CMF Question
Comments
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Diane - Thanks. We will get through this and kick cancer's ASS!
I too am having stomach issues I guess for lack of a better word. Not having nausea because I am keeping up on the Zofran, but still feel puny. I find that if I eat some oyster crackers and ginger ale about once an hour, I am better. I even keep them by my bed at night for when I wake up.
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving with the family...food, fun, shopping...
I am concerned about my liver enzymes, but have done enough research to know that my doctor will be on top of my labs and to know that liver enzymes get messed up a lot during chemo and it isn't necessarily about mets - it just happens sometimes.
Have a great weekend!
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Just wanted to pop by and say hi to the new CMF ladies. I finished my chemo in May this year. (All IV x12 infusions). The ladies on here kept me going and answered my multitude of questions and I will always be grateful for that. Life is moving on for me but it's fair to say it's a long journey. Rita and Mandy and Robin (and others!) always told me it was doable and to take a day at a time and they were very right.
Mandy- my liver enzymes were hugely altered too from the second chemo. I understand your concerns. My oncologist just monitored them and they took a few months to return to normal afterwards. He said some peoples livers are just more sensitive than others. Strangely enough even prior to cancer I had never even tolerated alcohol or medicationthat well.
As others have said - life does move on again after this journey that cancer does to us - and I truly send you new ladies my kindest of wishes for your treatments.
Love from Lilly x
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Thank you, Lily for the information. That does match up with research I have been reading.
I have another question. I know most of the ladies I have chemo with get Neulasta every time because their white counts are so low. If you don't have to have Neulasta shots, does that mean that the chemo is not having as good of an effect on you?
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Mandy, I don't know---I never needed a neulasta shot and I am 6 years post chemo so I figure the chemo did what it was supposed to. Also, I had to skip an infusion about Christmas time--I was running a fever so they actually pushed the chemo back by 2 weeks if I recall. I think that no two people are the same and that one may need a neulasta shot and another may not. Also some doctors seem to give the neulasta shots as a matter of course and others wait to see if you need them. If you have doubts, talk to your onc.
But I hope everyone here, in treatment and past treatment has a wonderful Thanksgiving including you Lillypoppy in the UK. If you like, I can email you my favorite recipes and you can surprise your family with a "thanksgiving dinner" in late November.
Hugs to all
the old Mandy since ml143333 is the new Mandy
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Mandy, please try not to worry excessively about you liver enzymes, you have enough on your plate. Be confident your onc will be vigilant regarding your blood work.
I too am having the stomach issues, not nausea, cause I take the zofran, it's just an icky feeling in my stomach. I have also found that eating something usually helps, otherwise it's just a constant gnawing feeling!
You are going to have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family, and they will be SO happy you are there!
Wish I could help with your Neulasta question, but my onc won't even give it with CMF. I am worried mine won't rebound in time for me to get my Dec. infusions, then it will mess up my Christmas holiday!
Hope you have a good week, I will keep you in my prayers, and hope you blood work returns to normal.
Hugs, Diane
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Mandy1313 - I would love some recipes for a late Thanksgiving with just my husband and kids when we get back from the big family Thanksgiving. I really am looking forward to it!
Diane - thank you for all of the encouragement! We got this!
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This afternoon, I am feeling okay. Last night, I just got hit with a wave of really bad flu like symptoms and was out for the count. My head was unusually fuzzy this time, like I couldn't find the right words and wasn't remembering things. I stayed home from work today and basically stayed in bed. I didn't really sleep, just rested.
Two down and 6 to go!
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To the other Mandy:
Just rest as much as you need. I was ok on the tx day but the day after, I would lay low so to speak. I also had acupuncture during my treatment which i thought gave me more energy....if you stillhave trouble remembering words, call your onc and see what they can do.
Hugs to all.
Mandy1313
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I'm just checking in. I've been extra busy. Just had a hysterectomy in Sept but all else is well.
