Chemotherapy Drug Information
<< BackRituxan
Your doctor has ordered the drug rituxan to help treat your illness. The drug is given by injection into a vein. Rituxan slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body. The length of treatment depends on the types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer you have.
Before taking rituxan,
- You should know that rituxan may interfere with the normal menstrual cycle (period) in women and may stop sperm production in men. However, you should not assume that you cannot get pregnant or that you cannot get someone else pregnant. Women who are pregnant should tell their doctors before they begin taking this drug. You should not plan to have children while receiving chemotherapy or for a while after treatments. (Talk to your doctor for further details.) Use a reliable method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. Rituxan may harm the fetus.
- Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. Because of the danger of serious side effects to your baby, you should stop nursing while taking rituxan.
Side effects from rituxan are common and include:
- allergic reaction with the first infusion
- chills and fever ( rigors).
- asthenia
- nausea
- headache
- urticaria and angioedema
- low blood pressure
- shortness of breath
- rash at the injection site
- irregular heartbeat
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
- unusual bruising or bleeding
- fever
- chills
- shortness of breath