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CMF Question

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Comments

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited July 2007
    Good morning everyone! It's a nice, bright sunny day in Illinois. I have been away from my computer for several days with my son's family in Minnesota. I loved the time with them but I am really tired so today is a "catch up day" before my last chemo on Thursday. I dread the chemo but will be glad to be finished with it!

    Thanks Candie, Sue, and Susan for continuing to pop in and encourage us! We need you and I hope I can do the same for others when I'm finished with the treatments.

    Ginny...the rads are about over, aren't they? How did you fare with them the past few weeks.

    Harley, hang in there! (((HUGS)))) to you from across the miles. Once your plan of treatment is decided, you will feel a little more at peace with this.

    Jen...welcome to the CMF thread. There are many fantastic women on here who will help you get through. I know I am so glad that I found it.

    Melanie.......how's it going for you?

    Take care, ladies!

    Rita
  • Galigirl31
    Galigirl31 Member Posts: 103
    edited July 2007
    hi all, I am waiting for a room for my 6th treatment. i really do hate the wait but there is an art therapy room with 2 computers and i usually wait here. it is so hard to read that there might not be benefit from cmf, when you are going through it. i know that they really don't know for sure.
    I hope everybody has a good day.
    -melanie
  • jenjen68
    jenjen68 Member Posts: 9
    edited July 2007
    Hi Melanie

    If you are talking about my post this is a misunderstanding. I was talking about FEC, and no benefit not CMF.

    Jen
  • jenjen68
    jenjen68 Member Posts: 9
    edited July 2007
    Hi Rita

    Thanks for the warm welcome. I know about the great ladies here, I've been following this thread for a long time ;-)

    Have a good day everyone.
    Jen
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited July 2007
    Melanie,

    I hope your 6th treatment goes well! You are getting EIGHT treatments, total, right?? Well, you are almost finished! YIPPEE!

    Take care,
    HARLEY
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited July 2007
    Rita,

    Thanks for thinking about me!

    I hope it won't be a problem, waiting so long before getting the chemo treatment, but with second opinions, and waiting for the Oncotype test results, it couldn't be helped.

    My next onc. appt. is on 8/17, and my dh will be able to go with me, to see the ps (8/16) about reconstruction, and the onc & general surgeon (8/17). Then, we will have a plan of treatment.

    Good Luck with your last chemo treatment on Thursday! YIPPEE!

    HARLEY
  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited July 2007
    Melanie, My oncologist assures me that 6 or more CMF treatments are equivalent in value to 4 AC treatments. There are lots of CMF survivors out there and we will join them when our treatments are finished!

    Rita
  • Galigirl31
    Galigirl31 Member Posts: 103
    edited July 2007
    Thank you all, I was just in a bad place waiting for my treatment. sorry.
    Also, with all the talk of how great my "bad" veins have been, i had to have the IV put in in 3 different places today before it would work. they said that it really is too late to get a port, with only 2 more treatments to go after today.
    I'm home and fine and going to take a nap, (maybe a little lunch first,lol).
    Thanks ladies,
    Melanie
  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited July 2007
    Oh HUGS Melanie.........darn it. It probably wasn't your veins but the person putting in the IV. There's one gal at our center that I try to avoid but I got stuck with her last time and had a bad experience, too. Hang in there! We're always a little more emotional right before, during, and right after a treatment...and we have every reason in the world to be that way! In a few days you will be your own perky self with that wonderful smile and then think....there's only 2 more to go!

    Hang in there.

    Rita
  • Galigirl31
    Galigirl31 Member Posts: 103
    edited July 2007
    Thank you, Rita. I really appreciate it.
    -Melanie
  • 3ofus
    3ofus Member Posts: 201
    edited July 2007
    Hi all,
    Jen, I was advised to just "drink and pee..." 2 litres sounds pretty good. I tried to do a glass per hour.
    Regarding CMF and how effective it is. My Aunt did this treatment 26 years ago and it definitely worked for her and so many others. Jen, in North America women with stage one are often offered this regime. Glad you found us here, we will support you!
    Rita, nice to hear from you again. You are hanging in there and are almost done. Glad you are going to get some rest.
    Melanie, hang in there you are coming around to the home stretch. I know with 2 left to go I just wanted it over yesterday, but yesterday will be here soon.
    I HAVE JUST FINISHED MY LAST RAD TREATMENT THUS ENDING MY ALMOST YEAR OF BC!!!!Yeah.
    Rita, my skin has held up well (thank you)
    Blessings everyone!
    Ginny
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited July 2007
    Melanie,

    Good luck with your last two treatments! It will go by quickly!

