ABVD for Newbies – Part One
ABVD for Newbies Chapter One: Scared witless? We all are.
OK. So you have Hodgkin’s Disease and you have to get chemotherapy. I’m very sorry and I say that with the deepest sincerity. I have been through what you are about to go through and frankly I wouldn’t wish it on my very worst enemy in the entire world.
That said, what you’re about to go through is something literally thousands of people have been through. We made it through ABVD and so will you! THIS IS DOABLE. THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. YOU CAN, AND WILL, BE OK! There is absolutely no reason to think otherwise.
First, let’s go over a little bit about what ABVD is. You can get much more information from your oncologist, but a little knowledge can help you discuss things a little more intelligently with your doctors and nurses and ask better questions.
ABVD is a four drug regimen. The drugs are Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vinblastine, and Dacarbazine. The drugs are usually given in that order. An ABVD cycle last 28 days and consists of two treatments given two weeks apart. Then the cycle starts anew. Therefore, if you are slated for six cycles of ABVD, you will be treated twelve times over about six months, with treatment say every other Friday.
Each of the four drugs work against the Hodge a little bit differently, and each has it’s own side effects. They are given in very precise doses and at precise intervals. They are designed to work in combination with each other. ABVD is an old regimen — around since the 70s — and your medical team know exactly how much of each drug you need to get to hopefully cure you. This isn’t an experimental treatment.
OK, now you know a little bit about ABVD, let’s now address fear. Every single one of us who has been through this has felt the same dread as you. We all may try and cope differently — for example I joked more than usual — but no one wants to go through chemotherapy. It’s a big unknown and it’s something depicted in popular media, film, and literature as terrifying. When someone said chemo to me, I would picture in my mind this image of a completely hairless, lifeless, wasted away person with their head in a toilet throwing up non-stop.
Here is the good news. That’s not what ABVD is like! CHOP-R (Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma’s chemotherapy regimen) also isn’t like that. (I know because my dad had N-HL two years before I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease.) ABVD is basically a moderate chemotherapy course. The worst thing about ABVD is how long a therapy course it is.
What can you expect from ABVD?
Hair loss. You probably will lose your hair. (Probably around the second or third cycle.) Sorry. =( This is one side effect they haven’t made much progress on. HOWEVER, not everyone loses their hair, so you may want to wait and see before you make any drastic decisions. My hair thinned considerably, but I still had enough at the end to tie back into a ponytail and I did the maximum amount of ABVD at eight cycles.
Some nausea. You will probably be nauseated, at least sometimes and at least a little. People have differing amounts, however. I seemed to get more than my fair share of nausea, but I never actually threw up. There are MANY excellent anti-nausea medications out there — they may not prevent every twinge, but if used properly you should DEFINITELY not be spending your days throwing up.
Fatigue. You will be tired. However, although ABVD causes fatigue, MANY people are able to work at least part-time through it, some even full-time. That should give you an idea about the fatigue. I ran and worked part-time and traveled through my 8-month course.
Feeling bleh. For want of a better term, you are going to feel bleh sometimes.
All right, so that’s a little introduction to ABVD. I hope you aren’t quite so scared now. Part two of this article explains what to expect on chemo day.
