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CMF Question
Comments
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Thanks for the info, Susan. I was hoping to avoid all the scans right now so hope my oncologist thinks like yours does. My breast surgeon at Susan G. Komen in Peoria has me already scheduled for a mammo in early December.
Rita0 -
Rita,
No, my oncologist did not have me do scans. I asked him about it and he said it wasn't necessary. Both he and my surgeon consider me "cured". I will see him every 3 months for 5 years. He does blood work every 3 months. I am now taking arimidex (i am post-menopause) and will for 5 years. I will see my breast surgeon every 6 months for 5 years, same for the rad onc.
My stats are: IDC, 2.5cm, partial mast, nodes clean, er/pr+,her2-, 12tx CMF,33 rads.
Best of luck for your appt on Thursday. Keep us posted as to the results of your visit.
Harley, your onc is wrong. Yes, people still do CMF as you can see from this thread. The most important thing I think is that you trust and like your onc.
Good luck on Tuesday, keep us posted. And YES--you can do this!!!
Hugs and prayers,
Candie
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life's a long song--Jethro Tull0 -
Candie,
Thanks! My treatment went well yesterday, but there was a snafu for my dr, he didn't understand my insurance. With Tricare, because my husband is ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY, even though my onc. is OUT OF NETWORK, since he agreed to see me, he has to accept what TRICARE pays, which isn't much. He was SO MAD!! Then he wanted to switch me to Adriamycin, and Cytoxan, and I DON'T WANT Adriamycin!
I prayed, and he changed his mind. See Adriamycin is CHEAPER!! It's all about the MONEY!
I haven't had too many problems from the treatment, except a little diarrhea last night.
I really think that this dr. will do what is best for me, and especially now that he sees that I won't back down on a point, if I think it is important to my care.
Do we ever stop having to see our oncologists? My surgeon said that he would examine my breasts every year, and I assumed he meant forever.
Thanks for all the support!
HARLEY0 -
Hi Harley:
I also had diarhea with CT and it lasted for about a week, but didn't start until about 36 hours after my chemo. I was constipated for the first 24-36 hrs! (Go figure.)
As for how long we will be seeing the oco, My GP told me...it's a very long commitment and if I don't feel confortable with her I needed to change. As I am being treated terrible, my GP recommended I change now, even thought I have only had one treatment. (will have #2 with her also as it's this Friday). I thought I'd only have to see her during the chemo sessions, surprise. She will be following me for years and as she doesn't appear to give a darn about me or my cancer now, I doubt she will follow up in a professional manner. The same may be possible with surgeon, if you had a mast.0 -
Rita, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! again, just had to say it, WHOOHOO!!
I did not have any scans when I completed my treatments. Just follow-up mammo, mri and in 6 months physical breast exam. I think with early stage bc there is really no need for scans... I think we have to remain aware of what are body is telling us and bring it to the doctor's attention.
Harley, sounds like you are doing o.k. so far? Isn't it better having the "unknowns" over with in terms of chemo?
Hang in there!
I am seriously debating over the next 6 months of having another mastectomy (my so called healthy side). Because my breasts are dense the mammo and even mri won't necessary catch everything. With er-,pr- and also grade 3 tumours I had in the other breast, I'm not sure I want to chance it.
May also consider reconstruction if I do this. Anyone else thinking about this?
Take care,
Ginny0 -
Ginny,
I also had dense breasts! I had bi-lateral mast, and will have reconstruction after the chemo... you are right, it's good having that 1st tx out of the way, so I will be able to predict my lazy, feeling crappy time. I guess this will happen after I am finished taking the steroids. I will take another tonight, and I don't want to think about what will happen next.
Ginny, and Rita, Congratulations on being finished with your chemo!
HARLEY0 -
Jean,
I hope things go well for you, with your onc. It's very hard to switch oncs, especially in the middle of treatment. Maybe it will be better to wait til your chemo tx's are finished? I don't know how it will work with my onc., since I know he's mad, now that he knows how my insurance works. That is why NO drs want to take Tricare, because it doesn't pay enough! He wanted to charge me 25% of his fees, which he can't collect from my insurance! Then he wanted to switch me to Adriamycin, but I didn't want to get that, because of the danger to the heart. My dr. said You won't get a treatment! I went out to the waiting room, praying the whole way. I got my bag, and went back in, to talk to the woman in the office. The dr. came by, and she asked him if I was getting a treatment, and he said YES... I went into the treatment room, and the nurse read the orders: TC
So that is what I got.
