just diagnosed

chris24
chris24 Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
I never thought I would be placing a message in this forum, but then again nobody does. I was just diagnosed with HD on Monday, 9-22. I am still waiting to be Staged, but I know I am in a III or IV. I'll get the results on Monday. It was a VERY HARD week, but my chest is out and I am ready to fight, as all of you have. My Doc said I will be getting 6 cycles of ABVD/MOPP. I know a lot of people just get ABVD. Anyone know if there is big a difference between the combo or ABVD alone? I have a lot of questions about the side effects of chemo, but I guess I'll have to find them out for myself. The biggest ones are, is there a pattern to your bad days? How sick/tired do you get? How bad does food taste?

Any answers would be great. Thanks!!

Chris

Comments

  • Slomaro
    Slomaro Member Posts: 2
    #2
    I was diagnosed in Nov of 01 Stage 3. Reacing two years!
    I dont want to seem discouraging, but I seemed to have a bad day every day for 9 months straight. I did the high dose BEACOPP and the a month of radiation. I got a striod, so I ate alot. I had lost 50 LBS before I was diagnosed. Keep in touch. Shoot me an e-mail if you need. for_play86@yahoo.com
  • dpomroy
    dpomroy Member Posts: 135
    #3
    Chris,
    I'm sorry that you have to go through all this. It is such a shock to be told you have cancer. I had 16 ABVD treatments, so I can't tell you how it is to get MOPP. You have some great questions about the differences and side effects. One suggestion that a nurse/friend of mine made when I was first diagnosed was to start keeping a notebook with everything in it: appointments, doctors addresses and phone numbers, when and where I had my tests and where the films were being kept, symptoms and questions that I had for my doctors at my next appointment, etc. I would encourage you to ask your doctor about all of your questions and concerns. The side effects for your treatments vary so much from person to person. I know people who barely got sick and continued to work and go about their normal lives. I also know of others who had a really tough time after each chemo with nausea and fatigue, and had to take some time off work. I was somewhere in the middle. After each chemo I was OK for about 48 hours and then the nausea and fatigue would kick in for a couple of days. Then I would start to feel more and more normal each day after that. I scheduled my chemo around it. I'd get chemo on Wednesday after work, be fine on Thursday and Friday, then feel really bad over the weekend, and be tired but ready to go back to work on Monday. When I was nauseas, nothing tasted good, but I forced myself to drink tons of liquids. You'll find lots of friends to talk to both here and in the chat room. Feel free to contact me, and good luck.
    Deb
  • hinkley
    hinkley Member Posts: 12
    #4
    My wife just recently found out that she has Hodgkins disease, too. She is 30 years old and so far through the staging they have placed her at Stage III. We both know what you are going through with the waiting and not knowing how you're going to feel. I Don't have any advice on the chemo, but I just want you to know someone else is out there going through this right along with you. Best of luck and feel free to contact me.
  • ilaina
    ilaina Member Posts: 6
    #5
    Chris,
    Hi, I'm 24 and was diagnosed in May with stage IIIB so I know how you're feeling. So far I have had 9 ABVD treatments. I have handled treatment fairly well. I feel really tired the day of treatment and have been getting a little anticipatory nausea before chemo. I get some anti-nausea meds through an IV to take care of that. My treatments are on Wednesday, so Thursday and Friday I feel fine (a little tired). On Saturday and Sunday I have some nausea and really feel kind of yucky. By Monday, I'm feeling pretty well. I have only gotten sick twice and that was due to certain smells. The biggest problem I've had is constipation. Drink plenty of fluids and don't let it go long. It can be miserable!

    I haven't experienced food tasting bad, but on Saturdays and Sundays my mouth has a weird texture to it. I have had no problems eating at all. As a matter of fact, my doctor told me to eat whenever I'm hungry, so I do!!!

    Believe me I know six months sounds like a long time, but it will fly by. Good luck with everything and feel free to email me with any questions.

    Ilaina
    ilaina8@aol.com
  • KRISSY23
    KRISSY23 Member Posts: 4
    #6
    I HAD ABVD EVERY 2 WEEKS. FIRST WEEK AFTER IS HELL THEN IT SLOWLY STARTS GETTING BETTER AND JUST WHEN YOU'RE STARTING TO FEEL GOOD, YOU HAVE TO GO IN FOR ANOTHER TREATMENT. THE PAY OFF IS WHEN IT'S OVER. INBETWEEN THAN AND NOW WILL BE AS HORRIBLE AS YOU IMAGINE OR AS GOOD AS YOU MAKE IT. IT'S ALL IN YOUR HANDS.
    P.S. FOR ME FOOD WAS THE BEST PART. DEMAND YOUR FAVORATE EVERYDAY. EAT TO MUCH. HAVE DESSERT. EAT CARMEL COVERED BROWINES FOR BREAKFAST AND IF YOU GET FAT BLAME IT ON THE CHEMO AND WORRY ABOUT IT LATER.

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