rituximab

I am new to this my husband was just diagnosed w/this and we see the oncologist today talk about treatment. coild you please explain how this works and what it is?
yolondacruz@hotmail.com

looking4help said:

Another wife of a newly diagnosed NHL patient.
I am writing to you to let you know that my husband, Don, also has been diagnosed with NHL. He was diagnosed Dec. 27, 2000. I thought maybe we could write each other and talk about our feelings and how we are coping with our husbands having NHL. I think maybe it would be nice to have another wife to write to and get advice from. It has been real hard for me. I don't leave my husband's side, seems I am afraid to leave him for one moment. I do not sleep very well, afraid he will need me and I won't hear him. When he is in the hospital, I sleep on the floor or do whatever I have to, but never leave. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed. Do you have any of the same feeling I have? My prayers will be with you and your husband. Hope this finds him doing much better. My husbands is in his bone marrow. Stage 4 and aggressive. He has been in and out of the hospital every 10 to 14 days since the last of September taking blood. If if would not be too much to ask of you, I would so very much appreciate hearing from you and your experiences. Thanks alot, Pam

My Husband Todd was also Diagnosed Dec 2000. We went to the emergency room for sharp pains in his lower left side. We never expected to hear the word cancer a week later! That night in the ER he had a catscan done and he had a mass blocking his left lung. (Just thinking about that night still scares me.) The Dr told us if he stayed in the hospital we would find out what the mass was alot faster. Well it didn't happen fast enough. They had to do 2 biopsys before finding out it was cancer. The dat of his second surgery the surgeon told me and my mom that it looked like cancer. When the Dr left the room he Todd asked me what he said so I told him. I couldn't lie to him. He looked at me and said, "No I don't he doesn't know what he is talking about!" I left it at that. He kept on asking my mom and I what the Dr said ( he was on morphine for a few days). I think that was one of the hardest things to deal with because I had to tell him over and over again.

The thursday after Christmas he started chemo. He never really had a hard time with chemo, only stomach aches, headaches, and being really tired. The Dr told him he was making it look easy. The only other problem he had was that his hemogobin was low. So he had to come back every week for his shot of Procrit.

After six rounds of (CHOP) chemo he had his catscan. From what we were told it looked good. So we were more than happy. Then we got the news that two of his tumors were still there and that he needed a stem cell transplant.

So we went to Texas to MD Anderson ( about a month and half later. There was some insurance problems) and while we were there he had a catscan done. We found out that his tumors have grown from 1 and 2 cm to 6 and 12 cm. So they said he had to have more chemo. He starts his next round of five days of chemo next monday. Then we go to Texas the 15 of August till the 18. Then we find out when we have to stay down there for a couple of months.

Well I am sorry I have rambled on so much but there is so much to say. This kind of stuff is not easily explained as you know. It would be great to actually talk to some one who knows what your going through. Please writer back if you could.

Thanks Alot,
Angela

mandyc said:

I am new to this my husband was just diagnosed w/this and we see the oncologist today talk about treatment. coild you please explain how this works and what it is?
yolondacruz@hotmail.com

hi

as i understood its low dose of chemo with a protein that ataches to the cancer cells and does killl off the good cells good luck i had one infusion go to morrow for second one let u know how it goes