Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma stage III

mr_sal · 12-30-2002, 01:10 PM

My Wife was diagnosed last month. She is only 27 and doesn't have AIDS.
Ohh... what a rollercoaster this is. Her Tonsil was swollen, and they couldn't figure out what it was, so they removed it and did a biopsy on it. Had PET scan CAT scan and Bone Marrow tests. They found a spot in her spline they suspect is canserous. She started chemo within a week. CHOP + Rituxan. We just finished her second of 6 doses. Her hair was falling out and getting everywhere. I think it is getting to her. The first treatment went much better, but man after this second treatment! I am really hating Cancer!. She has been very irritable, and I can't seem to say the right things, and feel helpless. I realize that it is the drugs causing most of this! We also have a 6 month old boy, and our family lives about a 4hrs away. They have been a god send!
Thanks for letting me Vent! Today is her last day on the Prednisone, so hopefully she will be back to her normal happy self.
Question: Does the mood swings get worse every treatment?
Are there any good drugs that can help her mood swings? she is taking adivant, and in my opinion it doesn't help a lick!

Mr_Sal

bella67 · 12-30-2002, 03:50 PM

Sal,
I think your wife is just overwhelmed right now. A diagnosis of cancer, going through treatment and having to care for a 6 mos old must be exhausting!! I'm sure you're a very supportive husband since you are writing your concerns in the first place. My advice to you is to give her some space and the time to recover. Maybe take the baby out for the day and let her rest or go get a massage. She probably hates feeling this way and if she could change her mood she would. I know meds have alot to do with mood swings also, so with that combo it's not going to be easy. Just try to have as much empathy as possible and be open to her needs. It will probably speed up her recovery time as well.

Take care,
Lisa

Jay Tor · 12-31-2002, 10:36 PM

Although I agree with Bella that cancer is in itself a very wild ride indeed, based on my child's experience with leukemia, my guess is that the prednisone is responsible for the worst of the mood swings. Read as much as you can on this drug because it's one of the mainstays of many cancer and post cancer therapies and has many serious medical and psychological side effects apart from volatile mood swings.

If you notice her moods are very/excessively volatile, please discuss this with her HEM/ONC. There are several different prednisone analogues and, overall, the shorter acting, faster-clearing types have less severe side-effects.
[url="http://search.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/query?DISAMBIGUATION=true&FUNCTION=searc h&PARAMETER=prednisone&SHOWTOPICS=0&x=31 &y=13"]http://search.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/query?DISAMBIGUATION=true&FUNCTION=searc h&PARAMETER=prednisone&SHOWTOPICS=0&x=31 &y=13[/url]

Good luck,
Jay