Hodgkins Lymphoma and Multiple Sclerosis

[destinytb]

I was diagnosed with MS back in 1996 and now recently diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and had to start chemo. Is there anyone out there that has had both of these to contend with? I'm worried that the Chemo may create more nerve damage than I already have but I am ready to accept the damage to stay alive.

I may be looking for a needle in hey stack but I'm not gonna stop looking or giving up on this world.

[johona]

Hi,Iwas reading the board and seen your question.I take chemo for MS. The name of it is methotrexate.I couldn't take any of the injections for MS. So my doctor said we have to slow the progression down. I am the first one of his patients he has tried this on. It makes me weak,I take it three times a week.All and all it seems to be helping. I don't have near as many
spells as I used to. You just have to be careful not to get around anyone who has been sick or you will catch what they
have and it would be hard to get rid of it. Your imune system will break down
quick.I hope this helps you somehow.Let me know how you get along with your chemo.
Thoughts and prayers are with you,
Johona

[destinytb]

Johona,

Thank you for replying. I thought I had enough do deal with, with just MS. The cancer has forced me to become a different person again, and two weeks after I started the chemo my appendix bursted and I spent a week in the hospital. Then after I came out of the hospital I had to start my chemo from the beginning all over again.

The Chemo is causing alot of nerve damage (it seems to be bringing out alot of my old MS symptoms). The right side of my face dropped during the first week and My speech was sightly impaired and I had numbness in my arms and legs, so in my case it's hurting my MS and not helping. MY MS isn't active, the chemo is just adding insult to injury. I'm taking a full regiman of different chemo's (ABVD) so it's totally wacking me out.

I have a friend that has severe chronic progressive MS and she is also trying the Methotrexate to curb her attacks and it seems to be working for her so hopefull it would do the same for you, but what I'm on is a little more intense.

I beleive there may be a link or some kind of reason for my immune system to have more than one problem. The odds of having both of these in the normal population has got to be to high to even count.

Again, thank you for your reply.

Sincerely,

Tony

[Mize]

I have recently been on a treatment for my MS that I am told is commonly used to treat lymphoma. It is an IV drug called cladribine. I took it for 5 days in a row with a month break and then another 5 days. It has been a month and I have had no positive or negative reaction. It suposidly did wonders for a really bad patient with MS, but nothing for me yet. They say it could take months to have an effect on my MS.
There were no side effects from the medication while I was on it or after so I would recommend it or atleast inquire. Best of luck.
Mize

Originally Posted by destinytb

I was diagnosed with MS back in 1996 and now recently diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and had to start chemo. Is there anyone out there that has had both of these to contend with? I'm worried that the Chemo may create more nerve damage than I already have but I am ready to accept the damage to stay alive.

I may be looking for a needle in hey stack but I'm not gonna stop looking or giving up on this world.

[sunshine149]

I am so sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis. You are correct in suspecting a link between auto-immune diseases. I have Type I diabetes and MS. My mother just spent the last 2 years battling non-hodgkins. My neuro said there is a link between auto-immune diseases.

I hope your treatment begins to go better and that you will receive the cancer free diagnosis very very soon!