Hello, I just seen I had been tagged in your post. Yes I was diagnosed with stage 2. I too was dreading chemo, its very easy to read all the forums and get scared. I was terrified. Well, I got through it ok in the end. Touch wood I haven't had any major after effects. I had 6 rounds (12 treatments) in the end. I am back living my life and am more than happy to answer any questions you have! Believe me, if I can do it anyone can! He will be FINE!. 

Hello thank you for reaching out I really appreciate it. I'm glad you have recovered and are back to living your life again that is great to hear. 

I don't know what stage my son's lymphoma is as he is still waiting for a PET scan but he will be starting chemo on 15th September and has been told he will be needing 6-8 rounds depending on how he responds to it. They are hopeful they can cure him as the chemo they want to use is the strongest they have to offer and has a 93% chance of a cure. 

I have been finding it very hard the last 3 weeks since he was admitted to hospital to see him in so much pain and looking so downbeat and anxious. He had fluid on his lungs and around his heart caused by the cancer and has possibly been like it a few months before his breathing got so bad we knew something was wrong, but the shock of the diagnosis is still sinking in. I just hope he is strong enough to get through it and hope and pray he responds well to treatment. 

Thank you for reaching out I really appreciate it. Thank you also for reading my long reply it's a lot  I know 

Take care 

Hello thank you for reaching out I really appreciate it. I'm glad you have recovered and are back to living your life again that is great to hear. 

I don't know what stage my son's lymphoma is as he is still waiting for a PET scan but he will be starting chemo on 15th September and has been told he will be needing 6-8 rounds depending on how he responds to it. They are hopeful they can cure him as the chemo they want to use is the strongest they have to offer and has a 93% chance of a cure. 

I have been finding it very hard the last 3 weeks since he was admitted to hospital to see him in so much pain and looking so downbeat and anxious. He had fluid on his lungs and around his heart caused by the cancer and has possibly been like it a few months before his breathing got so bad we knew something was wrong, but the shock of the diagnosis is still sinking in. I just hope he is strong enough to get through it and hope and pray he responds well to treatment. 

Thank you for reaching out I really appreciate it. Thank you also for reading my long reply it's a lot  I know 

Take care 

Hello, yes I am sure you are terrified. When I was told it was a huge shock and I was terrified. I was initially told the same amount of rounds then radiotherapy. But after 4 rounds they changed it to 6 as one of the drugs had irritated my lung. (I didn't notice). 

I had a biopsy for my lymph nodes  then the pet scan. 

I am terrified of needles so I was dreading it. I then had Avdb chemo (I may have got the order mixed up!). 

Everyones experience is different, but in my experience my afterthoughts on it were, 1. Needles, I choose to have a cannula for each treatment and not a picc line, just personal preference, but this made me anxious each time waiting on the cannula being put in. The actual process of the different chemos going in, for me, was not too bad, just sometimes a very cold arm, later I would bring a hot water bottle and rest it on my arm during the infusion. Then just talk away to the nurses or other patients for a few hours then off home.

2. as treatment went on I felt more nauseous, the odd time I did vomit, but they give you drugs to make this less likely.

3. Bunged up! Yes I found it difficult to go to the toilet, but they give you a powder to help.

4. Heart Palpatations, I had a few after each infusuon, but nothing serious.

Everyones journey is different but what I mean to say is not everyone will get all the side effects listed. The nurses are very good at keeping everything doable, and I'm 42, and got through it, so he will be fine. A few days after each infusion I felt myself again and just went about my normal day, shopping at quieter times, went for a walk or light jog, and just tried to live as normal as I could.

My oncologist before I started treatment said to me the hardest part of treatment is the mental part, it will be a small blip in your life timewise over your lifetime. Of course I didn't believe her, I was reading other peoples stories and thinking I'll be getting all these side effects and it will be terrible, but although it wasn't nice, it was no where as bad as i imagined.

A long winded post!