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dma11663 · 04-09-2007, 10:30 AM

Hi...I have written many times before regarding my brother in law. He has CLL and Low Grade Lymphoma. He was diagnosed more than 8 years ago. Never had to have chemo.....only rituxin. Unfortunately, it had to be treated more aggressively....in January he started CHOP treatments...............he was doing ok until his last treatment. He is achy...., muscle cramps in his hands and legs. He is naeasous all the time and he is throwing up every morning a little. Feeling kind of weak and food is not appealing any more. The doctors feel that the treatments are working from what they can see (he will have a scan this week to check out the inside nodes).

Can someone tell me what you feel....and why would he feel this 4 months into it? He said he just doesn't feel good at all. He usually gets 1 good week out of the month......but now....he is sick and he is due next Wed. for another treatment. Also, for those of you that have had CHOP and have been pushed into remission................how long do they expect remission? As long as possible? What happens after CHOP....is there another treatment you can have if you come out of remission and is there a maintenance treatment they follow after CHOP?

I'm sorry for all the questions...................I just want to be more informed.

Thank you.

D

beckyb46 · 04-09-2007, 05:24 PM

Hi D.

I m not sure what it could be. I would feel not grest for about 4 days. and Ihad 5 treatments. ****** chop and see what the side effects are. And check with is DR.

I have chemo torrow. Fludarabine, csytoxin and rituxan. Plus prednisone for 5 days. And my hair is coming back.

Work is good. So nice to have somewhere to go, and be productive again.

Let us know about you BIL , and post us about the scan results.

Nassau one · 04-09-2007, 08:38 PM

I did not have RCHOP but I found my treatment (Fludarabine, Cytoxan and Rituxan) more difficult to tolerate as time went on. I believe it is the cumulative effect. Has he asked for something for the nausea? I only got that for a couple of days following each cycle, but I did feel increasingly spaced out almost for the whole month. The only time I began to feel more like myself was the day I had to go back for more treatment!! The important thing is that it is working...hopefully the scans will show it is. I finished my chemo in November and just had Rituxan to finish my treatment in January and I still get achy, weak legs alot and stiff hands sometimes. It shows how powerful these treatments are but, as I said, if they work, then it has to be worth it. My last scan showed no sign of lymph nodes in the mesentery where the nodes had been as large as 2.5 cm last year July.

I hope your BIL feels better soon. I would suggest he definitely asks for something else for the nausea so that he can once again enjoy his food.

inda · 04-10-2007, 08:12 AM

{{{{ dma }}}}

I went thru 4 rounds of RCHOP it was always followed by 1 week of predisone
When I first started the chemo, the nurse made sure I was given a prescription for compazine. That really worked for me. I didnt have to many problems with the chemo, my problems were with the radiation. It made me very sick and unable to eat or taste anything. I had 20 units on my neck. I lost 40 pounds ( unfortuanetly for me I have found it all again, lol ) I ate lots and lots of popcicles and ice cream during both treatments. The prednisone made everything taste wonderful, I gained 10 pounds during my chemo. Has your BIL contacted the American Cancer Society? or a Little Red Door ? All of these will offer him help and assistance. Please make sure he speaks up and tell his oncology nurses what he is experiencing. Men try to be so heroic and tuff and they dont always ask.

dma11663 · 04-10-2007, 09:17 AM

Hi Everyone! Becky B...so glad you're back with us and doing well. I thought you were finished with your treatments? Fill me in on everything!

Thank you all so much for your responses. I just emailed my brother in law to tell him what you all have told me. He will probably get the email tonight when he gets home.

He is a bit on the macho side and he doesn't want to act as though he is "sick" so he keeps trying to push and push and push. I am positive that he was given a prescription for compazine but I don't know if he takes it all the time (which is not very smart of him). He felt weak last week and the cramps in his hands and legs are getting to him. I was wondering if it was side effects of the treatments (I believe he said the nurse said it was but the doctor told him to go see a neurologist). I believe it probably is the side effects of the chemo as I know someone whose mom had chemo for ovarian cancer and she told me she developed arthritis like symptoms.

The queasy feeling is getting worse as time goes on for my BIL so I assume it could be the cumulative effects of the treatments. I told him to drink a lot but he can't when he is not feeling well and sick to his stomach.

He has 2 more treatments.....next week is his 5th. I told him to hang in there as he is more than 1/2 way through....but I'm not the one going through this.

If you have anything else to add please write to me. I don't know when the scan in but I will keep you all informed. Thank goodness for you!

GOD BLESS!!!! Thank you.

D

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