CMF Question
Comments
-
Anyone -- What kind of anti-nausea medication did you use after the 3-day supply of pills they give you after the treatment? I am feeling a little dizzy today (4th day) and after reading the side effects of phenegren, I don't want to take it. I'm thinking of requesting a prescription for zofran.
0 -
Hi Golfer Grandma.
Sorry that you still are nauseous. I tried a number of different anti nausea meds and what worked for me was a combination of emend and kytril. I would take emend during the chemo and for 2 days after. And I would take kytril simultaneously with the emend and continue on the kytril for a few days longer. I was also on a prescription anti-acid: omeprazole delayed release capsules 20 mg....I took one of those a day for my entire time on chemo because I had heartburn that added to the nausea.
For me zofran did not work because I don't metabolize it. But others have had good results with zofran.
Hope you are feeling better now.
Mandy
0 -
Thanks Mandy. I will do some research on kytril and see if that might help. Haven't had heartburn yet, but am taking prilosec every day.
0 -
Hi Golfer Grandma
I guess I didn't explain fully. I never used just kytril. I'd take emend for the day of the chemo and for 2 days afte. I also took kytril on the day of the chemo and for about 4 days after the chemo. . For me it really helped with nausea. It didn't make me sleepy either.
Hope you are feeling better.
Mandy
0 -
golfergrandma- I took Kytril during infusion and the Zofran for two days after. I never felt nauseous at all. About loading your photo. I don't remember clicking and dragging anything. I just went to "my home" then "load photo". I think maybe a window comes up that says browse or something (which allows you to go to your computer and find your photo). Then maybe it says upload? If this doesn't work, let me know and I will go into my screen and write it down step by step. Don't we love computers????
0 -
golfergrandma............I took Compazine and had no problems if I took it as soon as I finished the treatments and didn't let the nausea get a head start on me.
0 -
Golfergrandma, sitting here with one eye open this evening ... but did pop in long enough to take note to your post. I too was a 6 month CMF'er. I did take my cytoxan orally with (2) infusion of M and F per month, but bottom line .... took Zofran exclusively and never experienced nausea. Constipation (big yeppers) and finally figured out the appropriate amount of Miralax. Must have been a slow learner as I finally got the balance down between tooooooo much and not enough by about month 4. Anyhooooo, just wanted to put my two cents in for Zofran .... and yes, the CMF regimen was quite doable.
To the ladies who more than gave me a bundle of support through my txts of 2008-2009 and beyond ..... believe me when I say you all "rocked" and the support from you all was off the charts. I hope that I have continued to give in my own way, with my participation locally with newly diagnosed as well as my continued support in the breast reconstruction support group here in Seattle. As well I'm looking forward to my 4th year participating in the Komen 3 Day/ 60 Miler (this year in Seattle and San Diego). Although my time spent at bc.org seems to be a bit scarce these days, I am forever grateful for the warm, thoughtful and intelligent dialogue of my sista' friends.
Rita ..... fairways and greens my friend !!!!!
0 -
Oh Carol...........It's always so good to see a post from you. I try to keep up with you on Facebook but you're just like the Energizer Bunny. You're always going, which is GOOD! I must say that my golf game has been pretty good so far. Come back more often! I miss you!
0 -
((ritajean))
((raincitygirl))
0 -
((all the CMF sisters))
0 -
Aw girls....thanks for the hugs. We all need them every so often. We have a wonderful group of gals on this thread!
0 -
ditto:
((all the CMF sisters))
0 -
Hi y'all!!
So grateful for all of the support! Anyway, I have not had any nausea since my treatment! Just thought I would. Took emend for 3 days and nothing afterwards. Have had just a little dizziness. The Miralax works very well so haven't had any constipation problems. I think the CMF will be very doable. My husband and I are trying 9 holes this afternoon -- it's supposed to be 55 today in Forest. I can't get over how everyone cares -- it's wonderful to have a place to go for good advice. Thanks again. Will keep you posted!
0 -
Designer Mom - Can't anything that says 'upload'. The profile site isn't very user friendly. Thanks for any advice you can give.
