CMF Question
Comments
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Diane - how did your surgery go on Friday? I hope you are recovering quickly.
Chemo #5 is set for this Friday! Hoping the SEs will not be as bad as last time, but I will talk with my MO about all the nausea last time.
I am upset with the weight gain from steroids. Before chemo, I had lost 50 pounds and was so very happy with my body. With chemo, I have gained almost every bit back and am so unhappy. I feel bad being unhappy though because my undergoing chemo is just more insurance against recurrence. Everyone says that I will lost the weight again after I'm done with the steroids, but then I will be starting tamoxifen which I hear causes weight gain too. I will talk with my MO again to see if there is anything we can do to combat more weight gain.
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Hi Mandy: like you,, a few years ago I lost 65 pounds. I have gained back 20 from the darn stuff. I hate it. The acupuncture is helping though: lost 4 in bettween treatments this past time. I know I am not eating enough to gain like that: I know it is the darn chemo: we shall lose it!!!
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I gained, too. Once I got off of the Arimidex, I lost the weight and was back to where I originally started. I wasn't pleased about the weight gain during the treatments and when on that little pill. It seemed impossible to lose anything then.
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Mandy, Surgery went ok, the regional nerve block was really strange, knew my arm was there but could not feel anything nor did I have any control over it, weird feeling. I could tell you the minute it wore off though at 3 am! At that point there was a good bit of pain, took the oxy and that made me sick, so no more pain meds for me will have to deal using Tylenol. By Sunday It was ok, no real pain, but this 5lb cast thing they have on me is a real pain! Back to the surgeon on 2/5, then we go from there, I suspect another cast, cause the Dr. said, if this does not hold, he will have to put in pins that come out through the skin!
My next chemo will be on the 30th, then the following week, I hope. Wbc was ok enough for me to have the surgery. And I am feeling pretty good being off everything, really want this to be over though. Then still have to do radiation( and hand therapy)
Hope your next treatment goes smoothly, and you somehow avoid the nausea, chemo is bad enough, but then to be nauseated on top of it sucks! Sorry about the weight gain, I know that can be a real problem, one of the reasons I did not want the original chemo they suggested. I am not getting steroids with my CMF. My friend was on Arimidex and had no problem with weight gain, don't know if I will be that lucky!
You have the right to be unhappy now and then, you have been through a lot! As long as you see the light at the end of the tunnel, you will get through this! I know we both will, it has just been a long road. Take care, good luck on Fri, keep in touch. Diane
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Diane - I am glad the surgery went well, but sad to hear that you are having trouble managing the pain and that you may have to have pins. My daughter had pins in her elbow twice. I will pray you don't have to do that.
I am looking forward and not looking forward to treatment on Friday. I am really apprehensive about the port since last time it really hurt. This week, my regular nurse will be there and I trust her. I will tell her about last time with the other nurses. I wonder if it had to do with the used the inner port for the first time and they pushed the meds really fast. I am confident that all will be good nausea or not!
Guess what? Cleaning for a Reason was able to locate a local house cleaning service in our area and they are coming out once a month while I am in active treatment. So far, we are booked through April. Our first appointment will be this coming Monday.
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Are you all doing CMF weekly? I go every three weeks?
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I do oral cytoxan and IV-M and F Have 2 wks on and 2 wks off X 6 months
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I go every three weeks for IV CMF
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Thanks! I hope to find out how many more: I did two taxoter/cytoxen,, then had severe reaction. Three taxol, same thing.
Now three CMF: 4th in two weeks
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No chemo for me this past Friday. My neutrophil count was too low. So we try again this Friday.
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Mandy, keeping you lifted up!
My MO finally talked to Sloan Kettering--- only three more treatments: last one March 20th.
Question: anyone have gas/ discomfort get worse as treatment went on? Mine is terrible. Not sure if it is the new herb I am taking from acupuncturist or CMF. My research points to CMF
Thanks ahead of time
Kath
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Kath....the chemo really messed up my digestive system and I had lots of gas and bloating as the treatments progressed. I'm betting that your problems are related to the CMF, too. You are now on the downhill slide! I think you're doing great! Hang in there! Are you still working during the treatments?
Rita
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Thanks Rita: Mandy were you able to have treatment yesterday? My WBC was 20 yesterday so I am praying it stays up for next Friday--
DH and I fly to Chattanooga on the 12th for parents weekend at one of our sons college: will wear a mask of course on the plane
Any ideas how to raise WBC?
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I was not able to have chemo again this past Friday. My port and/or catheter may be leaking so I have to have a study done on it tomorrow. Will have to wait and see what they say. Better to be safe than sorry, I guess.
I have had chemo postposed twice due to white blood counts, and mine came back up naturally. I'm not sure if there is anything to do to raise the WBC.
Getting away on the 12th sounds like fun!
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Mandy, will keep you lifted up!
Blessings
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catheter was broken in my neck. Surgery to have it removed on Thursday and a new one put In. Chemo #5 on Friday.
