Orencia vs Rituxan
 | Orencia |  | Rituxan |  |
| This medication is used alone or with other medications (e.g., methotrexate) to treat rheumatoid arthritis, a condition in which the body's own defense system (immune system) attacks the healthy tissues around the joints. It is usually used when other medications for rheumatoid arthritis are not successful in controlling the disease. Abatacept helps slow joint damage and reduce the joint pain/swelling so you can move better. It works by weakening your immune system and decreasing swelling (inflammation). | Rituximab is used alone or with other medications to treat certain types of cancer (e.g., non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). It is a type of medication called a monoclonal antibody. It works by attaching to certain blood cells from your immune system (B cells) and killing them. It is also used with other monoclonal antibodies and radioactive drugs to treat certain cancers. Rituximab is also used with methotrexate to treat moderate-to-severe forms of rheumatoid arthritis. It is usually used for arthritis only after other medications have not worked. It can decrease joint pain and swelling. It is also used to treat certain types of blood vessel disease (such as Wegener's granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis). | |||
Alternatives
Reviews
| Add Orencia review Have had RA for more than 20 years but since menopause it became much worse. Have used Enbrel and Humara Methotraxate etc. Methotraxate created liver issues and Enbrel worked well for more than 5 years. Orencia IV worked great for 2 years; the shots did not work. Now it is no longer working so we are going to a different drug hoping something else will work. I have been battling with this for about 10 years now..this has been the best product I have used. I also don't like the weight gain..but it's nice to not be swollen and in pain all the time. I still have flair ups, but it's well worth it. | Add Rituxan review I am a 49 year old female who was diagnosed ten years ago with RA, Fibromyalgia, and Sjogren's disease. I also have type II diabetes,and high blood pressure. I had to quit my job as a teacher because of my conditions. I have been on disability for two years. I recently took two infusions of Rituxan two weeks apart. Each time, I took Benadryl and aspirin before the IV. The only side effect that I experienced was that my blood sugar went really high. My starting sugar was 170, by the end of the infusion it was up to 372. The second time, we didn't take a before reading, but my ending sugar was 575. Both times I took extra insulin and it went back to normal in about a day. I don't feel remarkably different. I am still experiencing pain in my wrists, hands and fingers, but my feet seem a little better. I take Lyrica and Cymbalta and Opana for pain daily. I still am experiencing bouts of severe fatigue, sleeping 15 or more hours a day usually for 2-3 days in a row. Rarely do I feel well--good days are few and far between. I have very little energy to do anything. I have had a few headaches since the infusion. I will not take any more Rituxan for six months. I was expecting more -- and I am surprised that I didn't have any major side effects, but I didn't have any major improvements either. Maybe it will kick in later, but it seems to me that if it was going to do anything for me, it would have done it by now. I don't know what I think about getting another infusion in six months. I have been on all the DMARDS and biologics; I was one one of the first people in my hospital to use Actemra and I tried and rejected Zeljanz before they even got their commercial on TV!! There aren't any more drugs for me to try unless some new ones get approved. I am scared to know what all of these drugs have done to my body. unfortunately as I also have 2 have many PT/Inr checks due 2 the usual suspect of using Coumadin 4 some close 2 now near 50 yrs., my arm is overly sensitive 2 being punctured so the Infusion process i not e-z 4 me, period 2nd I found that after my 1st infusion round, my hair began 2 become very curly vs. my usual very straight, near boringly straight hair but not now as it's nearly uncontrolable with curls/twirls etc. & short term the Rituxan gives relief from the RA, but not long term but shorter term it's seems great at first blush, as they say sp O m ok with it tho I'im unsure as 2 what i might be doing 2 my heart. I'd like 2 know about what effects it does 've on the Cardiac system....Thanks, camaciintyre-Ross | |||
