NHL: ALLERGIC TO RITUXIMAB

michelle ex-NHL
michelle ex-NHL Member Posts: 9
in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
Good morning! New here :)

I was diagnosed with NHL last year, November and by God's grace, my tumors shrank after 6 chemo and 18 RT BUT WITHOUT RITUXIMAB, was allergic. Anyone with the same case? I want to know if there is a higher chance of recurrence?

Comments

  • forme
    forme Member Posts: 1,161 Member
    #2
    Welcome
    Hi Michelle,

    I have not had Rituximab, but wanted to say welcome to our group. You will find great support and great friends here.

    I am sure others will answer your post soon.

    Lisha
  • michelle ex-NHL
    michelle ex-NHL Member Posts: 9
    #3
    forme said:

    Welcome
    Hi Michelle,

    I have not had Rituximab, but wanted to say welcome to our group. You will find great support and great friends here.

    I am sure others will answer your post soon.

    Lisha

    Hi Lisha! :)
    Sorry, I'm new...thank you Lisha! Are you also NHL or former NHL patient? No rituximab and you totally recovered? :)
  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #4
    Welcome...
    Hi Michelle,
    Welcome to the group! I am not allergic to the Rituximab(Rituxan), so I cannot help you with your question. I do know that we have a couple of folks that recovered from NHL without using Rituxan...hopefully they will respond and help you out. I have Follicular NHL-stage3, and currently doing the 2 year maint program using Rituxan. I have 4 more rounds..(infusion, every other month)and will be finished in Feb 2013. Keep the faith and stay as positive as possible. Best wishes...Sue (FNHL-2-3a-6/10)
    P.S I love your picture...you look like such a happy person! :)
  • onlytoday
    onlytoday Member Posts: 609 Member
    #5
    Rituxan
    Hi,

    Welcome! I was originally dx in May 2010. Marginal Zone NHL, stage iv. Was treated with Rituxan but ended up with a severe allergic reaction. So now I am being treated with Treanda only. My doc is considering using Ofatumumab (human monoclonal antibody)with the chemo. I haven't read any reports to suggest that using an antibody such as Rituxan or Ofatumumab decreases the chance of recurrence. I know that my doctor likes using the antibody with the chemo because it is a more direct hit to the cells. So I know she feels that it causes less collateral damage.

    Hope that helps. Best of luck to you! Great people on this sight- hope you stay with us!

    Hugs,
    Donna
  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #6
    michelle ex-NHL said:

    Hi Lisha! :)
    Sorry, I'm new...thank you Lisha! Are you also NHL or former NHL patient? No rituximab and you totally recovered? :)

    Rituxan

    Rituxan is a (relatively) new drug, at least compared to the combination chemotherapies (chop, epoch, Mopp, abvd). Therefore, most of the chemotherapy cures of lymphoma in the past have been without rituxan. While it is helpful, there should be no dispare of your inability to use it. Best of luck with the medicines you are receiving.

    max
  • michelle ex-NHL
    michelle ex-NHL Member Posts: 9
    #7
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Rituxan

    Rituxan is a (relatively) new drug, at least compared to the combination chemotherapies (chop, epoch, Mopp, abvd). Therefore, most of the chemotherapy cures of lymphoma in the past have been without rituxan. While it is helpful, there should be no dispare of your inability to use it. Best of luck with the medicines you are receiving.

    max

    THANK YOU!
    Hi Max, thank you so much for the info, such a relief! :)
  • michelle ex-NHL
    michelle ex-NHL Member Posts: 9
    #8
    allmost60 said:

    Welcome...
    Hi Michelle,
    Welcome to the group! I am not allergic to the Rituximab(Rituxan), so I cannot help you with your question. I do know that we have a couple of folks that recovered from NHL without using Rituxan...hopefully they will respond and help you out. I have Follicular NHL-stage3, and currently doing the 2 year maint program using Rituxan. I have 4 more rounds..(infusion, every other month)and will be finished in Feb 2013. Keep the faith and stay as positive as possible. Best wishes...Sue (FNHL-2-3a-6/10)
    P.S I love your picture...you look like such a happy person! :)

    THANK YOU!
    Hi! Wow... a 2 year maintenance program using rituxan? How are you now? I'm sure treatments are just a phase, you'll recover soon! :)

    I am a very positive happy person, thank you. Although the side effects of chemo and radiation really stresses me physically, muscle pains are overwhelming sometimes but I'm okay. Will pray for your recovery! THANK YOU! :)
  • michelle ex-NHL
    michelle ex-NHL Member Posts: 9
    #9
    onlytoday said:

    Rituxan
    Hi,

    Welcome! I was originally dx in May 2010. Marginal Zone NHL, stage iv. Was treated with Rituxan but ended up with a severe allergic reaction. So now I am being treated with Treanda only. My doc is considering using Ofatumumab (human monoclonal antibody)with the chemo. I haven't read any reports to suggest that using an antibody such as Rituxan or Ofatumumab decreases the chance of recurrence. I know that my doctor likes using the antibody with the chemo because it is a more direct hit to the cells. So I know she feels that it causes less collateral damage.