    I'm not so sure about me...

    Take care,
    Hugs,
    HARLEY
  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited August 2007
    Ginny,

    Congrats on finishing rads!!! You must be soooo excited...I remember my last day very well. Now on to feeling all better. It does happen--. Will you be doing arimidex or tamox or anyhting?

    So happy for you!!!! You can now be an inspiration for others!!!

    Hugs and prayers,
    Candie

    --------------------------------
    life is a long song-Jethro Tull
  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited August 2007
    Ginny,

    Congratulations! You are done! I knew that we were finishing about the same time. Tomorrow is my last CMF and then I'm done, too. I really dread it but want it over at the same time. Then we can say, "We did it!"

    So glad that your skin held up. It won't take long for you to get your energy back from the rads. I am so glad that we had each other during this journey. You have helped me SO MUCH over the past months.

    Rita
  • socallisa
    socallisa Member Posts: 10,184
    edited August 2007
    Way to go Rita!!

    I finished up 6 years ago now..
  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited August 2007

    Rita, Wahoo!!!!!
    Congrats on finishing chemo--oh, you must be so happy. On to feeling better ALL of the time not SOME of the time!!!

    So happy for you!!

    Hugs and prayers,
    Candie

    -----------------------------
    life is a long song-Jethro tull
  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited August 2007
    Ladies.......I am officially done with chemo. Tears of joy streamed down my face as I walked out of the chemo room today. This really shocked me as I am not a very emotional person. Anyway....for those of you who are still in treatment, I am proof that you can make it. And look at Candie and SoCal Lisa......they are true inspirations for us!

    They gave me a different anti-nausea drug today so I hope that my side effects are minimal and I can move on to a more "normal" type of life. I will however, continue to visit the boards and give back some of the support that others offered me. You won't get rid of me that easily!!!! :-)

    Thank you so much CMF ladies for all the help, support and suggestions that you offered to me. You have become a type of extended family that I really cherish!

    Rita
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited August 2007

    CONGRATULATIONS, RITA!! YIPPEE!! Glad to hear that you are FINISHED with the chemo! You are an inspiration to me, since I will be just starting chemo, within the next 2 weeks, and I am terrified!

    Thanks
    HARLEY
  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited August 2007
    Harley.....feeling terrified is normal. I think we've all been there. You will do fine. Did you decide to get a port or are you going the IV route? I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. It is a long journey but it goes faster than you'd really expect. Keep us updated!!! We'll all be here for you.

    Rita
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited August 2007
    Rita,

    I will get the port put in. I have an appt. with my onc. on 8/17, and I guess we'll discuss the treatment and the schedule then. At first, I told my dr. that I wouldn't do the chemo, so that is why I will have to wait a bit before starting treatment. It can't be helped, though, since I keep trying to call the dr's nurse, and she NEVER calls back! My husband told me that he will tell the dr. when we go on the 17th because I need to know that I will get called back if I have a problem.

    My surgeon has been bugging me to get the port put in, but he will be in a training conference, or something next week, so I will have to wait for the surgery anyway. Although, if I had called him earlier, he would have put the port in this week. But, since I haven't talked to my onc. yet, I thought that was a little premature.

    I don't know how I will get through the chemo... If I get CMF, even though it's milder, it takes SIX MONTHS! I will NEVER be finished!

    It's good to know that I will have someone to go to with questions, after my treatment starts... here on this board, you and all the others are so wonderful!

    Thanks for the prayers!
    HARLEY
  • Galigirl31
    Galigirl31 Member Posts: 103
    edited August 2007
    RITA YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    You were such a comfort to me when I started.
    Thank you.
    Harley, the time really does go by,,I promise.
    -melanie
  • 3ofus
    3ofus Member Posts: 201
    edited August 2007
    Candie and Rita, thank you so very much for your "congratulations". I'm so happy to be finished all my treatments. Because I am hormone receptor negative, this is it for me. No arimidex or tam. Thank you for all of your support through this challenging time.
    Rita, CONGRATULATIONS on finishing your active treatments!!! You have also helped me so much. I am thankful to have such a wonderful friend, as you, to share this experience with---THANK YOU!
    Rita, I cried when I had my last chemo too. We did it! We made it---so can all of the rest of you here who are going through CMF or about to start.
    God Bless everyone,
    Ginny
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited August 2007
    Ginny,
    Congratulations!!!

