Change in anti-sickness, shivering & menopause :-)

Keep telling your team how you are feeling, they are truly aware of nausea and there are a lot of drugs to help, sadly it’s trial and error to find a combination that works for you (we are a statistic of one, after all!) 

yes, chemo does often result in an early menopause but this is often reversible too. And ABVD can often give you what feels like ‘B’symptoms of flushes  too. 
Again, keep a list and consult your team, it’s often helpful to keep a treatment and side effect journal, and take it with you each time (chemo brain might make you forget, and yes there really is a condition with a long name which we all know as chemo brain!) 

hugs xxx

Hey Moomy, thank you so much for your kind reply with suggestions :-) I have been steadily keeping the "fun diary" up since day one.  

Really interesting to hear that the menopausal symptoms can be reversible too! I'd never heard that.  I'm so relieved they changed the anti sickness as it's made a massive difference.  I can handle feeling wiped out but the migraines were something else.

Chemo brain is REAL ha ha.  At lunchtime I said to hubby "it's time to eat the dogs" meaning of course it's time to feed them . Wishing you every success on your own journey Moomy, and again thank you so much for your reply XXX

Hi again, 

daughter (it’s all in my profile!) had periods stop twice, then the third time they never returned. She’s on HRT now as a protective. Please don’t be discouraged by reading about her, it does however, show that even resistant HL can get sorted! 
I was well past that age when I got diagnosed with breast cancer though (and escaped chemo too).

some meds do give you a memory problem slightly similar to chemo brain, and I’m on two of them, a statin and a hormone-buster. Chemo brain is medically known as ‘cancer treatment cognitive impairment’ or some such title but chemo brain is much snappier! 
Hugs xxx

Oh Moomy I'm so sorry to hear that both you and your daughter were having to go through cancer treatment.  You must be a pair of truly resilient ladies, I am in awe.

I will take a look at your profile to get to know more.

And the chemo brain explanation!  hubby says that went years ago,,,,, ha ha ha. As I zombied about the house 2 weeks ago, he muttered something along the lines of being slightly less useful than an omeba.  I laughed my ass off.  We're doing our best to take the P*** out of each new sensation / symptom.

Big hugs right back XXX

I think humour is the best way through, but do allow yourself to grieve over the loss of the carefree person you were!

They say cancer hits one in two now, well in my generation it got both my only sibling (big brother) and myself, fortunately able to have successful surgical removal. His was bowel.

My breast cancer was a good few years after daughters lymphoma..... If we get any more then I think the family has had a raw deal, ha! 

Hugs xxx

Wow, that's a lot of people being diagnosed :-(

I am so very sorry to hear that your brother had bowel cancer, and what a relief to hear he had a successful removal.  I hope you don't feel I'm being insensitive in saying that my hubby's father had bowel cancer and sadly died at the age of 57.  How wonderful that your own brother got through this! Three of my aunts all had breast cancer and recovered.

Oh there have been many, many tears and wobbles.  Though I do plan on being that carefree girl again! I teach people how to strengthen their joints through isometrics as a mobility coach and yoga teacher and I am looking forward to getting back to handstands and strength training once the body is well enough.  I got my first handstand at 45 so I'm always telling people it's never too late to learn something you might not believe possible :) 

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend Moomy, am really enjoying chatting with you! Virtual hugs XXX

Awww, thank you, I’m often on here just checking, so if you need any help/advice, just ask! 
Brother is doing really well now in his 80’s, I’m in mid 70’s again fairly fit, got back to yoga 3 months after the mastectomy, sadly we are not allowed to have as many in the class and as I’ve got health worries with hubs as well as daughter I’m going to join in on line when our yoga teacher sorts out details. 
hugs xxx

Hey again Moomy

Oh fantastic you're practicing yoga! Wow wow wow your brother is 80! you must come from strong stock.  And you're in your 70s, am so happy you're a mover!   I hope you get to practice with your teacher online soon 

Despite my biggest achievement making the bed once in 7 days after the first chemo, I'm always encouraging people to move more LOL!! says the teacher on her ass  only teaching one zoom class every two weeks at 630 in the morning at the moment but I do miss the studio environment and assisting the students. Of course am just not allowed to right now. But I also teach 1:1 joint health because it's so important!

You're much more tech savvy on here too - I've just noticed the little "voting" arrows down the bottom of the replies...chemo brain?! ha ha.

Apart from no sleep last night, only day 2 of 2nd infusion, it's literally a complete turn around from this time last week, which was a blur of panicked visits to hospital and wondering how the hell this was all going to be possible.  Hanging on to all the good moments.

Aside from all the jokes and rallying, on a serious note, I think this treatment will be life changing.  I already appreciate my husband more, my dogs, family and friends. The small things can become the big things that really make it all worthwhile.

Sleep well Moomy, all my very best wishes to you and your family XXX

Hello Pod5,  I have been experiencing the same. I am on my 5th Cycle AVD. Actually I had my normal period during the first cycle, then on the third cycle, I start to feel hot flashes on my head, then I sweat to the extend my shirt would get completely wet, then I feel really cold afterwards and shivery especially if i have them night times. The night sweats is even worse with blankets on. When i told my oncologist about the flushes, he then informed me the wow news, I was "tipped into menopause". They told me it is normal in my age during the treatment. I am not sure though if it reversible in my case as I am 46 already. As I am boiling hot in one minute and shivering cold the next minute, I am driving my husband mad, so he is playing open window close the window all the day

Oh my gosh I'm so sorry to hear you're suffering through this.  Am in total awe that you have the ability to insert laughing emojis into a message 5 cycles into chemotherapy   Good for you.  How many cycles are you down for?

Hesitant to suggest drugs as your own medical team obviously knows best, but I was given cocodamol in my first week for migraines (paracetamol / codeine).  

The first night I woke up in the night with the shivers/sweats (exactly as you describe).  Within 30 minutes of taking that pain relief, am usually able to drift back to sleep.  I don't know if your doctor has prescribed you anything for it, but it worked for me! I don't take them regularly just when regular paracetamol isn't enough.

Often with just the night sweats, it's so hard to get back to sleep! It really is a cruel twist having to endure a dying womb on top of chemo  Please feel free to vent. I started my period the day before my first chemo (typical!) and it lasted for almost 2 weeks (sorry to be graphic, slow bleed towards the end....like it's literally shrivelling up ).

The shivers are out of this world right? like right down to the bone cold  my hubby can't believe I need the heating on with duvets/blankets so am RIGHT THERE WITH YOU!

We're not alone! Thank you for sharing and I'm here to listen!  Virtual hugs XXX