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CMF Question

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Comments

  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited February 2008

    Good Evening CMF ladies! I was one that did all IV CMF from July to November 2006. I had it dose dense every other Monday for eight treatments. I had a Neulasta injection the day following each chemo for 7 times. I insisted on half the dose of Neulasta at 1 and a half mg instead of the normal 3mg. I am small- 5'1" and 107lbs. The half dose kept my WBC count up and was better tolerated.

  • SCMartin
    SCMartin Member Posts: 112
    edited February 2008
    Sorry, the computer screwed up before I was finished. My hair did not thin or fall out as I used all the Nioxin products throughout that time. Ladies, you will get through this even though now it seems like it will never end! It does and it will become a distant memory and you will wonder how you did it! I continued to excersize during that time and through 30 radiation treatments. I am anxiously awaiting my two year anniversary on July 1. Please feel free to e-mail me if I can be of help to you and come to these boards as they were a great source of support for me. Hang in there- it will end. Lots of love, Susan    scmknicks@aol.com
  • golfer779
    golfer779 Member Posts: 410
    edited February 2008

    Gina and Susan, thanks for your encouraging words to help out us newbies!

    I do the calendar bit myself, and I actually can't believe that tomorrow is #4 infusion for me, yeah 8 to go.  Hoping that the WBC is up to par and I can avoid a pick me up shot.

    On the hair front, mine is pretty thin, I'm doing Nioxin, got it cut super short and I'm thankful I have as much as I do. 

    Jill, if your out there, how ya doing?  Hoping your tolerating your txt as well as can be expected.

    Again, thanks for you past CMF'ers, keeping us in your thoughts means alot to me, and your positive words of encouragement and helpful tips are so appreciated,

    Carol

  • Annabella58
    Annabella58 Member Posts: 916
    edited February 2008

    Hi ladies:

    Hope everybody is hanging in there...have had 4 neuprogen shots, really no problems at all, muscle aches, but nothing a tylenol doesnt fix...not been a problem, I'm looking at it as I'm making great blood cells for a good cause, like a good exercise ache.

    I did chat briefly with oncologist, it seems all those awful side effects were due to steroid doseage, he's going to cut it down.  It does make sense. I know this will mean nausea, but since I have not had ANY a little is better than those god awful side effects and shaking chills...puffy face is gone too.

    Carol, number 4 for you!!! great!!!

    I'm going to go get my hair highlighted and trimmed and if it falls out, so be it.  I look like hell.  I will use the nioxxin tho, my stylist has it in stock.

    Keep in touch everybody, also, for nausea......gingersnaps!!!! Great!

    love to all

    annie

  • golfer779
    golfer779 Member Posts: 410
    edited February 2008

    Annie, glad to hear your tolerating your neuprogen shots, I got lucky today and my counts were back up.  So weird as last week I felt like a million bucks and my count was low, and yesterday that dragging butt feeling hit me and I thought "oh know", amazing how the body works.  I'm not sure of the dosage of the steriod drug for nausea they give me but I'm thinking its kinda low, my only se from that was a little lack of sleep last week.  Tonight I'll hit that with a Lorazepam.  I take a Zofran every morining first thing and have had no nausea thus far.  I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed on that one!!!

    As for the "do", I say do what makes you feel good at the moment.  Its one day at a time for all of us and you should feel the best that you can. 

    Sue, been thinking of you, hoping that your doing okay.

    Rita, we're suppose to get some decent weather over the weekend.  The dh asked about golfing and I said lets give it a whirl.  I havn't swung a club since diagnosis in Oct., but I've been doing some pt and think my range of motion will be alright.  I always had a pretty short back swing anyway.  Who knows this might be good for my game!

    I'll be checking in at bedtime, to my CMF friends, hope all is well. 

    Carol

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited February 2008

    Hey, Carol....glad you avoided the shot and the WBC was up.  Mark off another treatment!!!!

    As for the golf, that will be fun.  I've shortened my back swing alot since I got bc and it does make the ball go straighter.  However, I do sacrifice some distance with it but I was never a very long ball hitter so that's not that major.  Maybe this year I'll find a happy medium.   I say, "Head for the links this weekend if the weather permits and have a little fun!!!"

    Catch you later.

    Rita

  • luvmyself
    luvmyself Member Posts: 58
    edited February 2008

    Hi all,

    Just checking in.  Had my 3rd Neupogen shot today and so far no SE!!Smile Monday was not a good day as the anxiety of knowing what the Se's could have been but me over the edge. Glad everyone is doing well.  Carol we are almost to the half way mark!! Just think when you are in Phoenix we will only have 2 txts left!!  We will celebrate early.  I took your advise and switched my txts to Thursdays so my yucky day's will be on the weekend. It seems to only last a  couple of days. 