0 -
golfergrandma- Don't we love technology? Okay, about loading your photo (avatar). Try this: 1-click on "my home" tab. 2-click on "add photo". 3-Then you will see "upload your own avatar" click the "browse" button. This will let you go into your computer wherever you store your photo. It might be easiest to just put a copy on your desktop, then you can find it. I think the next option is either "save or upload". My DH and I always complain how user unfriendly things are. We actually say "they should test it on their grandmothers"! I am SO glad you are feeling so well after your first chemo. Happy golfing!
0 -
Hi all, just wanted to give hugs to everyone..sometimes candied ginger helps nausea..
0 -
Hi Beanius;
First time posting! Hi! Was wondering why you had 3 lumpectomies? I've had two; the second one to get clear margins. Did it take your surgeon 3 times to clear yours? Also, if so, were you worried that you may have dcis (or cancer) in the remainder of the breast?
0 -
Hi Ladies!
Second post! Just this week making a decision on CMF or TC. I'm leaning toward CMF. My oncotype was 19, and I'm 50 years old. Had a lumpectomyx2 and now second guessing myself on that decision as well. Maybe should have had a masectomy, because I have very dense breasts and what if they missed something? Any thoughts? Thanks!
0 -
Hi M1nn1e - my first lumpectomy started out to be a biopsy, but during surgery, the surgeon found the tumor and thankfully she decided to take more tissue out so it became a lumpectomy while I was unconscious and thankfully she got clear margins. My mamo & ultrasound preceeding had been B9 so no one was expecting cancer, but I was told the lump couldn't be diagnosed without surgery. This was done by a general surgeon and when it turned out to be cancer I was referred to a cancer center. At the cancer center they found calcifications in the other breast. I had those biopsied and they found atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) and wanted to take more tissue to "check out the neighborhood." There were two suspicious areas, so that's why I had two lumpectomies on the other breast. All they found was ADH which is B9, but possibly a precursor that could develop into cancer. Now I'm taking tamoxifen to help prevent that from happening. My tumor was hormonally driven, so by blocking estrogen my chances of another breast cancer are reduced.
I also have dense breasts and general mamos apparently were not that useful. I found my tumor during a self-exam and now I'm having all future mamos done at the cancer center. I've had mixed opinions from doctors about mastectomies versus lumpectomies, and at this point have opted to keep my breasts. As I understand mx is statistically fairly close to lump + chemo + rads in terms of recurrence, neither are 100%. There is a thread on BCO that was helpful to me in trying to decide which way to go.
That thread is under the surgery before, during and after forum, called lumpectomy versus mastectomy????? I'm not sure if this link will work. http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/91/topic/762086?page=3#idx_76
Anyway, there are plusses and minuses to either way. I wish you all the best and so sorry you have to be here, but hope you will find the answers you need to feel comfortable.
0 -
Beanius: Thanks for the info! I will check out that thread. Best! Minnie
0 -
Yay it worked!
0 -
Hi everyone,
I'm still here in my holding pattern until my appt this Wed with the new onc. I've been reading about everything I can about Taxotere in the TCx4 the onc recommended. I really don't want that regimen either...I am going to ask her again about CMF and see if I can't just stick with it. I don't understand why some centers dismiss it and others are fine with it.
Minnie- Your dx looks very similar to mine, and my Onco was 20. Did they tell you whether the positive node was a micromet or was it a macro? Mine counted as a macro because it was just over the 2mm size.
I had my appt with a neurologist today because I've had a SE from my node surgery that appears to be damage to a nerve that helps controls my shoulder movement. He called it a winged scapula. At this point I can't raise my arm higher than my shoulder. It may get better and it may not. Just another thing that has happened that makes me more nervous about upcoming treatments.
golfergrandma, great picture! I'm glad your first tx seemed to go ok.
