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CMF Question

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Comments

  • susieb228
    susieb228 Member Posts: 9
    edited November 2009

    Quick question -  I live alone with two cats - will I be able to keep them during my treatment?

    I sure hope so - but don't want to expose them to anything bad..... 

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Member Posts: 978
    edited November 2009

    Hi Susie

    You will certainly be able to keep your cats during your treatment. Only if they are like my cats and have to stand on you when you rest, then you may want to close the door :-).  I went through chemo and rads with 3 cats and 1 dog.  My dog was elderly and just sweet and supportive (she died this fall at age 18).  My cats were cats...they are older and very sweet too. Don't even give your cats a second thought!!!! 

    The one precaution that I did take was that someone else cleaned the kitty litter for me. My onc did not suggest it; my dog walker did and volunteered to clean the litter for me.  But you can check with your onc about that. 

  • susieb228
    susieb228 Member Posts: 9
    edited November 2009

    Thanks - that is a BIG relief!

    :) 

  • Annabella58
    Annabella58 Member Posts: 916
    edited November 2009

    Hi ladies, have been MIA for ages, here, and I feel bad I haven't said hi!!!

     I've started working and it's been nuts, but not so nuts I can't check in with you guys!

    Carol, that is a very big and exciting decision.  If I hadn't had a recon and known it, I don't think you could tell.  It ended up so very natural.  Except for the lack of the "cherry on top" still, it's as tho nothing has happened.  I get out of the shower and ask if I dreamed that all sometimes.

    I can walk you thru this and help you with suggestions for having the easier recovery we all want.  There were some great tips that I got from the recon ladies on these boards.  You will look great and you are so young, why not enjoy those hooters.  Hubby will :).  It's a bit of a tough time, but not particularly painful at all.  Just need to get some good stretches during recovery and they'll help you with all that. 

    Mandy, you sweetie pie, thank you for my thanksgiving card.  I am grateful for your friendship too!

    And Harley, whoa girl, giving a speech?  I am very very impressed!  I'd throw up, I'd be so nervous, but good for you!

    Everyone have a most blessed and healthy thanksgiving!!! I won't stay away so long again!

    You all sound wonderful and I have missed you all.

    xoxoxo

    annie

  • Annabella58
    Annabella58 Member Posts: 916
    edited November 2009

    whoops: Susie, I kissed my cat on the lips during Chemo and then my husband told me that she had just uh "washed" herself. 

    I wouldn't worry. :).  I changed the potty too, never thought of it.  As far as i can tell, nothing went amiss, except I stayed up the whole night from the decadron every single time.

    xoxo

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited November 2009

    Susie, don't even think twice about banning your cats.  My elderly cat is a true lap cat and loved snuggling with me on those few days when I didn't feel quite up to par.  They will be a great support and comfort to you.

    Annie...so glad to hear from you.  What type of work are you doing?  We've missed you....LOTS!!

    Rita

  • cabmom
    cabmom Member Posts: 291
    edited November 2009

    Hi Ladies.....well tomorrow is #2 and I'm dreading it but ready to get it behind me.  Please keep me in your prayers :)!  Hope everyone is doing well.......

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Member Posts: 978
    edited November 2009

    Cabmom: You will soon be 1/3 of the way done!!! So you can do this!!!

    And to my CMF gals, this is a season of thanks and hope.  And again, I want to thank you for being there for me and for seeing me through my treatments.  I am thankful for each and every one of you.

    Hugs

    Mandy

  • elisheva
    elisheva Member Posts: 38
    edited November 2009

    Hi Ladies,

     I want to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving! I for one am thinking frequently on how lucky I've been in discovering this thing early and having an excellent prognosis. It's a good reason to be thankful.On Saturday is my last chemo, and I'm looking forward to the end. Then come other issues, but we take things one at a time. Best wishes to all. Elisheva.

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited November 2009

    Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, dear sisters!  Isn't it amazing what we are thankful for once we've had a bc diagnosis?   Each of you are included on my list of people and things for which I am thankful!

    Rita

  • cabmom
    cabmom Member Posts: 291
    edited November 2009

    Hi all!!!  First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to each of you and I hope you have a blessed thanksgiving with family and friends.  Yes, it is amazing Rita what we are all thankful for after we are diagnosed. 

