Rituximab Injection Side Effects

[Priscilla]

I have had Rituximab infusions – a series of infusions for 4 days in a row.  They have been a miracle and I am off all other medications, and symptom free.  I am able to go more than two years between infusions.  The first two times I had Rituximab with no side effects.  The last time, I had a generic and I began to have a mild allergic reaction on day 2 – itchy palms, throat and underarms – so the rate of the infusion had to be slowed way down during infusion day #3.  I had no side effects during infusion day #4.  I drive myself to my treatments and am able to go shopping or run errands afterwards.

[Jennie Morris]

Low blood pressure during and after infusions. 2 days of diarrhea, fever and chills. Severe dryness on my skin and my eyes. My eyesight diminishes because my eyes do not tear. I have tear duct plugs, prescription drops for dry eyes, use overnight ointment but my eyes are still too dry to drive as my sight isn’t good enough. Although my doctors say it’s not a side effect, I took a break from Rituximab and my eyesight fully returned and all my dryness went away.

[Fred Besthorn]

I had similar serious  eye issues after rituximab infusion.  Issues began just weeks after first loading dose. Eyes became exceedingly dry, inflamed, blood shot, blurry vision, some loss of visual acuity, gummy discharge, etc.  It has been just miserable. Of course the eye side effects makes the ptosis even worse. It has gotten so bad that I have become almost non-functional visually except when wearing my crutch glasses which allows me to see for a few hours each day. Neurologist passes eye issues off as just part of my MG flair-up, but reluctantly scheduled me with a neuro opthamologist who I’m not able to get in to see for another two months. This eye condition is slowly getting better after nearly five months of struggling with it. I get so tired of neurologist seemingly always pushing a new med and then being unwilling to acknowledge that the side effects are not due to your body’s reaction to the new drug but simply a manifestation of ones MG.  I am due for next loading dose in June but will not continue with Rituxamab.

[Starlet Culp]

I had my first Rituxan infusions in September 2022. I had the infusions on the 4 Tuesdays of the month. I experienced itchy skin and the rate was slowed considerably. i had no other side effects at that time.

My 2nd round of Rituxan infusions are being given this month on Tuesdays again. My 1st infusion went fine. No side effects. My next infusion I received a syringe of Benadryl just like i always do. I immediately got very sleepy and slept soundly in the chair for nearly 3 hours. What was most troubling was that night I couldn’t fall asleep until 5 am. Yesterdays infusion I wasn’t affected by Benadryl yet I was only able to sleep a few hours last night.

I also experience more fatigue than normal as well as cheers.

[Julie]

I just had my 1st infusion 2 weeks ago. I’ve had severe constipation since. Even with an increase to 3 capfuls of Miralax, Mestinon all day long, more smoothies less food and aggressive bowel massage twice a day. I had xrays today and no sign of an obstruction but huge concern that the 2nd infusion due now is going to make things worse. It’s being put on hold until I see my GI doctor. This is hugely frustrating because I have other autoimmune conditions that we were hoping to cover with the Rituxan.  I could handle some constipation but the threat of an obstruction is scary.

Julie

[Marvin Yudenfreund]

I received Retuxan (each treatment consisted of two infusions a week apart) at 6 month intervals for a couple of years, and now as needed.  No discernable side effects.  It works great for me, along with a 3X/d dose of Mestinon.  Because it is highly immunosuppressive, I took a 6 month hiatus from it to get my immune system to the point where the Covid vaccines would be effective.  A positive Covid titer 2 weeks after completing my first vaccine treatment was positive.