I was diagnosed with diffused B cell Non-Hogkins lymphoma back in April . I’m now coming up to my last session of chemotherapy on the 29th August. Unfortunately chemo has badly affected my bowel and 4 Days after my 3rd session I was rushed into hospital to undergo major surgery to remove my appendix. This was a major blow, leaving me traumatised and set me back greatly. I’m slowly recovering but worried about the affects it may have on my lymphoma recovery. I’ve also started with the drenching sweats at night again now. Is this normal whilst receiving treatment as after my first 2 bouts they seemed to subside but are now back again ? Also I have a thickening on my bowel which was there from beginning which they say could be lymphoma ? Has anyone experienced anything the same ?
many thanks
Hi PopsJ and a warm welcome to this corner of the Community although I am sorry to see you joining us and to hear about the challenges you have had. I am Mike and I help out around our various Lymphoma groups.
I don’t have DLBCL but for some context I was diagnosed way back in 1999 at 43 with a rare (8 in a million) incurable but treatable type of Cutaneous T-Cell NHL (a type of slow growing Low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma) ……. eventually reaching Stage 4a in late 2013 when a second, also rare (4 in a million) type of aggressive Peripheral T-Cell - Not Otherwise Specified NHL (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.
You were very unfortunate to have to have your appendix out during treatment… … the treatment journey is hard enough but adding this would most certainly extend your recover time.
The post treatment recovery can be ever so different as it is individual as it all depends on what treatment you have, the side effects, how active you were during treatment and obviously in your case….. the other medical issues that came along.
Bowel problems is unfortunately one of the normal Side Effects of Treatment…… some of these treatments used to treat Lymphoma can damage the gut lining and this can take time to heal post treatment.
I was ok during my main chemo but following my second Allo (donor) Stem Cell Transplant (Oct 2015) I had significant gut problems as the chemo used was very strong and the problems lasting a good 3-4 months….
But this was further complicated as I had developed…. In my Consultants words "The most impressive Hiatus Hernia". this has enclosed around my stomach…… this was due to me being violently sick at one point.
But the effects are now being controlled with proton pump inhibitors (Lansoprazole am & pm) m. It would be a risky operation to fix it so we have agreed to leave the sleeping dog to sleep.
Also I have a thickening on my bowel which was there from beginning which they say could be lymphoma ?
Not something that has been said to me but let’s see if any group member has had the same told to them. Obviously the main way for your team to check if this is Lymphoma is to take a biopsy.
I never had night sweats before or during treatment but I did have a few weeks about 2 years after all my treatment was completed but it was not a relapse - just one of these things that life throws at us!!!
But some people do continue to have sweats during treatment….. the bodies internal thermostat can often get knocked off due to the treatments.
Oh it’s a bumpy journey to navigate.
Hi again…… I had the big brother of R-CHOP…… my R-EPOCH was full on as it had me in hospital 5 nights/6 days for each of my 6 cycles on my 2 IV pumps 24/7 for over 120 hrs each cycle…… but on the whole I did ok…… my problems only started once I went on to have my 2 Allo (donor) Stem Cell Transplants.
Bowel problems are unfortunately ‘normal’ …… but for them to last longer than a week needs to be checked out.
My Hiatus Hernia was in Italy a problem that we had to control but I also had some gut GvHD (Graft versus Host Disease) but this only happens in Transplant therapy.
My story is rather complicated See my story due to having 2 types of Lymphoma but I am coming up to 9 years out from my last treatment and turn 69 in Nov and I doing great.
