Just Found Out I Have Hodgkins

Iam 25 and i just found out i have hodgkins. was wonder if anyone out there can tell me what to expect. i have to do 8 rounds of chemo and 24 sessions of raditation.

Hi there,

 

I had Hodgkins 20 years ago. I believe the chemo and radiation have been modified since I had it. I had both chemo and radiation. It is a tiring process, but the good news the success rate for treatment is very high. Just remember that there is an end to treatment and you will get better. Everybody reacts differently to chemo so it is hard to predict how you will react. Once you go through a round, you will know what to expect and it will become a routine. I found the radiation OK but was very tiring over the long haul. Remember to rest when you are tired and if you are not up to doing something like work or some social activity, don't do it.

Good luck and stay positive.

do you know a stage?  Some say if you are young and had to pick a cancer to get, Hodgkins would be it.  It is very responsive to treatment and even in metastatic disease, the 5 yr survival is over 80%.

I am not opposed to "alternative treatments", especially in cancers where traditional medicine has not had success.  Hodgkins disease is NOT one of those cancers.  Given that early stage survival rates are over 90% and even metastatic disease is over 80 % with chemo/RT,  would you throw those odds away in favor of something else?  I would weigh the options very carefully in this case.

Hi there,

Im 38 yrs old and finished my treatment last October.  I was originally weak, night sweats, lump/pressure in my chest, and losing weight. I was at Stage 2. I had Chemo (ABVD). I felt incredibly better after the first Chemo treatment (Which BTW was about 5 hours long).  It takes a long time because there are several different chemicals used. I had one treatment every 2 weeks. First week I was weak, and blitzed out. The second week I was well enough to go to work. I went through the routine for the whole 12 sessions. The treatments got better for me until I was at session 10. Then, believe it or not it got a little difficult. My guess is that when there was no trace of it at my midway point, the Chemo had nothing else to attack. The best advise I can give you is to think positive. I have spoken to many people who had it, although the physical part of this ordeal can be treeated within a certain amount of time, the mental part of it is most challenging. Good luck.

I had Hodgkins at the age of 28, exactly 30 years ago.  My spleen was removed and I was told I was in STAGE 2B.  I had radiation to my chest area and my abdomen -  each area for four weeks.  Since that time I had another child and have been cancer free.  Cancer is not fun, but yours is very curable.  I was young and scared but I survived. I am on this website now because my mother has duodenal cancer.  Just wanted to wish you good luck and I know you will be just fine.  Marsh

did you have to have to have chemo.

 

On 2/7/2008 baseball1983 wrote:

Iam 25 and i just found out i have hodgkins. was wonder if anyone out there can tell me what to expect. i have to do 8 rounds of chemo and 24 sessions of raditation.

I was diagnosed with hodgkins 30 yrs ago. I understand the treatments haven't changed much since then because they are very effective. But pretty rough too! In the beggining it's no worse then a bad hangover but as each treatment wears you down they become more effective. After 4 chemo rounds you'll begin a month of daily radiation, which is much easier. Then you'll begin your drive to the finish line. I feel good!!

I had hodgkins when i was 25. Stage 3. it had spread throughout my chest. My legs were itchy and had little sores up my shins. there was a nickle sized lump on my neck. I would have coughing fits that were quite severe( fluid had engulfed my lungs and later would have to be drained).  I was on chemo for 6 months(treatment once every other week). I hated the sterile smell of the ward and saline. I would start to feel like vomiting the day or two before getting treatments. I would feel weak/sick for a few days but once I would start feeling better, it was time to get treatments again. nothing made me feel better/normal than THC (not in a stoner way). it really helped. I lost all the hair on my body. one of the strangest things for me was the sensation of my nose hairs growing back. Interestingly, my doctors never suggested changing my diet. just keep eating the same toxic, processed foods and sugar drinks as you want. I feel these things may have contributed to my cancer. they surely didn't help. anyway, good luck.- daniel

4a is the stage. i just started chemo today