    I am still very frightened about chemo, and I STILL wish that my Oncotype score was lower, so I could avoid this part of my treatment!

    Thanks for all your help!

    HARLEY
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited August 2007
    Melanie,

    I sure hope that you are right... I am SO SCARED!!!

    you only have 2 more treatments, so you are almost finished!

    YEA!!!

    HARLEY
  • 3ofus
    3ofus Member Posts: 201
    edited August 2007
    Harley, thank you for your congratulations too. I appreciate that, nice to celebrate with people who really understand! You will be there too, before you know it!
    It will be a kind of "relief" when you finally start, because all this unknown stuff (which gives us the most anxiety), will be gone!
    Take care,
    Ginny
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited August 2007
    Hi Ginny,

    I met with my onc. today, and my husband was able to be there, too. The dr. was in a bad mood, and he didn't want to deal with me. He was mad!

    Anyway, my first treatment is Tuesday, and I am so afraid! I asked about CMF, and he said that NO ONE does CMF anymore! So, I will get TC, and I am terrified about that! But, it's only 4 treatments. I will definitely lose my hair, and I really hate that!

    They gave me a prescription for steroids and compazine, for nausea.

    I don't think I can do this!
    HARLEY
  • Galigirl31
    Galigirl31 Member Posts: 103
    edited August 2007
    You can certainly do this!!!!
    I can't believe that you onc is such a dick. What right does he have. You can tell him that maybe nobody he knows, but at Memorial Sloan Kettering they do CMF all the time.
    I am so sorry you have to deal with him and chemo.
    As long as you trust him medically, which you say that you do, I just wish he was more of a comfort for you. This is not an easy road, yes we can do it, but itis not easy, and any road bumps like him are not forgivable.
    -YOU CAN DO THIS!!
    -melanie
  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited August 2007
    Melanie,


    Thanks for the support! You are almost finished your CMF treatments, and I am so jealous! I wish I was finishing my treatments, instead of just starting them! My surgeon will put in a port, but the first treatment will be without a port. My surgeon is at a conference this week, so I will call and try to get it scheduled for Aug.16th, if I can.

    My onc. SEEMS nice enough, but he said that he was having a bad day! That still doesn't justify acting that way!

    I do trust him, as much as I can trust another person (with my life), but I still trust my surgeon MORE. I don't think he'd authorize the nurses to administer anything that would harm me...having said that, I think that ALL chemo is harmful, but what choice do we have? Still, it IS only 4 treatments of TC, so if I can just get through them, I'll be ok.

    He is a comforting kind of dr., but I believe that he's better with the people who are at such a late stage, and they are dying, because he is comforting that way. But, for us who are still struggling to try to do the right thing, maybe not. I don't know, maybe I get on his nerves because I change my mind so much... who knows? Although, this doesn't justify how he acted at all.

    My first treatment of TC is Tuesday, AAAAHHH! My dh and I went wig-shopping today... It feels uncomfortable, but it didn't look too bad.

    Thanks,
    HARLEY
  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited August 2007
    To those of you gals who are finished with all treatments...or have been finished for some time....did your oncologists order all types of scans when the treatment was over? I'm just curious as I meet with my oncologist on Thursday and was trying to anticipate how he might be thinking.

    Thanks,
    Rita
  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited August 2007
    Rita, First, congratulations on the end of treatment!! I am so happy for you. My oncologist does not order follow up scans. He does order bloodwork before each visit for liver function, CBC and tumor markers CA 27-29 which from all I read are not too reliable and most oncs don't use them. I will have a dexa scan in November after a year on Arimidex and Fosamax. Other than those tests, he just does a breast exam and goes by how I feel. I think all oncs are different but I for one am relieved he does not do scans each year. I alternate visits with my medical onc and my radiation onc. Hope you are well and again, congrats. Susan
    I forgot, I had a mommogram in March and will most likely have a breast MRI in the future.

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