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CMF Question

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  • danzar
    danzar Member Posts: 4
    edited October 2006
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    Hi there all you wonderful CMF girls - I posted on this thread way back before I started - and found a special friend Susan who has pulled me through every tx - I have never been able to find the thread again - now have it saved as a "favourite" and will read through all your experiences when I can. I have done 5 of 12 and Monday will be my half-way mark.

    So pleased to have re-discovered the thread - as you have all said we are so overwhelmed with the ladies who are doing A/C that we do not voice our conerns.

    Love to all and if this is hell just keeping going - or something like that - Winston Churchill I believe.

    Hi Susan - hope you are enjoying Florida - write soon!!

    Marlene
  • Sue227
    Sue227 Member Posts: 45
    edited October 2006
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    Hi Everyone,
    I am doing well, 3 weeks tomorrow since last treatment. I got a horrible cold and sinus infection and had some tooth pain the past week. Just finished antibiotics and saw the dentist yesterday but he can't find anything wrong with any teeth. Said he couldn't even make something up. So I don't know what this is all about. Can't imagine it is a side effect of the chemo but who knows. Anyway, I am glad to have CMF behind me and although still tired alot of the time I am so glad I did it. I see my onc on Nov. 8th for the next step which I assume will be tamoxifen. Hope all of you are doing well. Sue
  • socallisa
    socallisa Member Posts: 10,184
    edited October 2006
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    I finished CMF over five years ago..glad to see the input....just wanted to remind everyone to have their liver function tests done while doing the CMF
    Hugs, Lisa
  • elf146
    elf146 Member Posts: 6
    edited October 2006
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    Hi ladies;
    Tue. I go for my 3rd treatment of CMF. Wish me luck. Hope is goes as well as my last one did. This weekend I have not felt real great, so have rested a lot. Guess that is what I need.
    Hugs and prayers for everyone. I know I have a long way to go and having Chemo for the holidays is not a great way to spend holidays. My next one after Tue. is the Tue. before Thanksgiving. Guess Thanksgiving dinner will not be quite the same this year. Oh well, we do what we gotta do.
    Hugs and prayers for all.

    Eva
  • d23
    d23 Member Posts: 20
    edited October 2006
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    Good luck, Eva! We're on the same schedule - Tuesday is #5 for me, and I'll be nauseated for Thanksgiving too. We can think of each other and not be alone in our discomforts. But most important, we'll get through it.

    Best,
    Mindy
  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited October 2006
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    Eva and Mindy, I found that I reacted differently to each treatment. I have had 7 and my final one is tomorrow. Hooray!!! My 5th one was a bit harder then the previous ones but my 6th one was the easiest. So wait and see because you may not feel so bad. I wish you didn't have to have them through the holidays but don't anticipate the worst. I'll be in the beginning part of radiation through Thanksgiving and the end week at Christmas. You will get through the CMF and take it from one who never thought she would. The time will go quickly as it always doed through the holidays. Thoughts and prayers for you both! Susan

    Candie, where are you?? I haven't seen a post from you and I am concerned. I hope you are well. Stop in and talk to us!! Susan
  • Sue227
    Sue227 Member Posts: 45
    edited October 2006
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    Susan,
    Good luck with your last one tomorrow. I'll do the happy dance for you!
    Sue
  • d23
    d23 Member Posts: 20
    edited October 2006
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    Thanks so much, Susan. And congratulations!!!! I'm so happy for you, and look forward to joining you. I agree that it changes, so I'm hoping I'll be pleasantly surprised.

    Question for everyone - is it the methotrexate specifically that causes mouth sores, or can the 5FU or cytoxan do it too. I think my last 4 infusions are CF only, so I'm wondering if I have to do my little mouth sore dance (ice chips, biotene, etc) or if I can let it go.

    Mindy
  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited October 2006
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    Mindy, It is the 5-FU that cause the mouth sores. While that is being injected into the IV by IV push from the syringe, I put frozen ic pops in my mouth and make sure I freeze the inside of my cheeks and top of my mouth and around the gums. Knock on wood, it's worked fine. Sometimes I use fudgebars or creancicles or some variation of frozen treats. I don't stop the whole time the drug is going in. But it is definitley the 5-FU. Try those tricks- I bring my own in a cooler. I hope it works for you. You will be joining me soon and I will be the cheerleader for you and Eva and Candie.