    Also wanted to let all of you know that #2 is now behind me and it's onward to #3.  Things went well today at infusion and I'm hoping for the best with the nausea, especially with Thanksgiving being tomorrow :)! 

    Best wishes to all of you........

  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited November 2009

    Cabmom,

    YAY!  #2 is behind you!! 

    Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!!!  

    Harley

  • colleen1960
    colleen1960 Member Posts: 107
    edited November 2009

    Hey All:  Have not been on in a while.  Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!!! 

    Cabmom - You are already waiting for # 3.  That is great.  I hope that you are able to enjoy this day with family and friends.

    Feel Well,

    Colleen

  • cabmom
    cabmom Member Posts: 291
    edited November 2009

    Good morning ladies and I hate to ask questions on Thanksgiving but I have a BIG one.  Did anyone break out with a pinpoint rash?  If so, what did you do? Should I be worried?

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Member Posts: 978
    edited November 2009

    Hi cabmom!

    Don't know what you mean by a pinpoint rash but you probably should check in with your onc in cae it is an allergic reaction of types. After I read your post, I googled CMF and rash and it really depends on what kind of rash. In any event, it is a "rare" side effect and they suggested contacting your "nurse."

     In my last CMF, while the methotrexate was going in, I got red tingling, somewhat painful, blotches on my forehead and cheeks. This happened right in the treatment room...it was really immediate.   But it does not sound like what you are having.  

    So call in so that you do not worry. And then have a good Thanksgiving.

    Mandy

  • cabmom
    cabmom Member Posts: 291
    edited November 2009

    Thanks folks....hope everyone has had a good TURKEY day so far.  I did call the onc and they think it's a reaction to the new anti-nausea med's.  It's pretty strong but I took some benedryl and I'm doing okay.  I'm still broken out but will be until tomorrow he thinks anyway.  Otherwise, doing okay.

  • aprilgirl1
    aprilgirl1 Member Posts: 806
    edited November 2009

    Hi CMF'rs!  Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

     This Thanksgiving was very special - and I truly am so thankful for all of you and bc.org.  My family of course is supportive, but it is so wonderful to have wise women who share in this experience and can give advice, support and friendship!

    Cabmom - so sorry about your rash - benadryl is a wonderdrug!  Hope your rash is gone and they try a new anti-nausea med.

    Susan

  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 486
    edited November 2009

    Hi: I'm currently undergoing chemotherapy. My regimen was supposed to be AC x 4. The onc now wants to revise this and give me four additional treatments after I've completed AC in December. She considered giving me four Taxol, but after reviewing my case with the tumor board, she now recommends CMF x 4 (three weeks apart). Is there anyone else here who has gotten CMF as a follow on to treatment with AC?

    I've heard that CMF is much easier on the system than AC. Is this true? I had Tx #3 of AC on Monday afternoon and still feeling lousy today - nausea, constipation, watering eyes, soreness (this probably from the Neulasta shot). 

    What drugs do you typically take for SEs with CMF? - steroids, anti-nausea drugs?

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited November 2009

    Hi Mary,

    I have never heard of anyone who did CMF as a follow up treatment to another chemo.  Most of us on this thread did it as the primary chemo plan and I did 6 treatments instead of 4. 

    If you are doing O.K. on the AC, you should have no problems at all with CMF.  There are very little side effects and most of them can be easily corrected.  Some have a little nausea.  A few get the mouth sores which can usually be avoided by sucking on ice chips (or something else equally as cold) during the actual treatments, and some have constipation.  Once you get through the AC, I'd say you will probably breeze through CMF.  We will be here to answer questions and offer suggestions when you get ready to start the regiment.

    Did your onc give you a reason for using the CMF as the "chaser" instead of the Taxol?

    Rita

  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 486
    edited November 2009

    Hi Rita: Yes, the onc has reason to be concerned about neuropathy in my case, which occurs in about 50% of Taxol patients. When the onc was considering the use of Taxol, I posted about that in this thread. I won't go into all of it again here are as my case is a bit different and probably wouldn't be applicable to many other people.

    And yes, I figured most people would have CMF as the primary treatment. In fact it was suggested by one of the oncs I saw prior to starting treatment. 

