Does it get easier during the downtime? My husband had his 1st treatment last Monday. He is sicker today than yesterday!!! He had the chills so baldly last night? Is this normal?

When I asked the Doctor what to expect we were given a "blanket answer" as I call it . Everyone is different, is the answer.

OK, than give me SOMETHING to go by!

With the 2 week downtime, will it ease up for him?

I had a different chemo...ABVD.
Are they giving your husband something for nausea?
I was given Zofran....what a God-send.

You know, everyone "is" different, but I can tell you this....
My first chemo treatment was horrific. I think mostly because I just didn't know what to expect. Later, some were rougher, some were easier.

It always helped to drink lots of water during and afterward and of course, take the proper med's.

The best of luck to you and your husband.

Maybe someone that's had CHOP will come here and give you some answers.

S.

I just saw that you're getting answers on another post.
Good luck.

Singer78, I've read alot of your posts! You are a true survivor and an inspiration to these boards!!!!

ANY advice or insight you can give is welcomed! This is not my first time at bat dealing with cancer, but it is my first time dealing with CHOP and for my husband.

Again, any insight would be greatly appreciated.

So nice to meet you, too.

I know I have a tendency to "ramble..." and these people on here have been my "rock."
I swear, I don't know what I would've done without them. You can tell by how many posts I've written, I was scared TO DEATH!...But, through prayers and inspiration and support...I'm turning the corner, so to speak. Nice to have you onboard. :)

Cancer is scary, but just about every disease, really, is. You'll get through this. You sound like wonderful support for your husband. My husband was great with me, too....although he fell short in the "domestic" area. Through chemo & radiation, I still had to do the cleaning & cooking....but, sometimes I think it's good to "make" yourself do things. Life doesn't stop, does it?---For instance, I just went shopping awhile ago,(basically for exercise) and I feel better for it. I'm still battling some demons, but nothing like last year. I've had quite a few complications from chemo and radiation, but I can deal with it.

And, I'm sure you know, but a positive, upbeat attitude that you're going to "beat this," is better than ANY drug in the world, for both you, and your husband---especially him, of course. I faltered at times, but usually got back on track after awhile. Like I said, this forum helped immensely. I made sure I surrounded myself with upbeat, positive people, too. I actually had to "x" some "so-called" downer-type friends.

I'm still basking in my "cancer-free" diagnosis yesterday. I had my CT scan on Monday and was "holding my breath." I'm still suffering from fatigue and low-grade fevers, which no one (nurse & doc) really seems to be too alarmed about. They said yesterday, to continue what I'm doing---which is forging forward....taking my med's & trying to get "back in the saddle" of Life.

You & your husband are in my prayers.
Singer
P.S. Thank you for the compliment. That makes me feel great!

hey,
i had ABVD tha same as singer, but we both experienced very different symptoms. i know how frustrating it is not to be given definate answers but it will get easier. most people will find they have a kind of 'routine' of their symptoms and have the same symptoms on the same days after each treatment. i usually felt nausous for about 4-5 days after each treatment, however the very first treatment it took a few days for me to start feeling unwell.

i have spoken to a few people who had CHOP or R-CHOP and they also reported that they had different side effects from each other. thankfully with most of the side effects they can give you meds to cope better with them. the anti-sickness tablets work best when taken continuously not just when you start to feel sick. however i only ever stopped feeling nausous after stuffing myself full of vanilla icecream, milk or meat (i had strange cravings) i think singer had the vanilla milkshake thing too(?) after a few treatments i started to get the metal taste in my mouth so i had to pour garlic on everything just so i could taste something. the mouthwashes they gave me didnt help so i took to brushing my teeth 5-6 times a day but i do know that the mouthwashes work for some people. i had pretty bad mouth ulcers too but nothing a bit of bongela didnt fix.
i cant think of any other side effects at the moment, my mind has went completely blank but if you have any questions just ask. i know its a different combination therapy but i think most people experience similar side effects.

take care
amanda
xx

ps.
i agree with singer, your husband should drink a lot of water to keep flushing his system. i dont remember having chills except when i came down with the flu, were you assigned a chemo nurse or given a number to call if you have any questions or worries? if his temp goes above 39oC then call the hospital and try and cool him down (open window, minimal clothing, tepid sponge etc). also ask if (if he does develop a fever) he is allowed paracetamol or brufen as they will reduce his temp. but i'd ask first. personally my doctor told me not to take these as it would mask my fever and they wouldnt know exactly what my temp was but i know other people were told to take either of these to help bring down the temp so i guess it just depends on what your doctor says.

Singer, I've read all your posts to my hubby, he thinks you are AMAZING!!! Thank you for all the adivce, we truly appreciate it.


Pinkamda, you're right, seems everyones expierences are individual. Today he is bleeding, loosing his hair too. His stomach is sore still, wish there was something for that. I will address that with Dr and nurses next treatmwnt.

They told us we could call at anytime, there are 2 nurses assigned to him, and a dr on call 24/7. I just wish we didn't have to deal with this, I wish I could "fix him". Breaks my heart to see him so sick.

I've not hade CHOP, but I have had CLVVP and R-ABVD (still having it actually). With both regimes, I found the first cycle horrendous. Things seemed to get easier after that. With both of these regimes, fatigue built up with each sucessive treatment. On my bad days, I'm currently sleeping 12-16 hours a day. Even on my good days, I'm now requiring about 10-12 hours sleep. I had little fatigue on either regime to start off with.
This answer of "everyone is different" is all very well, but not very helpful. As Amanda said here, there is usually some kind of predictability to each cycle.
I hope things improve.
Best wishes
Simon

How are you feeling?

After 2 CHOP treatments my husband now has shingles, treatment is suspended for now.

Thank you for asking. I have now completed my ABVD. The scan shows the lymphoma is in remission. But, I am having a lot of trouble breathing, which can be a side effect of one of the ABVD drugs. It can be very serious, so I am unfortunately not out of the woods yet.

I am sorry to hear about your husband. I did not get shingles, but when I was on ClVPP I had one infection after another for the last couple of months, all of which required hospitalization. There were at least two occassion when I got home from hospital, only to spike another temperature within a few hours, which required me to be readmitted. Treatment was delayed on at least two occassions.

What are they planning on doing about the shingles? Are they giving him any anti-viral treatment?

I know that CHOP does cause greater immunosuppression than ABVD, which makes people more vulnerable to infections. Are they using either of the drugs that boost white blood cell counts? Neulasta or Neupogen. I've been on Neulasta throughout my ABVD, and it has done the trick in terms of keeping my white blood cell count up. No infections, or temperatures over 38 at all. An enormous contrast to my previous experience.

Being a little bit cynical, I would recommend that you seek as much information on your husband's illness and treatment as possible, because you cannot always rely on your doctors to be as knowledgable/responsive as they should be. The internet is a fantastic resource for this purpose. The downside is that it can be a little bit scary. But even if you have absolute faith in your medical team, a little bit of background knowledge puts you in a better position to ask the right questions.

I hope the shingles comes under control quickly. Two members of my family had it some years ago, and it is not a nice illness.
Best wishes
Simon