  • socallisa
    socallisa Member Posts: 10,184
    edited October 2006
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    The hospital where I got the CMF gave me the ice chips. It worked for me!!
    Hugs, Lisa
  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited November 2006
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    Hello gals, Candie, where are you? I am concerned about you as it's been awhile since you have posted. Plese let us hear from you.

  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited November 2006
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    I wasn't finished!! Eva, Mindy- hope the treatment yesterday went well. My final one was Monday and that day was a bit rough but today I am back!!! Well, except I go for the rads set-up. Anyway, I will help you gals through this while I'm in rads. Sue, hope you are well. Did you start Tamoxifin yet? I start Arimidex in two weeks. I think I'm more scared of that then anything. We'll see hpw it goes. Have a good day everyone. Hugs to you all susan

  • Sue227
    Sue227 Member Posts: 45
    edited November 2006
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    Hi Susan,
    Congratulations!!!!! I have not started the tamoxifen yet, I go next week to my onc. Hope you are feeling fine! Just knowing you are done helps, doesn't it.
    Sue
  • elf146
    elf146 Member Posts: 6
    edited November 2006
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    Thanks to all for the good wishes for my Chemo Tuesday, two days ago. It went very well. Other than a being tired and sleeping a lot, I feel good at this point. I am now half way thru with CMF. This was my third out of six. I will certainly be glad when it is done, but so far it is very doable for me.
    I'm not sure what me next step will be. My oncologist decided to do Chemo first due to my cancer being very agressive. The lump was large and visible to me in the mirror. Now, I can not find it, so know the chemo is working. Oncologist said we would take on step at a time. After the 6 chemo, she will have a scan done and see what to do next. I did loose my hair as my first Chemo was A/C which landed me in the hospital, so was changed to CMF. CMF is thus far so easier on my body.
    Hugs and prayers to all on this board and thanks for being there. Very nice to have a place to go to vent or receive understanding. I am going to try to work a half day today, my boss is being very good about flex time, I am so lucky to have great co-workers, family and friends. Also This has brought my husband an I closer togeter again. You know after 40 years you start to take each other for granted, and now we have more appreciation for each other. He has been so good to me and understanding.
    Thanks for listening.
  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited November 2006
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    Elf, I am so happy that you are tolerating the CMF well. It also sounds like it has shrunk the tumor which is really good. You are halfway there so you are doing great. Come here anytime to vent- we need each other!!! Susan

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited November 2006
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    Susan, CONGRATS!!!!! CONGRATS!!!! AND MORE CONGRATS!!!!!

  • d23
    d23 Member Posts: 20
    edited November 2006
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    Thanks so much for your good wishes and advice. I stuck with the ice chips. So far, #5 has been easier than #4, though I don't want to speak too soon. Now I'm past the halfway mark and have only three to go. It just occurred to me that being over with it will also have a downside - being so preoccupied with side effects has been a good distraction from the bigger questions. So now I have something new to be nervous about. But one thing at a time. I love hearing about people being finished. Looking so forward to not having water taste like metal.

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited November 2006
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    Susan,
    Sorry I havent posted lately. Been very tired when I get home from work. I am sooo happy for you and your finishing chem. You must be sooo excited. I have 4 more to go. My tx#9 is next Wednesday. I dread it of course, but I gotta get to the finish line. I will post more often and thank you for caring about me. Keep in touch.

    Hugs and prayers,
    Candie
    ----------------------------------------------
    Life is a Long Song....Jethro Tull
  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited November 2006
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    Oh Candie, so happy to hear from you. 4 to go!!! Remember when we first started? You have come far and you will do fine with the last 4. There is something psychological when you know the end is coming up. Evern thought I felt like s--- on monday after chemo, just knowing it was the last made it SO much easier. I went yesterday to get set-up for radiation. I thought it would be a long procedure but it was about a half hour. They used a marker to mark the spots and then did a CT scan and that was it. I will go on the 13th for a dry run and then the first treatment. I'm ready to start and finish!! I'll let you all know about rads because you will be there soon. I am more worried about how I will tolerate the Arimidex then rads. I jut hope I can do that drug.

