My Husband has hogdkins lymphoma stage2 a he will be starting chemo soon DR is very confident about the outcome he tells us if anyone were to get cancer this is the one because it is cureable!it was first found on a chest xray futher test confirmed.
shiloh188 - As some on this board know I had stage 3 hodgkins 30 years ago in 1980. Took chemo and radiation, finished it in 1981, and have been in perfect health since.
Hodgkins is very curable, just stay positive and determined, go thru the treatments, ya'll will be fine.
Doug
As like Doug its been 15 years this diease is very curable for me it was life changing experience. It was tuff to go thru but at the end we are tuffer than HL.. So tell you husband to stand strong he will get thru this.
Kim
HL Stage 3b
stemcell tranplant auto.
Servivor 15 yrs
I was also just diagnosed, and I am starting Chemo. They also tell me that it is curable and it is just a temporary setback. I will go through the treatment then move forward.
It is very curable what stage are you
I too was diagnosed with HL 2A in August 2010. Did chemo and radiation and feel fantastic now. This is a very beatable and cureable cancer so please just keep positive talk with your husband. Chemo is rough but it is truly amazing what your body can go through and heal itself.
Positive thoughts and energy for your hubby!
Deana
I'm half way through chemo (6 treatments of 12) for HL...I get ABVD every other week. The support of my family and friends has been key. Chemotherapy has been difficult to say the least, but there's confidence in knowing this is only temporary. All the best to you and your husband.
I have HL Stage 2A and will have my 2nd of 12 chemo treatments tomorrow. I was told by the 2nd treatment my hair would really start falling out. I haven't had any hair loss yet. When did your hair start falling out? Also did you seek any other help from a homeopathic or a nautropathic doctor? I am just wondering if there is anything else that would help with the nausea and fatigue and all the other side effects from chemo other than the meds they give us. Thank you to anyone and all who reply to me. :)
Everyone’s different. My Dr. assured me that my hair would fall out, but it still hasn’t after 6 treatments…the hair on my head has thinned out some, and I’ve lost hair in “other” places. I have not sought out any homeopathic or nautropathic advice. I’ve experienced more of a stomach ache and acid reflux feeling than actual nausea…and boy if there is some way to deal with the fatigue I’d love to hear it - it seems to be getting cumulatively worse as time goes by…
all the best!
I was diagnosed with HL 2A April 2010. Did 8 ABVD, then a month of radiation. Feeling okay now except I have lingering neuropathy in my hands. My neurologist says that the chemo caused my nerves/tendons/ligaments to swell producing a carpal tunnel situation. I may have to have surgery to eliminate the neuropathy...
Hang in there, you will get through this. I know it is rough! I really don't have a lot of pointers for the fatigue. I made smoothies and packed them with extra whey protien to keep my energy level as high as possible. DRINK AS MUCH WATER AS YOU CAN.
The biggest problem with the ABVD treatment is that 3 of the drugs cause constipation and 1 of the drugs causes diarrhea... It was a constant battle to "keep things moving". To this day, I continue my morning regimine of: Metamucil, Aloe Vera/Cherry Juice, one prune, and strong Japanese Green Tea.
Keep your chins up!
-Paul
Thank you Paul for your post. I am going to take your morning regimine drink and give it a try. I was feeling better until the constipation started. You inspired me to make a smoothie tonight with my berry flavored whey protein. Thank you. I am sorry about the neuropathy in your hands. My doctor told me this can happen and always asks if I have numbness or tingling in my fingers or toes. Did you have the mass in your chest? I do and I have several lymph nodes in my neck that are cancerous. Yes it is rough and I have only just begun, but it is people such as you who have gone through it that are my inspiration. Congrats on your 3 month checkup!!! YAY!! Thanks again!
kayaker
Yes, I had a mass in my chest, which I never felt, and a sudden lump that came-up in my neck on the right side, which is what alarmed me that something was wrong.
By the way, regarding hair loss… Yes, I lost my hair. There may have been a little left, but I started shaving my head because it looked much better to have a clean shaven head than to have “patchy” hair. Also, I had friends and neighbors that said I looked better with no hair! Whatever the case, your hair loss is the absolute least of your worries. Don’t sweat it!
