CMF Question
Comments
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Amy...sending you good vibes for an uneventful first CMF chemo. I think you'll find this treatment very doable. Welcome to our thread and come back often.
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Hi guys. I had my first infusion a week ago yesterday. Had some minor SEs during the first few days, but nothing since til today, when I'm a bit nauseous, headachy and have a sore in the corner of my mouth. Could these be delayed SEs, or do you think I'm just having a bad day.
Thanks!
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SueH58, my first CMF infusion was on the 16th and I had different side effects every day right up to today when I had my 2nd infusion. We'll see what fun we have in the next 3 weeks!
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So you don't think it's wierd I'm experiencing them today after several days with nothing? What a bummer...
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Sounds like SE similar to mine: Mine usually started day 3-4 after infusion. One down!!!! I used homemade coconut oil toothpaste and it worked wonders with the mouth sores. Actually DH made it: googled recipe: just oil, baking soda and a tiny bit of peppermint oil for flavor
Rest, and listen to your body: take the nausea meds to avoid it, and even though you don't want to eat, try some thing. I lived on homemade chicken soup, and while the thought of it was not appealing once I would start to eat it I really did feel better.
K
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had 1st cmf this morning. went pretty easily. got intense sinus headache about 25 mins into Cytoxan followed by intense drowsiness. Been really drowsy since - not sure if it's the cmf or anti-nausea drugs I received . mind you, I get super sleepy from dramamine. nothing else to report - so went pretty well. going to sleep super early and took tomorrow off from work. so glad to have this group.
A
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I don't necessarily think it's bad to be having more side effects now. Mine come and go so I never know from day to day what I'll be dealing with. Mine did last the whole 3 weeks and now we have a whole new round to look forward to.
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A - I'm told that sinus headaches often result when Cytoxin is administered too quickly. My eyes felt weird primarily. I'm going to ask them to slow the drip from 30 mins to maybe 45 mins. I wonder if that's still why I have headaches. I don't see headaches as a side effect from any of the drugs I received (C, M or F).
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When I was going through my infusions, I got a Cytoxan headache the first time. My nurse slowed the drip down the next and I was okay, but I sneezed a lot during the Cytoxan. She said that was normal.
I have always had a finicky stomach so my nausea or the feeling of an unsettled stomach stayed pretty much the whole first week into the next. I did find that keeping something in my stomach even if I didn't want to made it better. I lived on oyster crackers and now can't stand to even look at them much less think about eating any.
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I've had a nice sinus headache that started during the Cytoxan administration yesterday. Because I'm on a blood thinner, I'm supposed to only use Tylenol as a pain reliever. It does nothing! I decided to take Aleve today. I'm such a rebel!
I didn't mention the headache until after we were done. The nurse said to remind them next time and they'll slow it down.
Laura
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That didn't happen last time? I've had a lingering, dull headache for 10 days. I'm having them slow that baby WAY down next time.
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Ask for ice chips and suck on them during the infusions. That will help keep the mouth sores away.
Amy, glad your first infusion went well!
Sue, everyone is different. If I had any side effects they appeared usually on the 3rd or 4th day and then I did pretty good until the next infusion. Be sure that you do eat and continue to drink plenty of fluids to wash the chemicals throuh your body.
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thanks all. Nurse told me they will definitely slow c down to 45 minutes. Felt great yesterday, like nothing happened. But zonked by 8 pm and feel slow and woozy today. Just took short walk and need to crash. Drinking so much water and peeing constantly. No idea how long druggy feelong will last. I guess everyone is different
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The first time, I started the day with a headache so that didn't help with knowing how it would be and how much was the original headache. I'm still battling it today, but it's much better.
Tomorrow is Day 4. That's when my more difficult side effects will hit. It's going to be a lousy day and then Monday will be better.
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When does hair loss start with CMF, and does it continue throughout the entire treatment? I know.....everyone's different!
