CMF??

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  • S3K5
    S3K5 Member Posts: 606
    edited January 2020

    pajim I am glad you are improving and ready to discard the cane. That's wonderful but take it easy and try to keep the cane handy, in case you feel wobbly. Yes, work kept me busy too and I was also thinking the same as you (keep busy to take my mind of me). But during the CMF treatments (4 months) I had a very rough time with nausea, dizziness, exhaustion, etc. I had a very heavy work load too, which was exhausting. After the 4th cycle, I decided to take it easy and filed for short term disability. I am hoping to get back to work soon.

    JRNJ , I noticed that a lot of women do really well if CMF was their first line of treatment. I am happy that you are one of them. But as my MO explained, I have gone through atleast 10 different chemotherapy treatments. So CMF is harder for me due to the toxicity that has already built up over the past 5 years. And I am much older than when I got ACT as the first line of treatment in 2008.

    I am guessing my next option would be Halaven or Piqray (devil or the deep sea? LOL). Will find out next week (23rd Jan). Till then keeping myself occupied with other things.

    I hope CMF works wonders for all of you on this forum.

  • JRNJ
    JRNJ Member Posts: 573
    edited January 2020

    Thanks for the support and good luck with it ❤️

  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited January 2020

    Mac, I'm so sorry you feel so ill. Hang in there!

    I'm at the end of cycle one. Had a very bad issue with heartburn & hiccups and spasms of the rest of my GI tract last night and this morning. So I'm eating crackers and sipping water. Hoping that it was something I ate. Seems awful late in the cycle for something bad to happen now. Go in on Wednesday for round 2.

    S3K5, I've taken both of the meds you're considering. The ladies on the Piqray thread know what they are talking about. I got the rash which freaked my MO so we've put it aside until later. Later means that he has enough clinical experience with the drug to figure out what to do. Halaven is sort of like Taxol. I sure hope one of them does the trick!

  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited January 2020

    Well, darn, darn, darn. Every treatment I've had my TMs drop in the first cycle. This one they are rising. I'm doing a second round but MO has called for scans in three weeks. Betting I get doxorubicin next time. Sigh.


  • Jaylea
    Jaylea Member Posts: 478
    edited January 2020

    Pajim, I don't know much about TM's as they never were reliable for me, but what I'm hoping is that the rise is from cell death. You are always so supportive to others, know that you're loved and needed on these boards. Sending you a tsunami of positive energy.

  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited January 2020

    Thank you for your kind words.

    It's possible but based on experience unlikely. liver function tests aren't worse. . . well, the scan will tell. Meantime I have a board meeting and a week at the beach so I don't have time to worry about it. I could really use a week at the beach. Scan when I get back. LFTs will be through the roof because, well, rum. Banana daquiris. Pina coladas? meh.

    I remember the time I got back from a week in Mexico and saw MO the next day. He totally freaked at the liver function tests and demanded a CT scan right away. He didn't listen to me saying "Mexican tequila, tequila. . ." Of course the scan was totally fine and two weeks later the lfts were OK.

  • S3K5
    S3K5 Member Posts: 606
    edited January 2020

    Update regarding my visit with the MO: few days ago the oncology nurse had called to say that "the PET scan shows mixed results with liver mets. Some lesions look like they have reduced actvity but there are new lesions with increased activity. Additionally there is diffuse bone marrow mets, which was not seen earlier". Today the MO said that there were no new liver lesions, slightly increased activity in the bones which could be a tumor flare. She said the liver mets are stable and it is okay to give me a chemo break.

    So I am off CMF for now and will be taking anti-hormonal tablets for 3 months. I am happy about the chemo break, but a littly vary about being on Letrozole only. I haven't come across any forum for letrozole or any other anti-hormone therapy for Stage IV members.

  • mediclisa
    mediclisa Member Posts: 101
    edited January 2020

    Hi S3K5, I am on the combo of Piqray/Letrozole as I have the PK mutation. I really haven't had any side effects from either drug, so not sure what would be different. I have had a pain in both flank areas, went into the ER as it was unbearable and they think it is new cancer on my lower ribs, but my oncologist said that the Piqray/Letrozole takes about 3-4 months to start and I am only finishing up month 2. He has moved my scans up to February 7th as we are hoping this combo is working on the two large liver mets, 4 smaller ones and additional new bone mets found three months ago. For chemo fatigue, my palliative MD prescribed Ritalin, which surprised me. It seems to work when I need it, so that maybe will help? CMF didn't work for me. I am hoping for the best for you...Lisa

  • JRNJ
    JRNJ Member Posts: 573
    edited January 2020

    s3k5, pajim, mediclisa, I'm so sorry CMF isn't working for you. I hope the next treatment is better for you. And it makes me wonder if I am wasting my time, but I'll never know because I'm not monitored like you.

    mac5, you weren't sure how it was going, how are you doing? We both have ILC, while the others have IDC.

    mediclisa, Did the taxol work better for you?

  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited January 2020

    S2K5, letrozole is powerful stuff, for all that it's a little pill. I'm glad you're getting a chemo break!

    There used to be an AI alone forum but these days most metsters take it with Ibrance. I personally took it with Faslodex -- in the days before Ibrance was on the market.

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