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ANY GOOD R-CHOP EXPERIENCES
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Jun 11, 2010 - 9:17 am
Just wondering if anyone out there has had a fairly good experience with r-chop.I am not refering to the final results. All I read is how sick everyone feels while in treatment. I start mine this coming week and am sorta scared. I know everyone reacts differently. Thanks |
Joined: Aug 2009
I wish I could tell you that I went through the R CHOP without a single issue but I can't. What I can tell you is that my anticipation and worry about what was to come was far worse than the actual experience. I think this is true with many things in life. Fear of the unknown is hard. As you said everyone reacts differently but if in your mind you have the TV image of throwing up over the side of the bed, while you waste away to just a shadow of your former self, while someone holds your hand and weeps, that will absolutely not be the case. The treatment is tiring but you will remain functional and will feel like yourself and think like yourself. You will be under very good care with meds to help manage any symptoms you may have. It's not horrifying just different and at times you will feel just fine. My main issues were fatigue which is normal because the body is working really hard and a sore mouth that was manageable. Don't forget to drink the water as it helps with the side effects more then you can imagine. I slacked off on it at one point and did get dehydrated then realized what was happening drank the water and like magic felt a lot better. Most of what you'll feel will be more of a nuisance then a life altering event. I never had anything happen that caused me to have to go in to the MD. I did call between appointments 1 time because of a really bad cold during the H1N1 thing. All was fine. You will do fine. Again on hindsight it was far better then I had thought it would be. Sorry this has gotten so long but I truly want to reassure you and it's hard to find the right words...so I guess I just used them all. Good luck and God bless. Mary
Joined: May 2010
IT REALLY FEELS GOOD TO GET REPLIES SUCH AS THIS. FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN IS SO SCARY. I HAD A MUGA TEST YESTERDAY. I GUESS THEY BEEN DOING THAT FOR AWHILE FOR US THAT HAVE THE PORTACATH PUT IN. BEING FAIRLY NEW TO ALL THIS I AM JUST LEARNING AS I GO.
Joined: Jul 2009
I know you are getting ready for your first RCHOP this week and want to wish you the best. It's always the hardest the first time. It's sort of like being on a roller coaster just before you plunge down the first hill. But you know what, you always make it to the end of the ride just fine.
I wanted to clarify the Muga scan. Everyone getting Adriamyacin (sp) is given a heart scan atleast once before, during and possibly after treatment. This is done to insure the drug is not damaging your heart muscle, which it can do. The first scan is to see if your heart is strong enough to even get the drug. It has nothing to do with having a power port. That is also why you can only have a limited amount of adria.
Is your Onc going to be giving you Neulasta injections the day after chemo? It's a good idea for everyone over 60 as it can keep your wbc from crashing. And could keep you out of the hospital from an infection. Be sure to ask him before you start. Many people write about bone pain from Neulasta but I never had much of a problem, if any. If you have pain Claritan is said to be a real help if started just before chemo begins, but don't remember for how many days you take it. Neulasta stimulates the bone marrow to produce wbc.
Let us know how everything goes.
Sorry this post is so long.
Leslie
Joined: May 2010
Had my second round yesterday. I haven't thrown up either time or even been sick to my stomach. The crash from going off the prednisone was bad but I told my Dr. about it and he will have me taper off of it this time to see if that helps. The first time is the longest. Yesterday was only 4 hours, so doable.Your fear of the unknown is much worse. Take a deep breath, you will be fine, be a warrior, wear some camo and go in fighting.
Joined: Apr 2006
I did the tapering off. I asked about doing it just 5 days and my onc said fine with him, but I WOULD crash, and feel horrible and likely in tears. I stayed with the 7 day tapering off and am VERY glad I did.
Joined: Jun 2010
I am on R-chop, along with a BUNCH of vitamins and exercise. I haven't thrown up once, but I did have bad bowel movements, it felt like razor blades, buy the Dr. gave me nitroglycerin cream and no more problems. I have gained a lot more weight, I thought that one of the benefits of Cancer would be easy weight loss, but thats not my story :)
Joined: Apr 2006
Constipation was horrible for me and I can relate to the hard stools. My onc had me start taking Senakot and I did several days each cycle before treatment to stave it off.
I found out the 4th treatment that acupuncture took care of ALL these types of problems without ANY medication what-so-ever, along with lessening jaw pain and sleeping better.
My chiropractors office offers it and I HIGHLY recommend it for lessening side effects.