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HI Sue. I also worried about hair loss and this is an individual thing. I had a tx every 3 weeks by IV--I mention that because I do not know if that changes things. In any event, I had hair thinning but not enough loss to need a wig or even a scarf to cover my hair. After my 4th TX I had scalp tingling ( a sign of hair loss apparantly) and even my onc did not know if I would lose my hair. But while I had most of my shedding that tx, it was not enough to make a real difference and while I was going crazy with worry about it, even my hairdresser could not tell. Hopefully you will be lucky like I was. One thing i did was to treat my hair gently. Usually I wash my hair once a day and while on CMF, I only washed every 3rd day. I did not blow dry my hair and I used the shampoo that Ritajean suggested--I think it was called Nioxin. My hair got greyer and curlier on the CMF but it was still my hair and it was nicely on my head. :-)
I hope you gals in treatment have had a nice Mother's Day--for those who are mothers and those who are not mothers it still is a special day. Happy Mother's Day to all my friends old and new on this CMF thread.
Hugs to all
Mandy
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Thanks, Mandy. That's my EXACT "head treatment" strategy. Hopefully I'll be fortunate as well. I know not to expect a total loss, but when and how much is the unknown.
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Sue - I did not lose my hair while on CMF, but it did thin. I noticed it, but no one else really did except my hair stylist. I started shedding after my second treatment and kept shedding until about 3 weeks after my last. I did get much greyer during chemo but still stayed straight as a pin.
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Sue, it took a couple of treatments before I even noticed any thinning. There are very few who lose enough of their hair while on this chemo to need a wig. I am betting that you'll do just fine in the "hair category" although I think that all of us have panicked at least once or twice when it started to thin! Hugs!
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i thought i had gotten past the worst of thursday treatment. Last night was miserable. Leg aches, horrrible upset stomach, jittery and couldnt sleep. Todays going to b a long day!
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It was always the third or fourth day that got me after a treatment. Then I seemed to rebound until the next one rolled around.
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My treatment was also on Thursday. The first week it was Day 4 (Sunday) that did me in...horrible bathroom issues, tongue & mouth issues, etc. This time it started on Day 3 (Saturday) and has continued. Yesterday I was so nauseated, my tongue was driving me nuts, I was exhausted and in pain. I made it through the whole 8 hours of work, but only because I kept pushing myself. Today the tongue is much better, so far no bathroom issues, much less nausea...Every day it's something new, right up until the next treatment!It's certainly not horrible, by any means. My dad had it so much worse when he had treatment for stomach/esophageal cancer. I know it might get worse but I know it'll never be as bad as his, so I can do this.
I'm trying to be very careful with my FMLA so I get the maximum coverage for my time off, though my employer has assured me I wouldn't lose my job if I didn't abuse the privilege. I make every effort to miss very little work.
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Vanmama......I sucked on lemon drops for the nausea and that seemed to help me alot.
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Thanks. I'll try the lemon drops. Having a problem with nausea today, though I AM at work. This is how bad it is...I had to throw away my Starbucks still half full because I just couldn't drink it any more!!! That has never happened... I'm hitting the peppermint teabags pretty hard. Already on my second 16 oz of making hot tea!0 -
Vanmama - have you called your MO about the nausea? I know mine said call anytime because he didn't want me to feel any worse that I had to. Give him/her a call and see.
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Vanmama, what are you taking for nausea?
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Really, I hardly think to actually take something for the nausea. I've never been much of an over-the-counter med taker, so,this is new for me. My MO did give me a couple of RX's--Ativan and Compazine. I do carry the Compazine in my purse but just haven't even thought to take it.
I have the Brach's lemon drops so I'll break them out!
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If they dont work, please take the compazine: really no need to be nauseated!!!!
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Well it's 14 days since my first treatment. As I was combing my hair today, it occurred to me that had I been on TC or AC I would be about ready to shave my head. And I'm sure I would have been consumed with that during this time. I am grateful, yet a bit guilty because most of my new friends on the boards have gone that route and are now wearing wigs. What an added complexity to this whole chemo experience.
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Sue, you are so right. Chemo is challenging enough without the additional challenge of being bald.
Vanmamma: try your anti nausea drugs. They will change your life for the better. My onc actually gave the first doses of the anti nausea med that I took just before the chemo. And for mouth and tongue sores some people find that sucking on ice or an ice pop during the chemo helps keep them away. I used acupuncture and it helped with many of my side effects. I hope that you soon will be able to enjoy your favorite Starbucks but must say that my sense of taste changed quite a bit while I was on chemo--I craved creamy everything-mac and cheese, tuna noodle casseroles etc and could not drink water or ice without being nauseated from them--so I used ginger candies and ginger beer (which is strong ginger ale) and did not make me nauseous. And once the chemo ended my usual tastes returned.
all the best to all of you gals in treatment.
Hugs
Mandy.
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