I think I have lymphoma
Discussion
Yes I currently have the 'metallic' taste, and so eat strong flavours, curries, crisps, cheese (which I love anyway) marmite on toast, went right off porridge and fruit at the start but buying a nutri ninja I now love a daily fruit smoothie. Glad to hear you seem better after beating the f**ker!
Glad to hear that Moominho, hope its going Ok for him. It seems week after chemo is pretty groggy, almost everyone says it, then the next week is not to bad, eat healthy, have some kind of life and build my strength up.
Had my blood test yesterday, start my last (4th) cycle of ABVD on Tuesday.
Currently eating smaller but more regular meals to try to minimise the taste in my mouth along with eating Bassets Liquorice Allsorts
Had my blood test yesterday, start my last (4th) cycle of ABVD on Tuesday.
Currently eating smaller but more regular meals to try to minimise the taste in my mouth along with eating Bassets Liquorice Allsorts audikentman said:
Glad to hear that Moominho, hope its going Ok for him. It seems week after chemo is pretty groggy, almost everyone says it, then the next week is not to bad, eat healthy, have some kind of life and build my strength up.
Had my blood test yesterday, start my last (4th) cycle of ABVD on Tuesday. Currently eating smaller but more regular meals to try to minimise the taste in my mouth along with eating Bassets Liquorice Allsorts
Good to hear. Last cycle, I'm very happy for you. Hopefully that will go smoothly for you. There is light at the end of the tunnel!Had my blood test yesterday, start my last (4th) cycle of ABVD on Tuesday.
Currently eating smaller but more regular meals to try to minimise the taste in my mouth along with eating Bassets Liquorice Allsorts Thanks, had the 13 pill breakfast today, only 1 more session (hopefully) to go then see if I need radiotherapy, so far I've put on 8 - 10 kilos, not been sick yet just a bit constipated but easily cured with a senakot each night and my stomach acid was cured with a daily dose of 20mg Omeprazole. May as well take all the drugs, my prescriptions are free for at least the next 5 years.
The most widely saying I've seen about the chemo is 'Its tough but doable' and I would go along with this, but after my white cell count hit the deck and I had to inject myself for 7 days in my stomach my counts have picked up and I feel less ill.
I tip - my veins have gone hard, apparently its a common side effect of ABVD chemo, if you have a bathe or shower just rub your arms in the warm water for 5 - 10 minutes it helps to keep your veins a bit softer
The most widely saying I've seen about the chemo is 'Its tough but doable' and I would go along with this, but after my white cell count hit the deck and I had to inject myself for 7 days in my stomach my counts have picked up and I feel less ill.
I tip - my veins have gone hard, apparently its a common side effect of ABVD chemo, if you have a bathe or shower just rub your arms in the warm water for 5 - 10 minutes it helps to keep your veins a bit softer
This might sound daft but I can't actually remember if I had chemo AND radio when I had my treatment 28 years ago. A lot of what you are describing AKM doesn't ring any bells with me. I do remember the horrible metallic taste in my mouth but I certainly didn't put any weight at all on, indeed I lost more than two stone.
I do know that the radio I had was more invasive & aggressive than is the norm today, but I don't know if that is simply how it was back then or if it was an example of my treatment being tailored specifically for me.
Anyway, things seem to be going well for you AKM, keep going there is light at the end.
Same for you Moomin, I hope your dad is responding well.
I do know that the radio I had was more invasive & aggressive than is the norm today, but I don't know if that is simply how it was back then or if it was an example of my treatment being tailored specifically for me.
Anyway, things seem to be going well for you AKM, keep going there is light at the end.
Same for you Moomin, I hope your dad is responding well.
Moominho, glad its been a help. Hopefully it will come good for your Dad.
I had my blood test Friday, must have been ok, didn't have to inject my stomach again, and I've not needed a blood transfusion and it seems the steroid have made me put on 10 kilos in 4 months of treatment
. Had my last chemo yesterday (hopefully), they even managed to get the cannula in 1st go toughest after effect so far to be honest, 1st time I've felt sick as I left Kings Collage, almost puked 3 times walking to the station and I've not puked once during the 8 sessions, 4 cycles of ABVD. Currently on the post chemo crash now.
