Lymphoma

chessylady · ‎05-01-2010

My brother may have lymphoma. He had a cat scan and will have a bone marrow test in about a week He has very low platelets and fatigue. Can anybody give me more information about lymphoma?

scotttie · ‎03-09-2010

I'm sorry chessylady, I don't know a whole lot about it but wanted to say I hope you post this on the wellness board as well.

I do know a lot about bone marrow transplants and transfusions etc. if it comes to that.

FrostyBabe · ‎03-09-2010

My Dad had lymphoma. It comes in a number of different flavors. There's Hodgkins or non-Hodgkins. If it's non-Hodgkins there's T-cell, B-cell, diffuse, non-diffuse, etc. Your brother will likely have many tests to determine which particular type of the disease he has before meeting with an oncologist to determine the best course of treatment.

There's a lot of good info here for patients and their families:

http://www.lls.org

I wish your brother all the best in his treatment.

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

My mother had Hodgkins disease and then Burkitts lymphoma which is non-Hodgkins. When she was diagnosed with Hodgkins, she was stage 4 and it was in her bone marrow. She went through 1 year of chemo and went into remission. Just shy of being 5 years in remission, she was diagnosed with Burkitts and it was very aggressive.

I don't know much about it at all except to treat the Burkitts they did a radiation and chemo combo.

azgal · ‎03-09-2010

I was diagnosed with stage 4 Non Hodgkins Lymphoma in 1998. I wanted you to know that there is hope even if he has Lymphoma.

There are about 35 different types of Lymphoma. Some more aggressive than others.

Just like any cancer the treatment is difficult.

I will tell you the low platelets is very serious. That happened to me and I spent 2 1/2 months in the hospital. With low platelets you can spontaneous bleed. My brain bled and the neurosurgeon said he can't do surgery because of the bleeding risk and i would just have to hope it stops. There are some very expensive treatments for it. I'm sorry I can't remember what it was called. It had to do with blood products. I was lucky that I had excellent insurance. It was $10,000 a treatment. Sometimes they remove the spleen because 75% of the time that cures low platelets.

A good source of information is the Lymphoma Research Foundation.

I hope your bother gets answers soon and does well.

“We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.” Abraham Lincoln

terrier3 · ‎03-10-2010

How old is your brother?

If people get this later in life, they can live for many years.

My mom was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at 74 years old. She had previously had oral cancer in her 40s and breast cancer in her 50s.

She died at 76...but from something totally different - after chemo and radiation, the cancer was in remission. Lymphoma can be very slow acting in older people. Her brother (my uncle) was diagnosed at 76 and lived to 81...he had NO treatment.

chessylady · ‎05-01-2010

My brother is 58. He is just having tests run now. He is in the hands of a hematologist. He is thankful for Ocare which allowed him to get insurance (he has a preexisting condition of Defibrillation). He has worked hard as a handyman and almost lost his house last year until new regulations gave him a chance to refinance. He is the sole support of his wife who is disabled and can't work.

sophiamarie · ‎08-08-2013

On 6/18/2014 chessylady said: My brother is 58. He is just having tests run now. He is in the hands of a hematologist. He is thankful for Ocare which allowed him to get insurance (he has a preexisting condition of Defibrillation). He has worked hard as a handyman and almost lost his house last year until new regulations gave him a chance to refinance. He is the sole support of his wife who is disabled and can't work.

Can you please clarify what you mean by ""defibrillation"".... I believe that is a treatment - not a condition.

chessylady · ‎05-01-2010

He has a heart rhythm disorder which could lead to a stroke but is being treated with medicine by a cardiologist. They would like to increase his medicine but cannot due to his low platelets.

sophiamarie · ‎08-08-2013

On 6/18/2014 chessylady said: He has a heart rhythm disorder which could lead to a stroke but is being treated with medicine by a cardiologist. They would like to increase his medicine but cannot due to his low platelets.

That's what I thought. Thanks for answering and I wish nothing but the best for your brother. I hope everything works out for the best.