Hello Group, I am a Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkins Disease survivor who had radiotherapy treatment back in the early 1980's as a 22/23 year old. I am now suffering the side effects of that radiotherapy (mantle) - swallowing problems, drop head syndrome (weak posterior neck muscles) and recently discovered mitral and tricusip valve stenosis. I am wondering if there are any other people in this group who have suffered the same issues, is this a common theme and how do you deal with the issues. I would love to hear from anyone in the same situation 
Hi cjf2a4413 and a warm welcome to this corner of the Community. I am Mike and I help out around our various Lymphoma groups.
I don’t have Hodgkin's Lymphoma but I was officially diagnosed way back in 1999 at 44…… with my rare (8 in a million) incurable but treatable type of Skin (Cutaneous) T-Cell Lymphoma (a type of slow growing Low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma)
I eventually reached Stage 4a in late 2013 when a second, also rare (4 in a million) type of aggressive Peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) (a type of fast growing High-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma) was then presenting so although my Lymphoma ‘type’ is different I most definitely appreciate the challenges of this journey rather well.
The difference between the radiotherapy used in the early 80s compared to now is ever so different….. my Cinsuktant Radiologist once said that the scatter gun approaches was a thing if the past and thankfully the side effects have significantly reduced over the years.
Between Sep 2013 and Oct 2015 I had 3 sets of radiotherapy (5, 10 then 30) and thankfully I have very few lasting effects.