CT/PET scan booked for 17th then a meeting with the oncologist on the 21st, no doubt then I will find out if I need radiotherapy as well.
I had my blood test Friday, must have been ok, didn't have to inject my stomach again, and I've not needed a blood transfusion and it seems the steroid have made me put on 10 kilos in 4 months of treatment
. Had my last chemo yesterday (hopefully), they even managed to get the cannula in 1st go toughest after effect so far to be honest, 1st time I've felt sick as I left Kings Collage, almost puked 3 times walking to the station and I've not puked once during the 8 sessions, 4 cycles of ABVD. Currently on the post chemo crash now.CT/PET scan booked for 17th then a meeting with the oncologist on the 21st, no doubt then I will find out if I need radiotherapy as well.
audikentman said:
Moominho, glad its been a help. Hopefully it will come good for your Dad.
I had my blood test Friday, must have been ok, didn't have to inject my stomach again, and I've not needed a blood transfusion and it seems the steroid have made me put on 10 kilos in 4 months of treatment . Had my last chemo yesterday (hopefully), they even managed to get the cannula in 1st go toughest after effect so far to be honest, 1st time I've felt sick as I left Kings Collage, almost puked 3 times walking to the station and I've not puked once during the 8 sessions, 4 cycles of ABVD. Currently on the post chemo crash now.
CT/PET scan booked for 17th then a meeting with the oncologist on the 21st, no doubt then I will find out if I need radiotherapy as well.
Congratulations! I know the post chemo crash is hard, but this is your last one! Well done. Hope all the scans go well. I had my blood test Friday, must have been ok, didn't have to inject my stomach again, and I've not needed a blood transfusion and it seems the steroid have made me put on 10 kilos in 4 months of treatment
. Had my last chemo yesterday (hopefully), they even managed to get the cannula in 1st go toughest after effect so far to be honest, 1st time I've felt sick as I left Kings Collage, almost puked 3 times walking to the station and I've not puked once during the 8 sessions, 4 cycles of ABVD. Currently on the post chemo crash now.CT/PET scan booked for 17th then a meeting with the oncologist on the 21st, no doubt then I will find out if I need radiotherapy as well.
Sorry to hear what you have been going through, and sorry to pop in so late on.
I have had 4 different types of chemo, radio to head and chest, surgery, steroids etc etc. I have a PICC line and it was one of the best things I ever did. The only thing it can't be used for is the dye they like to put in to enhance certain scans as the dye is a bit thick and injected at speed.
My cancer is triple negative breast cancer, so not the same as yours, but some of the chemo side effects are probably similar. Tax is the one I found hardest. Mouth ulcers, constipation, taste change, hair loss and swollen and cracked hands and feet.
I found the radio easy going with little to no tiredness but I know people who have been knocked sideways by it.
My taste buds went on one type of chemo but not the others. Hair fell out with two of them but grew back in between. I lost around 3 stone and was given supplement drinks. I'm still 6.5 stone even on daily steroids and never got the bloated face some people get from them.
I was at Silverstone Classic the day after a chemo session - I refuse to let it slow me down
I am so glad to read that you are now at the end of your current treatment and wish you all the best
I have had 4 different types of chemo, radio to head and chest, surgery, steroids etc etc. I have a PICC line and it was one of the best things I ever did. The only thing it can't be used for is the dye they like to put in to enhance certain scans as the dye is a bit thick and injected at speed.
My cancer is triple negative breast cancer, so not the same as yours, but some of the chemo side effects are probably similar. Tax is the one I found hardest. Mouth ulcers, constipation, taste change, hair loss and swollen and cracked hands and feet.
I found the radio easy going with little to no tiredness but I know people who have been knocked sideways by it.
My taste buds went on one type of chemo but not the others. Hair fell out with two of them but grew back in between. I lost around 3 stone and was given supplement drinks. I'm still 6.5 stone even on daily steroids and never got the bloated face some people get from them.
I was at Silverstone Classic the day after a chemo session - I refuse to let it slow me down
I am so glad to read that you are now at the end of your current treatment and wish you all the best
Just seen this post for the first time earlier and thought I would say well done for being positive and for getting through the treatment so far with a great attitude.
I was diagnosed with Hodgkins, well actually Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma which is quite rare apparently on 1st of August 2008.
