Side effects

It takes time
Hi Denise,

I had Hodgkins 20 years ago. It took me quite a while to feel completely normal (whatever that is) I would say about 2 years. It was not all really bad during that time mind you. I did seem to pick any virus that was going around. Hang in there, it gets better.

Cheers, Lance

Symptoms after treatment
I had NHL diagnosed 20 years ago and on recurrance 18 years ago had an autologus bone marrow transplant. I am considered cured by my docs now but have had many side effects that only now are being recognized as treatment related - most notably heart damage from one of my early chemo drugs - adriamycin. Since my time though it is possible that there is more monitoring of some of these drugs now so that this has become less of an issue - in adriamycin use at least - I haven't looked into the difference between my treatments so long ago for bone marrow transplants and how they are done today, so keep that in mind too. Also being more recognized as an aftereffect of cancer treatments, some treatments I mean, are tiredness, 'chemo brain' as we call problems with our memories and other mental functions. There is a list of different possible aftereffects but many are blown off by doctors as being age related issues and not the result of treatments and then of course every other reason under the sun, except due to treatment - some no doubt are because of other medical issues. Thing is that it is hard to know why, for sure, that we have these aftereffects but as far as those related to treatment (and the disease itself)you can be sure that some of your effects are probably related to treatment. Your gut feelings are your best allies in how far to look for reasons why you feel the way you do and experience symptoms as you do, so don't give up looking for the true reasons and seek out those docs who trust in what you report. Cancer Survivors who were diagnosed when they were children were our trail blazers in reporting symptoms from treatments and of course since they were still growing when they were hit with mega chemo and radiation it was clearer that the effects were due to the treatments so that opened the eyes of many docs. Then when we who were diagnosed as adults came along with long survivorship times after treatments, and started reporting after effects, we weren't believed in the beginning but due to the younger survivors who reported similar symptoms years before the docs started paying attention to us more and more. The treatments have gotten so much better over the years that we are simply living longer so it makes more sense than ever before that after a certain time has passed we will see aftereffects, or even earlier, of harsh treatments years before. Hang in there and trust your gut and report to your oncologist or family doctor and sooner or later you will find your answers, hopefully. It can be a great struggle to be believed but we are making headway. All the best, Blueroses.