Life after treatment

I have recently finished treatment for Hodgkins, being 4 months of ABVD and 20 sessions of radiotherapy. I am now waiting for appointments for further scans and blood works. What I would like to know from someone is what is the effects on the body other than the itchy back I endure, cured by an on hand bamboo back scratcher! Or the things I should avoid? Is there anything I should not do? Is it just a case of getting on with life, as if my cancer had'nt happened!

I suggest you invest some time and effort in researching foods, herbs, supplements, botanicals, exercise, and lifestyle changes that are known to help prevent cancer. Design for yourself a highly-positive-attitude charged way of living that seriously involves these elements, so as to help prevent this cancer from ever coming back. Not only will you feel better knowing that you are moving forward in a very proactive way, but your body will thank you as you gain all the other health benefits an anti-cancer lifestyle has to offer.

Sincerely,

Tre

In my opinion it really is a matter of just getting on with life. You have been through a lot and it will take a while to recover.  You’ll get tired easier I’m sure so listen to your body and do what you can. Trehouse60 offers some good advice most important is the positive attitude.  Although I never had ABVD I did have the privilege of experiencing several rounds of radiation and MOPP.  It was such a long time ago I don’t recall how long it took till I really felt I was back to normal maybe you never really get back to normal but life goes on just as it did before.  I’m 48 now and a 36 year survivor.  I was diagnosed in 1972 with stage IIIB, endure 2 years of hell with all the treatments and eventfully recover to live a relatively normal happy life.  Some of the health issues I have experienced since my treatments include, hypothyroidism brought on by the radiation treatments, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  I’m not sure if the last two are related in any way to the treatments because both run in my family somewhat.  All are treated with drugs and are nothing more and an inconvenience.  In recent years I have experienced some problems swallowing from time to time and had my esophagus dilated to help with that.  I am told the esophagus strictures are not that uncommon several years after radiation treatments.  I also have a slight heart murmur that may be related to the radiation.  I haven’t had any other heart issues but I have been told that is something to watch for because of the exposure to radiation.  The only other health problem I have had that again was probably not related to my treatments is Prostate Cancer.  Unfortunately I was diagnosed 2 years ago however it was caught early and seems to have been cured with surgery.  So get on with your life and live it to the fullest.  There’s bound to be some bumps along the way but stay positive and enjoy what life brings.  Wishing you the best of luck with your recovery!  

It,s been two years now from having Hodgkins,my side effects are itching especially in the rectal area,i've seen specialists they tell me its sensitive skin,keep the area dry,try cotton balls,lukewarm baths,blah,blah this and blah,blah that,i tell them what it is,its pruritis ani from the Hodgkins,they say its a strong possibility,its seem today you have be your own doctor.In the later stage of the disease before being diagnosed, i had trouble swallowing food,it would get stuck in my throat then go down 10 seconds later,followed by hiccups,sometimes regurgitation,when i was doing 6mos of ABVD i told them about my swallowing they said it was from the chemo,it will go away after the therapy,well it did not after 7mos, went for a manometry,barium swallow etc,was diagnosed with Achalasia,after 2 failed bo-tox procedures had a pneumatic bogie dialation now swallowing 80% better,the disease which was NS,stage 3B was located in my abdomen,the mesentery-retro-peritoneum location,the lymphoma infiltrated my esophagus,thus degenerating the nerves that control the swallowing contractions