Rituxin

A question for all of those whom have taken Rituxin.
How soon after did you see it begin to work (if it did for you)? And if it did, did your numbers spike up or were they just a gradual climb? Thank you so much for your input. Anna

Anna, I saw an improvement the day of my fourth infusion. My counts were something like 8, 11, 3, 150 on each infusion day.

Most people do not any rise in counts until 4 to 12 weeks after the first dose. It can take some time and patience. Some people see a spike like I did, or they have a gradual response. Sometimes people never get to normal counts, but they get a partial response that is better than nothing (like counts in the 60's or 70's that last months or a few years).

It seems like the only thing that was bringing up my platelets was IVIG. Now that isn't holding them much. Im 4 weeks out from my last Rituxin treatment and they still fall pretty low.

Anna
Rituxin did not work for me during the 4 weeks that I was given it and I actually had a count of zero on the day of the 4th transfusion. It is hard to say if it had any effect in the 12 weeks after as Sandi has said because by then I had moved onto numerous other treatments where I finally had success with NPlate. I believe that it was NPlate alone that worked for me but maybe it was a combination of the many other drugs that I had received since diagnosis - I guess I will never know.
Robert

Anna, I'm the exception to the rule! I had an increase with my first infusion. And my counts went up over the next 3 weeks. I was actually surprised I had the fourth infusion. That was in 2011 and so far I am still in remission.

I had 4 weekly Rituxin infusions, the last being on 8th Dec 2015 when I too was only at 1. After that I had a 4 day Dexamethasone pulse. No joy so far. I am now back on 75 mg of Eltrombopag but have yet to get above 5. I am aged 68 and am beginning to think that ITP at an older age is a different ball game from ITP in the young.

Cindy, the more I talk with people on different groups you are not the exception. Most people I talk with see results with it right away. wirhing their treatment times. And it is usually with a good increase in numbers. Even my Dr thought it would have "kicked in" by now but is still waiting the longer period. I did have a 3,000 increase from Monday -Wednesday. But honestly I don't think it is the Rituxin for me. I'm so glad it worked for you. Who knows, maybe it still will for me.

Anna,

My wife, Ellen, has had a partial response requiring no further treatment since her Rituxan treatment in August of 2014. Her platelets are currently in the 50s. She had an initial surge in platelets, but we attribute that to other treatment given at the same time. After the surge, her counts dropped into the 20s before slowly climbing over roughly 8 weeks to safer levels, bouncing around for a while after that, then settling in the 50s.

Seemingly quick responses are often due to IVIG or steroids being given at the same time as Rituxan. On this website I have seen highly variable times to respond, and 12 weeks is not rare, but the more time passes the less likely a response will be. Anecdotally, it may be the case that a slower response may precede a weaker response, but as in Ellen's case, a partial response can still be a blessing.

Mine like your wife's have fallen during the whole treatment period, only coming up with IVIG. Now that seems to not to work so well any longer which is a bit scary. Currently they are at 23 but I do go for more blood work tomorrow morning. 01/07 count was 15 so I had IVIG. 01/11 count still 15. 1/13 was 14.. Had IVIG that day and it took it to 29 on 1/15. 1/18 count was back to 20... Then on 1/20 it had gone to 23. Just so unpredictable. Such a big waiting game from one blood draw to the next.
So glad your wife is doing ok! ☺️

Rob16 wrote: Seemingly quick responses are often due to IVIG or steroids being given at the same time as Rituxan. On this website I have seen highly variable times to respond, and 12 weeks is not rare, but the more time passes the less likely a response will be.

Agree 100%!