Just got the go-ahead from Dr. Langford to start Rituximab

[ArlaMo]

Wish me luck in getting insurance approval! My bronchoscopy was clear of infection, so Dr. Langford called today and said we should go ahead with getting me approved. Hoping and praying it works better than the 10+ months of cytoxan and that I have tolerable (or NO!) side effects.

[elephant]

You will get it, like Sangye stated Dr Langford will help you. Glad you have no infection! Good luck!

[Sangye]

Yay! I hope you can start it soon. :smile1:

[marta]

Woo hoo!! I too just got the call and am going in for my infusion on March 10. I'm so stocked and can't wait to get off the cytoxin. I too am on it for 10+ months as I got diagnosed in May... looks like we're on the same Weggie train. Just out of curiosity... did you get the H1N1 shot last fall with the rest of the world? Just trying to settle my curiosity.

Best of luck with RTX.

[DEE]

GOOD LUCK to you both its great to gear good news for a change :thumbsup::thumbsup: DEEx

[Brooke]

Good luck!!!

[ArlaMo]

And now, we're in the hurry up and wait for the insurance company mode. UGH! Just want to get it done!

And Marta, I'm not sure if I had the H1N1 vaccine, but I'm thinking I didn't the fall that I started getting sick. Not sure though - my brain leaks info like a sieve lately!! I'll have to ask hubby if he remembers.

[BrianR]

I am sure this has been asked before but...has anyone who has undergone an RTX infusion also been told to stay on CTX up to the day of the infusion? Just curious as this is what Marta has been told. She is to stay on CTX until March 9 and her RTX starts on March 10.

Thanks!

[ArlaMo]

Brian - I asked that question of Dr. Langford yesterday and she told me to continue taking the cytoxan til about 2 days before my first infusion.

[snooz23]

Good luck~ I am much happier w/ RTX than I was on CTX. I also see Dr. Langford and did CTX for just 4 months....was on Imuran for maintenance and had a relapse w/in 3-4 months. My second infusion was in Jan. and just had my follow up scan, blood work--all looking good. Most importantly, I FEEL much better on this. No adverse effects to speak of.

I didn't get NIH1 last year but I did go w/ it this year.....I have never taken a flu shot, etc. in my life, but figured there is no time like now to begin....in the end I feel like the risk of getting infections (I do have 2 small children and work in schools) out weighs the possible what if's....so I went for it.

[pberggren1]

10 months straight of ctx just sounds scary.

[Sangye]

Marta, SO glad for that March 10 infusion!

[aewaustin]

Marta, be sure to let us know how it goes. I also just got the go ahead from Dr. Langford to start RTX last week and am waiting on insurance approval. I did cytoxan in 1992, but thankfully am going to skip that this time and go straight to RTX.

ArlaMo, did you get the infusion yet? How did it go?

Best of luck to both of you!

[Sangye]

Go Marta! Woot! :thumbsup:

[ArlaMo]

ArlaMo, did you get the infusion yet? How did it go?

Still waiting on insurance approval...sigh.

Wishing Marta the very best today!!!

[RCOSSIO]

Could you not go to Cellcept???

[Sangye]

Richard, Cellcept isn't nearly as strong as rtx. It isn't strong enough to induce remission unless someone has very mild disease.

[RCOSSIO]

Sangye I did not know that until you mentioned it in your last thread. BTW..because of your last experience with Cellcept and Dr Seo..I realize that I needed to move quickly and get bloodwork done and schedule the appt. I remember you mentioned that you wanted too but your Doc waited too long.

Anyway thank goodness for this forum and THANK YOU SANGYE :thumbup:

[Sangye]

Oh, that makes me SO happy. I've learned so much from others' experiences on here, too. It's saved me a lot of suffering.

[marta]

Thanks yous guys.

The infusion went off without a hitch. They even managed to get a vein in only two tries. I have very difficult veins (even our local anesthesiologist was trying to get in for more than a half an hour last time I was in the hospital and finally gave up and went into the main vein in the crook of the elbow where they take blood from - cheater). I watched people come and go all day (there were only three or four of us that spent the whole day there) and it was uneventful. Didn't feel anything out of the ordinary during the infusion (except for an itchy throat and tongue for about 2 minutes and just as I was about to tell them it went away). Would have had no problem driving myself home after as well, but I was sportin' my personal assistant (Brian the awesome) and got driven. Since then - two days ago now - I've felt a little extra tired at the end of the day, but nothing significant. My face colour seems to go all funky as the day progresses, but that's something that I'm used to now. I wake up all pink and human looking though - which is kinda new.

I am looking forward to phase 2 of the project and then on with the rebuilding of life.

P.S. I second Richard's motion on "THANK GOODNESS FOR THIS FORUM"

[aewaustin]

Marta that is great news!!! I am still waiting on the insurance part of it, but praying that I can get it through and get the first treatment in the next two weeks. Great to have your experience from a few weeks ahead :)

And another +1 on thank goodness for this forum!!! When I went through this in 1992 I was totally blind, having others that "get it" is just amazing...

[ArlaMo]

Anna - I hope both of our insurance approvals come quickly!! And yay for Marta!!