Good Luck with your treatment on Friday! I'll be thinking about you, and praying for you.
Let me know how it goes!
hugs
HARLEY0 -
Hello everyone! The dog days of summer have certainly hit Illinois. It's just darn hot out there! We golfed early today and I'm sure glad. Sweat was dripping off us by the time we got to the 16th hole. That puts a bit of a damper on the golf outing.
Harley...so glad that treatment #1 is done and that you did well. It also sounds like you are doing well after the treatment with very few side effects. You go gal!!!!
Melanie...what date is your last chemo? I'm sure you told me but I'm blaming it on chemo brain!! :-) You should be getting close to the end YEAAH!!!!!
Ginny, I think more and more young gals are opting for the bilateral mast. after going through the journey. Many say that it relieves their mind concerning hidden tumors that might go undetected and about recurrences. Isn't it funny how we're so glad to get through with the treatments and yet the idea of a recurrence hangs over us so heavily at first?
Rita0 -
Rita,
I'm now having stomach cramps and diarrhea! UGH!! I was so hoping to not have this... not that constipation would be any better.
Thanks for thinking of me!
HARLEY0 -
Hi guys
Had my first cycle of CMF last week (so far so good). I really like that it only takes 30 min. instead of 2 hours ;-) I used to get EMEND before and after FEC chemo. Now they say that with CMF you only need Zofran (Ondansetron) not even Cortison for nausea. What are you guys getting for nausea?
And another question. When is your lowest white blood cell count during CMF? I'm on classic CMF. I get chemo aon day 1 and day 8. On FEC it was always 2 week after chemo but now I don't have a clue.
Have a good day!
Peace,
Jen0 -
Hi Harley..just responding for two reasons..I too have Tricare..but get treated at the Naval Hospital..I also had very bad diarrhia..I should have bought stock in Immodium AD, haha..seriously I think they now have a better drug specifically for chemo induced diarrhia...
Hugs, SoCal0 -
Hi there, SoCalLisa,
I tried to send you a pm, but not sure if it got through...
I read that you got CMF for your tx... did you also have TC? I only ask b/c you stated that with CMF, you didn't have any trouble w/diarrhea, and you mentioned that in your tx at the Naval Hospital, you did have diarrhea. I'm kind of confused! Did you have bc twice?
I started on this thread, b/c I thought I was going to get CMF, but the docs didn't want to use it. I'm getting TC, but nearly got AC b/c it's cheaper, and my insurance doesn't pay much...
How are you doing with Tricare? I have had nothing but problems since moving to NC from Maryland. Maryland wasn't much better b/c the drs. there weren't very good... Now that was before the bc dx...
Thanks for the advice! I'd love to know what is the new drug for diarrhea!
HARLEY0 -
Hi Rita, yes this journey continues, I guess forever really. The important thing is to live by the "one day at a time" philosophy, because no one's future is guaranteed. I am so happy to be finished all the treatments and my skin is healing really well from rads. I have had really no problems, except for fatigue. Have you started your arimidex yet?
Harley, also watch what you eat with diarrhea. Google it (if you haven't already) to find a list of what is good and what to avoid---might help too.
Jen, I am really glad you are doing well so far with CMF. I took Kytril, compazine and last few treatments took decradon. I had a tough time with nausea and if we had Emend available in Canada, would have definitely wanted to be on that. Sounds like you are doing well without it---that is fantastic!! Again, everyone is so different with symptoms...but my white cell count went down the last 3 treatments. I was delayed a week with #3 and for #4 had a neulasta shot right after so that I could finish up. My white cells are all back up now---so it does improve on its own when you are all finished
Take care everyone,
Ginny0 -
Ginny,
Thanks! I'll research... I took an Immodium yesterday, and feel much better today. I was losing hope!
I bet you are glad to be finished with your treatments. Rads can't be much fun, either!
Take care,
HARLEY0 -
HI All,
Rita,Ginny WOWOWOW Congrats!!!!!
Harley, congrats on getting the first one out of the way!
I have 2 more treatments, Aug 21 and Sept 11(of all days).
I really can't wait.
I am tired of it, really. I started April 17, and while it has gone faster than expected, now it seems to be dragging.
My last treatment was tough on my veins and the symptoms lasted an entire 8 days. Now the in between annoying symptoms are getting to me. I guess I'm a little down today. I really have had very good spirits overall. It really is hard without a partner in this. I have a fabulous, fabulous support system otherwise, but my husband has been a real jerk (I could use much harsher words, but I figure that this is a public forum). I could continue, but i would probably keep writing for hours.