I underwent 8 cycles of chemo (ABVD without the B) and 15 doses of being zapped with radiotherapy. Got the proper all clear ( as much as you can anyway) last year.
I had a bloody awful time with the chemo. I was determined to keep life pretty normal but the day after my first chemo I decided that wasn't going to happen. I must have vomited hundreds of times each week after chemo which I was due to have every 2 weeks but vomiting , infection, 2 weeks in an isolation ward on my first wedding anniversary with a rather low white blood cell count and daily injections into my stomach for the rest of the chemo was rather unpleasant!
The radio therapy was a walk in the park compared to chemo and only problem was slight tiredness but nothing really.
The scariest part for me was finding "something" in my throat so had most of my thyroid taken out which I did not like at all though I have a great scar now!!
I found that staying positive was the only way to cope even through all the crap times like having several bone marrow samples taken. When your surgeon tells you your bones are really hard and to really brace yourself against the bed you just know it's not going to be pleasant.
But, it's all just a distant memory now and I never think about it all and life just goes on.
So keep going buddy and you will soon be in my position and think it was all just a bad dream!!
I was diagnosed with Hodgkins, well actually Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma which is quite rare apparently on 1st of August 2008.
I underwent 8 cycles of chemo (ABVD without the B) and 15 doses of being zapped with radiotherapy. Got the proper all clear ( as much as you can anyway) last year.
I had a bloody awful time with the chemo. I was determined to keep life pretty normal but the day after my first chemo I decided that wasn't going to happen. I must have vomited hundreds of times each week after chemo which I was due to have every 2 weeks but vomiting , infection, 2 weeks in an isolation ward on my first wedding anniversary with a rather low white blood cell count and daily injections into my stomach for the rest of the chemo was rather unpleasant!
The radio therapy was a walk in the park compared to chemo and only problem was slight tiredness but nothing really.
The scariest part for me was finding "something" in my throat so had most of my thyroid taken out which I did not like at all though I have a great scar now!!
I found that staying positive was the only way to cope even through all the crap times like having several bone marrow samples taken. When your surgeon tells you your bones are really hard and to really brace yourself against the bed you just know it's not going to be pleasant.
But, it's all just a distant memory now and I never think about it all and life just goes on.
So keep going buddy and you will soon be in my position and think it was all just a bad dream!!
That's the same condition I have it's apparently very rare. I'm the only one on the books with my consultant at the moment lucky me lol. Sounds like you had stage 3/4 disease? I'm stage 1/2 we aren't sure but I'm symptom free and on watch and wait currently. Dreading the bone marrow drilling if and when. I'm told it could take anywhere up to 20 years to be bad enough to treat. Odd situation to be in but I'm thankful for every healthy day.
Thanks for all the positive vibes and comments, I think staying positive has helped me get through this part of the treatment.
Just looking through all my notes I had the most common type of Hodgkins Lymphoma, early unfavourable classical stage 2B HL, even that is fairly rare, on 1,700 HL cases a year in the UK, its funny how you go from knowing nothing about a deisese to knowing almost everything, stupid reed sternberg cells!
It all seems a bit of a blur since March/April when I was 1st diagnosed, The chemo has given me 1 bad week/1 good week, pretty certain I have no memory of some of the days straight after the session, but thats helped it pass quickly in my mind. Also ate fairly healthy, even when I had some mouth ulcers about half way through I managed to use my nutri ninja to make some shakes and soups, also managed to keep all my food down during the 8 sessions/4 cycles.
Its strange how some people are wiped out by chemo, and others by the radio, my lowest point so far was after 2cycles/4 sessions, I had to inject my stomach for a week due to low white blood cell count, some mouth ulcers (a bit of bonjela sorted them out in a couple of days) but had no need for a blood transfusion, and it seemed like a long way to the end of the treatment, but then you start counting down.
Now onto the blood test and CT/PET scan, consultant on then see what happens. I have break for some convalescence booked just before I go back to work. Hopefully to build up my strength and to put a gap between hospitals and work.
