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bamaroots
New User
Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 12:40 pm Post subject: Need Encouragement Please |
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Spoke with PCP yesterday who finally looked at my PET results. Even though my SUV numbers were relatively low (2.0-3.5), he believes that I might have lymphoma and is also concerned about the size of a couple of my nodes (1.4-3.0 cm).
I've convinced myself that I have lymphoma and am constantly feeling things inside my body that convince me that the cancer is growing at an alarming rate. Maybe some of it is psychosomatic, but my lower back hurts I believe from the swollen lymph nodes. Excisional biopsy is this week.
How long after the biopsy do people start chemo ?
I'm 50 y.o. and very active and mentally having a tough time with this.
Any encouragement appreciated ... |
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effcancer
Regular
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:10 am Post subject: Re: Need Encouragement Please |
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After the biopsy you'll have to have a PET and a CT scan to determine the breadth of the cancer. After that, it depends. If you want to get second and third opinions on treatment (usually for the length of chemo and whether or not to have radiation) you could start within a week or so. I took longer to start... about a month because I had 3 opinions and they were all different, so it was kind of a pain.
Now for the encouragement you asked for:
If it is lymphoma (we'll hope for Hodgkin's) just be glad its not brain cancer, or colon, or testicular or a really scary array of other killer cancers. Lymphoma is easily treatable, and no one really dies from it. The only people that do are people who live with it for years without being treated. Even for someone like me who had it come back, and am now having a stem cell transplant... compared to many other cancers, this is a piece of cake. I get to keep my boobs! breast cancer would suck.
In the scheme of things (as far as cancer goes), we won the lottery. If it is in fact lymphoma that you have... if not, way to go man, dodging the bullet like that, wipe the sweat off your brow, click your heels, and rejoice with a beer. 
_________________
So, this sucks. |
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lettucelord
New User
Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:56 pm Post subject: Its not bad |
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Hey, I am a male, 19 years old.
I was having a bad cough right after graduation from high school. So I went to the doctor, and they told me to go get a CT scan at the nearest hospital as fast as possible. I had stage 2b hodgkins. I had a large mass in my chest (forgot the size, but it was pressing on my heart and lungs) and a node in my neck (which they took out in the biopsy) and a node in my arm pit. I had spine taps and bone tests out of my back. They all turned up negative. I started chemo around a week later. I saw all these kids in the hospital throwing up, so I was a little scared. The intensive chemo I got was nothing! I am now free of my hodgkins and all my symptoms are gone. Even though it seems really scary and you think its all over, well its not. It is really easy, I am sure you will have no problem. Some of the nicest people I have ever met, I met in the hospital. Dont worry about the treatment, its not that bad at all. I didnt even throw up once, not once! Treatment goes by fast, its only a little bit of time out of your life. Just be happy it isnt a very deadly cancer. Hope everything goes great! |
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