CMF Question
Comments
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Diane, I have not had any fatigue, maybe I'm just lucky. Remember that you have been through alot of trauma with your other txt, your body may still be trying to fight back from that as well as adding the new regimen on top of it. Take those naps when you need it and hopefully your energy level will increase with time.
Carol
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Morning Ladies! Just checking in on everyone--
Thanks Carol--yup, I am doing the happy dance here! It felt so good to finally exhale after all these months of treatments. I am saving you a seat on the Tamo Wagon--lots of great ladies on board and I just heard there is a bar car, a Starbucks car and a chocolate car, so how bad can it be?
I never needed the shots--my counts always stayed just within the range that I could get by without them. If you do need them, I hear they are not a piece of cake but do-able and necessary if your counts go too low. But like I always told myself, just watch the road right in front of you--don't worry about crossing bridges until you come to them.
Jill--how are you doing?
Diane, I too was fatigued for about 6 days after each tx and needed to nap--as Terry mentioned, it was kind of like a mild flu--tired, achey, chilly. And I always seemed to be so cold, so I wore my "hot chilleys" and lots of layers and took naps.
hope all you ladies in the sun are enjoying yourselves!!
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Hi
Rita, hope you are having fun in sunny Florida.
Melanie and Ginny and Jill, hi
Jane,Oh Hawaii sounds so nice
Diane,glad your 1st tx went well. For me, fatique set in about 2 months into it. I am 13 months out from chemo.
Carol, I never had a neulasta shot and I had 12 tx.
Well, I leave for Cancun next Tues. (the 5th) Come back the 11th. Each year at my company Christmas party, someone wins a grand prize. Last year, I won the trip to Cancun!!! As a matter of fact, it was on the last day of my infusion but I still had 7 more days of cytoxan pills. The trip is usually planned for Feb. but I would be doing radiation at that time. So at the insistance of my Dr.'s, I postponed the trip for a year which my boss agreed with. So here I am a year later.....and I go to Cancun on Tues. the 5th...7 more days. I have waited 13 months for this trip and am so very excited. It is all expenses paid, all inclusive....3 meals a day, all excursions and alcoholic beverages. I have never won anything like this in my life. All my coworkers had tears in their eyes when I won and I cried like a baby. Even my DH had tears.So they are counting down the days with me...they've waited for this trip with me. Just wanted to share the story with you.
Have a good night,friends.
Hugs and prayers,
Candie
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Candie, a big whoooooooo-hoooooooo! Too cool, what a trip you should have. The wait should be well worth it!!! Have a big ol' margarita for me!!! Boy, looks like everyone is hitting the warm weather on this post.
I'm glad to hear that the nasty Neulasta shot was not needed for you. I'm liking that route for myself, keeping my fingers crossed.
Thanks for sharing, I love a feel good story ... Carol
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Hi my CMF friends,
Wow Candie, how amazing to win a trip, and on the last day of your infusions---what a way to end treatment
! I think it will be well worth the wait as you probably are feeling so much better now. I hope you have a fantastic time!Just got caught up on the posts that I missed while I was away. Hubbie and I went to Maui, a trip we were going to do last year, but I started chemo instead. (It was sooo worth the wait). It was a real blessing, and I actually had days where I did not think about BC (a first!) It has been 8 months since I finished CMF and I think I have almost got all my energy back! Hang in there ladies who are currently doing treatments. Fatigue comes, go with it, rest when you can...it does not last forever!
Melanie and Rita I hope you guys are also having a fantastic time on your vacations!
Take good care everyone.
((hugs)) Ginny
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Hello CMF girls! I haven't posted for awhile but I read the thread often and keep up with everyone.
Candie, I was so happy to read about your trip. Congratulations on winning the trip and remember how far we have come in a year. Have a wonderful time and don't even think of BC. It's now in your rearview mirror!
I continue to think of all of you and especially wish the best to all the new CMF girls. I anxiously await my two year anniversary on July 1 but in the mean time I am doing well and tolerating the Arimidex. As long as it does not get any worse then this I can do it.
Love to all. Susan
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Hi all,
Just wanted to stop in and say hi. I'm doing fine and doing well. 2nd txt next Friday. I'm thinking of switching to Thursday now that I know what to expect. My mother (Thank god for my mother
) and I are taking a trip this weekend to Laughlin, NV and both looking forward to getting away(and hopefully winning).I love reading about all the trip's.
