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Share your story: Your reflections about Mother's Day

CMF Question

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  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited March 2016
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    My family is arriving at our Florida rental home for Easter later today so I may not be back on for several days so I want to wish each and everyone of you a Happy Easter! Then we will be heading back north on Thursday! I have enjoyed the warm winter here but I am ready to get home to my friends and the spring flowers in Illinois.


  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Member Posts: 978
    edited March 2016
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    For all of you who celebrate Easter, have a Happy Easter! And everyone have a wonderful weekend.

  • ml143333
    ml143333 Member Posts: 190
    edited March 2016
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    Hoping everyone will have a wonderful weekend!

    On another note, I saw my Plastic Surgeon yesterday and we are going to set a revision surgery in late April or early May. I'm just waiting to hear from the surgery scheduler. He said that these need to come out, we need to go a bit bigger (I said that originally), we need to get them anchored better and we might do fat grafting. Only 2 weeks out of work and NO drains! Yep - no drains! I won't even have to stay overnight - just outpatient but may be a late discharge depending on when I get in and how quickly I come out of recovery.


  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Member Posts: 978
    edited March 2016
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    Hi Mandy.

    That sounds like good news that you have had from the plastic surgeon. Let us know how the procedure goes and whether you like the new results. Hugs from Mandy1313

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited March 2016
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    Good afternoon, gals!

    I hope you all had a great Easter! My family was here for a few days and we really packed a lot into that time. They left today to go on to Disney for 3 days! I cherish every minute I have with them.

    Mandy, it sounds like you and your plastic surgeon have come up with a plan for you. Please keep in touch and let us know how it goes.

    I have spent the afternoon doing laundry and packing up some of our things. We are going to play one more round of golf tomorrow and then will pull out early on Thursday morning and head toward home. I hope the weather is good for the drive as we do it in two days, getting as far as Prattville, Alabama on the first day.

    Hugs to all of you!

    Rita

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited April 2016
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    Hi gals! I hope you are all doing OK and are just busy with springtime activities and chores. I needed to post to keep our site bumped up in the listings so others can find it. Check in when you get a chance and give us updates. :-)

  • Wenrisa
    Wenrisa Member Posts: 59
    edited April 2016
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    hi ritajean and everyone! Doing good! Feeling good since chemo is completed. Have done 3 of 30 rads and that's going good too. It's weird to have somewhere to go everyday since I haven't been working since my surgery. My short term disability is almost up and they are talking about long term disability until I'm done and go back to work

  • ml143333
    ml143333 Member Posts: 190
    edited April 2016
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    Good morning ladies!

    Wenrisa - glad you are doing okay with the radiation. Good thing you have Long-Term Disability!

    I am scheduled for revisions to my implants and fat grafting on May 9th. I go this Thursday for final measurements. We have to go back in and take the old ones out as the alloderm failed and the implants dropped and shifted more to under my arms. One implant is higher than the other and there is a lot of space that needs to be filled. So...he wants to do new implants and a different type, not the gummies and probably some fat grafting to fill in. I guess I will see on Thursday.

    I hope everyone else is doing well!

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited May 2016
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    Wenrisa, thanks for the update. I had been thinking about you and am glad that you are handling the radiation well. How many more do you have before you are a "rad" grad?

    Mandy, I hope the new implant procedure goes will. It won't be long now! Keep us updated.

  • Wenrisa
    Wenrisa Member Posts: 59
    edited May 2016
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    I'll be 1/2 way on Wednesday. 3 weeks complete and three to go. I'm doing ok though...just starting to get a rash from radiation but not to disturbing yet. Still not back at work yet either...

  • ml143333
    ml143333 Member Posts: 190
    edited May 2016
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    Wenrisa - Hooray for being 1/2 way through rads! You got this!!!

    Thanks RitaJean - We have a busy weekend leading up to my surgery on Monday, May 9th. My oldest daughter graduates from James Madison University on Saturday morning, then back home for Mother's Day and then surgery on Monday. I'm looking forward to it actually. It will be nice not to be lopsided and I get a bit of tummy lipo too for the fat grafting!

    I hope everyone else is doing well!