    I'm glad to hear that the SEs from CMF are so manageable. I'm disappointed that my treament won't end until March instead of nex month, but want to do as much as possible to keep the BC from recurring. I had a fairly low Oncotype score (18) but did have two lymph nodes involved, so onc more or less dismissed the Oncotype. 

  • cabmom
    cabmom Member Posts: 291
    edited November 2009

    Good morning Ladies!  Thankfully I am feeling better today, the rash is still there but faint now and the nausea has finally decided to give me a break....YEAH. So now, I'm ready to continue to heal and get ready for #3.  All my blood work has been really great so far and I'm hoping that that will continue over the next few weeks.

    MaryNY, welcome and your situation does seem unusual.  I wish your onc had only put you through one of the treatments instead of two different kinds and if this is what you were going to end up on, it's really a shame that you wasn't here to begin with.  Chemo is no picnic and putting someone through different regiments just seems really harsh to me, especially when you're talking about AC to begin with.  So I am sorry for all that you've been through.  Hopefully, this will be a lot better for you and I'm certainly not as experienced as many of the wonderful ladies on this thread but I'm here if you have any questions.

    Susie, welcome...welcome...welcome.  Remind me again of when you start/started, etc.  I should know and I apologize for not. 

    Hope everyone has a great day...... 

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited November 2009

    Hugs cabmom..............hang in there!  Remember that #3 is the half-way mark!

  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 527
    edited November 2009

    Mary so sorry this is happening to you. Will you have the cmf every two or three weeks?

  • elisheva
    elisheva Member Posts: 38
    edited November 2009

    Good morning! I am happy to report that I am through with CMF. Had my last and 8th treatment on Saturday! I will keep popping into this thread now and then. You all have been a great help. I hope everyone will do well, no recurrences and good health! Love, Elisheva.

  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 486
    edited November 2009

    Cookiegal, I will have the CMF every three weeks. Onc implied that every two weeks (dose dense) is not an option.

    Cabmon, once I got over the initial disappointment of having the chemo extended, I'm content with the onc's suggestion. I think most people who chose CMF do not have node involvment, whereas I do. So I feel that having four cyles of AC before the CMF adds extra insurance.

  • cabmom
    cabmom Member Posts: 291
    edited November 2009

    MaryNY, I actually think that CMF is considered for either node involvement or not but the main thing is your comfort level and that truly is all that matters.  If your happy with your treatment and it gives you peace of mind then in my opinion that's half the battle or at least it was in my case.

    Rita, this rash thing was a real pain in the behind but thankfully the redness is all gone, the bumps are still there a little but I can handle that.  The onc has been great :) and so has his staff, spoke with them again this morning and they are looking at everything to see if they can prevent this from happening again.  I feel so blessed.

    elisheva, congrats!!!!!!!  I am so happy for you.  Do you begin rad's now or do you have to take them?  I can't wait until I'm where you are but I have to hang in there for a few more treatments, I feel lucky to only need 6. 

    Better run....hope everyone is having a great day! 

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited December 2009

    Congrats, elisheva....NO MO' CHEMO!  Please do come back and visit us!  I am so happy for you.

    Cabmom...This is really ironical.  My friend in town who is currently going through CMF did wonderful her first treatment.  After her second treatment she had a red face and rash.  They told her that it was the steroids.  She has her third treatment tomorrow and they are going to change things to we'll see how she does.   Hang in there!

    Rita

  • cabmom
    cabmom Member Posts: 291
    edited December 2009

    Rita, that's interesting....please let me know how she does and what they do differently.

    I am feeling really bad today because of a sinus infection and they immediately started me on antibiotics but I've only had two pills so far and have to stay on them for 10 days.  I feel like all I do is take pills......so tired of medicine.  I'm sure all of you understand that.  I had my blood work done this morning and have to admit, I'm a little nervous about the results....because I do feel so bad.  I'm not sleeping and I can't really take anything to make me sleep because of my little man.  Anyway, this to shall pass.....just hope it passes quickly. 

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited December 2009

    So it's been pretty quiet on here!  Everyone doing O.K?

  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited December 2009

    Hey Rita,

    Just getting my house decorated for Christmas!  Oh, and getting ready to do my Christmas cards, thinking about baking cookies, trying to find the perfect gifts, among a million other things...

    I will see my onc on Friday, but I expect it to be pretty uneventful.

    Hope everyone is doing well.

    Hugs

    Harley

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