Take care,
Beth
Joined: May 2010
I was supposed to get the r-chop as well, but it was changed to r-cvp at the last minute. I was actually leaning toward the r-cvp to begin with when I read about the effects one of the drugs can have on the heart. I have not been sick to my stomach at all, buthave been achy in the lower back with a little jaw pain. being worn down is really rough though. I don't really have the strenght to exercise or even walk that much. I have been driving to some places, but not to any malls where all the germs are. I am eating a lot more even though the food tastes like cardboard. The only thing that has any flavor is the sweet stuff. Hang in there we will beat this. What type of nhl do you have? I have follicular stage 4. john
Joined: Feb 2010
Hope your doing ok with the first treatment. My experience was that the first week during the cycle was the worst part. Lot's of food tasted odd as well as water. Had hiccups, and a general overall feeling of not feeling well. However, after the first week of the cycle I felt normal again and food tasted normal. I did not lose any weight or gain any weight. The very worst part of the first 5 days during the cycles was having to take 150mg of steroids each day. They made me feel horrible. I blame most of the misery on the steroids. Some things you might find helpful....I loved eating anything zesty (i.e. vinegar based stuff, BBQ sauce, salad dressings, cole slaw, 3 bean salad, fish and chips with malt vinegar) Don't know why but it really tasted good when everything else tasted odd. Also I ate alot of steamed spinach with my dinner and a big bowl of oatmeal in the morning so that I could get my share of fiber. The prednisone has a horrible effect on your bowels. Constipation was a big part of my misery during the first week of the cycle so be sure to eat alot of fiber and protein. Take care, Mark
Joined: Jun 2010
My mom has just completed round 3 of the R-CHOP, and she said she feels a bump under her tongue, has anyone else experienced this? I know mouth sores could happen but she said it does not burn when she eats or rinses with mouthwash,
Joined: May 2010
Mark, I do have days where I feel like crap, meaning dragged down and just wore out. The taste bud thing is starting to come back, but sometimes it goes away again. Food started to taste like metal after I went thru the cardboard phase. Its getting bad when you can't even taste mustard. Thanks for the tips on what to try. It will be 2 weeks this coming Tuesday and I have to say it has been a real up and down 2 weeks. I was on the prednisone 100mg for 5 days and that was no fun either. The chemo has left me mostly tired and weak. I do get hot flashes, but no night sweats. I have gained a couple of pounds as well. I got a prescription from my GI doc for a stool softener that works great and is easy on the intestines at the same time. Its called polyeth glycerine powder.You can mix it with anything and it is tasteless. I do not know how old you are ,but if you are 50 or older make sure you have a colonoscopy. If you ever get cancer there you got a real problem. You know I feel 35 should be the starting age for the check ups. I read up on colon cancer and there have been quite a few that were in their 30's. Not trying to scare anybody, its just that we become more aware of this stuff when it hits so close to home. Never paid much attention to it before because it is a disease that happens to the other guy, right!!! John
Joined: Nov 2010
Hi
I do believe everyone takes chemo differently and gets different side effects.
My fiance is going for his second R chop treatment tomorrow.
He has lymphnoma B cell non hodgkins
he took the first one rather well if I do say.
Worse part for him was a head ache achey feeling body and had no energy for about 7 days.
After that he was almost back to normal with exception of his smaller appetite.
He ate small meals just more often then normal.
His hair started to fall out about day 14 or so.
He also take a very good anti nausea drug from day one to five.
One thing I will say is drink lots of fluids, water, juice, soups.
What ever you can tolerate the more the better.
He has a great team at his cancer treatment center and I thank God daily for their help and concern.
Joined: May 2010
Cindy,
I am the one that first posted this back in June. I was scared and did not know where to turn until I found this great group of people. I went thru R-cvp for 6 rounds. I was on here everyday and still am. I had my last treatment Sept.28th and now in remission. So many people on here stuck with me and saw me thru it. Now I am trying to do the same and return the favor. Not because I have too,but because I want too. You are so right in that we are all different in the way we react to the chemo treatments. Your boyfriend will get thru it. He will have up and down days and what he goes thru will probably be normal stuff that we all went thru and some still going thru it. You found a great bunch of people here and we will be here when ever you need us. Welcome aboard. you will find you will get real answers here and not website statistics. Just like me in the beginning, I am sure you have been surfing those websites. They are good for stats only. Most are outdated and have a tendency to confuse you more than help you. Come anytime and someone will be here to walk you thru this stuff. John (Follicular non hodgkins Lymphoma,Grade 1,Stage 4, asymtomatic (no sweating,weight loss,No Temperature) Diagnosed on May 10,2010)(FNHL-1-4A-5/10)
Joined: Feb 2011
I had a full dosage of R-CHOP in four sessions this past summer at the age of 81. I had a few bad days, 6-10 out of 120 days of treatment and the usual side effects except for problems with prednizone which was adjusted by the oncologist. We are so lucky to have such great help from the nurses and oncologists, compared to the barbaric chemo treatment of the early 1970s.