CMF Question
Comments
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Hi Kathy, I had CMF through my port every other week. No oral pills. Softness might have done the every 3 week one. Good luck on this journey. Read these boards. CMF was NOT horrible. Take your nausea meds. Drink lots of water and rest. But exercise when you feel good. Take care of yourself. I did not lose my hair. It thinned, but that was it. And today I finished radiation. there is definitely a light at the end of this long tunnel. We are here for you if you need us or have questions! Take care! Robin
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Kathyrnn-
I am doing a dose dense cmf every two weeks thru IV infusion or 8 treatments. I am have my last treatment next week! It's a lot but I'm glad to be almost done. I still have most of my hair but its definitely thinner. I think there are more side effect like hair loss when you take the cytoxan orally. I guess others could weigh in on if that is true or not.
Good luck!
Jsrose0 -
Hi kathrynn,
I just finished the every 3 weeks X 8 treatments a week ago. It seemed like forever but it was tolerable and had minimal se compared to some other chemos se that I read on this board. I kept my hair, my nails are the same, although the nail bed darkened, but I wear fingernail polish so it's not a big deal. I guess if you have to do chemo this is the one to take. I suppose.
Ann
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Hi Kathy,
I did the CMF by IV every 3 weeks for 6 weeks. That was 7 years ago and I'm still smiling. :-) CMF is very tolerable and the 3 weeks in between gives your body time to regroup from the prior treatment.
Hugs to you as you make your decisions and start your treatments. We will be here for you!
Rita
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Hi Kathy! I did the CMF by IV every 3 weeks for 8 treatments. That was 5 years ago. There were a number of women who did the other version on this board then...most were from the West Coast. My onc discussed the two options with me and then she made the decision that she thought the IV every 3 weeks would be easier for me to tolerate. Why don't you ask your onc what she/he suggests and why. That might be an easier way to make your decision.
Hugs.
Mandy
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Thank you Ladies. I've already started my CMF. I was more curious that there were more options on how to take it, that weren't offered to me. I've been told this will be much easier than my last one, and I didn't find that one tremendously bad, so I'm not worrying to much. Thank you again.
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Hope all is going well for you Kathy! It' been especially quiet on this thread for the past few weeks. I hope everyone is handling the treatments well and that all of you are just busy enjoying the remaining weeks of summer.
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I finished my chemo 3 weeks ago and I'm about to start tamoxifen. I was on the once every 3 week regimen. It was tolerable. It took me a couple of treatments to deal with the side effects and I still feel tingling in my legs and hands.
Had a long weekend of fun. Sometimes u need a breather from it all. I feel much better. I will finish the touch ups of my reconstruction. Nipples here we come. Lol0 -
Yeh softness, good on you for having a long weekend of fun. We all need fun
I am off on holidays next week actually. Taking my parents, hubby and 3 year old sun away to play!
It's been one year since i was diagnosed, (how time flies)
So glad you have completed your chemo. Whoo hoo, good luck with the nipples!! That's my next step too now
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YEAH softness! So glad you have the chemo behind you!
Traii..so glad to see a post from you! It's hard to believe that it's been a year for you! You are right. Time does fly! Hope all is going well for you now.
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Softness - So glad to hear that you finished. Hugs....
I have done my 5th one and there are 3 more to go. I'm having the problem with low white count, so I have to takes the shots and also make this journey goes longer......
I'm also starting the problems with pause-breathing and pressure on heartbeats. But the worst part is bady ache. Is anyone have similar problems ? Appreciated if there are tips.0 -
Cherish, The chemo is cumulative so sometimes we have a tougher time as we get farther into the treatments. Not all of it is out of our bodies before we get the next treatment and it causes a "build-up effect." Like you, I had to have the shots (nuelasta) as the treatments progressed. The shots alone can cause body aches. I didn't have any trouble with them but some of the gals take Claritin the night before they get the shots and claim that it helps to reduce the aches and pains.
I have not heard of the pause-breathing issue. Please tell your oncologist about this as I'm sure there is something they can suggest to counteract that. It never hurts to ask. Hugs to you as you finish your treatment program. Just keep marking them off and reemember that there is a good life waiting for you after breast cancer.
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Thank you guys!!!! I'm so happy to be done with. I do have nerve damage in my left leg. I'm hoping it reverses after a while. My onco said sometimes it does. I started Tamoxifen last week and so far so good
Cherish definitely tell your onco about the breathing and heartbeat issues. And you've past the half way mark!!
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Just checking in and bumping up our thread so it's easier for others to find us! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the last of our summer days.
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I hope everyone is doing fine and trying to avoid the heat! Hugs to all!
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It's been quiet, so I take that as a good sign. I'm hoping everyone is out just enjoying their summer.
Have a great Labor Day
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So how are you doing now softness? Are you beginning to feel more "normal" now that things are done? It takes a little while to get back to your ol' self but it does happen.