To the newcomers, this chemo has the lesser side effects from what I've read from others. My hair thinned out only with me noticing. Pretty much from my 2nd infusion on I would comb a lot of hair out. I even had wigs just in case but I never needed it. I had nerve damage, nueropathy but the nurses suggested vitamin B6 & it helped. The nurses in the infusion room has a wealth of knowledge. I was able to work throughout. Had chemo thurs & took Fri off. Sometimes Mon. But it was doable. Towards the end it became rough but I did it and so can you!!!!! Let's do the count down to completion
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Congrats Lisa on 14 years!!!!!! I hope you celebrated that milestone!
Mandy, so glad that your second chemo went well. I don't think you can go wrong with the Nioxin products. I firmly believe they helped me throughout chemo. Hang in there. It sounds like you are doing great!
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Hi Rita good to see you!
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Mandy, my doctor gave me a nulasta shot after the first infusion, it almost killed me. The pain was unbelievable. I had to switch to nupogeon shots. They thought I was too young to handle the nuelasta (I Was 45). I was switched to nupogeon shots, which sucked, cause I would get chemo on wed, then fri, mon and wed I would get the nupogeon shots, and towards the end added a 4th shot on Friday. My levels would get low. I started in February and by easter even with the shots my cell count was low and we had to push the chemo treatment. All doctors are different. Some give the shots just to make sure you do not have to put off the treatment. I personally think it's better to monitor your levels and only give it when needed. I am sure your chemo is doing more than enough to do what it is supposed to do. Just because this is "chemo lite" doesn't mean it's not a good chemo. It's just an older regime, and longer treatment then the new act or tc. My doctor told me when I worried I wasn't doing enough (cause cmf was my idea) that he would never let me do anything that wasn't good for me. No matter what I said. So trust that the medicine is enough. You have enough to worry about!!!! Without second guessing the chemo. :-) (i'm sure I didn't spell the nulasta or nupogeon shots right but just sound it out. LOL)
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Robin3 - we will see today whether or not I need Neupogen. It will be my first blood count since my chemo last Friday.
This week has been a rough one, but every day gets better, right?
On Monday, I started to get neck pain, like I had slept on my neck wrong. By Tuesday, it had spread down into my shoulder blade and under my arm and it was just really painful. I called my BS and she said it sounded like I held my neck wrong during chemo. Tuesday night, I got no sleep. Wednesday, I called my MO and left a message with the triage nurse. Nothing. Wednesday night, I just felt so horrible and got about an hour of sleep. I knew this wasn't just sore muscles. Yesterday, I called the triage nurse and told her again what was happening and that now, I was noticing new blue veins along my chest near my port. All along, I thought something was wrong with the catheter in my neck since that is where the pain originated. My MO send me for a stat PVL and sure enough - 2 blood clots. He started me on Lovenox shots and Coumadin last night. He also gave me a pain killed prescription so I could sleep.
He said blood clots happen in about 25% of patients and wants to keep the port in. He said he will get me through this, but I may cause him a heart attack.
I have been at work all week but probably not the most productive. I am here again today, but will leave early for my blood work and next Lovenox shot. Come on 2:30!
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ml143333
I started chemo the day after Robin (Hi Robin
) on Valentine, a Thursday and I didn't need the Nuelasta shot until May. The first time I received it was brutal. All of my large muscles were sore. My thighs, my back, my shoulders, my legs etc..It was horrific. I told my nurses and my onco decided instead of giving me the full dosage, dilute it. They would dilute it with some fluid and gave me only about 60-70% of the full potency and that worked well.Towards the end my counts were still low. I had to skip treatment because of it.
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Mandy, So sorry you are having such a rough week! What a shame the Docs did not get back to you right away, Not like you don't have enough to worry about. Glad they have it under control though.
Got my 4th infusion yesterday, white count was up from last week. I really hope it stays up, so it does not goof up my Dec. chemo. Want to get it on time so I am off of everything for Christmas.
No SE except for the same stomach issues. Two down only four months to go!