Talk to you soon- Jill
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Dana: Just wondering what is happening with your insurance. I have been praying for you every night.
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Hi Ginny,
Glad to hear from you... Also, glad that you had a blast in Maui!!
I am leaving next week with my dh for a 7 day Caribbean cruise. I am so excited! I can't wait!
Hugs
Harley
P.S. Rita, Hope you are having a wonderful time in Florida!
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Second treatment went well. My onc did warn me of possible mouth soars around treatment four. I guess they can be pretty nasty. I sucked on ice for about ten minutes and will be diligent about rinsing with salt water and baking soda as well.
All those trips sound wonderful and they are certainly well deserved!
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Diane, glad to hear round two is done and it went well. So do you go in for an infusion weekly? How long does the drip take? I'm so glad that your tolerating this txt. Are you having to take a nausea drug as well?
I'll be chomping on the ice as well next week, I bring in a blanket because I get cold from the ice. Next I think a pair of gloves would be good, my hands sure have been getting cold lately.
Jill, hope you hit the big one in Laughlin!!! We bought airline tickets for Mesa, 22 Mar thru the 28th. I'll be ready for some warm weather, and hope that I'll be feeling decent enough to play some golf. Would love to get together if it works for you.
Speaking of golf, Rita, hope that your having a great time, I think its time to get my putter out of the bag and start practicing in the living room!!!
Thanks to all of you for keeping this chat alive, Diane, Jill and I seem to be in the minority as far as the txt regimen of many others that I keep track of. Your wonderful words are always so nice to see!
Carol
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Good morning! It will be a crazy,wind swept rainy day here in NJ.
Carol,keeping my fingers crossed for youthat you don't need that Neulasta shot,too. I check this thread out all the time..Iwill make sure it keeps going as it is needed. There is always just a few at a time doing this regimen and our friendship keeps growing.
Ginny,wow..Maui. it must have been beautiful. It is good that we can share that our energy comes back.
Susan!!!!! so good to see you. I am too,tolerating arimidex.
So far so good.Jill,enjoy your weekend...and I hope you win big! Good luck with your next tx. Chew on that ice...it can keep those sores at Bay. I used Biotene mouthwash and toothpaste faithfully and never had to deal with sores.
Harley,enjoy your cruise! You deserve the R&R.
I had my routine checkup with my onc the other day. All went well and my tumor marker blood work was ok. I see him again in 3 months. Yesterday,was day for cardiologist checkup...all ok there,too.
Echocardiogram (routine) was normal. My cholesterol was high and he couldn't understand why when I am taking crestor...not! I told him I stop it when he tells me the numbers are good. He wasn't too happy about that. He told me not to stop taking it, arimidex can cause high cholesterol. I took one as soon as I left there.
I am so glad both appts. went well.
Rita, how you doing in Florida, hoping the weather is picture perfect for you.
Have a great day,friends.
Hugs and prayers,
Candie
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Not having the morning I expected...started blow drying my hair and low and behold my hair is doing a little more than just "thinning"! I told my dh that I didn't sign up for the baldy look. At this rate it won't take long as my hair is quite fine and thin to start with. Did anyone else have it start to come out and then it stopped? or is that just wishful thinking on my part!
On the positive side, I feel great other than the shock of the hair loss. I guess all those golf hats I have will be getting some use in the very near future! Could have used a Lorazepam this morning to mellow me out, but wanted to go to work and as a truck driver I best not be too medicated. Hoping to get back to a computer during the day today, if not I'll be checking in tonight.
Carol
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Carol, just to let you know my hair started coming out big time inthe beginning too. I din't think it would ever stop and kept thinking my onc was wrong and I would lose all my hair. But I didn't. About 75%.
I wore lots of different hats, as my head was always cold.I wore a bandana or a chemo cap around the house so My hair wasn't all over everything. Hugs.
This is to let everyone know that Cy (Cheryl) is not doing well. The damn cancer is spreading and she is not in a good place. I just pray for peace for her. I just wanted to let the CMF girls know. There is a prayer thread for her under the "Circle the Wagons thread".
Hugs and prayers,
Candie
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Candie,
Hi. Glad to hear that your onc and cardiologist appts. went well.
Have a wonderful time in Cancun! You deserve it, and you've waited long enough, girl!
Bon Voyage!
Harley
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DianeB, just checking to see how your doing, havn't seen you on line for a while, hoping that all is well. I'll have to shout out on the Jan 08 thread as well.