A better note, my mom,sis and baby nephew visited for 3 nights from Florida. It was so fabulous to have a baby in the house. He has such a wonderful personality. He smiles and smiles and it is truly uplifting...good medicine!!!
I hope everybody has a good weekend.
-Melanie 0 -
Oops I forgot to write about my double mastectomy. As a reminder, I had dense breast tissue. I had DCIS, stage zero cancer in my right breast. I opted for a double and it turned out that I had an invasive tumor in my left breast that DID NOT show up on mammo, sono, or MRI.
Just FYI.
-melanie 0 -
Melanie,
Sorry to hear that you are feeling down. It is understandable, but you are near the end of your treatments, so not much longer!
Are you getting reconstruction?
It must have bee nice to have family visit, even for a few days. My sisters came to stay with me after my mast., but all my family and most of my friends seem to have disappeared now that I have reached this stage, and it seems now that I REALLY need the support...
Just think, you are only ONE month from being finished with your treatments! YIPPEE!!
I'm just starting, and it's depressing thinking about treatments til October, and the hardest part has been dealing with the hair loss... My onc is using the drugs, TC, that cause hair loss for sure. I don't want to think about it, but it's all I can think of.
Good Luck! The month will fly by, and you will be finished before long! You can do it!! You inspire me!
Hugs,
HARLEY0 -
Thank you, Harley.
I had expanders put in at the time of the mast.
I had "fill-ups" for 8 weeks. I was supposed to have the exchange in June but that was before we knew that I was doing chemo. I have to wait at least 8 weeks after the end of chemo.
I'm doing better psychologically today.
I hope everybody enjoys there Sunday.
-Melanie 0 -
Melanie,
Great to hear that your spirits are up today! You are a very positive woman, I can tell from your posts! That is why I know that you will do fine with the rest of your treatment!
My ps didn't want to start the reconstruction until AFTER chemo... like chemo was a foregone conclusion! I wasn't sure til recently if I was going to get the chemo. But, as you said, I need to be sure I have done all I can to prevent recurrence!
Have a great rest of your Sunday!
HARLEY0 -
Hi gals!
I'm back! After four pretty rough days, the chemo effects are over and I started my first Arimidex pill today. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I'm hoping for very few side affects so that I can continue to take this medication.
I've been out and about this past week. I wouldn't really call it celebrating the end of the treatments because I still feel rather uncomfortable about this interim here, but I guess I needed to unwind a little. Friday I went into Chicago to the Museum of Science and Industry with a friend and we visited the riverboat casino on the way home where I won $175. It was a great day.
Saturday I went to Springfield to the Illinois State Fair which was lots of fun. There's always something for everyone at the State Fair! And the Illinois State Fair Taffy is really sinful!
Today I took a good friend to birthday lunch! It was nice and lunch evolved into a few extra hours of shopping. I did however, start my walking routine this morning and walked two miles before it got too hot. I hope to increase this to three miles next week and to get myself oriented to a balanced diet then, too.
Michele, I hope you're a bit better emotionally. I know the isolated feeling that one has when they go through this journey without an active, participating partner. I have been divorced for nealy 6 years now and so there was nobody to share the experience with. My son lives in Minnesota and although he came for the surgeries and first chemo, he has a living to make up there. To top it off, my mother, my best friend, died in February and I was really alone since I'm an only child. So I do understand the emotional turmoil that this jouney can take, especially when you're trying to navigate it basically on your own. I also know that there will be a sense of satisfaction that you will feel when it is over. We seem to have more strength than we believe we have. Hang in there. The last two treatments were by far the worst for me. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Feel free to PM me if you need an "ear."
CY...where are you hiding? Please pop in and let us know how you are doing. We miss you and worry about you.
Ginny, how I envy you...........a trip to Greece! Enjoy every minute of it! You deserve it! Thanks also for the PM. I really appreciated that.
Harley, you've started your journey and you're on your way. Keep us informed about how it is going. As for your hair, my heart goes out to you. I was lucky and only lost about 40% of mine, but I know this is a very traumatic event for women... Yah, yah, I'm sure you've heard that it will grow back (and indeed it will) but that doesn't help much when it's your hair and it's happening to you. Hang in there. It sounds like you have a good treatment plan in effect, and that is what you want.
I hope everybody else is doing well with your treatments.
Catch you all later.