I go for my 6-month checkup (CT scans of my neck, chest, and abdomen, and also a PET scan) in just a couple of weeks.
I HIGHLY recommend creating a website on CaringBridge - http://www.caringbridge.org/. This proved to be an excellent way to communicate with friends and family. It really kept me going because of all the support received. I’m almost 50 and I had people from college that came “out of the woodwork” and left me messages. It was awesome… It is free. It really keeps you from having to field individual phone calls and emails too. You can update your status at anytime and everyone that is registered to receive your updates will get them at the same time!
Stay strong,
-Paul
I am glad you had a port installed. I wish I had. The Drs & nurses said that I had good veins. And I did... Not so much now.
Regarding my prognosis... it is 3 months at a time... Every 3 months I must go for either blood work OR CT/PET scans. This will go on for 5 years, but the frequency should decrease over time.
I'll be thinking about you tomorrow during chemo #2.
The chemo suite I went to in Atlanta had WiFi so I always took my netbook and would surf for HOURS and text w/friends.
I recommend eating very light snacks while you are doing chemo. Not a big meal. And lots of water.
Let us know how it goes. Remember, chin in the air!
-Paul
My husband (34 yrs old) was just diagnosed. He has not been staged yet...It is a very scary thing to hear, and has so many questions...I am so glad to hear so many positive comments on here. I truly believe positive thinking is the key. I obviously am scared as well. We have 3 young children : ages 7,5 and 3...I was just wondering if anyone has any advice on telling them...what do we tell them and when?
I have been through 1 ABVD treatment and feel pretty good all things considered. Fatigue, constipation, and diarhea seem to be the issues I am facing. Will this be the same after each treatment? Will it get more intense? I have two grandchildren ages 5 and 7. They lost a step-grandfather to cancer last year. We are not sure the best approach to telling them. We are very close and they stay with me and my husband/grandpa at least one day per week. I just joined at thank you all for your positive words.
lsm,
The fatigue got worse with each treatment for me. I always referred to it as the "chemo-trench". I had 8 ABVD treatments every other week and by the time I reached the eighth treatment, it was taking me about the entire two week period to come out of the "chemo-trench". The intensity remained about the same for me, it just lasted longer each time.
I highly recommend buying some whey protein that you can mix with water and drink. They sell it at the grocery store (I bought mine at Publix). There are 50 calories and 10 grams of protein in each individual package that is added to 20 ounces of water. This helps hydrate you as well as gives you energy. They are flavored, but don't taste all that great..., but they are tolerable.
The diarrhea and constipation (mostly constipation...) continued throughout until I stopped the ABVD treatments.
Take care of yourself and be sure to drink as much water as you can. Regarding your grandchildren, you will probably need to be very selective of which days they visit. As you know by now, 2-5 days after your ABVD chemo treatment are when you feel the worst.
-Paul
Thanks for your words Paul. It is all very helpful. I will stay positive and move through this with all the strength I can muster up. I have my second treatment in three days and plan to keep my chin up.
lsm
Shanna44 - for what to tell the children, I went for the truth, right from Day 1. You need a better memory than mine to keep up a pretence. Having said that, mine were older than yours, my youngest being around 16, but I can't see any point in sugaring what is a bitter pill. They could tell I was ill, so there was no point in pretending otherwise.
It took a few months to get a final diagnosis, as mine looked like lung cancer at first, and they were not easy months. It hits those near to you worse than it does the patient, who, let's face it, just has to do what the doctors say. I think, though, that they quickly got used to the fact that Dad was still Dad, even if he was not quite the ticket.
Thanks Shanna44. That is pretty much what we did. We told them Lymphoma and did not use the term cancer as they know that is what their grandpa died from last year. They have been real good with not many questions. They know I am not feeling great. They are concerned about the “no hair” situation, but they will get use to it. My grandson just bought me a hat for my birthday. He is only 7 and he used his own money. LSM
Wear that hat with pride! Children can shame all of us adults.