Has anyone heard of Chemo Rituxan?

My wife is to have her chemo start next Thursday the 12th and the Dr is going to use Rituxan. Has anyone been treated using this and if so what was the side effects?

On Nov 06, 2009 3:09 PM Grog1 wrote:

My wife is to have her chemo start next Thursday the 12th and the Dr is going to use Rituxan. Has anyone been treated using this and if so what was the side effects?

Hi!

I was treated with Rituxan along with CHOP for stage 3 large b-diffuse cell non-hodgkins lymphoma late last year through April 2009.  The first round of Rituxan was administered in the hospital and for me it was un-nerving so please be sure you go with your wife.  It actually took a few hours to get the entire treament and half way through it I developed rigors (uncontrollable/severve chills) so I was glad I was in the hospital as they were able to prescribe me somthing to stop from shaking.  This part was the scariest part for my husband who couldn't help me.  Lucikly it was short-lived.  I was told it was a common side effect.  Having encountered the rigors during the first treatment helped my oncologist and his nurses determine how to administer the Rituxan in the future.

Have your wife bring a book or magazine to read, wear really comfortable clothes and socks and go into it knowing that the Rituxan will help.

I was officially went into remission in August 2009 after 8 rounds of R-CHOP.  I'm 37 now, but was diagnosed last year and God-willing, I will be on track to run my Half-Marathon May 2010.

Thanks for reply jpelieenjack.

My wife autoimmune system is attacking her red blood cell and bone marrow is becoming deformed. The Rituxan is attempt to shut down the parts of her immune system that is attacking her. She was Dx with early form of CMML on Oct 5 09 after bone marrow biopsy and several rounds of blood workups. Her platelet or 40000 after dropping to 34000. I'm so scared for her and after reading about this stuff became even more afraid. I'm happy that you our in remission. We have just started down this road.

Love Gene and Joy

Oh puppy is Daisy she was 16 weeks old in picture we got her right after wife was Dx. She is a boxer and is now 21 weeks old now. She loves to eat and tear up wifes flowers and tip over the planters.

You are welcome.   Feel free to ask as many questions  or share as much information as you want to share.  I forgot to mention that you should bring some snacks for both you and Joy.  Depending on how she responds to the treatment you can be there for over 5 hours.  I was admitted at 3:00pm and left at 2:00am.  It was a LONG night.  Also, make sure that Joy is well hydrated before her first treatment.  I was so nervous and dehydrated that they had a hard time putting an IV in.  After blowing 4 veins, they finally started.  Hang in there!  The first one is the hardest and then it is smooth sailing after that.

Eileen

Daisy is adorable.  Are puppies amazing to watch?  There is just something so innocent and happy about puppies.  That is my Jack that is in the picture with me.  He has been a God-send through my ordeal.  After each treatment Jack was stuck to me like glue, that is after he sniffed me for a good hour and a half to make sure it was still me.  The vet and my oncologist said that dogs can smell the chemo drugs so Daisy will likely be very alert to Joy's "new" scent.  Also, after I lost my hair, Jack started licking my head when I took naps like I was a giant lollipop.

Eileen 

Hi Grog1   When I was diagnosed with nonn Hodgkin's in early 2004 the oncologist I saw recommended rituxan/chop but I opted instead to take an alternative path.   The medical doctor I then saw specializes in treating cancer patients with intravenous vitamin C, supplements, diet, etc. 

I would never try to influence anyone from taking the advice of their doctors but perhaps if you find the following information has merit you might like to present it to your wife's oncologists for their consideration.

http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/abstract/22/2/118

http://integrativemed.kumc.edu/ivvitaminc.htm

http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/Lymphoma/1733

http://www.bcrionline.org/articles/89023203.pdf

I hope you wil keep us posted as to her progress.

On Nov 07, 2009 9:30 PM Shemay wrote:

Hi Grog1   When I was diagnosed with nonn Hodgkin's in early 2004 the oncologist I saw recommended rituxan/chop but I opted instead to take an alternative path.   The medical doctor I then saw specializes in treating cancer patients with intravenous vitamin C, supplements, diet, etc. 

I would never try to influence anyone from taking the advice of their doctors but perhaps if you find the following information has merit you might like to present it to your wife's oncologists for their consideration.

http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/abstract/22/2/118 "" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/abstract/22/2/118 " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/abstract/22/2/118

 

http://integrativemed.kumc.edu/ivvitaminc.htm "" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://integrativemed.kumc.edu/ivvitaminc.htm " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://integrativemed.kumc.edu/ivvitaminc.htm

 

http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/Lymphoma/1733 "" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/Lymphoma/1733 target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/Lymphoma/1733

 

http://www.bcrionline.org/articles/89023203.pdf "" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.bcrionline.org/articles/89023203.pdf " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.bcrionline.org/articles/89023203.pdf

I hope you wil keep us posted as to her progress.

Hi Sheila this is really good post, I got a lot out of it, and the links you posted. I went into some of the links, and  read about those two woman, who went in to compleat remishion, and I was impress that they stayed that way even after three years. I was once told that antoxidents exspesily Vitamin C, was not a good  thing to take if one on chemo. But these links say different,

 I have heard of Chemo RituxanI know Rituxan is the trade name for rituximab. health care professionals some times  use the trade name rituxan when referring to the generic drug name rituximab.I dont belive  Rituximab should be called  a chemo drug as it realy a monoclonal antibody it mostly use as a treatment for certain types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. reading the Links you posted I wonder if this mix can be use with other cancer like mine All the best Randall

I just did a search for Rituximab and found this site.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150657.php

This makes me wonder if wife should be treated with it.

Wife took copy of artical that I linked to and showed it to her Dr. Wife said she was not welling to use this stuff. So she has a meeting on the 19th with Dr. to go over other meds that can be used.