Feeling fatigued and foggy after a first Rituximab infusion is actually quite common with RA, so it makes sense that things feel rough right now. Both fatigue and brain fog are recognized symptoms of RA itself, and starting a new biologic can temporarily stir things up before improvements kick in.
With Rituximab Show Full Answer
Feeling fatigued and foggy after a first Rituximab infusion is actually quite common with RA, so it makes sense that things feel rough right now. Both fatigue and brain fog are recognized symptoms of RA itself, and starting a new biologic can temporarily stir things up before improvements kick in.
With Rituximab specifically, improvements typically don't show up until around 3 months or more after treatment begins. So the body is doing a lot of work right now, and feeling worse before feeling better is part of the process for many people. That said, it's always worth keeping an eye on how things feel. Some things to watch for after an infusion include:
- Fever or chills
- Unusual swelling or itching
- Difficulty breathing
- Any sudden or significant changes in how you're feeling
If any of those pop up, reaching out to the rheumatology team sooner rather than later is the right move. Even if it's just the fatigue and fog continuing, a quick check-in call with the care team can help ease the uncertainty and let them know how the first infusion went.
Hang in there — the first infusion is often the hardest part, and many people find things gradually improve over the coming months.
June 21
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