Rituximab

[Brooke]

Pberggren, never been on ctx and hope I will never have to be. Sounds like rtx is a good thing! When were you on ctx last? Are you in remission? What meds are you currently on?

[JanW]

For the Americans on board, my doc said that insurance companies also seem to be moving past the "you must fail on some other drug before we will authorize rtx" mode. My own insurance (Cigna) requires preauthorization, but rtx could have been the first drug used for my WG, had the doc decided to go that route.

[pberggren1]

I think I am in remission?

I am currently on 3000mg of Cellcept, one regualr strength Bactrim every day, 10mg of Pred, 25mg of Atenolol, and one 70mg Sodium Alendronate tab once a week.

I was last on ctx in January of 2009.

[Brooke]

Is Cellcept similar to methotrexate? Are you on that to keep you in remission? Do you have any symptoms right now Pberggren?

[Jack]

I am currently on 3000mg of Cellcept, one regualr strength Bactrim every day, 10mg of Pred, 25mg of Atenolol, and one 70mg Sodium Alendronate tab once a week.

I would not want to load you up with more pills than you require, but a Calcium/Vit D supplement should probably be added to this. It will help you to avoid Osteoporosis together with the Sodium Alendronate.

[JanW]

Frankly I wish I had been taking calcium the whole time I had been on and off steroids for my (not) asthma. Perhaps it could have saved my bones, but then I never knew the steroids could do such damage (and yet not affect my stenosis or collaspe of the bridge of my nose one bit of course). I have to try pretty hard to not be bitter about this. I'll never know if those times on steroids might have slowed down the progression of my WG, or whether it just weakened my bones with no positive effect. Sigh.

[Lola]

Oh, yes. Please take a calcium/Vit D supplement if on prednisone. I take 2 Caltrate equivalent tabs.

My Rheumatologist said that he hates cytoxin as much as he does prednisone. He goes straight to Rituxan for his Wegs patients who are ready for that level of medication. He says that they are all doing quite well.

[pberggren1]

Hey Jack:

I do take a Calcium and Vitamin D supplement as well. I didn't mention it on my last post on this thread because I was just listing the Prescription medications. You make a very good point - Calcium and Vitamin D are very important. I take about 1000mg of Calcium Citrate and about 1500 I.U. of Vitamin D every day.

Brooke:

I'm not sure if mtx is similar to CC. I do take CC as a maintenance drug to keep the WG at bay. Right now I just feel fairly tired and wiped out sometimes. I told my boss today that I will only work every other weekend for now and try that out and see how it goes. I work nights so I may have to quit altogether.

[Sangye]

Phil, how long have you felt fatigued like that?

Brooke-- Cellcept and mtx are 2 different classes of drugs. CC targets B cells (WBC that makes antibodies) and destroys them. It's not chemo and doesn't have the toxicity of chemo. It was created as an immunosuppressant for recipients of kidney transplants-- to stay on it for life.

Mtx is chemo, though not nearly as toxic as ctx.

[Cindy M]

Sangye thanks for the information on CTX and RTX. I am trying to get everything straight in my head about the drugs. I think I need a new notebook, I make notes on everything trying to learn more about the drugs especially in normal language that I can understand. Thanks again.