Update on the Rituxan

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Duckie - 03 Jun 2005 22:36 GMT

Saw my RD today and he confirmed what I knew, that for
me, my joints are swollen. What he told me about
Rituxan is hopeful. That is takes a while to kill off
all the floating B cells which the Rituxan kills. He
says that it is not typical to see results so quickly
as did the lady that was getting the same dose and was
on the same schedule. He says that he expects me to see
some improvement in about 3 months. In the meantime, we
are going to give in *sigh* and do a pred pulse to try
to gain control over this long time flare. And we
agreed that I should pulse up again if needed while
floating down the Rogue. I am getting my left knee
injected a few days before we fly to Oregon. He asked
if I wanted it today and I said no - don't want to peak
to soon. He laughed and said he was okay with that.
So for those of you that were discouraged over my
Rituxan response - I guess the fat lady has not yet
sung. :) I must say, if the stuff does actually kick
in, it will be so much better than having daily
medications or even bi-monthly ones. Hope is still alive.
Duckie

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Karen P - 04 Jun 2005 00:10 GMT

Where are you on your Remicade cycle? I'm just wondering if maybe you'll
see a better response with that next dose.
Still keeping my fingers crossed for you

Karen

> Saw my RD today and he confirmed what I knew, that for me, my joints are
> swollen. What he told me about Rituxan is hopeful. That is takes a while
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> or even bi-monthly ones. Hope is still alive.
> Duckie

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Duckie - 04 Jun 2005 17:52 GMT

I had my Remicade on Wednesday and my hands show a bit
more mobility and strength but the minimal swelling I
have was still there on Friday when I had my
appointment with my RD. BTW, the amount of swelling I
get is very minor looking and takes a really great RD
to locate it by touch. It has a slightly reddish
coloration in a tiny spot that might be mistaken for a
shadow. It is part of the problem of why I never got
diagnosed for those 15 years.
Duckie

> Where are you on your Remicade cycle? I'm just wondering if maybe you'll
> see a better response with that next dose.
> Still keeping my fingers crossed for you
>
> Karen

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Harvey R. Stone - 04 Jun 2005 01:49 GMT

Hope is still alive.

> Duckie

Thanks Duckie...... Prednisone and the new stuff. None of the older DMARDs
you have taken?
Harv

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Duckie - 04 Jun 2005 17:52 GMT

On still on everything Harv. My RD is letting me go
where no man has gone before.... lol
Remicade, Arava, Feldene, prednisone and Rituxan
And then there are all the other drugs I take for
everything else that is wrong with me. lol
Duckie

> Hope is still alive.
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> you have taken?
> Harv

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Harvey R. Stone - 05 Jun 2005 01:51 GMT

> On still on everything Harv. My RD is letting me go where no man has gone
> before.... lol
> Remicade, Arava, Feldene, prednisone and Rituxan
> And then there are all the other drugs I take for everything else that is
> wrong with me. lol
> Duckie

Wow,,,, that is a lot of medicine. LOL Your insurance company sent you
any love letters lately????
Huh,,, any lately?? LOLOOL I wish I could be like you but I break out in
rashes and hives when I take too much medicine. Please do not ask me how
much is too much or which medicines do the trick on me,,, I just do not
know..... I can tell you what I do know. I asked my drugstore guy how
many times I have filled my TB medicine and he said,,,, with this one,,,
7....
My RD said that from my X rays and CT scan,,,, 6 months would be enough...
This stuff raises my blood pressure,,, my sugar readings and I do not know
what else... My lung doctor does not know it but my up coming appointment
is going to be my last for this. I may have to see him if my RA lung gets
worse and/or my oxygen level gets worse. When you think about it, when
your lungs are gone, they are gone and the doctor can not do much about
that. I think that the best thing I can do is control my RA as best as I
can.
I really want to see you dropping these medicines one by one because this
new one is doing so well. We shall see and talk about it here. Please be
cool with this buying and selling of houses. Stress is not our friend.

Harv

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Mary Z - 05 Jun 2005 22:52 GMT

>On still on everything Harv. My RD is letting me go
>where no man has gone before.... lol

I mentioned the combo to my RD and he was surprised since there is no
protocol for it. He did say the combo made sense. Well I hope you
are feeling better for your trip west, if not prednisone can be your
friend, but I hope it turns around. -- mz

Visit my website:
http://www.mzuschlag.com

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Duckie - 06 Jun 2005 21:17 GMT

Yep the 'no protocol' is what was worrying my RD but he
saw no sense in stopping things that were still working
and I was not having reactions to.[ignore the
preposition there]. Glad your RD approved. :) I just
love good RD's. Got mine thinking on a good replacement
for me in CA.
Duckie

>>On still on everything Harv. My RD is letting me go
>>where no man has gone before.... lol
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Visit my website:
> http://www.mzuschlag.com

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d'huit - 04 Jun 2005 07:45 GMT

<smile> that there is indeed hope is nice to hear. that your rd has
expectations for your improvement is even better to hear! i think he's
right about you, duckie. in the meantime, forget about the fat lady singing
and just take it one day at a time, sweetie.

kate

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