Jill, did you hit the big one over the weekend? Hope that you were feeling good and had a nice time.
Rita, looks like warm weather in Florida, I'm sure your having a grand time!
Harley, have a great time on your cruise, I've been on a couple and they we're great, from food, entertainment, activities, couldn't ask for more. Enjoy yourself, its been well deserving.
My hair is still coming out today, not clumping, but there is not going to be much left if it keeps this rate for too much longer. Oh well, I guess getting ready for work in the morning won't take as long
!Carol
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Thanks, Carol!
I'll be thinking of you, and hoping your chemo goes well...
Harley
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Thanks,Harley
Enjoy your cruise....you deserve it as well.
Carol, your hair falling out might not be so bad....it's a wait and see game.
Hope everyone else is well.
Hugs and prayers,
Candie
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Hi gals.
I'm back from the sunshine state and would really like to hop on another plane and go right back. It's yucky here in Central Illinois and we have lots of that white stuff!!! We had a very nice time in the south and the weather was great. Carol...I played golf three times last week on three different courses. I did pretty well on the first two days and don't know what happened on the third! I guess that's golf though!
Harley and Candie...have great trips! It is so nice to get away and how well we realize the importance of each day now!!! I'll be thinking about you two enjoying the fun and the sun.
I'm so glad that our "active treatment" gals are doing well. As for the hair loss, I haven't heard of anyone who lost all of their hair during CMF. I lost about half of mine so it thinned considerably. It is still not as full and thick as it was when I began a little over a year ago but I purchased one of those fun hair pieces ( a curly ponytail) and use it at times to give it more fullness. I say that there are NO bad hair days as long as you have hair. Some are just better than others.
Well, I have to get moving. I have an early morning dentist appointment and we have lots of fog and slushy roads this morning. I'll catch you all later.
Hang in there gals....you can get through these treatments!
Rita
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Glad you had a nice time Rita. I know what you mean...we have sooo much snow here in Toronto as well! Just close your eyes and remember the warmth and the palm trees... (helps a bit
)I hope you have a wonderful trips, Harely and Candie!
Hope you are doing o.k., Diane. I also used "magic mouthwash" (you dr. has to prescribe this), for mouth sores and it worked very quickly. Hang in there girl.
Carol, the hair loss with CMF is more towards the end, and if you don't have thick hair to begin with, you will probably notice more loss. Sorry. Good news is it will all come back. Such a waiting game with all of the treatments, side effects... Truly though before you know it things will be turning around. I think my hair is all back now (came back with more wave to it). Glad to hear you are not having a tough time with nauseau---that is great!
Hi to Melanie, hope all is going well with reconstruction and everything else.
God Bless everyone!
Ginny
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Ginny, so its not looking good for keeping my hair since I'm only one month into txt and I'm shedding like a big dog. Again, loss of hair is a pretty bearable se and I'll handle it with a smile on my face and some new "BIG" earrings!
Rita, too cool, golf in the middle of winter. Gotta love it. I've got 7 weeks to get the rust off of my clubs, we're planning on going to Mesa AZ during my chemo holiday, hope I'm doing half as well in Mar as I did last month. Getting ready for round two Wednesday. Time flies when your having fun.
Carol
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Carol, good luckk with your next treatment this week. Big earrings will look great.
I am off to the airport in 4 hours. Excited and nervous at the same time. Not much into flying but it's the only way to get to Cancun and I've waited a year for this trip. DH needs it as much as I do. Have a great week. Will post when I get back.
Love,hugs and prayers to all.
Candie
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hi girls, can i join in? It seems like everyone is such good friends and so much support...I am a newbie and keep posting in the wrong place, but I think I have the right one, now. Will start CMF on friday feb. 8th and have high hopes of doing well. Had bc in 2001, back again (MRI found it) in november, mastectomy, reconstruct in progress, and have to do chemo cuz of already having done tamoxifen (no prob.at ALL, no side effects) and radiation on the same girl. I'm SCARED of chemo, but am soooo happy to find this site! Good luck to everybody.
love
annie
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whoops , me again, still posting....I notice there are alot of questions about tamoxifen...I had 5 years of it, and if anyone has a question they can feel free to ask me, but not one single side effect, in fact, i felt "safe" while on it. Nothing. Nada. A nice 20 lb. effortless weight loss tho, and I never felt better. So if anyone wants to know re: tamo, it's fine!!!
hope that helps anybody scared of it!
love to all
annie
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Hi Everyone: I'm doing fine. My next treatment is on Thursday. I get infusions once a week and take the cytoxan daily. Thankfully I only get that "yucky" feeling, so I haven't taken any anti-nausea meds. Maybe that will change as the drugs build up.
