Rituximab ....

[CHARLIE49]

Hi all,

I've been having a Rituximab infusion every three months (used to be two every six months) and went today for the latest one. Am feeling really disheartened as my blood pressure went so high they had to stop the infusion. I am so gutted as I have been doing really well on it and this has actually been the best three months I've had for years. Unfortunately, my specialist was unavailable when they tried to contact him so I've been told to see my doctor, which I am this evening (my surgery are so fantastic).

Has anyone else had this and does this mean I can no longer have the infusions. I don't want to go back to methotrexate as that disagreed with me too.

Thanks

[SandieB]

During one of my infusions my blood pressure shot up the nurses elevated my legs and slowed the infusion down and eventually my blood pressure fell. Had you been on your feet ie to the toilet or anything when this happened. x

[CHARLIE49 in reply to SandieB]

Hi SandieB. No I hadn't been on my feet and I was lying on a bed with my legs up. Saw my GP last night and this morning as he wanted to keep an eye on me (which is reassuring) and he has decided to change my BP medication. Hopefully I will be able to continue with the Rituximab in future. Do you have that too??

[SandieB in reply to CHARLIE49]

Hi Charlie, yes i have been on Retuximab for 4yrs now but only have a maintainance course once a year now. I had my bp tablets changed last year as to rule out what was causing my cough as Retuximab can cause a cough but mine was caused by my sinusis. Hopefully you will be ok x

[2534]

Im so sorry your infusions have been interrupted by the high blood pressure. Can you tell me how you managed to get them every 3 months. My sense is that one every six months is not doing the trick. Take care

[CHARLIE49]

Hi, apologies for the late reply. I was originally having two infusions, two weeks apart, every six months, but my symptoms and rashes were returning well before the next infusion. It was decided by my specialist to then have one infusion every three months and this works better for me. The three months up to this latest infusion had been my best so far, then my blood pressure decided to rise grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!