Thank you so much for the info

I had 6 mo. of bendamustine and 6 mo. of rituximab for follicular lymphoma initial treatment and achieved CR. Was offered two more years of rituximab. Took that and remain in remission. Did not really have noticeable side effects from rituximab. I have had some fatigue since I was diagnosed, but can't blame rituximab. Well tolerated but does effect your immune system. I am 78 years old.

Hi Sandy, I had four weekly rounds of Rituximab and didn’t have any side effects at all. I actually didn’t realize until much later—when a friend who was also getting Rituximab mentioned it—that it can weaken your immune system. I know everyone reacts differently, but in my case I didn’t change anything about my routine. I was still around my 4‑year‑old grandson, stayed active, and never got sick or even felt tired. Now that I understand more about it, I’ll make sure to talk with my doctor if I ever need infusions in the future.

It will lower the white blood cell count. I went through this during covid and was careful, did not contract covid or anything else. As long as you aren't allergic to this drug and your doctors are recommending it, you should take it, as it is well tolerated and effective. There aren't many choices.

Can you give more details on how it affected your immune system? I have 5 grandkids that are always around me and I don’t want that to change because of my immune system.