hodgkins while being pregnant!

astat

6weeks after giving birth to my son i found out i had hodgkin's disease. during my pregnancy i did have symptoms, but my doctors said i was just going through pregnancy, and that i was fine. my son is going to be 2 in april. i coming up on my 2 year anniversary and the doctor said i can start trying again iam very scared that it might come back or i won't be able to have kids again, because of the treatment i went through. i just wanted some feed back.

amy

AlloMan

I've been told if you can go 2 years without a relapse, you're in good shape as far as Hodgkin's is concerned. It's my understanding the "gold standard" is if you don't relapse within 5 years of remission, you're considered cured. Can you wait that long? What effect, if any, could the chemo drugs have on your fertility?

sillyspirit

AlloMan said:

I've been told if you can go 2 years without a relapse, you're in good shape as far as Hodgkin's is concerned. It's my understanding the "gold standard" is if you don't relapse within 5 years of remission, you're considered cured. Can you wait that long? What effect, if any, could the chemo drugs have on your fertility?

Hi.... being a 26 years suvivor of hodkins, it is true that after 5 years your considered "cured".. I'll never forget that day when I was told that.

sarahu

I also had Hodgkins when I was pregnant. I was diagnosed when my daughter was 12 days old. Originally, my onc recommended that I wait at least 5 years post treatment before even considering children. Well, I haven't had the opportunity to do so yet (as I went through a divorce). I would really think out the decision to have children so soon after treatment, yet I was still having complications from treatment 2 years after my diagnosis. Best of luck to you.

amasurvivor

I guess I've done both. I was able to get pregnant, easily, 1 1/2 years after 6 months of AVBD. No, my doctor wasn't thrilled, he wanted me to wait 5 years... well that didn't happen. The cancer came back while I was pregnant, however they couldn't scan me. I found a lump when she was 1 month old. I had a stem cell transplant when she was 3 months. In retro-spect I'm glad I did have her then. My chances of getting pregnant post-transplant are not as good as after my first treatment. Although I would never recommend going against doctors orders, I am inclined to believe God had a special plan of His own. Had I started the transplant without a pregnancy first I don't believe I would have gotten through it as well as I did. I was physically more ready to take the "punishment" than I would have been, and her sweet face gave me something else to live for! As of now I am 4 1/2 years post transplant. If you want to chat further feel free to email me.

astat

amasurvivor said:

I guess I've done both. I was able to get pregnant, easily, 1 1/2 years after 6 months of AVBD. No, my doctor wasn't thrilled, he wanted me to wait 5 years... well that didn't happen. The cancer came back while I was pregnant, however they couldn't scan me. I found a lump when she was 1 month old. I had a stem cell transplant when she was 3 months. In retro-spect I'm glad I did have her then. My chances of getting pregnant post-transplant are not as good as after my first treatment. Although I would never recommend going against doctors orders, I am inclined to believe God had a special plan of His own. Had I started the transplant without a pregnancy first I don't believe I would have gotten through it as well as I did. I was physically more ready to take the "punishment" than I would have been, and her sweet face gave me something else to live for! As of now I am 4 1/2 years post transplant. If you want to chat further feel free to email me.

thanks for the feed back. i guess i have to put it in gods hands, and see even if i can get pregnant. hopefully i can and i guess i will have to deal with it if it does come back. but i think i have to bite the bullit and try for another miracle. thanks hope to hear from you again
amy

noeldenise

I got pregnant with my first baby 8 months after the end of my cancer treatment. Because I was 30 we did not want to wait too long. She is a healthy baby girl. I have been 3 years cancer free now.

KyLibrarian

I had Hodgkin's while pregnant, too--they told me the lumps under my arms were breast tissue and wouldn't go away until I stopped nursing. Ainsley was 6 mos. old before I was correctly diagnosed but it was still Stage II. I've only been in remission since July and am debating about the pregnancy issue--I keep thinking pregnancy has something to do with Hodgkin's since I keep hearing of pregnant women having it. Even after 5 years (God willing) I will worry. Do you all think there's a connection between pregnancy and getting this cancer?

gmaz

KyLibrarian said:

I had Hodgkin's while pregnant, too--they told me the lumps under my arms were breast tissue and wouldn't go away until I stopped nursing. Ainsley was 6 mos. old before I was correctly diagnosed but it was still Stage II. I've only been in remission since July and am debating about the pregnancy issue--I keep thinking pregnancy has something to do with Hodgkin's since I keep hearing of pregnant women having it. Even after 5 years (God willing) I will worry. Do you all think there's a connection between pregnancy and getting this cancer?

No I don't think there's a link. Hodgkin's is a cancer found in young people and women ho are of child bearing age are also more at risk for Hodgkin's.

lapostol

My daughter was 2 when I was diagnosed with hodgkin's. I finished chemo in Feb. of 2003. My doctor said it was okay for me to start trying to get pregnant because I responded right away to ABVD. I am 31 will be 32 in June and I can't wait and my husband or my daughter can't wait any longer. I see how much my daughter just adores babies when we are out and it breaks my heart that I can't give her one yet. I have been telling her I had to wait for my doctor to say it was okay. Next week I have to go for an FSH test per my ob/gyne. We just started trying this month and I can't wait to see her face when I finally do get pregnant. I have heard a lot of good news about women getting pregnant after Hodgkins that were on the pill during chemo.