I'll keep you in my prayers, Feel better. Diane
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Hi Mandy
Too bad your doctors didn't listen to you about your pain. But at least you figured out the source. I wanted to mention that I had 8tx of CMF by IV every 3 weeks and I did not have a port and did not need it. If they know how to do IVs, the nurses can get it in easily and that way you would not have to risk the problem you had last time. Just mentioning it because CMF without a port is an option that oncs don't always raise--mine certainly did not raise it until I told her I wanted to try it without a port because we could always put a port in later. And it was fine for all 8 tx.
Hope you don't need the neulasta or neupogin shot--I never had one and that was over 6 years ago.
Take care and hope you and Diane both feel good through the holidays.
Hugs to all
Mandy1313 (or else the "old Mandy" which happily is probably true since I am getting older and older). :-)
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I didn't need a port either. I took one orally and the other two IV.push. I did need neopogen.
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Thanks Mandy(1313) , Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a Blessed Christmas! Diane0 -
Oh my gosh, Mandy. Blood clots are not what you needed! I am so sorry that you've had such a rotten week and hope that you're feeling better soon for the holidays.
I was lucky in that I didn't need a port and I through the "sticks" during the infusions pretty well. I did have to have 2 neulasta shots and as much as I hated them, they did pull my counts back up.
Hang in there Diane and Mandy and try to enjoy Thanksgiving as much as possible. Hugs to both of you!
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Thanks Rita, I am doing well! Good news, I am off all meds for Thanksgiving, and looking forward to being able to eat what I want! Hope my counts stay up so I am able to get my Dec. chemo on time, then will be done for Christmas. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Diane0 -
Rita - thanks for thinking of me. As of today, my blood thinner level (PT/INR) was good so I just continue with the meds. The pain has almost gone away which must be a good sign.
Liver function was good last week hoping for the same this week but not sure since starting blood thinners and having taken a few pain killers. All will work out in the end.
Looking forward to a good Thanksgiving with family. I hope you enjoy yours as well!
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Hi Mandy and Diane! Hi everyone else too!
Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Hugs
Mandy1313
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Mandy1313 - thank you for the well wishes! I will make the Maryland stuffed ham tomorrow as that is the only thing I have to take to Thanksgiving Dinner. My youngest daughter is going to help me make a mini-Thanksgiving dinner the first Sunday of December for my husband, son, daughter and I. I will have chemo that Friday, but she is going to be a great cook when she is older. She is good so far.
I wish every one well!
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Happy Thanksgiving to everyone on our wonderful thread! My son and family will be coming in on Wednesday from easternTennessee for the holiday and I spent the morning pulling out our favorite recipes and making a grocery list! We are having turkey with all the traditional sides.
Mandy, I have never heard of stuffed ham. Enlighten me please!
Those of you who are going through treatments need to delegate jobs over the holidays! Let your loved ones pamper you!
Hugs to all of you......sent with many Thanksgiving blessings!
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Rita...the ham is a corned ham which has been brined then stuffed with a mixture of kale, cabbage, onions, salt, pepper, mustard seed and crushed red pepper. Simmer for w0 minutes per pound. Cool in refrigerator until ready to eat. It is really good.
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Oh Mandy that really does sound good! Very interesting!
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING..........to all the wonderful ladies on this site! To those of you having chemo this week, hang in there ....1 more down! Hope you all have a wonderful holiday with families, that are so important!
Hugs to you all, Mandy 1, Mandy 2, Leslie, Robin, Ritajean, Carol, Lisa ,Softness and anyone else I might have missed! Diane
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roses are still blooming in San Diego...hope all have a comforting Thanksgiving..
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Just stopping in to say how thankful I am for this thread which got me through chemo six years ago. I am grateful to each and every one here for our support of eachother through the years.
Wishing the gals in treatment and everyone else a Thanksgiving of peace and serenity.
Many hugs
Mandy1313
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I am so thankful for my new friends that I have made on this board. There really is always something to be thankful for. Because out of a hard time, I found new friends, and realized that I had very many true friends and family. And that is what life is about. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! And to you guys going through treatment, honestly... this too shall pass. xoxo Robin
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