Rituxan and then go until you flare

[im so blessed]

Im wondering of the ppl out there doing/ having done rituxan, did any of your drs take this approach? Where you do a round of rituxan and then instead of a 6 month maitenance, you just go until you flare? If so, how many rounds of rituxan before they leave you go? My dr has mixed feelings. She knows its done both ways, but she doesnt really give me a clear answer.

[drz]

Im wondering of the ppl out there doing/ having done rituxan, did any of your drs take this approach? Where you do a round of rituxan and then instead of a 6 month maitenance, you just go until you flare? If so, how many rounds of rituxan before they leave you go? My dr has mixed feelings. She knows its done both ways, but she doesnt really give me a clear answer.

The doctor will often defer to the patient's preference after they discuss the options.

[Pete]

I went 15 months between rtx treatments last time, mainly because my doc at OSU dropped the paperwork ball. Fortunately, I had no ill effects. The plan is to do rtx once a year. I'm going to see if I can get it the Cleveland Clinic's infusion center in Mansfield and get the OSU bureaucracy out of the process.

[MikeG-2012]

I'm on the 2 infusions every six months plan. Last time I had a flare, before I started RTX, I had significant nose and sinus damage. I want to avoid flaring as much as possible!!

Doc is going to continue to prescribe RTX as long it is working to keep me in remission and as long insurance will pay for it.

[nagesh]

my son had remission induction with rituximab 1gm two time in a gap of 15 days,Further he is on maintenance with rituximab 500mg once in six months, which he completed two cycles.

[whatthewhat]

Our daughter is currently on this protocol. She does get labs done every month, and also is on daily imuran. She had a flare in 2014 and had two infusions of Rituxan and three of Cytoxan, ending in January of 2015. December of 2015 she had one infusion of Rituxan and since then she has had nothing. Again, and is is very important, she is extremely vigilant at looking for the first sign a flare is coming.

[mollybluebird]

Three years ago I had my first rituxan infusions. I have been in remission pretty much since. I get checked every three months. When the B-cells start appearing Dr Specks at Mayo Clinic Rochester has me come and get two to four infusions. I have not had any serious side affects from the infusions and they have made a great difference. Methrotrexate that I was on stopped working. I also have had a lot of predisone in past, but not this past year. The infusions were keeping the B-cells gone for about a year until now. It has only been a few months and they are reappearing, so go in next week for a series of two infusions. Little nervous they will stop working as they have been a wonderful help in feeling better.

[im so blessed]

Our daughter is currently on this protocol. She does get labs done every month, and also is on daily imuran. She had a flare in 2014 and had two infusions of Rituxan and three of Cytoxan, ending in January of 2015. December of 2015 she had one infusion of Rituxan and since then she has had nothing. Again, and is is very important, she is extremely vigilant at looking for the first sign a flare is coming. This is very interesting. So even after the rituxan they put her on imuran for maitenence...and save the rituxan for flares. Im sure its a common practice, im just new to the rituxan so i havnt been around the block with it.

[im so blessed]

And thanks to all the other responses! This is very helpful! keep em coming :biggrin1:

[morningsunshine]

And thanks to all the other responses! This is very helpful! keep em coming :biggrin1:

I did this when I first got diagnosed: had 4 doses of rituxan (each dose one week apart), and then went on MTX for maintenance. After 9 months I relapsed, so my doctor took me off the MTX, gave me another 4 doses of RTX and I'm on an every-six-months maintenance dose of RTX now. :-) Hope that helps! I feel like every body reacts slightly differently.

[MikeG-2012]

This is very interesting. So even after the rituxan they put her on imuran for maitenence...and save the rituxan for flares. I'm sure its a common practice, i'm just new to the rituxan so i havnt been around the block with it.

I forgot to add that I am on 150mg of azathioprine a day along with the RTX every six months.

Not that uncommon to still be on a maintenance drug along with RTX.