re: Bone marrow transplant w/chemo - anyone ever done this or know anyone who has?

I have done it and it isn’t fun but is also not pure misery.

I had stage IV Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma twice. The relapse required about 4 months of Hyper cvad chemo and radiation treatments. Treatments were given inpatient at Emory Winship.

At about 4 months, I had my own stem cells harvested and stored for the transplant that took place a month later.

The prep for the transplant include a few days of high dose chemo and total body irradiation. The TBI and high dose chemo was to kill all of the bone marrow in my body before the new was re-introduced. Of course, without the re intro, you would die.

After the transplant, which was done in my hospital room with 2 attending doctors, I stayed inpatient for 2 weeks. Once they considered me to be stable, I went to stay at the ACS Hope Lodge about 2 miles away for 2 more weeks before going home.

The worst part was the nausea that came immediately after the high dose chemo and TBI sessions. Sometimes the nausea meds couldn’t alleviate it but it was just dry heave vomiting off an on for 15 or so minutes.

It’s not fun for sure but it isn’t pure misery either. You’ll be fine with a positive disposition.