Kidney damage after 3 rounds of chemo for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Hi all

I’ve just joined this wonderfully informative site and had a question (and I’m aware I might need to post it in a more specific group).

I was diagnosed with NHL last August, had a course of Rituximab in the Autumn which didn’t work and then found the cancer had progressed to high grade.

I started R-CHOP chemo in February (Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and Prednisolone) and the first cycle caused blood in my urine, which led to a course of Mesna tablets (specific medication for blood in the urine/bladder protection). Days later, I developed severe diarrhoea which lasted for 14 days and pushed back my second cycle. The diarrhoea/colitis was attributed to the Rituximab and it was decided to remove that component from the chemo.

After round 2 of chemo, I again had haematuric cystitis which necessitated Mesna and antibiotics.  Following round 3 last week, I’m now in hospital facing a 5th day - I was admitted with blood in urine and a high temperature and have been told that I might have kidney damage - which, as with the Rituximab/colitis, is a rare potential side effect. My consultant is now considering stopping chemo altogether and going straight to radiation (following a PET scan). I’d be really interested to know if anyone had experienced similar?  Either the kidney damage or the Rituximab induced colitis?

Thanks very much in advance.

smoo