Originally Posted by stillHoping

I have autoimmune disorder even though my ANA and all other immunological blood tests are negative. Have been tested for Sjogren many times it was always negative, and my lip biopsy (about 15 years ago) showed mild inflammation nonspecific to Sjogren. During these years I had a few positive borderline results which became negative when repeated a few years later.
But there is no doubt that my POTS, fatigue and probably the sensory symptoms of my SFN, are responding greatly to Rituximab and prednison.

If you had some positive RA and Sjogren blood tests in the past isn't it enough to justify a diagnosis and immunological treatment ?
In my case I got the Rituximab based on the progression of my symptoms, my response to treatments and some autoimmune disorders in my family.

Originally Posted by kiwi33

Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody, originally made in mice, which has been humanised so it is in effect a human monoclonal antibody. It is on the WHO "List of Essential Medicines", the most important medications needed in a basic health system.

Rituximab binds to a protein called CD20 which is found on B cells. Because of that it can be effective in treating RA and there is also evidence that it can help in treating other auto-immune diseases like SLE, MS and Sjogren's syndrome.

Like all biological therapeutics it can potentially have very serious adverse side-effects so it is worth getting a prescribing doctor to explain those to you before deciding whether or not to use it.

Originally Posted by Sophie0513

What is ritiximab ? Does it help with symptoms? And you said you were prescribed this because the progression of your symptoms, did your symptoms come on slowly or quickly?

Originally Posted by stillHoping

Rituximab is a treatment for some autoimmune disorders and Lymphoma.
It helped a lot with my POTS and fatigue, it is harder to evaluate its effect on my SFN's sensory symptoms because it is mainly numbness and reduced sensation, and not pain.
My sensory SFN symptoms progressed slowly, the autonomic problems began almost 20 years ago.
I don't have any specific autoimmune diagnosis, but I have been having many problems that are common in Sjogren syndrome and other autoimmune disorders.
10 years ago I had Lymphoma (which is more common in some autoimmune disorders), I felt a lot better for a couple of years after the chemotherapy which included Rituximab, so my doctors thought it is worth trying Rituximab again.