Ritixumab - Side effects!!!

[gwenllian111]

Hi guys

Had another Ritix infusion last week, and ever since have felt quite poorly, but getting worse all the time. I've been feeling faint, seeing black spots in my vision, loss of appetite, chest pains, and since yesterday, stomach pains, like the glands in my stomach are up, and quite painful.

And I found this about Ritix side effects online;


Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

• stomach area pain
• unusual bruising or bleeding
• sore throat, fever, chills, or other signs of infection
• chest tightness
• joint pain or soreness

I have all these symptoms! Why are these symptoms so particularly important, what complications do they point towards?

I feel rubbish anyway.

I had my bloods done at the hospital today (didn't see a doctor, I was just told to have my bloods done this week as I was neutropenic last week).

I don't know how much longer I can put up with feeling like this for. I'm really struggling now.

Hope you guys are all OK

xx

[elephant]

Gwen, did you tell your doctor. Having chest pain means a trip to the emergency room. Don't ignore these symtoms, need to get to a doctor soon. Call now!

[gwenllian111]

it's more of a chest infection type pain than what i would imagine a 'heart attack' pain to feel like though. but my stomach pain is awful, feel quite fluei[sp?]
sorry for the big moan i don't know who else to talk to when i get like this :-(

[elephant]

Gwen, I am glad you are talking about this. Did you call your doctor?

[gwenllian111]

It's early evening here now, so i've rang the out of hours GP service, hoping to see a GP later on tonight. I probably just need some anti biotics.
But, since being on line, i've read up about the warnings of taking ritiximab - some of it is not good!!!! Shocking stuff, lol.

How are things going with you?

[elephant]

Things are going pretty good. Sorry Gwen that it is night time, I forgot about the time difference. I hope you see your doctors soon. Thank goodness you looked it up " the side effects" and who knows it could be something else. As a RN we always told our patients, " Any sign of chest pain they have to be seen immediately". Like you said it could be infection, but it could be a reaction to the medicine. I hope you get some relief soon. You have been through enough.

[Sangye]

Gwen, I just saw this. Please call your doc asap in the morning. The most likely thing is infection acquired by being neutropenic and then receiving rtx. It could easily become pneumonia if it isn't already.

[jola57]

Yes Gwen, you are ripe for a bad infection so let us know what happened at the docs. Hope he gave you double antibiotics.

[gwenllian111]

Well, I went to the go about anhour after my las
t post, ang got admitted to hospital with barrier nursing. High temp,
vomiting etc. I'm on iv broad spectrum anti biotics but if I'm
honest I feel worse than ever. Oh well it's the best place to be
so I'm told :-). I'm missing my daughters fifth birthday whichis horrible.
Just had arterial stab and waiting for the results as myblood ox is low
and there was talk that I may have a fungal lung infection, lord only
knows x

[Sangye]

I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through! I'm glad you didn't wait to get to the doc, though. I hope they do a sputum culture if you're coughing up anything to test. Hugging you from far away, sweetie. Hang in there!