I've been fairly lucky with work, 6 months full pay while off sick, but HR have already sent me a letter 'reminding me' when I would drop to half pay. I had an meeting with my GP who originally sent me for the blood test and has been great, fairly long chat (20 minutes) she said ''I will write a note to your HR telling them you will need a phased return to work starting with 1 hour a day''
A piece of advice is if you feel like you have something not quite right go to your doctor, mine started with a cough in January, by 16th February I was sent for a blood test and started my chemo before the end of April, luckily mine was caught at stage 2B and only required 4 cycles, apparently the maximum is 12, not sure how I (or my veins) would have coped with the extra 2 cycles.
Stay positive and have a good weekend.
Just looking through all my notes I had the most common type of Hodgkins Lymphoma, early unfavourable classical stage 2B HL, even that is fairly rare, on 1,700 HL cases a year in the UK, its funny how you go from knowing nothing about a deisese to knowing almost everything, stupid reed sternberg cells!
It all seems a bit of a blur since March/April when I was 1st diagnosed, The chemo has given me 1 bad week/1 good week, pretty certain I have no memory of some of the days straight after the session, but thats helped it pass quickly in my mind. Also ate fairly healthy, even when I had some mouth ulcers about half way through I managed to use my nutri ninja to make some shakes and soups, also managed to keep all my food down during the 8 sessions/4 cycles.
Its strange how some people are wiped out by chemo, and others by the radio, my lowest point so far was after 2cycles/4 sessions, I had to inject my stomach for a week due to low white blood cell count, some mouth ulcers (a bit of bonjela sorted them out in a couple of days) but had no need for a blood transfusion, and it seemed like a long way to the end of the treatment, but then you start counting down.
Now onto the blood test and CT/PET scan, consultant on then see what happens. I have break for some convalescence booked just before I go back to work. Hopefully to build up my strength and to put a gap between hospitals and work.
I've been fairly lucky with work, 6 months full pay while off sick, but HR have already sent me a letter 'reminding me' when I would drop to half pay. I had an meeting with my GP who originally sent me for the blood test and has been great, fairly long chat (20 minutes) she said ''I will write a note to your HR telling them you will need a phased return to work starting with 1 hour a day''
A piece of advice is if you feel like you have something not quite right go to your doctor, mine started with a cough in January, by 16th February I was sent for a blood test and started my chemo before the end of April, luckily mine was caught at stage 2B and only required 4 cycles, apparently the maximum is 12, not sure how I (or my veins) would have coped with the extra 2 cycles.
Stay positive and have a good weekend.
fridaypassion said:
Sounds like you have great employers. I'm self employed now but while I was going through diagnosis and a couple of biopsy ops my old employers were absolutely awful.
Its shocking that in the 21st Century still act like this, do they really think that people will make this up, or is it all about profit? My manager lives just round the corner he popped in for a coffee and I showed him a letter from my consultant to my doctor, says 'I won't be at work for 6-8 months', so if I get back in 6 I will doing ok.I work for a big company, thankfully I'm just a number and sticking to my T&C's, and keeping my head down. I've been in jobs before that only pay SSP and never really thought about long term sick before. Its easy to be wise after the event though. I've said to a few friends I'm glad I'm not in that situation or self employed/ I seriously think taking 6 months off has helped me get up and go to bed at fairly regular hours, (chemo side effects excluded) eat healthy, sleep when I've felt fatigued etc.
Although I work shifts, with the public and my company has random drugs and alcohol screening, not sure that some of the drugs used would be accepted, also its kept me away from the germ carrying public.
Yeah it was disappointing to me after over 10 years service. We got no sick pay other than SSP and they wouldnt allow me to return on light duties. Just wanted me back when I was fully recovered. Their loss as it gave me the final kick up the bum to go on my own. As soon as I got the final not so bad diagnosis thats it I was off!
@fridaypassion, I guess itblows the 'valued member of staff' etc out the water. Spoke to a friends wife who is a teacher, beat breast cancer she did pretty much the same thing once she was back at work left a job at a school she hated and went to work at one she enjoys working at. Sees like a lot of people change their outlook on life after this.
Realised that this is the 1st week since the start of April that I won't be having a needle or a cannula in my arm.
Although next week I have a nice injection of radio active sugar water and a blood test to look forward to
Realised that this is the 1st week since the start of April that I won't be having a needle or a cannula in my arm.
Although next week I have a nice injection of radio active sugar water and a blood test to look forward to
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