Rita0 -
Rita,
You are right. Everyone keeps telling me that my hair will come back better than before, but it's a small consolation. I just told my neighbor that the two things that make me a woman, I will lose... my breasts and my hair! He's bald, so he was joking about his bald head, at first, but when he realized I was serious, he just kept repeating "don't say that... you are still a woman"... he's a nice guy, and he and his wife keep telling me how strong I am, but after telling him how I felt about the hair thing, I think he knows that I'm not as strong as I seem. He tells me that they are praying for me, and that helps.
You are right, though. We are a lot stronger than we think. We will all get through this, we can do it. Going through something like this can't help but change us forever, though.
Hope you don't have many se's from the Arimidex. I'm thinking about trying that after starting with Tamoxifen for a year or 2, because my theory is that maybe the cancer cells can figure it out, so if I change it out before they have a chance to figure it out, I'll be one step ahead of them!
Well, gotta go!
HARLEY0 -
So when is your next treatment, Harley? Are they once every two or three weeks?
Rita0 -
Rita,
My next treatment will be Aug. 28th, I get them every 3 weeks, and I'm getting 4 txs, so I'll be done Oct. 9th! It seems so far away, but it's really less than 2 months!
HARLEY0 -
Rita..glad to see you are out and about..good to have that all behind you now..I used to love that museum when I was a kid in the early 1950s..my favorite things were the mine and the submarine...are they still there??
Hope all goes well...hugs, SoCal0 -
SoCalLisa....yep the coal mine and the submarine are still there. We went down into the mine again this trip but didn't go in the submarine. Both of us had done it once before and it now is an additional $11 to go into it so we explored some of the newer hands-on exhibits that they had. Actually we spent most of the day there and didn't see everything. Were you originally from Illinois? If so, where?
Harley, the chemo will be over before you know it. And when it is......you will be ready to celebrate. You can do it!
Melanie, how's it going for you?
Ginny, I've taken Arimidex now for 3 days and have had no side effects yet. I imagine that it's like everything else. It probably has to really get into your system before you notice anything. Then again, maybe I'll get lucky and do just fine on it! :-)
Rita0 -
Rita..I lived in Kenilworth from 1952-1955...
I was in grades 5-7 there..
I did one year of tamoxifen and four of arimidex..it wasn't easy, but I did it!! and so can you...just be sure to get your baseline DEXA scan now that you have started arimidex and keep getting them every year...0 -
Rita...so glad you are beginnning to enjoy being chemo free. I have been taking arimidex for 8 months now, so far not a problem.
Harley..so glad you started your chemo..it will eb good to be done and get it behind you..you can do it!!!!
Melanie,Ginny,Cy ..how are you doing?
Lisa..always good to hear from you. You gave me lots of encouragement when I was doing CMF.
Hugs and prayers,
Candie
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life's a long song-Jethro Tull0 -
Rita and Candie,
Thanks so much for all the support! I got my bloodwork yesterday, and my WBC is low... .9! They gave me a neupogen shot and I have to give it to myself for 3 more days... EEK! I'm no good with needles! and I got a scrpt for antibiotics!!!
so... 3 more txs!! I lose my hair next week, and I'm really upset about this.
Melanie, your next tx is Aug 21st, right? I'm thinking of you, and hoping all goes well! Almost done!!
Hugs to all,
HARLEY0 -
Hi Rita, glad your arimidex is going well so far. I've notice all these short little hairs growing in everywhere. Now my hair is frizzy, but with promise of it growing back, yeah!
Harley, neupogen will keep you going so you won't miss any chemos. I had it once towards the end. Antibiotics are just in case because you are more vulnerable to picking something up. I never did and my count went as low as O.6. So hang in there. Sorry about your hair, but when it grows back you won't have this funky long hair, short hair thing happening which makes it a mess--you'll have cute short hair! Before you know it you will be all done.
Melanie, hope you are hanging in there. It is so hard when you don't get support from people you love---I know too. Some family members were just not there in any way. So I just chose to concentrate on those who did love me and were supportive. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to have your husband not being supportive. I hope he gets with the program and realizes how much you need his support.
Take care all,
Ginny0 -
Opps, "hi" Candie! I'm doing well, just looking forward to getting my energy back. I guess it will take sometime.
Thankfully rads went really well, no problems at all. The only long term effect from chemo, that I have noticed, are those darn hot flashes and night sweats(=bad sleeps). Welcome to instant MEANaupause!!
Hope you are doing well too.
Ginny0
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