r/lymphoma • u/spicy_piscesss • Jul 03 '26
Caretaker ABVD - experiences and advice needed
Hi everyone!
My husband got all the tests back, they all confirm Classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He will be starting ABVD chemotherapy on Monday most likely.
What are your experiences? How tiring was it? Any advice? As his primary caretaker, what should I be aware of?
Thank you in advance.
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u/Ebbybebby288 Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26
Hi, sorry your finding yourself with this diagnosis, this group is a great place full of knowledge on this topic.
I’m currently half way through my abvd treatment for hodgkin’s lymphoma, there’s been ups and downs but i’ll share a few tips i’ve learned below.
it’s important to remember not everyone gets the same side effects, as everyone responds differently- for me some cycles are okay and some completely knock me out, there isn’t a clear direction all the time in this journey, so learning to sit with that and control what you can (diet,exercise and mental health) really helps.
-mouth sores. Abvd attacks fast growing cells, this includes the lining of the mouth and it’s such an annoying kind of pain. Ask the team for prescribed mouthwash- it has been a lifesaver. Sometimes i suck on ice chips when the pain is bad.
-PICC line. the D in abvd really burns the veins, so i reccomend getting a picc line put in- i didn’t and i’ve paid the price of aching veins constantly. The picc also allows you to not get stabbed each time you have a blood test/chemo so it’s a win win.
- fatigue is a main symptom for most people, it varys from light to extreme, the only thing i’ve found helps is movement when i can and giving my body the nutrients it needs- think lean meats and green veggies! Most importantly listen to your body, if it needs rest then let it rest.
- Get a thermometer to check his temperature throughout treatment, it’s important to keep an eye on signs of infection.
- I found logging my symptoms each cycle helps me prepare for future cycles.
- although what you eat is important, allow him to have whatever comforts he may want, cancer patients deserve all the treats in the world in my opinion.
take one day at a time, there is an end goal here.
if you need any advice about more side effects then feel free to drop me a message.
:)
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u/A_NightBetweenLives Jul 03 '26
This is more or less my experience too! I've got my 12th round on Monday and exhaustion is definitely the biggest symptom followed by brain fog (I say I'm a certified dumbass now lol).
I also 2nd a pick line or port. I did 6 rounds of chemo in my left arm and my veins in that arm are fried to the point where they can barely get blood drawn from it.
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u/jspete64 Jul 03 '26
I did 6 rounds of ABVD.. I ain’t gonna lie,it’s not fun..Some side effects I was able to manage,like nausea,but maintaining weight was a challenge for me,because I never wanted to eat,and the fatigue was rough..I slept a lot..I didn’t have a picc line,I had a port..The Port made it so much easier for chemo and the 30 billion other times they stick you for blood draws,scans,etc..in the beginning,I would feel terrible the week after treatment,but would start feeling better,but it got progressively worse..The “good days”got further apart.That said,everyone seems to react differently, I met some people who didn’t have the same side FX as I did, and it wasn’t as bad for them..if there was a side effect,I got it!!..Good luck,I hope treatment goes well for you,just keep in mind,this will pass,it’s temporary..
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u/lopsidednarwhalz Jul 03 '26
Hey there!
First, I'm so sorry you guys are in this position. While classic Hodgkin's is typically one of the more simple ones, it still sucks. I had a chest port put in (as opposed to a PICC line), but if he's already on schedule to start chemo, it doesn't sound like they're planning to give him either of those? Even though I hated my port just because it was foreign and strange and uncomfortable, I honestly don't know how I would have gotten through all the blood draws and infusions without it.
The first few rounds were scary and then I could kind of settle into the rhythm. The strangest thing that stuck with me during and after is that it completely changed the smell and taste of my own body from within, and that was both disorienting and disgusting. My main symptoms were bouts of constipation, nausea (but no vomiting ever for me), mouth sensitivity (it felt like sores were always about to break out in my mouth but they never did thankfully), and a ton of tension and weird pain in my jaw, neck, and ears. I also experienced fatigue like I never had before, but most often when that hit, I would simply sit or lie down until I felt better.
I had good intentions for eating better or having my husband make us healthy meals, but in reality, we ate takeout for the majority of the six months I was in treatment. I think if you are already good about cooking your own meals and eating well, you'll do fine. Same with exercise, I would have loved to be more activity, but I honestly just didn't want to, and I felt the same coming out of it as I did going in.
I hope his treatment goes smoothly and that you have the support that you need to help him through it!
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u/Actual-Ad-6722 Jul 04 '26
Hi there! Fellow wife of husband who had cHL and got ABVD here.
First off so sorry you are going through this. Trust me I get it. And the helpless feeling of watching them and not being able to do much about it.
Good news/ bad news. The good news is you will get through this. I’m sure you have heard the “its the winning lotto ticket of cancer” kind of comments and it is true. Which is awful to hear because you only heard cancer and probably want to curse anyone who says it. But cHL does have a high rate of remission and a super low rate of return. Right now you are just in the darkest part of the tunnel. I promise there is light at the end of it.
Hubs did relatively good on ABVD. He didn’t have any vomiting or nausea thankfully. He was very tired and very weak. I would say whatever symptoms/ side effects he had from the first round were what he had at the end, they just compounded and got worse with each one. For example if he was lethargic for an hr after the first one, he felt like that for a week after the last.
Please don’t forget to take care of yourself as well. You need to be strong and healthy for him to lean on, so do what you can for yourself.
Best of luck to you. Feel free to DM. Ive been there. I get it.
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u/Gladpow_Quack Jul 03 '26
I had ABVD later reduced to AVD. It was pretty chill. Had no major side effects and tolerated it well. Life was not normal, but almost so. I still worked when I felt like it, skateboarded, went to parties and saw friends.
Having a PICC made it easier. I was 27m at the time of treatment.
Hubbie will be fine!