    Thanks all for your support and advise.!!

    Jill

  • golfer779
    golfer779 Member Posts: 410
    edited February 2008

    Jill, I'm liking the sound of two txt left!  So glad your tolerating the shots.  Do you have txt Fri this week?  Hopefully your WBC will be off the chart good.

    Tonight I'm planning on taking a little something to sleep, as my memory recalls last week I slept so poorly on infusion day.  Must be the steriod in the nausea drip. 

    Speaking of anxiety do you have something to take if your having one of those days?  I was prescribed Lorazepam and I find just a half a pill works well, doesn't make me loopy, just takes the edge off if my minds starts spinning in high speed or I can't sleep.

    So looking forward to some warm weather in Arizona.  We actually might hit the 50's this weekend here in Wash. WoooHooo!  Can't remember if I posted dates for you, Mar 22nd SAT thru the 28th.  I'll make anything work ... we have no concrete plans other than golfing and lounging.  We'll be staying at the Viewpoint in Mesa with friends ,in their park model on the course there.  Can't Wait!

    Carol

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited February 2008

    Hi girls....back from beautiful Mexico. DH and I had a much needed vacation and all was great!! Yesterday was my first day back at work.

    I read back already so here goes:

    Annie...welcome! This site is full of love,hugs,support and prayers. I used compazine and it worked for me. I took it 2 days before infusion and for about 4 days after. I also got the floaty head, so I started to take off of work on the days of infusion. Yes, Annie, this site is a life savor.Oh, I also had acid reflux, so my onc told me to take a pepcid ac all during chemo and it helped. Ask your onc first,tho.

    Sue,hugs to you. Hope your 1st round was ok.

    Jax,welcome. The CMF thread you are talking about was the one I used while doing chemo. It petered out and Margaret started this one.

    Susan, good to see you posting. My 2nd anniversary comes up this summer too!!

    Diane,glad you are doing ok. Yes, a trip to the mall does count!!

    Carol, wow, you are already on month 2. How did your last tx go?

    Ginny, always good to see you.

    Jill, glad to see you are doing ok

    Rita,so glad you are always here to give these girls all the support they need. You are a blessing to this thread!!Smile

    I guess Harley is basking in the sun and fun.So happy for her. We were supposed to take this vacation last year, right after rads. At the insistance of my Dr's, who talked us into waiting, we postponed it. I am so glad we did. I was very fatigued at the time and I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much. It was trip well worth waiting for. Have a good night's rest, everyone.

    Hugs and prayers,

    Candie

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited February 2008

    bump

  • DianeB
    DianeB Member Posts: 22
    edited February 2008

    Hi Ladies: I just had my fourth tx too, but of course I'm getting mine weekly. Only 20 more infusions to go! I am wondering though if any of you woke up woozy from the infusion the day before. I've not been this woozy since starting. Guess I better call the dr. I hope all is going well with your treatments.

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited February 2008

    Candie...so glad you had a MUCH NEEDED, GREAT VACATION!  Also glad to have you back.  You always have so much to add and have such a way with words.  Were you like me?  I didn't really want to come back from the warmth and sunshine!  Once again we are expecting snow showers this weekend and I'm really tired of winter.

    I got a taste of the "golfing season" Jill and now I'm ready to get started!!!

    Diane, I never felt woozy before the infusions.  When in doubt, just ask your onc.  If we don't ask, we worry and heavens knows we don't need anything more to worry about while we're going through treatments.  Also, if they know you are having some problems they can make better decisions about how to circumvent the side effects.  There may just be something they can give you to eliminate the problem.  Hang in there. 

    Well, I'm taking a friend to lunch and in return she's helping me set up a new laptop computer this afternoon so I need to get moving.

    I hope everyone is doing well today.

    Rita

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited February 2008

    Diane, ditto what Rita said. Call your Dr about the woozy feeling.

    Rita, oh I so didn't want to come back. We came home to 9 degrees!!! I sit here tonight thinking that last week this time I was in beautiful Mexico!!lol.

