Rituxan is doing it's job

dixiegirl
dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
Had my pet scan yesterday with results today. It's working, the spots are gone. This is my 3rd time around with this stuff and we chose 4 weekly treatments and maintenance every other month for a while.

I am just so greatful it's working since the cancer started spreading.

Comments

  • catwink22
    catwink22 Member Posts: 281
    #2
    WONDERFUL!
    Beth, I'm sooo happy to hear that the Rituxan is working!! That is wonderful news! It also gives me such hope, I go for my scan in July after 4 weeks of Rituxan in April. How is your hip? I still have annoying pangs, but I am walking normal. Standing bothers me more. Is your maintenance 1 or 4 doses of Rituxan every other month? I am nervous about my hip and am anxious for my scan either for reassurance that the treatments worked or that I need to go more aggressive. The not knowing is so hard because that little demon voice in the back of your mind keeps saying "what if?" lol. I'm sure that never goes away completely, but at least for awhile you can tell it to hush! I'll be praying for you that this will be successful and you won't have to go to round 4. Take care! Cat
  • JoanieP
    JoanieP Member Posts: 573
    #3
    Great
    So glad Beth that you got good news. We are all blessed with drugs that weren't available not so long ago. Blessings Joanie
  • dixiegirl
    dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    #4
    catwink22 said:

    WONDERFUL!
    Beth, I'm sooo happy to hear that the Rituxan is working!! That is wonderful news! It also gives me such hope, I go for my scan in July after 4 weeks of Rituxan in April. How is your hip? I still have annoying pangs, but I am walking normal. Standing bothers me more. Is your maintenance 1 or 4 doses of Rituxan every other month? I am nervous about my hip and am anxious for my scan either for reassurance that the treatments worked or that I need to go more aggressive. The not knowing is so hard because that little demon voice in the back of your mind keeps saying "what if?" lol. I'm sure that never goes away completely, but at least for awhile you can tell it to hush! I'll be praying for you that this will be successful and you won't have to go to round 4. Take care! Cat

    I did
    I did once a week for 4 weeks, then one treatment every other month for the maintenance.
    The reclast really did help my hip. I think he's going to make sure I get it every year to keep the fractures down.

    I did go get a copy of my last 2 scans from the hospital so I could read the report. This time the one spot in my lung is still there after all but is reducing in SUV. It was 2.6 and is now 1.7 so it's going the right direction. If I remember what he said they don't worry so much about anything less than 2...but I'm not completely sure.

    I hope you get great results too! Take it a day at a time! I know the fear you describe and I hate to tell you it's always there on some level, but it lessens with experience. We know our bodies and once we get to remission and know what good REALLY feels like, we are more apt to speak up and say.....Doc, I don't feel good, what's wrong?

    Take it easy on the hip lady...don't do too much too soon. Easier said than done I know. LOL

    Thanks for the well wishes my friends, and know you'll be in my thoughts! We ladies need to stick together!!!
  • dixiegirl
    dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    #5
    JoanieP said:

    Great
    So glad Beth that you got good news. We are all blessed with drugs that weren't available not so long ago. Blessings Joanie

    Thank you
    Thank you and you are soooooo right!
  • merrywinner
    merrywinner Member Posts: 626 Member
    #6
    So glad to hear about your
    So glad to hear about your positive results. Keep up the good work and God bless. Mary
  • patcard
    patcard Member Posts: 6
    #7
    Great news
    Hello, Im on a rituxan maintenance program my 2nd quarterly infusion,so far the results have been positive, I'm on a two year drug study here in boston and I've been very fortunate, It is so great to hear that you also have been having positive results with rituxan , good luck to everyone, pat
  • COBRA666
    COBRA666 Member Posts: 2,401 Member
    #8
    WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY
    WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY SPREADING. I HAVE STAGE 4 WITH NO SYMPTOMS. I WILL BE STARTING R-CHOP SOON. IT HAS ME SCARED TO DEATH. I WAS ON THE WAIT AND WATCH PROGRAM FOR A WHILE UNTIL IT SPREAD TO MY HIP. ITS ONLY IN THERE IN A SMALL PERCENTAGE, BUT NONE THE LESS IT IS IN THERE. MY ONC. SAYS IT MAKES NO REAL DIFFERENCE BECAUSE ITS STILL LYMPHOMA AND NOT BONE CANCER WHICH WOULD BE A DIFFERENT OUTLOOK. MY NLH WAS DISCOVERED WITH A CT SCAN I HAD ROUTINELY FROM MY UROLOGIST. NEVER DID HAVE ANY SYMTOMS.
  • dixiegirl
    dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    #9
    COBRA666 said:

    WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY
    WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY SPREADING. I HAVE STAGE 4 WITH NO SYMPTOMS. I WILL BE STARTING R-CHOP SOON. IT HAS ME SCARED TO DEATH. I WAS ON THE WAIT AND WATCH PROGRAM FOR A WHILE UNTIL IT SPREAD TO MY HIP. ITS ONLY IN THERE IN A SMALL PERCENTAGE, BUT NONE THE LESS IT IS IN THERE. MY ONC. SAYS IT MAKES NO REAL DIFFERENCE BECAUSE ITS STILL LYMPHOMA AND NOT BONE CANCER WHICH WOULD BE A DIFFERENT OUTLOOK. MY NLH WAS DISCOVERED WITH A CT SCAN I HAD ROUTINELY FROM MY UROLOGIST. NEVER DID HAVE ANY SYMTOMS.

    Spreading
    It's ok to be scared. I found my lymphoma in my left groin and we treated that with chemo. I was stage 1. Then it came back in my hip area and we did watch and wait for about 9 months, then did rads. That put me in remission.

    Then it spread to my left armpit, right lung, and a spot next to my spine close to my esophagus. That put me in stage 3 and changed to follicular. It was a combo of MALT and Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. All indolent. So it's just spreading out a little. My onc doesn't seem to be too awfully concerned and is happy with the results from the rituxan.
    As long as it keeps it under control I'm good.

    Don't worry, although chemo is scary, it's doable. Good luck to you!

    Beth
  • twinhous
    twinhous Member Posts: 2
    #10
    COBRA666 said:

    WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY
    WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY SPREADING. I HAVE STAGE 4 WITH NO SYMPTOMS. I WILL BE STARTING R-CHOP SOON. IT HAS ME SCARED TO DEATH. I WAS ON THE WAIT AND WATCH PROGRAM FOR A WHILE UNTIL IT SPREAD TO MY HIP. ITS ONLY IN THERE IN A SMALL PERCENTAGE, BUT NONE THE LESS IT IS IN THERE. MY ONC. SAYS IT MAKES NO REAL DIFFERENCE BECAUSE ITS STILL LYMPHOMA AND NOT BONE CANCER WHICH WOULD BE A DIFFERENT OUTLOOK. MY NLH WAS DISCOVERED WITH A CT SCAN I HAD ROUTINELY FROM MY UROLOGIST. NEVER DID HAVE ANY SYMTOMS.

    R-CHOP
    I had my last R-CHOP March 8 and now on Rituxan every 2 months for 2 years. Don't be scared - I was able to continue working 25 hours a week. The first 2 rounds were the hardest, partly due to overuse of anti-nausea pills. I didn't realize I should only take "as needed" and they had their own side effects. By round 4 I didn't need them at all. I have NHL follicular B-cell grade 3 stage 3. My last Pet/CT showed some questionable activity in one spot which is believed to be indolent if it is cancer at all. I feel great today. Think and stay positive. If you are person of faith "let go and let God". I'll pray for you.

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