  • Wenrisa
    Wenrisa Member Posts: 59
    edited May 2016
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    Mandy -

    Congrats to your daughter on her graduation and best of luck to you on your surgery

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited May 2016
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    Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers! Hugs to all of you as you celebrate the important role you play in your families!

  • Wenrisa
    Wenrisa Member Posts: 59
    edited May 2016
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    Thank you! To you too ritajean

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Member Posts: 978
    edited May 2016
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    Wishing all of you friends here, whether mothers or not, a happy mother's day!

    Hugs!

    Mandy1313

  • L_in_CA
    L_in_CA Member Posts: 28
    edited May 2016
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    Hello Everyone,

    Im new to the board. Ive been doing a lot of searching for CMF and glad to have found you all. My oncologist gave me 2 options for chemotherapy. option 1: TC -4 rounds once every 3 weeks.

    Option 2: CMF cytoxan pills every day, MF IV every week (total 24 weeks) I am favoring option 2. I havent read anyone being on a weekly chemo treatment. I hope its doable as opposed to TC. I do not want to lose my hair. Its been a whirlwind since the diagnosis. I hope to hear from you. Ive read a lot of your advice which is wonderful. Happy Mother's Day to all of you.

    Libby

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Member Posts: 978
    edited May 2016
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    Hi L in CA

    Welcome to the CMF board. CMF definitely is "doable." There are many ways to give CMF--I had it IV every 3 weeks for 8 doses; some get it every 2 weeks and some have 6 doses not 8. There also is the pill regimen which your doctor suggests--you might ask why he prefers that instead of the IV version.

    In any event, for me the main side effect was fatigue---others will tell you about other things they felt. But overall--it is definitely "doable." Let us know what you decide is the chemo for you and all the best to you. Making the treatment decision is harder than the treatment, I think.

    Hugs

    Mandy1313

  • L_in_CA
    L_in_CA Member Posts: 28
    edited May 2016
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    Thanks Mandy1313 for your input.

    I meet with the nurse practitioner this week to go over treatment. I've been prescribed anti nausea meds and lorazepam in addition. I'm feeling quite anxious and nervous about starting weekly treatment. I think treatment will start in June. I will have a port put in a couple of weeks.

    Libby

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Member Posts: 978
    edited May 2016
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    Hi Libby!

    I think waiting for treatment and wondering how you will react is quite high stress. I remember trying to imagine what would happen--and of course it was quite different from what happened. Everyone reacts differently to the chemo so try to go in with good expectations--some of the gals had almost no side effects from CMF; others had more (like me) but for all of us it was doable.

    Hugs

    Mandy1313

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,020
    edited May 2016
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    Hi Libby! We just wanted to drop a note to say welcome to you! You've joined an incredible and supportive Community here and we're happy to have you, though not happy about what brings you here.

    Please let us know if we can help at all as you navigate the boards. We're looking forward to hearing more from you!

    --The Mods

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited May 2016
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    Hi Libby,

    My CMF plan of treatment was different from yours. I had infusions once every three weeks and did quite well with that. I had some nausea with mine but I quickly learned to take the anti-nausea meds BEFORE the symptoms hit instead of trying to get rid of them after they surfaced. Everyone responds differently to these meds but most of us learned how to deal with the side effects. We'll give you little hints along the way if you have any problems and maybe one of our hints will work for you. Although the CMF treatment plan takes up a longer time period, it seems to be less harsh than some of the other treatments.

    Visit us often and keep in touch. We will help you get through this! Hugs!

    Rita

  • ml143333
    ml143333 Member Posts: 190
    edited May 2016
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    Hi ladies!! The plastic surgeon said my implant reconstruction went well. It sure hurts like the dickens. I guess its because he had to take put the old stuff, repair some damage, put new implants in and do some fat grafting. Everyday gets better and better.

  • mandy1313
    mandy1313 Member Posts: 978
    edited May 2016
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    Glad to hear things went well with the reconstruction. Hope you are soon pain free.

    Hugssss.

    Mandy1313

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited May 2016
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    Mandy...glad that your implant reconstruction went well and am sorry that you are in so much pain. Hugs as you recuperate and get back to your ol' self! Keep us updated!

