RITUXIMAB

[eyeBRing]

HI

I HAVE PMR AND MY ANTIBODIES ARE THROUGH THE ROOF.

IT HAS CAUSED MY KIDNEY READING TO DROP TO 11% FUNCTION.

THE KIDNEY CONSULTANT HAS DECIDED THAT MY IMMUNE SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE LOWERED TO AVOID TOTAL KIDNEY FAILURE BECAUSE IT HAS CAUSED VASCULITIS AND I AM TO START RITUXIMAB NEXT WEEK. I HAVE HAD MY PRED INCREASED TO 40MG A DAY.

EVERY TIME I TRY TO DROP [RED IT CAUSED MORE KIDNEY PROBS

HAS ANYONE EXPERIENCE OF MY PROBLEM.?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you have a diagnosis of PMR - the antibodies are not due to it. There are as yet no antibodies associated with PMR. If antibodies are present, the diagnosis is usually changed to an inflammatory arthritis.

PMR is not the disease per se, it is the name given to a set of symptoms which are caused by one of a range of underlying disorders which include cancers, inflammatory arthritides, vasculitides, and other illnesses.

Whatever you have I think it is very unlikely to be the PMR we discuss here - and it is not likely to be the cause of your renal problems. I'm sorry, I doubt anyone here can help you.

[Sillydogsmum]

Things do sound a bit complicated . What you describe above seems a bit jumbled up.Might it be an idea to discuss the situation with your GP, who should be able to pull the info from the kidney and rheumato Dr's together so you have a better idea of what is going on and where things are headed? Hopefully they should have some correspondence and a discussion might make you feel a bit better about things. Perhaps take someone with you, four ears better than two!

[piglette]

I think you may be talking about two problems which may not actually be linked. As you say your kidney reading is very low and I assume you have renal vasculitis. I hope your kidney specialist can sort things out for you.

[Fries]

Oh dear, that is alarming. I also have kidney disease (polycsystic kidney disease. diagnosed a long time ago). I have been all right so far with covid injections. I've just raised a question on this forum asking if someone is on steroids whilst having the covid injection. I am on 30 mg of Prednisolone at the moment. I do intend to ask advice from my Rheumatologist but haven't got round to it yet. I do hope you manage to resolve the kidney issue. Good luck.

[eyeBRing in reply to Fries]

cover jabs causes a flare and makes my immune system attack my kidney(I only have 1)I am due to start RITUXIMAB INFUSION TO TAKE MY IMMUNE SYSTEM DOWN TO LOWER LEVELS. STEROIDS ARE OK WITH COVID JABS

[Fries in reply to eyeBRing]

Thank you very much. I do hope you manage to sort your kidney issue out. I had a bad acute kidney reaction about 5 years ago when my function went down to 20% so I know how frightening this is. The hospital gave me fluids and I drank a lot more - I think it was a stomach problem where I didn't have any appetite and wasn't eating and drinking properly and was dehydrated. I gradually improved and now I am on 48%. Good luck.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Fries]

Have replied to question in other thread..