    Hope that helps. Best of luck to you! Great people on this sight- hope you stay with us!

    Hugs,
    Donna

    THANK YOU
    I was also allergic, few drops of rituxan gave me chills and I also had inflammation of throat...it almost closed :(

    I do hope you're okay and you'll be in my prayers!

    Thanks for the info!! :)
  • miss maggie
    miss maggie Member Posts: 929
    #10
    Hello
    Hi Michelle,

    I welcome you to our site. I am so sorry you have to be here.

    I was treated with Rituxan only and had no reaction. As you can see, there are others
    who were allergic also, and are doing quite well.

    I found this site in 2010. I am pleased to say, I have learned so much and still learning.
    I just read Donna's response to you. Donna mentioned an anti-body named Ofatumumab, which I never heard of. See, stil learning. I will do some research and check it out. Thank you
    Donna.

    I was happy to read your treatment shrunk your tumors.

    God Bless. Maggie
  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #11
    michelle ex-NHL said:

    THANK YOU!
    Hi! Wow... a 2 year maintenance program using rituxan? How are you now? I'm sure treatments are just a phase, you'll recover soon! :)

    I am a very positive happy person, thank you. Although the side effects of chemo and radiation really stresses me physically, muscle pains are overwhelming sometimes but I'm okay. Will pray for your recovery! THANK YOU! :)

    Doing pretty good...
    Hi Michelle,
    I feel pretty good 90% of the time. The only thing I'm not happy with is not getting all of my energy back since finishing chemo. I ended my last round of chemo(CVP-R) in Jan of 2011 and then the following month started my bi-monthly Rituxan infusions. I think once my Rituxan maint is finished and I'm not being pumped with "any" drugs, maybe, just maybe, my energy level will improve. I also have some muscle pain in my shoulders, lower back and some joint pain in my knees, but nothing so severe to require taking pain meds. I'll be 62 in September, so maybe my aches and pains are more related to growing older...not exactly a spring chick anymore...ha! My last scan in April was good and my condition is considered stable, so I feel blessed. Best wishes...Sue
    (Follicular NHL-stage3-grade2-typeA-dx 6/10-stable)
  • catwink22
    catwink22 Member Posts: 281
    #12
    michelle ex-NHL said:

    THANK YOU
    I was also allergic, few drops of rituxan gave me chills and I also had inflammation of throat...it almost closed :(

    I do hope you're okay and you'll be in my prayers!

    Thanks for the info!! :)

    Hi Michelle,

    I was diagnosed with Follicular NHL stage 3 and was treated with Rituxan only, no other chemo drugs. I had a similar reaction to the Rituxan with my first infusion. Bad shakes and throat swelling, I was given Demerol and the drip was stopped for about an hour until the effects went away. It was restarted at the slowest drip and I had no further problems.

    On my next infusion they increased the dose of Benadryl and Tylenol and I had NO reaction.

    I was in treatment for 2 years, receiving Rituxan every 6 months, once a week for 4 weeks. My last infusion was November 2011. The NHL was in all my lymph nodes and a spot on my hip, my last scan was clear.

    Did your docs give you the pre-meds? (Usually Benadryl, Pepsid, Tylenol & a steroid - I was given Decadron). I just want to let you know that even though I had an initial reaction, I was able to continue receiving Rituxan.

    Best of Luck to you with your treatment!
    Cat
  • michelle ex-NHL
    michelle ex-NHL Member Posts: 9
    #13
    allmost60 said:

    Welcome...
    Hi Michelle,
    Welcome to the group! I am not allergic to the Rituximab(Rituxan), so I cannot help you with your question. I do know that we have a couple of folks that recovered from NHL without using Rituxan...hopefully they will respond and help you out. I have Follicular NHL-stage3, and currently doing the 2 year maint program using Rituxan. I have 4 more rounds..(infusion, every other month)and will be finished in Feb 2013. Keep the faith and stay as positive as possible. Best wishes...Sue (FNHL-2-3a-6/10)
    P.S I love your picture...you look like such a happy person! :)

    Thank you so much :)

    Thank you so much :)

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