    Hugs and prayers,

    Candie

  • luvmyself
    luvmyself Member Posts: 58
    edited February 2008

    Hi all,

    With all the nice vacations everyone is taking or taken, I just was wondering if you wear a LE sleeve when flying.  We may be taking trip to Hawaii and it is a 6 hour flight.  I had my last (hopefully) neupogen shot today and went ahead and got a script for a sleeve.  I don't have any signs of LE but like alway want to be ahead of the game. The weather here in AZ should be sunny and 75 all weekend. I love the snow but don't like cold weather. I will take the 110+ heat in the summer any day.

    Sending sunshine everyones wayCool.

    Jill

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited February 2008

    Jill, ask your onc about the compression sleeve.  I had a lumpectomy and only four nodes removed.  My onc said that the cabins are pressurized and with my limited involvement, I didn't need a sleeve.  I've flown to Las Vegas and Florida since my surgery with no problem.  However, several of the girls on the Illinois thread have been told to wear a sleeve.  Most of them had mastectomies and had more lymph nodes removed than I did.  I think it depends upon your individual situation and your oncologist's philosophy.  You certainly don't want to take the chance of causing lymphodema so I'd be sure to ask and then do whatever they suggest.

    Hope you gals are all doing well today!  The sun is shining in Illinois this morning but they're predicting nasty weather to roll in later this afternoon or early evening again.  I need to get moving and get some errands done!

    More later.........

    Rita

  • b445
    b445 Member Posts: 980
    edited February 2008

    I see we have some new CMFer's, Welcome,

    Diane I did the treatment the way you are,

    Just popping in to wish everyone well and let you know I'm haning in there, but get tired easy so don't spend much time on the boards as a result.

    Hug & prayers to all

    CY

  • DianeB
    DianeB Member Posts: 22
    edited February 2008

    Cy so nice to see someone else doing this weekly. In my last message I said I got woozy before infusion, I really meant the morning after infusion! My brain just isn't working the way it use to. I envy you ladies that have chemo breaks. I just never have a day that I feel good.

    Jill sending the sunshine must have worked. We even have some here in the Seattle area.

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited February 2008

    CY...I check the circle every day to see if there's anything from you or Charlie on there.  You are constantly in my prayers and thoughts. 

    I'm so glad to see a post from you here.  This is exactly why everyone here loves you so much.  In the midst of your fight, you found the energy, strength and desire to come back here and check in on all of us.  I've said it many times before, Cheryl, and I'll always say it:  You are an inspiration to me!

    Hang in there, dear sister.  Remember that miracles happen every day and you are overdue for one!  Hugs, love, and prayers.......

    Rita 

  • golfer779
    golfer779 Member Posts: 410
    edited February 2008

    Hello gals, 

    Candie, so nice to hear you had a great vacation.  Back to 9 degree weather, thats got to be tough.  I'm taking some mental notes on waiting for a "big" vacation when this adventure in itself is completed.  I'd like to be really up to snuff and enjoy a doozy of a vacation when all is said and done! 

    Diane, I have not had the woozy feeling either.  As others have said, a call to the onc would be worthy.  Do you have any issues with a dry mouth at night?  Again last night I woke up numerous times with a mouth that literally has no moisture in it.  I know its not that I'm dyhradated, and we've tried a humidifier in our bedroom but nothing seems to be helping.

    Rita, yeah a new "puter".  The dh and I are going to test the waters with the driving range today instead of hitting the course.  This way I can start with my short irons and see how it goes.  We we're hoping for a little warmer weather but so far today its still chilly (atleast for Wash), nothing like Ill., so I'll be looking for a heating stall!

    Jill, I had the full meal deal when it came to node removal (34) of the little buggers.  I am planning on getting a sleeve (in fact I need to get on that) as our flight in March will be here before we know it.  I say better to be safe than sorry, than later on wish I had been a little more cautious.  So 75 degrees is sounded friggin' good right now.  Friends just asked if we we're interested in spring training games, looks like we might attend one.  Last year we just golfed and lounged but this year maybe a game would be fun too.  My dh and I are so looking forward to warming our bones.

    Sue, are you lurking?  I sure hope your doing okay, would love to hear from you if your able.

    Carol

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited February 2008

    Cy, so glad to see a post from you. I keep up with you and Charlie and wish you well. You are constantly in my prayers.

    Carol, yes, my dh and I are so glad we waited to take this vacation. The chemo and rads had me very fatigued and it took a few months to get back to my full energy. I would not have enjoyed it as much had I gone last year. Many girls do take vacations and do well, but I knew I wasn't ready last year.

    Jill, no,I didn't wear a sleeve. I never had any signs of LE but then again I only had the sentinel node removed. My Dr said it wasn't neessary for me to wear a sleeve. Check with your Dr.

