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Treatment
Overview > Rituxan Info > What
to expect . . .
Printable Checklist
Last updated: 04/14/2008 . . . and how
to prepare, for your first treatment with Rituxan |
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Preparations:
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Review and print out the Dosage
and Administration Guide for details - Rituxan.com
This will help you to become familiar with the procedure so that you
might ask informed questions and know what to expect.
Also review and print the PDF file prepared by the sponsor for
patients: rituxan.com
pdf |
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Ask questions of
your doctor about specific risk factors you may have such as: |
"Patients requiring close monitoring
during first and all subsequent infusions include those with
pre-existing cardiac and pulmonary conditions, those with prior
clinically significant cardiopulmonary adverse events, and those
with high numbers of circulating malignant cells (<25,000/mm3)
with or without evidence of high tumor burden." Rituxan.com
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Plan to stay most
of the day for the first infusion
- which
should be given very slowly to minimize infusion-related risks. If you
tolerate the first infusion well, you may be done in as little as
three hours after that.
NOTE: It does not appear to make a difference how long it
takes to get the full dose of Rituxan. You can stop one day,
and begin the next, for example.
See Multimodality Therapies and
Optimal Schedule of Antibodies: Rituximab in Lymphoma as an
Example - ssheducationbook.org/cgi/content/full/2005/
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Prepare a thank-you-in-advance
gift, such as
baked goods, for the nursing staff. They work very hard and
appreciate being appreciated. |
| Arrange to have a friend or relative accompany
you, because the therapy can make you drowsy and impact
your ability to drive or observe unusual sensations that should be
reported to the attending nurse.
If you cannot arrange this, post a request to one of the many
online support lists for a patient or caregiver volunteer to
accompany you. See Support
Lists |
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Bring reading
material, or a portable audiotape/CD
player with headphones to help pass the time. |
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Bring snacks, bottled water, and a pillow as well.
Many centers will have snacks and drink available. |
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Be positive!
Most patients have little problem at all. It's common
to experience fatigue for the
remainder of the day, and the next day
as well.
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Monitoring your reactions:
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Talk to the nurse and your doctor about treatment risks and what
they will do to monitor you.
Indicate that you are in no hurry
to complete the infusion and that you will appreciate being monitored
closely, especially the first time. |
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Ask the nurse or doctor about sensations that are to be expected and
what to report immediately. Also refer to the Dosage and Administration
Guide for details.
Dosage
and Administration Guide Rituxan.com |
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Just before treatment, you
may receive
Tylenol
in pill form. |
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You will receive Benadryl to help you tolerate the infusion better. This will make you drowsy. The same IV used to administer the Benadryl will
be used to administer the Rituxan. The Benadryl may cause a temporary
burning sensation. |
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The rate of administering the Rituxan is very slow at the start; it
may be increased when it's determined you are tolerating it well. |
IMPORTANT: Benadryl
helps to decrease reactions, but it also works against being observant. Watching for
and notifying the nurse of changes, such as hives, skin
sensations, and difficulty in breathing - especially when the dose increases
- can help to head off strong adverse reactions.
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Your vitals (temperature and blood
pressure) will be taken and monitored throughout the treatment
session, as often as every 30 minutes. Use this time to
report unusual sensations. |
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Notify the nurse
when you have any unusual
sensations! |
IMPORTANT: When
receiving a treatment is not the time to be stoical and brave.
Report
the sensations you feel. It's much better to pick up on
possible adverse
reactions sooner. The rituxan can be continued later, and more
slowly to overcome problems, and this will not influence the efficacy
of the treatment.
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