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OH Mandy, so so sorry. But glad you will have chemo Friday! thanks for keeping us posted
Kath
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My breast surgeon and MO talked again and both agreed not to put another port in (thank goodness). I will just have the last 4 treatments in my arm. It will all work out for the best, I'm sure.
The area where it is broken in my neck is really tender, it reminds me of the feeling when I had blood clots. My surgeon said because they gave me heparin today after the procedure and I am on blood thinners, that it isn't a clot, but just engorgement of the site and trauma. I sure hope she is right. She said to stop all blood thinners prior to getting the port out on Thursday.
Looking forward to getting it out and keeping it out!
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Will be thinking of you Thursday!
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Mandy, sorry to hear about your port. I had 8 tx of cmf by IV and it was fine. One of the nurses was really good and could get the IV in each time. I had not wanted a port and it worked out well. Hugs to all, Mandy1313
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Oh Mandy, I'm sorry to hear about the problem with your port. For some reason, I know several gals who have had port problems lately. I didn't have a port. I just had the IV infusions and didn't have any trouble with them at all so you will do just fine that way. There was only one murse at our center who had problems inserting the IV. If she headed toward me, I always asked for somebody else. :-)
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My port was removed successfully and it went great. I was able to get my 5th chemo treatment the next day and am back to work today. I had to get the dreaded Neulasta shot on Saturday, but whatever it takes to get this done!
The infusion went fine, but they insisted on using the arm that had lymph nodes removed. I think all is fine as far as lymphedema goes, but I am going for an evaluation just in case.
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thanks for keeping us posted Mandy! I found out Friday that they should not have been using my right arm for infusions, as that is arm of lumpectomy: GREAT, right!
So glad you are moving forward, Stay on the claritan, aleve, and keep in touch!
Hugs
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Oh my gosh, Tobycc! I can't believe that somebody didn't tell you that earlier.
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I just needed to come and vent to you ladies.
I just found out today that some of my brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws have been talking amongst themselves about how I was "milking" cancer and that it wasn't that big of a deal because I was doing chemotherapy because I wanted to and that I was going to work everyday. The one sister-in-law didn't go into great detail but told them that her mother died from cancer when she was 16 and that until they walked a day in my shoes that they really couldn't say anything.
It just broke my heart. These people have been my family for 17 years and I guess they don't really know me or don't really care. I guess I know why two of my sister-in-laws don't ask about me.
I would never wish cancer or chemotherapy or any of what goes with cancer on my worst enemy. I don't talk about my cancer openly unless asked and don't talk about it on social media either. Maybe because I don't complain or talk incessantly about it they think it is no big deal.
They even said that I was taking advantage of my mother-in-law that lives with us. Really? They have no clue what goes on in my house. How can I take advantage of someone that I still cook and clean for with cancer and treatment?
Part of me wants to call the other two up and tell that that until they sit in a doctor's office praying that he won't tell you you have cancer and he does, that they have no clue. I want to tell them that yes, they took the cancer that they could see from my body, but no one can tell me if there are rogue cells out there that will come back later. I want to tell them that surgery and recovery hurts physically and mentally. I want to tell them that yes, I chose to do chemotherapy because based on the odds, it is better for me to do it than not. I want to tell them what chemotherapy feels like, what it feels like a week later...a month later...a year later (when I get there). I want to tell them what it is like that cancer is always on the back of my mind. I want to tell them what a toll this has taken on my family.
They have no clue and probably never will because I am sure I will never tell them. What difference would it make anyway? It wouldn't because they obviously don't want to understand.
Thanks, ladies for listening.
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Mandy,
People can be so hurtful even when they don't mean it. There used to be a forum here on bc.org of what was the worst thing someone said to you about your cancer--it was astonishing. I had one cousin who I banned from calling me while I was in treatment. If she called me (Ihave caller ID), I did not answer the phone.
You do not need to justify yourself to your family or others. No one chooses chemo--from the options available, it is the option most likely to take care of your cancer and that is why you have chemo. I could not have worked through chemo so you are a superwoman in my mind. Remember no one walks in your shoes but you==and you are doing an incredible job.
Please feel free to vent as often as you need.
Hugs from the other Mandy
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Thanks Mandy!
My husband, kids, parents and brother are my biggest supporters right now. I know now who I can lean on and who I can't. In a way, I guess cancer has helped me to weed out who is important and who isn't.
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ml, that is terrible. But, yiu do learn things!!!
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It's quiet here--I'm hoping that is a good sign. How are you gals in treatment doing?
Hugs
Mandy
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I think I am doing okay. We'll find out Friday when I report for chemo. I didn't have any blood work done last week (trying to conserve my veins) to I don't know how the WBC is doing. I think it is okay because the joint and bone pain was pretty bad about a week after my Neulasta shot.
After this treatment, only two more to go and I will be done with chemo!
Thanks for asking!
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