What is Ruxience?
Adults can be treated with Ruxience alone or in combination with other medications for the following conditions:
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Pemphigus vernis is a severe autoimmune response that causes blisters and the breakdown of skin and mucous tissues.
Ruxience can also be used to treat adults and children over 2 years of age with certain diseases that cause inflammation in blood vessels or other tissues. This medication guide does not list all possible uses of Ruxience.
Side effects of Ruxience
If you experience symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as hives, difficulty breathing, swelling on your face or in your throat, or a severe reaction to the skin (fever or sore throat with burning eyes, skin pain or blistering, or a red or purple rash), seek emergency medical attention.
Some side effects can occur immediately after the injection or within 24 hours. You should tell your caregiver if you experience chest pains, dizziness, weakness, lightheadedness, or shortness of breath. Also, if your heart is pounding or your chest feels fluttery, you may have to stop the injection.
If you experience any of these symptoms (which can start slowly and worsen quickly), call your doctor immediately.
- You may experience confusion, memory issues, or any other mental changes.
- You may experience weakness on one side.
- Vision changes
- Speech or walking problems.
If you experience any other side effects, call your doctor immediately, even if they occur several months after receiving Ruxience or after the treatment has ended.
- A severe skin rash that is blistering, peeling, or has pus
- Redness, warmth, or swelling of the skin
- Nausea; constipation; bloody or tarry stool.
- If you experience chest pain, pressure, or irregular heartbeats, or if the pain spreads to your shoulder or jaw, this is a sign.
- Tiredness or jaundice
- Signs of Infection: fever, chills or cold symptoms, sore throat or mouth sores, or headache
- Signs of tumor cell breakdown include confusion, weakness, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting as well as fast or slow heart rates; decreased urine flow rates; fast or slow heart rates and decreased urination as well as tingling sensations in hands, feet or around mouth areas.
Ruxience can cause the following side effects:
- Low white and red blood cell count (fever, chills or body aches, paleness, unusual tiredness)
- Nausea, diarrhea;
- You may experience swelling in your hands or feet.
- Headache, weakness;
- Painful urination
- Muscle spasms
- Depressed mood
- Cold symptoms like stuffy noses, sneezing, and sore throats.
There may be other side effects.Call your physician if experiencing symptoms. The FDA can be reached for reporting side effects at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Warnings
Ruxience can cause a brain infection, which may lead to death or disability. If you are having problems with your speech, thinking, vision, or muscle movements, call your doctor immediately. These symptoms can start slowly and then get worse very quickly. Inform your doctor if this is the case. This condition can worsen or return if you are a slack person. Serious skin problems may also develop during Ruxience treatment. If you experience painful mouth or skin sores or a severe rash that is blistering, peeling, or has pus, call your doctor. Some side effects can occur immediately after the injection or even during it. Inform your caregiver immediately in case you experience itching, weakness, lightheadedness, feeling dizzy or weak, feeling short of breath, or chest pain.
Before you take this drug
Ruxience can cause a brain infection, which may lead to death or disability. This infection is more likely to occur if you've used immunosuppressive drugs in the past or received stem cell therapy.
Inform your physician of any of the following issues:
- Liver diseases (or hepatitis, if you have hepatitis B);
- An infection such as herpes, shingles, cytomegalovirus, chickenpox, parvovirus, West Nile virus, or hepatitis B and C
- Kidney disease
- Lung disease or a breathing disorder;
- A weak immune system, caused by illness or certain medications.
- Heart disease, angina (chest pain), or heart rhythm disorder
- If you've used Ruxience before or if you had an allergic reaction to it,
Before starting Ruxience, you should have all the necessary immunizations. You should tell your doctor if either you or the child who will be receiving Ruxience have received any vaccinations in the last 4 weeks. Avoid using Ruxience while pregnant. This drug could harm your unborn child. Use birth control during your treatment with Ruxience and for 12 months following the last dose. Do not breastfeed for 6 months after the last dose of this medication.
How to take Ruxience?
You will be tested by your doctor to ensure that you are not suffering from any conditions that would make it unsafe for you to use Ruxience. Infusions of Ruxience are given into the vein. This injection will be given by a healthcare provider. The dose of ruxience does not change daily. The schedule you follow will vary depending on the condition that is being treated.Do not neglect to comply with your doctor's orders and instructions.You may receive other medications before each injection to help prevent side effects from rituximab. Medical tests will be required frequently. Ruxience may cause the virus to be active or worsen if you have ever had hepatitis B. You may require frequent liver function testing while taking this medication and for several weeks after stopping. Tell your surgeon that you use Ruxience before you undergo surgery.
What happens if I miss the dose?
If you are unable to attend your Ruxience appointment, call your doctor.
What happens if I overdose?
Overdoses are unlikely because this medication is administered by a health professional in a medical environment.
What should be avoided?
Avoid receiving a "live vaccine" while taking Ruxience. Live vaccines are measles mumps, Rubella (MMR), Rotavirus, Typhoid (Yellow Fever), Varicella (Chickenpox), Zoster (shingles), as well as the nasal flu (influenza).
Interaction with other drug
Tell your doctor about your other medications, including:
- Medicines to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or psoriasis—adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab, leflunomide, methotrexate, sulfasalazine, tocilizumab, tofacitinib, and others.
This list is incomplete. Ruxience may be affected by other drugs, such as prescription and over-the-counter medicines and vitamin and herb products. This list does not include all possible drug interactions.
