Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) Recovery Time?

SteveJNC

Hey. 

This is my first post here, so be gentle!

In May, 2011 i was diagnosed with Stage III DLCBL. I am almost 2 years out from being told that I am in remission. 

I had 6 rounds of R-CHOP chemo - and while u survived, I'm wondering at this point at what cost?

I wake up tired, stumble through the day, STILL have numbness in my feet that makes it feel like I'm walking in mud all the time. 

Basically, I'm sick and tired of waiting to feel better. My doctor has given me Provigil, so that does help with the concentration and staying awake at work, but he says there is no reason for me to still be so tired all the time. 

I have to wonder if it's because I'm under so much stress financially that it's weighing on me. The credit card companies could care less what I've gone through - they just want to be paid. I am slowly getting things caught up - but in the meantime my credit rating went right down the crapper. 

For 11 years before I was diagnosed, I worked a full time job, as well as a part time job. Heck, before I was diagnosed, I didn't even know I had I cancer, other than the knot I got on my neck. Felt fine and was RARING to go. 

So I guess I have 2 questions:

WHEN will I start feeling better?

and

is there or are there any laws to help people when they've just had the battle of their life - to protect them from the credit companies and banks eating them up with late fees and APRs that continually go up!

i want to fulfill my obligations, but they're making it SO HARD to do. 

Thanks for your time. 

 

 

 

Rocquie

Welcome

Hello Steve, I am glad you have joined the group here and I think you will find the help you need. First of all, congratulations on your remission! I am sorry to hear that you are still feeling so bad.

May I ask what steps you are taking to improve your health? Are you taking any vitamins or other supplements? How are your blood counts--any ongoing problems with anemia? How is your diet? Do you get enough sleep?

I had a different type of lymphoma but I did have R-CHOP. I feel that I have recovered, mostly, from the physical effects. But I have worked at it. I have a very excellent diet. I make a smoothie every morning with fresh fruit, yogurt, and protein powder. I take a high quality multi-vitamin each day. I also take a few specialized supplements--alpha lipoic acid (has completely resolved my peripheral neuropathy), vitamin E for chemo brain, biotin for hair, CoQ10 to protect my heart, folic acid, probiotics, melatonin for sleep.

I do carry emotional baggage from my diagnosis and treatment and that continues to be my biggest problem. Feelings of fear and isolation are constant companions I am trying to relieve my self of. Prayer helps.

There are ways to get help for credit card and debt repayment. You may want to seek out a consumer credit counseling service, but check them out thorougly. Legitimate services should be free. Beware of scams in this regard. Free legal services are also available. These professionals can negotiate payments for you, get interest rates lowered, and help you with a budget. Part of their negotiations will involve stopping collections calls, which can be very stressful.

Cheers,

Rocquie

 

Ailidh

Rocquie said:

Welcome

Hello Steve, I am glad you have joined the group here and I think you will find the help you need. First of all, congratulations on your remission! I am sorry to hear that you are still feeling so bad.

May I ask what steps you are taking to improve your health? Are you taking any vitamins or other supplements? How are your blood counts--any ongoing problems with anemia? How is your diet? Do you get enough sleep?

I had a different type of lymphoma but I did have R-CHOP. I feel that I have recovered, mostly, from the physical effects. But I have worked at it. I have a very excellent diet. I make a smoothie every morning with fresh fruit, yogurt, and protein powder. I take a high quality multi-vitamin each day. I also take a few specialized supplements--alpha lipoic acid (has completely resolved my peripheral neuropathy), vitamin E for chemo brain, biotin for hair, CoQ10 to protect my heart, folic acid, probiotics, melatonin for sleep.

I do carry emotional baggage from my diagnosis and treatment and that continues to be my biggest problem. Feelings of fear and isolation are constant companions I am trying to relieve my self of. Prayer helps.

There are ways to get help for credit card and debt repayment. You may want to seek out a consumer credit counseling service, but check them out thorougly. Legitimate services should be free. Beware of scams in this regard. Free legal services are also available. These professionals can negotiate payments for you, get interest rates lowered, and help you with a budget. Part of their negotiations will involve stopping collections calls, which can be very stressful.

Cheers,

Rocquie

 

Hi Steve,
I'm sorry you are

Hi Steve,

I'm sorry you are still feeling so bad, and I hope you can find some help on the financial side; I'm sure that pressure must be contributing to how low you feel.

 

Rocquie - I'd be very interested if you could say more about your diet. For a while, I found it enough of an achievement just to eat - not much saliva, non-functioning tastebuds in addition to being too depressed to want to eat (although I always made the effort). I'm trying to eat healthier now, and have just started taking a multi-vitamin pill. I'm not quite sure how best to make my food healthy though.

Rocquie

Ailidh said:

Hi Steve,
I'm sorry you are

Hi Steve,

I'm sorry you are still feeling so bad, and I hope you can find some help on the financial side; I'm sure that pressure must be contributing to how low you feel.

 

Rocquie - I'd be very interested if you could say more about your diet. For a while, I found it enough of an achievement just to eat - not much saliva, non-functioning tastebuds in addition to being too depressed to want to eat (although I always made the effort). I'm trying to eat healthier now, and have just started taking a multi-vitamin pill. I'm not quite sure how best to make my food healthy though.

Ailidh

I will start a new topic about diet--don't want to hijack Steve's thread. Thanks, Rocquie