" FNHL Rituxan Treatment #7 is Behind Me

rclaxb

I found out I had FNHL March 2009. R-CHOP began Nov. 2009 and ended March 2010. Today was Rituxan treatment #7 and yearly CT scans. All was clear and I am still in remission with my last treatment on Feb. 8, 2012. I really have no side effects with Rituxan. Only issue is a sleepless night on treatment days because of steroids. I have a great Dr. at the Sitemen Cancer Center in St. Louis. On Oct. 1, 2011 I ran my first timed 5K for Race To Cure Lymphoma and completed the race in 32:24 with no training. I am 61 years only. My one bit of advice to fellow cancer survivors is to talk to your oncologist or primary doctor concerning depression. Everytime I went to my primary doctor he kept asking me questions about my feelings. Final I had a conversation and he said lets try some medication. Now when I go he ask me to tell him three things that I feel make be feel better. With the help of medication my outlook is so much better and I am happier. I am able to deal with stress better and it has even help my back problems. My wife is so happy that I am able to live a better feeling life as I trave this journey. I have been a reited teacher for 4 years and no even have a fun part-time job. My wife and I travel several times a year. I share this information in hopes it will help others as they travel the road as a survivor and one that knows FNHL is not curable-yet-but is manageable.

allmost60

Thank you!
Hi,
I'm also 61 years old and just finished my 5th round of Rituxan maint on Oct 25th. I go in every 2 months for my infusion for the next 2 years. I don't get a steroid with my Rituxan infusion, just 2 tylenol, benedryl and Lorazepam(sp), which makes me very sleepy during and after the infusion. I also think the Rituxan is causing low energy for me, but thats ok as long as it keeps the cancer at bay. I was diagnosed in June 2010 with FNHL-stage3-typeA-grade2. I did 6 rounds of CVP-R(finished in Dec 2010) and then started maint Rituxan onn Feb 14th 2011. The last scan I had showed one pesky tumor under my colar bone, but the other tumors in my groin, stomach and neck had shrunk to mm size. So far so good and I hope the Rituxan maint gives me a few more years before any new tumors show up. I haven't had any problems with depression...just get a little anxious now and then when I think about the possibility of it coming back and having to do a stronger chemo treatment..UGH!!..truely hope that doesn't happen anytime soon! Thanks so much for sharing your story and I hope you will come back and keep us posted on how things continue to go for you. Good job on running the 5K...sounds like you are doing really good with your energy. Take care and best wishes for continued success. Sue (in Washington State).

Faith_

Awesome!!!
Thank you!!! Your post was so encouraging, congrats on completing the 5k.

I was reading your post to my husband who is having a hard time deciding on which course to take. He was diagnosed with NHFL stage 4 in February of 2011 and began treatment in March 2011 with Rituxan and Bendamustine. We (rather he), now needs to decide which course of maintenance treatment he is going to do to keep things at bay. His options are Rituxan every 2 months for two years or a one time Radiation infusion (Rituxan/Zevilin) which would be given in a 9 day cycle. The one time Radiation infusion was sounding pretty good just to get it over with but had second thoughts once he started really thinking about it and reading up on it. Since he knows what to expect from the Rituxan infusion he was thinking that that would be better for him in the long run. He asked me to see what others on the site were doing as far as maintenance and I ran across your post. As I was reading it to him I could see that he was encouraged with your results and accomplishments.

Thanks again. :-)

Faith_

allmost60 said:

Thank you!
Hi,
I'm also 61 years old and just finished my 5th round of Rituxan maint on Oct 25th. I go in every 2 months for my infusion for the next 2 years. I don't get a steroid with my Rituxan infusion, just 2 tylenol, benedryl and Lorazepam(sp), which makes me very sleepy during and after the infusion. I also think the Rituxan is causing low energy for me, but thats ok as long as it keeps the cancer at bay. I was diagnosed in June 2010 with FNHL-stage3-typeA-grade2. I did 6 rounds of CVP-R(finished in Dec 2010) and then started maint Rituxan onn Feb 14th 2011. The last scan I had showed one pesky tumor under my colar bone, but the other tumors in my groin, stomach and neck had shrunk to mm size. So far so good and I hope the Rituxan maint gives me a few more years before any new tumors show up. I haven't had any problems with depression...just get a little anxious now and then when I think about the possibility of it coming back and having to do a stronger chemo treatment..UGH!!..truely hope that doesn't happen anytime soon! Thanks so much for sharing your story and I hope you will come back and keep us posted on how things continue to go for you. Good job on running the 5K...sounds like you are doing really good with your energy. Take care and best wishes for continued success. Sue (in Washington State).

Good to hear
Sue, Your post helped as well,,,thank you,

All the best to you!!!

Faith_

allmost60 said:

Thank you!
Hi,
I'm also 61 years old and just finished my 5th round of Rituxan maint on Oct 25th. I go in every 2 months for my infusion for the next 2 years. I don't get a steroid with my Rituxan infusion, just 2 tylenol, benedryl and Lorazepam(sp), which makes me very sleepy during and after the infusion. I also think the Rituxan is causing low energy for me, but thats ok as long as it keeps the cancer at bay. I was diagnosed in June 2010 with FNHL-stage3-typeA-grade2. I did 6 rounds of CVP-R(finished in Dec 2010) and then started maint Rituxan onn Feb 14th 2011. The last scan I had showed one pesky tumor under my colar bone, but the other tumors in my groin, stomach and neck had shrunk to mm size. So far so good and I hope the Rituxan maint gives me a few more years before any new tumors show up. I haven't had any problems with depression...just get a little anxious now and then when I think about the possibility of it coming back and having to do a stronger chemo treatment..UGH!!..truely hope that doesn't happen anytime soon! Thanks so much for sharing your story and I hope you will come back and keep us posted on how things continue to go for you. Good job on running the 5K...sounds like you are doing really good with your energy. Take care and best wishes for continued success. Sue (in Washington State).

Good to hear
Sue, Your post helped as well,,,thank you,

All the best to you!!!