0 -
M1nn1e- Beanius gave you good advice. I was never given the option of a mastectomy. My BS said the lumpectomy was the way to go. I was in such a whirlwind of decision-making that I didn't question it. Like you, I now wonder if a MX would have been wiser. My tumor was "mammogram occult", meaning the 14 mammos in 14 years did not visualize it on my dense breasts. I found it on self exam. Now I am wondering about my "good" breast. Maybe something is cooking there too? I am scheduled for my first mammo plus US in March since DX. My BS says we will always do an US with mammo every 6 months then an MRI the other 6 months to monitor. I have elected to not take hormone therapy which would reduce my chance of recurrence as I have other medical conditions that could be aggrivated by it. Tough decisions. Do as much research as you can, then go with your gut and don't look back.
golfergrandma- You did it! Nice, happy photo!
0 -
DesignerMom - you are so right, these are tough decisions, and seems we have to make them under such whirlwind/panic conditions. At this point I'm just going by my gut and with the opinion of the doctors I had the most confidence in.
lee - wishing you the very best.
golfergrandma - love your avatar! such a great smile!!
0 -
Carol, it is so good to see you post again. You were one of the gals who really helped me when I was going throuh chemo.
To the newbies, I am sorry that you are here. But you will find that this CMF thread is very supportive of you. I'd never have made it through chemo without the gals on this thread and that is why I pop back in from time to time, hoping that I can help someone who is going through treatment.
Minnie: I'd suggest to get a second or even a third opinion on lumpectomy v. mastectomy. I ended up seing four surgeons....in order to get a true sense of what I should do and what surgeons thought.
Hugs to all of my sisters.
Mandy
0 -
Welcome to the CMF thread, Minnie! The ladies on this thread are awesome and they will help you through everything if you decide to go with the CMF. I also had 2 lumpectomies to get clear margins and then found that the CMF was very doable.....not exactly what I preferred to be doing those days, but I got through it with all the helpful hints that I got from this site.
Golfergrandma....I love your picture! You are so cute! I hope you had a good round of golf today. It was so windy that I had a little more trouble today. I seemed to find just about every bunker on the course. That's the good thing, though, about golf. Tomorrow is another day with another challenge and it's just so great to be able to be out there hitting that little ball!
Well, I'll be back tomorrow.
Rita
0 -
We played 9 holes the other day and will play 18 this coming Sunday when it will be 62 here. Hadn't played since my surgery in December. Too cold today. I can't believe I feel so good after my treatment! Will I feel worse as it goes along? Is it cumulative? I guess I should have questioned my onc about having a mastectomy, but it turned out to be the best decision. I am seeing my gyn tomorrow about having my ovaries removed, since I am at greater risk for ovarian cancer having had two mastectomies. Also, have an appt. with the wig salon on Sat. Even if I just lose 50% of my hair, I can't color what's left and I refuse to go around with gray hair. Guess I'm too vain? Back soon....
0 -
golfergrandma: I am so glad that you are doing so well. But you might want to have a wig ready, just in case you need it, but I'd hold off about buying it now. I was ready to buy one when the wig salon told me they could get it to me in less than 24 hours---so I just wrote down the style of wig that I liked, and never did need to order one. While I had some hair thinning, it was much less than 50 per cent and I don't think anyone but me noticed. And some of the gals here have continued to color their hair through treatment.
I did find the effects of CMF to be cumulative--so by the end of my treatments (I had 8 tx), I was less energetic than at the beginning. But maybe you will be one of the gals who just breezes through treatment without serious side effects. I certainly hope so.
Have a nice day everyone.
Mandy
0 -
Thanks Mandy. Would like to hear from those who colored their hair during treatment. It said not to color, but maybe that's because it injures the follicles? Will hold off buying the wig, but will take your advice and see the stylist anyway.
0 -
golfergrandma- Like Mandy, I never lost that much hair, certainly not 50%. About 3 days after my infusion I would shed a lot of hair and get worried I was loosing it, but then it would stop. My hair thinned a bit, but not enough for anyone else to notice. I can't speak to the hair dye as I am just leaving my grays alone for now. There is a thread which deals with hair and hair related questions. I think it is called "hair, hair, hair". Try that in the search box. It's a long thread. They must address hair dye. I think the "heat wave" is headed our way too. Can't come soon enough, feels like 15 below zero with the wind chill here in NYC today.
0