  • L_in_CA
    L_in_CA Member Posts: 28
    edited May 2016
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    Hi All,

    I started reading from the 1st post of this thread and have a long way to go. Im quite nervous for tomorrow as I meet with the Dr regarding the treatment plan. Ive taken many notes and will be thinking of you all.

    Hi Rita-Im so glad to hear from you.

    HI Mandy 1313!

    HI Mandy (ml143333) glad to hear your reconstruction went well too. I will have to do that sometime next year when i finish chemo and rads.

    Libby

  • windward
    windward Member Posts: 57
    edited May 2016
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    Hi All,
    Having gone through chemo and rads with a minimum of Side Effects, I got to pay later (?) when my poor little immune system lost the battle to walking pneumonia. 3 weeks of exhaustion, not too bad a cough, and fuzzy head and thinking that must be like what is described as chemo brain. As I described it to a friend, I tried to count by 6's. I could think of 6 and 18, I knew there was a gap, but could not figure out how to fill it!
    Finally, being better,I figured out it was the "12" that was missing". Is good to be back..

    Hi Libby,
    Saw your concern about hair loss. I uses a system called cold caps and lost about 15-20% of hair, and was able to keep my hair style, with some adaptation. I wrote you back channel about Cold Caps in case you want to know more about it. Look for my email.
    Each of us has had different experiences going through chemo, and it is possible that yours will not be as bad as you might imagine. And, this CMF "band of sisters/mother's" will go through your chemo with you,, day by day, with advice, and ideas and support.

    Hi Wenrisa
    By my estimate,on this 16th day of May, you have only 1 week more of rads?! It will go very fast. I too did not get rash until about 3rd week, and some itching. At that point RO gave me Aquaphor to use at nite,( along with the Medline Remedy skin repair cream, twice a day, AND a cortisone cream for any itching as needed.) Had some itching, the cream really helped. . Hope you are not too fatigued from the rads.

    Hugs to all,

    Windward
  • Wenrisa
    Wenrisa Member Posts: 59
    edited May 2016
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    wow! You are good windward! I have 6 treatments left. Start boosts tomorrow and then I'll be done next Tuesday. I haven't had bad skin reactions at all! Dr told me today it will for sure get worse but he was pretty impressed I made it this far with just some pinkness and a little rash.

    Once radiation is done I have a date for my port removal surgery and then I guess it'll finally be time for me to go back to work. (I've been out since October). Looking forward to getting back to "real life"

  • Sheri-CT
    Sheri-CT Member Posts: 40
    edited May 2016
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    Hi ladies,

    I was supposed to be on TC for 4 cycles, but had a really bad reaction today during my second cycle (throat closed and I couldn't breathe....so scary!). I do not want to do AC because of the heart risks (high family history). My MO mentioned CMF 28 day cycle. Can someone explain this to me and the side effects? I am meeting with him Friday to discuss, but wanted to hear from people actually taking the med. I was cold capping with the TC. Is that still necessary? I also had a really hard time with the neulasta. Is that necessary with CMF?


    Sheri

  • Wenrisa
    Wenrisa Member Posts: 59
    edited May 2016
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    Sheri -

    I had CMF every 2 weeks. It was hard for me but still doable. I had nausea as my main side effect (I have stomach issues to begin with) but it only lasted a couple days and then I was fine. I did use the neulasta but I never did have an issue with it. I think there were people here that used cold caps but I didn't. I lost maybe 30 to 50% of my hair but much better than losing it all. Wishing you the best

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited May 2016
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    Hi Sheri,

    There are several different ways to administer CMF chemo. I did not do the 28 day cycle so can't comment on that exact treatment. I had infusions every 3 weeks. Regardless of the treatment procedure, I really think the CMF chemo is easier for most to tolerate. I only had to have one neulasta shot and had no side effects from it. There are a few who used the cold cap treatment to preserve the hair, but most of us didn't need it. Your hair thins but usually only you and your hairdresser can tell. Once you know the type of side effects that bother you, it is fairly easy to prevent the same side effects the next time. If you decide to go with this type of chemo, the many fine ladies on this thread will help you through your journey.

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