  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited November 2006
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    They keep cutting me off! Guess I talk too much. OK, Candie, and Elf and d23, my thoughts are with you and soon I will be sending you big congrats. Hugs, Susan

  • danzar
    danzar Member Posts: 4
    edited November 2006
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    Hi Susan,

    Just had a minute to catch up on the posts. Please do not worry so much about the Arimidex - the ladies at my centre who had switched from Tomaxifen as they could not stand the side affects tell me that the Arimidex is a breeze. So far I have only heard bad reports about Tamoxifen NOT
    Arimidex.

    Loads of love and a bih guh,

    Marlene
  • b445
    b445 Member Posts: 980
    edited November 2006
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    Congrats Susan!
    Candie you're almost there!

    I see there are some new faces in the CMF department! Just remember this too shall pass! It is doable and is really much easier on the body than AC is. YOu will get throgh the holidays just fine cause we'll be right there with you!

    I did 21 weekly treatments of CMF starting before Christmas last year. Just remember to keep yourself well hydrated, if you can't stand water be sure to drink something else that you can stand but drink lots it really helps.

    I pray that you keep posting so that this thread stays on top so that others that have questions about CMF will know who they can talk to. No one seemed to be doing this treatment when I was going though it and I would have loved to have know others going through what I was.

    I'll check in on you every so often

    Hugs & Prayers
  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 359
    edited November 2006
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    http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/BreastCancer/tb/4425
  • b445
    b445 Member Posts: 980
    edited November 2006
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    bump

  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited November 2006
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    Hi Cheryl, Thanks for checking on us. I feel like all the chemo will be out of my system in another week. I was fortunate to stay on that every other week treatment. I am starting to get a bit nervous about radiation and I wasn't nervous before. I guess it's just the old fear of the unknown. I start Arimidex in a week and I'm really keeping my fingers crossed for that to be OK. The other girls are making it through this also and they too will be done soon.We all need to keep posting on the CMF thread so it serves to help others like it did for many of us. Stay well and thanks for the check on us. Susan

  • b445
    b445 Member Posts: 980
    edited November 2006
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    Susan,
    Radiation will be easy except that it's 5 days a week for about 6 weeks. Be sure to use aloe or something like it several timews a day from the start and keep drinking lots of water. If you haven't joined one of the Camp Nukemboobies do so. Also take a look at some of the past ones to see how others have fared. I'll be happy as always to answer any questions I can.

    hug & prayers
  • RaeMN
    RaeMN Member Posts: 36
    edited November 2006
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    Wow as I look back, I see I am on the very first page (1/26/06). It will be my 1 year anniversary on December 1 (lumpectomy) I guess I consider that my one year as that is when my surgery was. What a year it has been.

    It's been an bumpy and humbling year. A lumpectomey, 16 weeks of CMF chemo, 33 treatments of rads (ended up being about 4 months as my skin split open twice and there was 2-3 weeks where I didn't get it). 2 trips to Las Vegas and the 5K for Race for the Cure. Looking back, it was doable.

    Yes, I agree, that is what we are striving for and that is for the CURE so no one else has to go through it. But with this message board, we know we are not alone. And gals, there is an end in sight. I received a lot of help on this board from many great gals. That is what we are trying to do..help each other.

    REMEMBER, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

    Hugs...................

    Rae
    1.5 cm, Clear Nodes, Lumpectomy, CMF, Radiation, Tamaxifen
  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited November 2006
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    Hi everyone, Just checking on the CMF girls. Candie, how much longer for you? I hope you are feeling well and really seeing the light at the end! Radiation started for me yesterday. It was fine eccept for me being overly emotional. 1 down, 29 to go!1 Cheryl, thanks for the encouragement. I am slo glad I am not alone through this. Thanks, ladies. Susan

  • dash
    dash Member Posts: 173
    edited November 2006
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    I'm so glad to see this thread--lots of good info and support here.

  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited November 2006
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    Hi All, Just want to bump this CMF thread to keep it active for all going through CMF or wondering about it. It is so helpful. Hope everyone is doing well. Susan

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