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Ritajean
I'm coming around. I'm so glad the whole, going to chemo, routine is over with. I'm doing revisiion on my reconstruction Oct 9th. I'm getting fat transfer to the hollowed out areas of my foobies and then afterwards the NIPS!!!...lol. I don't really sleep, but that's becoming a norm for me now. Last weekend I took an Ambien and slept like a baby. I don't take them usually but it had been weeks for me getting up every 3 hours. I don't know what to do about it and I don't want to have to take a sleep aid daily.
Hope all is well with you.. I still have tightness in my chest but I'm hoping once the recon is done and over with it won't be a constant reminder
Ann
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Softness, I had trouble sleeping, too when I went through everything. Then I still had trouble the five years that I was on the Arimidex. I hesitated to take any sleeping prescriptions because my mother got addicted to them and when she had to get off them, she had panic attacks. I know that everyone is different but it sent up a red flare to me. I finally found some help with natural supplements and now that I'm off the drugs I am doing much better. It is so frustrating when you're tired and your mind just won't shut off. You might research Serenity supplements. Some has also had good luck with melatonin but that didn't seem to help me.
Enjoy your weekend.0 -
Dear All, I have done my 6th and 2 more to go, Ya!!!
I have same problem for sleeping... As you said that's really frustrated. I have been taking sleeping pills to help the problem despite I know it's not good for me. But, I will be pretty moody when I don't get to rest... I talked to my onc but she explanation is all because of chemo medicine. Well, I think I just wait till the tx completed.0 -
YEA Cherish! You're on the down hill slide now! It won't be long and you'll be done! Hang in there!
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Cherish!!!!!!!!!Yeah, you're almost there!!!! I'm so happy for you... You can see the finish line now...
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Thx so much for both of you!💖💕💖💕 Two more two more! Fight on!!!👊👊👊😛😛
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You go girl!!!!
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Way to go cherish. I also had sleepin problems and now that i'm on the tamoxifen I am still having problems. Like Ritajean, i have been trying the Melatonin. But the problem for me is not getting to sleep. I fall asleep right away. It's staying asleep. Good luck to you!
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I also had sleeping problems from chemo and after. I take Melatonin about 2 hours before I want to go to sleep. And I also am very careful about what I watch on TV at night--no late news, no anything that might upset me or overly stimulate me. My routine helps and most nights I sleep. Actually I am able to sleep now even without a strict routine but I am careful never to watch the 11 pm News or to discuss it with my hubby---much too stressful for me.
Cherish those two will be here and gone before you know it. You have no idea how much better you will feel without chemo.
Hugs to all of my sisters here!
Mandy
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I'm having the same issue that Robin's having. I'm usually so tired that as soon as I touch the mattress I'm out, but within 2-3 hours I'm up. I think I'm going to get Melatonin. I need something because I'm getting tired of piecing together sleep. I go to sleep around 10:30-11pm and I'm up around 2am. It's awful because I fall back to sleep at around 3:30-4am and I get up at 6:30 for work.
I was so tired Mon I went to work late. I couldn't get up. I slept until about 8:30am.
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Hi all,
New here. I am considering CMF chemo as my treatment choice, against my oncologist's wishes. I don't want to do chemo at all (who does?) but the side effects of the stronger regimens really scare me.
Plus, call me vain or even stupid, but I don't want to lose my hair. I've already lost control of so much that losing my appearance is just a devastating blow. If one more person says to me, "it grows back" I will scream or cry or both.
Can anybody understand this? Or is it just me? I'm frightened. My oncologist is very smart and nice and I understand she wants to maximize my chances but chemo-any type of chemo-scares me.
I would welcome any suggestions from anyone who has been in my shoes. A little about me: I was initially diagnosed with DCIS this past July. I had a lumpectomy in August where they found a large tumor, rather than the spot of DCIS that was expected. My symptoms presented oddly and rapidly and even my doctors are puzzled.
Thanks in advance!I will read back through the thread a bit too.
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Hi Macy
welcome to the place no one wanted to join, but glad we found eachother!
I had Taxotere and then CMF. I worked through both regimes part time, raisibg a 3 year old active son and still managed a household etc. CMF is a doable chemo and although I had lost my hair on the Taxotere already, my hair grew back on CMF and many woman here had light shedding on it but did not go completely bald.
Chemo is no walk in the park. I guess we gotta do what we gotta do now but ultametely it is your decision.
Perhaps go for a second opinion if you can. If you're still not happy, go for a 3rd.
wishing you the best with your decision.
the ladies on this board are awesome and sure will chime in with their experience.
ladies, insomnia bad here! Sleep around 2ish awake at 6ish every morning. Hubby thinks im nuts! Lol.
Cherish, whoo hoo 2 more...you go girl!0 -
Traii, thank you for responding! Feel so lost and scared. I might ask for a second opinion. The cancer center where I am now going is great; one of the best in the country. I just hope I get some support with my decision about CMF.
About the insomnia...is that common? I always hear how exhaustion is a part of chemo. How do you ever get enough rest? I guess I could clean my house at 2am. I would like to go back to work through the regimen, most definitely!
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