Rituxan

[Green Grass & High Tides]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18364720
Cytoxan info on fertility

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[Birdie]

Thanks everyone am feeling a bit better about all of it. I did have one more question, does anyone know if it's possible to get pregnant after being on all these? Have been on cytoxan, imuran, and retuxin, but me and my fiancé have been wondering about it.

I have no input regarding fertility, but it's cool that life is going well enough for you to consider it.

[debra]

Lily, hi. Fertility has been talked about on here, I remember seeing it a few years back. So if u do a search on here. Also I believe Carrie G? Not sure about the g? But she's a member and if u search under her u may get some information... Best of luck to you both!!! Deb.

[Pete]

Found this info regarding fertility and rituximab: Rituximab (Mabthera) | Cancer Research UK

Probably not the news you want, but...

[debra]

Lily,hi. I remember I'm pretty sure Carrie C,not G. Dont know how that would effect you're search. Then again,if u just search fertility it would come up,I would imagine... Deb.

[wegme]

I was on Rituxan a little over a year ago. I went to the ER the other day, and the rheumatologist the doctor was talking to mentioned that as a long term treatment. My fiancé went online as soon as he heard and from what he found in the studies it's not good. Should I be worried, or just wait it out till I actually talk to the doctors myself?

Find a rheumatologist that treats people with wegeners. Not all do. I found 3 in a row that had never had a patient before. Finally I found one at a university hospital 2.5 hours away. Don't be afraid to ask them about their experience in treating wegeners. Once you find one, then use them to manage your care. Learn all you can and ask questions. I think it is very likely that you can still be reproductive, it is just a matter of getting the right experts to work on it. So don't despair until you are sure.

[loisann11]

I had pneumonia and was suspected of GPA over 2012 Holiday season. I was officially diagnosed and treated Easter of 2013. I had more problems at Easter and went back to hospital now with kidney involvement and lung issues. At least they could do biopsy to make sure it was GPA. I had Rituxin and all the Prednisone etc. to clear it up. I have been using Rituxin for maintenance every 6 months. It is time again but I just don't know what lab work to look at to know if I need to. With 2 major organs already having been involved I am high risk of having more problems. Most of the time I feel fine for my age, 65 with all the normal aches and pains, so I don't know how to tell what counts anymore as symptoms or just normal. Anyone else with similar story?

[Lily0303]

I had pneumonia and was suspected of GPA over 2012 Holiday season. I was officially diagnosed and treated Easter of 2013. I had more problems at Easter and went back to hospital now with kidney involvement and lung issues. At least they could do biopsy to make sure it was GPA. I had Rituxin and all the Prednisone etc. to clear it up. I have been using Rituxin for maintenance every 6 months. It is time again but I just don't know what lab work to look at to know if I need to. With 2 major organs already having been involved I am high risk of having more problems. Most of the time I feel fine for my age, 65 with all the normal aches and pains, so I don't know how to tell what counts anymore as symptoms or just normal. Anyone else with similar story?

When i am having a flare up usually it starts with rash on my legs that looks kind of like chicken pox, then comes the joint pain and problems breathing. Best way it to have them do a full panel of blood work when diagnosed they shoild have told you where they prefer your white cell count to be. A higher count usually means trouble is brewing. Hope this helps a little

[annekat]

Loisann, I don't get rashes on my legs and only a few red spots on my arms. Everyone is a little different. For me, the telltale signs of a flare are night sweats, feverish feeling, increased mucus production, rarely joint pain although I did have it before initial treatment. Lily is right about the WBC count, and also in lab work, you need to look at inflammation markers such as CRP and SED rate, and also creatinine level for your kidneys, and protein or blood in urine. If you can get copies of your lab work, you should, and it will tell you what the normal ranges are. Sometimes symptoms and lab results don't coincide perfectly, and docs sometimes let things slide that are just a little off the norm. If you just recently had problems that sent you to the hospital, my intuition would be to go ahead and get another RTX infusion.

[wegme]

I had pneumonia and was suspected of GPA over 2012 Holiday season. I was officially diagnosed and treated Easter of 2013. I had more problems at Easter and went back to hospital now with kidney involvement and lung issues. At least they could do biopsy to make sure it was GPA. I had Rituxin and all the Prednisone etc. to clear it up. I have been using Rituxin for maintenance every 6 months. It is time again but I just don't know what lab work to look at to know if I need to. With 2 major organs already having been involved I am high risk of having more problems. Most of the time I feel fine for my age, 65 with all the normal aches and pains, so I don't know how to tell what counts anymore as symptoms or just normal. Anyone else with similar story?

Here is my advice, go ahead and have the rituxan treatment every 6 months whether you think you are having symptoms or not. While it is good to look your lab work, the point of maintenance treatments is to keep from having another flare up. Good luck.