Low Sodium after Rituximab Infusion

[Investigator1]

Hi all I hope you are all keeping well. I had my 6 monthly Rituximab infusion 3 weeks ago and 10 days later I got up on Bank Holiday Monday at felt really strange, like I was going to pass out, felt really nauseous and as the day went on I felt so ill I ended up in A&E and kept overnight for observation. I am not a drama Queen but I can honestly say I felt so ill. Because of my symptoms I had an ECG and a CT scan on my brain and all was ok but my bloods came back and my sodium was low @ 124 (normal range 135-145) overnight it recovered mostly and the Med Team said it was because of some blood pressure tablets I was taking along with the Rituximab and possibly the Pfizer Jab all combining but they couldn’t pinpoint anything and said just be careful. I feel a lot better now but still feel a bit weird in the morning sometimes and then rally during the day.

Has anybody experienced anything similar.

Nick

[AmyS1]

It fits with low sodium. Talk to your GP about alternative BP tablets etc.

[Tbrz]

Hi, I had my Rituximab infusion a couple of weeks ago and I have really ill this week, with nausea bad stomach and just feeling horrible. I just did not know what to with myself as if moved I was retching and just did not feel like eating or drinking anything. I thought it might be something to do with the comedown from the steroids they give with the infusion. I’m still not right as now just have extreme fatigue, so if do anything I am going to collapse. It is hard sometimes to tell if it’s the all the drugs we have to take or the condition itself. Hope you are feeling better 😊

[M3LZY]

Hi Nick, I've had covid. I had the same symptoms. 4 mths long covid now. Low sodium which in turn gave me low blood pressure. Ironically vasculitis through covid. It's a strange mix for me.... hence no treatment issued for vasculitis at the moment. I hope you're feeling better.

[BMM62]

Hi Nick, I am having exactly the same symptoms following my 6 monthly rituximab infusion this time. I have been having infusions for several years and never experienced anything similar. It started 4 days after my second infusion (10 days ago) and lasted a couple of days, then seemed to improve but came back again a week later and felt really bad today. I just feel very strange, dizzy, nauseous and not quite 'in the room'. I had the Pfizer vaccine in February and late March but I am not on blood pressure tablets. Maybe I will get my sodium levels checked.Bee

[Investigator1 in reply to BMM62]

Thanks to you all for this. I think feeling awful and not being in the same room sums it up perfectly, bloods scheduled for Friday and delayed as touring Scottish Islands and Highlands on 25th Wedding Anniversary, had a few moments when I have felt strange and down like “here it comes again” but it subsides. I will report back.