Wednesday, April 29, 2009 Julie asks

Q: Which RX better? Prednisone and known long term effect compaired to the biologic changes of Rituxin

am 48 y/o female with RA for 18 yrs.I'm at the point where I've tried all of the DMARDs and TNF drugs for my RA with little or no relief. My Dr recommends Rituxin as my next step. I am currently only taking 5mg Prednisone and Tylenol (prn). I would get the best relief from 10-15mg Prednisone a day but I'm trying to stay on the least mg that I can. I have little or no outword side effects from Prednisone. It has been the drug that has help me the most for me over the yrs.

What scares me about Rituxin is that it cannot just be stopped if you don't do well or have side effects. Which RX is the lesser of the 2 evils?

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Answers (2)

Lene Andersen, Health Guide

4/29/09 8:10pm

It's impossible to say - different medications work differently for different people. Moreover, this particular question requires not just a lot of medical knowledge, but knowledge of your particular case, so your rheumatologist really is the best source of information for you. I would suggest that you do research on both drugs and write down a list of questions and concerns you have to discuss with your doctor so you get the answers you need in order to make the decision that's best for you. Good luck!

Sparky22

5/11/09 9:57pm

My biggest concern with any of the injectables is their total effect on one's immune system, leaving you susceptible to very serious infections and diseases.

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Q: Which RX better? Prednisone and known long term effect compaired to the biologic changes of Rituxin

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