As Rituximab takes a while to kick in, why do they leave it so long between courses? It feels like being on a rollercoaster . It took 14 weeks for my husband to feel the benefits of his first course. After 6 months the effects tailed off. You then have to wait months for the subsequent course and the time it takes to kick in.
Why do we have to wait until he’s really bad until he gets the next infusion . Is it purely cost?
Some might be cost but they can change how regularly he has it. I was on yearly, then kept getting sick at the 9 month point so they did 9 monthly then my rheumy said he wants to do 6 monthly to catch it before it gets worse again. Although he did say my B cells hadn’t grown back at all in 6 months so he would need to check permission to give that time.
Does your husband have another immunosuppressant to keep him going inbetween?
X
Hello Pop,
I’m on Rituximab.
My Rheumatoligist tells me my body and it’s response will determine the time intervals between infusions.
My Rheumatoligist tells me he will not go more than 6 months between infusions. ( at 6 months you need a “ loading dose” of two infusions, same strength each infusion, two weeks apart, to knock down the antibodies. At least this is the case for the APS for me. )
No, it’s not usually indicated ( yet) for APS but I have a severe case with other AI diseases it is indicated for like RA, CIDP, some sort of APS vasculitis, Past history if ITP, not current so that’s not fitting criteria for Rituximab currently, but I am falling in and out of early CAPS with my APS. So all this together qualifies for Rituximab.
He prefers 4 months between. We are still letting my body teach us and lead the way.
First Rituximab Infusion
rituximab nerves!
