Hi all. I have a few questions which I hope you can answer or point me in the right direction.
I am a 59 year old male who started the year with a chest infection. I can usually fight these off after a couple of weeks but this one would not shake off. It spread to my lungs and I was prescribed a series of Antibiotics.
These eased the coughing but I then started to feel tired and a loss of energy. I lost my appetite and started to lose weight. I managed to see my Doctor in May. She sent me for a CT scan and some abnormalities were found in my stomach. Numerous blood tests followed and my levels were all low. I was sent for an MRI and after an appointment with a Haematologist I was sent for a biopsy from lymph nodes. The results showed that I had Hodgkin Lymphoma stage 3 which means that all my Lymph nodes are cancerous.
I had a PET scan last week to measure the size of the Lymph nodes and another one will be taken after my first course of Chemotherapy. I was due to start my first session last week but after having a Echocardiogram they discovered some abnormalities in my heart. I had a heart attack 6 years ago resulting in permanent damage to part of my heart and I have Stents fitted. The Chemo ABVD medication has to be altered so that I can keep taking my heart medication.
I cannot fault the service that I have had over the last few weeks but it is also a worry that things are going at 100mph since my diagnosis.
It all sounds quite bad but I am generally a fit person and I have a positive attitude to what is going on.
Hodgkin Lymphoma is generally found in younger people or the elderly (over 75).
So I would like to hear from anyone around my age with the same condition. How are you coping? What is the treatment like and how have you been treated.
Or is there any family members who can also give me some advice.
Thank you