate you taking the time to send such a detailed reply. I'll send you an email. June x

[Sioux in reply to petalnumber2]

Hi again June. I've put a couple of blogs on which I thought you might be interested to read. Sue x

[Sioux in reply to petalnumber2]

Hope you saw my reply June Sue x

[mille]

Hi Sue,

Just to let you know that i too had the rituximan infusions back in June. It took almost four months for it to become effective although i think that was a bit unusual as some people feel the benefit much sooner. It has made a tremendous different to me. I could barely walk before i got it and i was in so much pain. Now i can take my dog a walk and even get on and off a bus and do things that were impossible before. I will probably be getting another infusion soon Good luck and hope it works quicker for you.

[Sioux]

Thanks for the comfort mille. You are all so kind. Keep well Sue x