All these trips sound wonderful. My friend took me to the mall yesterday. Does that count? Anyway, it felt great to do something "normal."
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Candie: Where is the "Circle the Wagons" thread? I couldn't find it.
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Good afernoon ladies!
Annie, come right on in and join us. We welcome you with open arms. I am so sorry that the ugly beast has raised its ugly head again and that you have to start all over with another journey. Did it come back in the same breast or the other breast? I understand your fear of chemo. I was in the same emotional state a year ago, but CMF is very doable and we'll help you through any minor speed bumps that you hit along the way. Remember to eat ice chips during your treatment and drink LOTS of water to keep it flushing through your system. You will do just fine, dear.
Good luck tomorrow, Diane. I think that Candie has left on vacation so I'll go ahead and answer your question about the Circle the Wagon thread. On the main menu page under Community Knowledge, scroll down to the heading Beyond Dianosis and Treatment. Right under it you will see a thread Moving Beyon dCancer: Time to Circle the Wagons. Click on it and it will take you to the circle. The main thread in the circle is called Time to Circle the Wagons Girls. Hope that helps.
Carol...I hope that round 2 went well for you today and that you have NO side effects. Just listen to your body and rest when you need to do so!
Ginny..always glad to see a post from you, dear sister. I'm glad you had a nice trip, too and that you are doing well. It looks like Candie is off for a nice trip, too. I hope she's basking in the sunshine and having a ball!
Well, I need to get moving and get my cat to the vet. This is a complete gut-wrenching nightmare as he HATES the car and DESPISES the vet and begins to put the two things together as soon as we get to the garage.
Catch you all later.
Hang in there!!!
Rita
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Carol, sorry about the hair. I shed a lot through out chemo too (so much in the shower and all over clothes...). In total, as my hairdresser told me, I lost over 60% of my hair. As I mentioned before, I have thick hair so my hair just looked really thin by the end. I got it cut into a short style (my pic here) and actually really loved it. Now it is short, thick and a little unruly (lol). What can you do? You have a pretty face and will look great with or without hair! I guess enjoy the low maintenance for a bit---it will return soon enough
.Hi anniebelle, glad you found us here. So sorry to hear you are going through this again. It sounds like you had a lumpectomy and tamoxifen first time? Now you have had a mastectomy, recons and are going to do CMF and radiation? O.k. if I have that right that means this will be your first time with chemo? All of us here understand your apprehension. The fear of the unknown is far worse than the reality. You can go to the beginning of this thread (pg. 1) and read lots of good advice and all of us sharing our experiences. Bottom line is that everyone is different. You will probably not lose all of your hair, and as some of the ladies now are saying, may have little problems with nauseau or none at all. Just remember, drink lots of water, take all the meds for preventitive problems, get your rest, and anything you need, just ask us here. The treatment itself is realitively easy. As Rita said early, remember to chew ice or have a popsicle when you are getting the "F" part in your infusion. Have a small meal before (nothing you love, just something bland) and know that everything is going to be o.k. We all got through it and so can you! I'm a big chicken and I did it. You will be in my prayers.
Hi Carol, hope your doing o.k. today. Rest, take good care of yourself. Spoil yourself. (((hugs)))
Rita, so good to hear from you too dear sister!
Blessings,
Ginny
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Annie, you've found a great group of ladies who will provide you with a ton of support. I am getting ready to start month two tomorrow. I'm on the 14 day regimen of oral cytoxan and infusions on day 1 and 8 then 2 weeks with nothing. A little different than DianeB weekly regimen. My first month went well, my biggest problem was constipation (which I have overcome by taking Miralax). In fact I'm gearing up for tomorrow by taking my Miralax today. I have basically had no nausea, I keep a little food in my tummy, and yes I too drink a ton of H2O. About 120 ounces of it along with a cup of tea, ginger ale or juice.
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I'm back had to log of ... I also took one Zofran each morning of my oral treatment for nausea, whether I needed it or not. You'll probably see that most all the ladies agree that this txt is tolerable which I would have to ditto. You'll get through this, and we're here for you.
DianeB, glad to hear from you and that your doing so much better on this regimen. And heck ya a trip to the mall sounds like fun!!!
Carol
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