    Rita, well I am finally settling into reality. DH and I are hysterical at how tired we are now that we are home. We were full of vim and vigor in Mexico. We were eating breakfast every day at 6:30 am and out to the beach or pool by 8 am. After dinner we would go to a show and then to the club. We didn't get back to the room til about midnight. Then repeat day after day.....boy the energy you have when it's all play...lol. I want to go away again...now!!ol

    There is a new thread started under...moving beyond...Charlene started "Life's a beach"...join us there. None of the bs like on the other thread...and I have no idea what that's all about,eihter.

    Have a great day.....

    Hugs and prayers,

    Candie

  • b445
    b445 Member Posts: 980
    edited February 2008

    Diane, I'm in Seattle too. Where are you getting treatment?

    The woozie may be from the steroids the give you before infusion.

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited February 2008
  • DianeB
    DianeB Member Posts: 22
    edited February 2008

    Cy: What was your experience like on the weekly infusions? Its so good of you to check in with us.

    I am getting my infusions at Evergreen Hospital.  You?

  • golfer779
    golfer779 Member Posts: 410
    edited February 2008

    Hey Rita, happy to report the golf swing is still there.  The dh and I went to the range on Sat, hit the short irons pretty well, the driver was a little shakey!   Decided yesterday since I wasn't sore or stiff, to hit 9 holes.  Had a great time, and it felt soooooo gooooood to be out walking on the course again.  I think the 4 1/2 mo break did my game some good.  That or the missing right hoot!!!!!

    Hope that others we're able to enjoy some of the weekend and the se are at bay!

    Carol

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited February 2008

    All right, Carol!   All is good in paradise if the golf game is working!  I really didn't think you'd have any problem unless you had to shorten your swing (which I did and then have kept it shorter).  I'm so glad you got to play 9 holes to break up the monotony of the treatment plan and put a little "spice" back in your life.  This will all be over before you know it.

    Rita

  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited February 2008

    Hey Rita,

    I'm BACK... from my cruise!  Dh and I just got in this evening, and I am just checking in, but I am kind of tired, so I will be going to bed now...

    Take care, everyone, and hang in there!!  I got through tx, so I know that you can do it!.... I am a HUGE chicken!

    Harley

  • 3ofus
    3ofus Member Posts: 201
    edited February 2008

    Candie and Harley, so glad you both had wonderful vacations!

    Ladies currently doing treatments, hang in there and know you have love and support here.

    Rita, I think you are getting lots of snow like us---phew, have you ever seen so much snow?  It is really pretty from inside of a warm house though Laughing

    Keeping everyone in my thoughts and prayers,

    Ginny

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited February 2008

    Hello there!

    So glad to hear from you, Ginny.  You are so right!  Snow, snow, and more snow!  What a winter!  I'm ready for spring.  Glad things are going well for you.

    Candie, I know what you mean about your energy level on vacation.  I'm a firm believer, though, that the sun has a lot to do with my energy level.  It perks me up!  I will check out Carlene's new thread in the circle and see what it's like later this week.  Thanks for telling me about it.

    Harley, welcome back. We missed you!  I hope your trip was fantastic.

    I hope that all you "treatment gals" are doing well!  It's been a little quiet around here the past few days.  Check in when you can.

    Rita

  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 2,467
    edited February 2008

    Hi just checking in on everyone.Harley,so glad you enjoyed your cruise. Carol, glad your golfing is doing well.

    Rita, you are right about the sun!

    Love to all,

    Hugs and prayers,

    Candie

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited February 2008

    Hi gals,

    Just after I posted here this afternoon I went to the circle thread to check on CY.  For those of you new gals, CY was a CMF gal who reached out to me when I was first diagnosed.  She was a true lifeline to me and so many others on this thread.  Unfortunately, this past year, her cancer spread to the liver, and then branched out everywhere.  Her sister had just posted that CY passed away last night.  Just two days ago, CY posted on our thread...reaching out once again.  She was so special and such a fighter! 

    The tears are streaming down my face as I write.  It is so sad to lose such a wonderful "sister."  She has always been an inspiration to me. 

    I worried about upsetting some of you with this news, but really think that we need to recognize her on this thread.....where she gave so much to so many of us. 

    We do need to find that cure and the reasons for this disease so that others do not need to make this journey.  I'm walking in all the walks that I can and doing whatever I can do to further this cause.

    We all can make a difference.

    Hugs to everone.

    Rita

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