After Rituxan

onlytoday
onlytoday Member Posts: 609 Member
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
Hi all,

Went to the onc yesterday for a check-in. Finished Rituxan only therapy at the beginning of October, for Stage 4 Marginal Zone. She said that we are keeping the lymphoma at bay for now. New blood work in a month and more blood and a visit in January.

I was hoping for the R word but I need to take what I can get. It's funny, I always have considered myself a very patient person but this darned disease is really pushing me to the limit. Everything feels very open ended with a lot of UNKNOWN. It's just hard.

I keep getting upper resp infections or sinus infections and she did say that is a result of the Rituxan. I also am having a lot of concentration issues but she said that is anxiety. Could be - I'll go with that. Thought that was related to the Rituxan as well.

So onward and upward. All in all I'm a blessed woman. :)


Thanks for listening and always being there. You guys are the best!

Donna

Comments

  • JoanieP
    JoanieP Member Posts: 573
    #2
    Rituxin
    Hi Donna,
    I take anxiety pills (prescribed for restless leg ) and they really help . Also the Onc put nme on Effexor (antidepressant) for feeling warmand cold but that helps great too. Hey I used to blame my forgetfulness on blonde brain, then chemo brain and now I am using Rituxin Maintanence as an excuse. We are blessed. There are so many medicines to keep us in remission. Joanie
  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #3
    JoanieP said:

    Rituxin
    Hi Donna,
    I take anxiety pills (prescribed for restless leg ) and they really help . Also the Onc put nme on Effexor (antidepressant) for feeling warmand cold but that helps great too. Hey I used to blame my forgetfulness on blonde brain, then chemo brain and now I am using Rituxin Maintanence as an excuse. We are blessed. There are so many medicines to keep us in remission. Joanie

    You can take both?
    Hi Joanie,
    May I ask what anti-depressant you are taking? I take 1 Xanax tab at bedtime(0.5mg). I am having severe hot flashes,(all of the time) since being taken off of my hormone pills 2 months ago. I was thinking of asking my doctor about taking Effexor, but worry about taking 2 different types of anti-depressants. Also...does the Effexor make you drowsy or lethargic? I don't want to take something that will add to my fatigue during the daytime hours. I don't have any form of depression and never have... the Xanax was prescribed to help me sleep at night. After my chemo is finished I will also be on Rituxan maintenence..( shot every 3 months) for the next 2 years. If my memory is right, Beth said Effexor really helps with her hot flashes. Thanks for any info you can share with me.
    Love...Sue (FNHL-2-3A-6/10)

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