All About Rituximab

[Brooke]

Here is me and my round face getting my infusion yesterday! If this picture doesn't show up, I think I give up trying to post pictures, lol!

Attachment 309

[Sangye]

Nothin'

[Brooke]

Not sure what I am doing wrong here.

[Sangye]

How are you posting it? Using "insert image?"

[Brooke]

When I click on reply to thread, there is an insert image button - I have it saved as a jpeg on my desktop, that is how I have been trying it. I see the picture on my message once I upload it, but then once I click post quick reply, it automatically make the picture a link to click on, which for me works to open the picture.

[Sangye]

Try putting your image on a photo hosting site like Flickr. Then copy the code for the pic and paste it into the "Insert Link" button next to the "Insert Image" button. That's how I get the funny pics from LOL cats. Took me forever to figure it out. I dunno why insert image doesn't work.

[Col 23]

Hi Brooke
Im interested in how you go with Rituximab so keep us posted. I love hearing good news stories, so pleased it went well.
Col 23

[Brooke]

I had my second infusion of Rituximab today. Went very well!! I started a little after 9am and was done a little before 2pm so shorter than last time.
Knock on wood, I do not have any side effects! I am feeling great, I was feeling pretty good going into it the first time so I guess we will see how I do once I get to lower my prednisone. I have five more weeks of 20mg pred then I get to taper 15mg for two weeks, then 10mg for two weeks, then 5mg for two weeks, and so on...

[Sangye]

That's great, Brooke. Totally different from my experience after infusions! How much IV pred did they give you before the infusion?

The pred tapering plan you indicated sounds way too fast under 15 mg. Definitely too fast under 10mg. I'm sure others will chime in on that. How long have you been on pred, and what dose did you start on?

[elephant]

Brooke, I chimed in on the prednisone taper. It is too fast, especially since you do have sinus involvement. I was told by my WG Specialist that the sinuses don't like it below 5 mg. So basically we have to taper very slow once you hit 10 mg. I am now tapering 1 mg every 6 weeks. I am now on 9 mg of Prednisone. I will be on 8 mg next week.
In October I was down to 5 mg and my sinus and ears got worse.....so I had to bump it up to 10 mg and I was on that for months....six weeks ago I started with 9 mg.
Hope I made sense.
Brooke, I am so glad you are doing well with the RTX!