I am writing this after a super amazing visit with my NEW rheumatologist. I can't explain in words how happy I am with the changeover. She is a wonderful human being, our visit was two hours long and she's trained at the Mayo under Dr. Specks. She is constantly communicating with them and also working on starting a vasculitis clinic in Edmonton. COOOL!!!

She told me that she is concerned about me (the first time I've heard that from my specialist) and is changing my treatment protocol. I will be getting rituximab in the not too distant future and after reading up on it a little, I have one concern. The JC virus. Have any of you that have had rituximab get tested for JCV antibodies? I know the odds are very very low, but I seem to be playing the odds game on the wrong end of the spectrum, so I want to go in taking all possible precautions.

Also, once your B-cells get eradicated and your new baby B's come back within the next year does that mean that you're now susceptible to all the things that you had previously built immunity to, essentially making you a toddler from an immune perspective?

I'm getting it done no matter what, I just want to go in informed and as prepared as possible. Thanks in advance for what I know will be a wealth of information.