Friend age 34 was having severe back pain. For months doctor was saying get physical therapy and giving pain pills. Finally because lymph nodes were enlarged sent for MRI and now has discovered stage 4 hodgkins lymphoma. In a brace so now cannot drive, or turn head while up. Has had one full round of chemo and pain in back seems better. Still is this really very treatable? Doctor says it could have went all through spine but appears to be located in two vertebra. It has deteriorated vertebra. Doctors feel when tumor goes away that vertebra will start rebuilding itself. May or may not need back surgery. Hoping not. Anyone ever got Hodgkins Lymphoma in spine?
I can not answer your question regarding affecter spine, but I will say prayers for your friend and ask God to help and heal all together. Have faith and with prayers we can help. God bless you both.
Thanks for the support. I have another question. My friend just has started getting a sore mouth from the chemo making it hard to eat. Any suggestions what to do to help? He took some oxy-codene and has the mouth wash they prescribed, anyone experienced this?
My husband used the mouth wash prescribed by a dentist. Also, he used warm salty water. If it gets too bad, I would have your friend visit his dentist for help.
Thank you for your information. My friend got some mouthwash from doctor but it taste terrible so he does not like it and he says it is not helping much. He takes pain pills before meals and that reduces the pain enough for him to eat. I got some gel for mouth sores last night for him to try. Maybe just to numb down the pain some. Friday he will go to get a shot to bring counts up so maybe they can get him something else and once the counts go up the pain will be better. I am just hoping he gets through these treatments. Thank you again for help. I will see if he wants to try his dentist to get something.
Well, my daughters mouth/throat sores get very bad every round when her white blood count and nuetrophils hit 0. She gets the injections every round till the counts come back up. Her Dr. told her it takes one day after her counts are up and her body will be able to heal from the sores and so far it has been working that way for her. But she does have Chorhexidine and Koolstat mouth rinses to use and morphine. And, her PET Scan did light up in her spine as well - no tumors though. For her it has spread to her lung. She was Stage 4b at diagnosis. She is responding to treatments very well so we are beyond hopefully that they are correct in telling us that she is still cureable at this stage.
Regarding your first post, my fiance was diagnosed with stage 4 hodgkin's, with the primary mass in her media-steinum/ chest cavity area, and 2 smaller secondary sites in her T1, T2 vertebrae. We were shocked and frightened to hear it was in her spine, but, to our relief, her CT after treatment 6 of 12 showed that the two spinal masses were gone. We hope the following treatments keep it from returning, and we hope your friend's treatments were also successful. Hopes and prayers to you both.
I'm in remission for stage 4a ns hodgkins lymphoma due to a small spot on the upper apex of my right lung, one near my spine of my upper back and upper body lymphnodes affected. I had excruciating pain at times in my upper back before my cancer diagnosis and that pain has subsided with treatment. Hope this helps...
Wish1 - I was wondering how your friend was progressing? My dad has the exact same kind of cancer with the same involvement. It is in several vertebrae and has completely dissolved one. It also spread to several ribs and possibly a spot on the lung. He is twice your friend's age though so they are not even talking treatment but your friend's story is very encouraging. I was hopeful that their treatment was showing some signs of working. Thank you for sharing this, there aren't many stories like theirs out there.
~help4dad