I was diagnosed with MPA in 2007. I was given cyclosphomide, prednisone and other toxic medicine that threw the illness into remission. Eventually the toxic drugs were replaced with milder ones and in the Spring of 2010 I was gradually taken off the drugs. I take raprinil, not so much for blood pressure control, but more to protect my kidneys that took a hit back in 2007 before I was diagnosed. Prior to the attack I had survived two battles with breast cancer, but the pain of MPA made the cancer seem like a walk in the park. They say that I am still in remission, and for a while I forgot and worked in the garden breaking concrete, planting trees, moving furniture around and this after working full-time 5 days a week. Then recently, I noticed the rash on my ankles, inflamed sinuses, fatigue going up the stairs, dropping things, losing my balance. It happens when I get tired and then I remember, MPA is still in the background.

My husband was diagnosed [after several hospitalizations with undiagnosed symptoms..high potassium, etc.] in May 2011. His kidneys have not responded to treatments. He is on dialysis. No doctors in our area are skilled in treatment. He developed infections requiring hospitalization when trying cytoxin. He is trying to be approved for rituxan. Did it help? He is fatigued, and he is in pain in his back and legs.

The rituxan I had in August is helping in reducing some of the inflammation....you can see improvement over the course of a year after the treatment. I take cellcept, did the 4 treatments [infusions] of rituxan and on prednisone. I live in N. Idaho...where are you from?

my husband has this disease, he has been on cytoxin, white blood cell count bottomed out twice. We are trying to get approved for rituxan, could you tell me about your experience with rituxan? Thank you sandy