My husband had leukaemia which transformed to Hodgkins disease. Very ill for 6 weeks during which time the muscles in his legs all but disappeared. Arms and hands also affected. Neurological tests showed that the axon had been severely damaged. Now he cannot walk, can just about take his own weight but the legs and feet don't go where he wants. Also doubly incontinent. Has been told that IF the nerves grow back it could take up to 2 years. Has anyone else had this? How did you cope? Has there been any improvement over time? Did any treatment help. Many thanks.

Unfortunately, axonal damage--meaning the nerve fibers, as opposed to their myelin sheathings, have been attacked--is very common in blood cancer patients. Some get it as a side process of the cancer itself, usually through the intermediation of monoclonal antibodies (M-proteins) that are a feature of many blood cancers (these tend to interact with proteins in the nerves and degenerate them), but more often it is a result of chemotherapy--many chemo agents, especially those based on metals, are very neurotoxic. (was

Was he on any of these chemo agents?

Nerves do regenerate--but very slowly (maybe even more than two years) and not always completely. If chemo was the culprit, once those substances are withdrawn, he should see at least some improvement over time, though the extent of the recovery is speculative.

You should come post over at the peripheral neuropathy forum:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum20.html

Lots of knowledge and expertise there.

Hello and welcome to Neurotalk - if you need anything just ask, I will try and help you if I can.
Thanks
Alison

Hello runnerduck and Welcome to NeuroTalk. Sorry to hear how much your husband has been through, but Glad you found us.

I cannot help w/your questions, but please take a look around and make yourself at home.

Hi Runnerduck and

I'm sorry I don't have an answer for your question.
Please feel free to roam around and join in anywhere....

Hope to see you around the boards!!!

Abbie

Many thanks for your reply. My husband had Rituximab early 2007, but this damage occurred before he started the lastest round of chemo in January after he had been in hospital for 6 weeks with severe anaemia and high fevers. He had a splenctomy in December.The doctors told us at one stage they did not expect him to last that week.
It is hard for him to have the physiotherapy as some days he is too tired following the chemotherapy. I think it will be a very long reecovery. I am glad to have found your community and also the neuropathy one. Many thanks Sally in UK

Hi, Runnerduck! Welcome to NeuroTalk!

I'm sorry to learn of your husband's difficulties. I hope you'll be able to find some answers here. I see that Glenn has offered you a link to the PN forum, you might also benefit from some of the discussions in the spinal disorders forum here: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum22.html

Hi Runnerduck!! Welcome to Neurotalk!