Ritux and vaccinations

Did any of you who've had Ritux have to obtain certain vaccinations prior to treatment being that Ritux compromises your immune system?

Yes. I got another tetanus, a meningitis and Pneumonia.

She also mentioned they are good to have in case we need to eventually take out my spleen. Reassuring I know.

Kathy

No. The only thing I had to do was Dex 3 days before my Rituxan treatment. I was supposed to get some vaccines before my splenectomy, but didn't get them until after.

Please excuse my ignorance but what is Dex? Also, how did you feel the next day after your first and consecutive Ritux treatments? Were you able to return to work the next day?

dexamethasone, or Dex is a steroid often used. It's horrible stuff, but works. at least for a while.
I am 6 days out from my last treatment of Rituxan. You should be able to return to work the next day. I was tired after, but you will get benedryl directly in your veins so there is that as well, so plan on taking it easy that night. It's hard to say if anything I went through was the Ritux and not the Dex or other meds. But for me I was just a bit off. Not totally myself but not to the point where I couldn't function mostly normally. You may feel slightly flu like. just a bit ache and "off" . "Off" is really the best description. Just not myself. The next day and the day after were my "low" days. Then I would bound back and start again. If this puts me in remission then I would consider it a rather easy treatment all things considered. You know something is happening but it isn't like other chemo's where you are really sick after. Good luck!
Here for any questions or just to vent to someone who gets it.

Kathy

Jahel - I don't think that many people get vaccines prior to Rituxan. I didn't. As far as returning to work the following day, I did and was fine.