Hi everyone/anyone.
I am about to start chemotherapy called CMF.
C-cyclophosphamide
M- methotrexate
F- 5FU
I won’t be taking this with any other chemo and the regime I am on will be to take all 3 drugs on day 1 and then M and F again on day 8.
I have a break of 2wks and then start again - I’m not sure how many cycles of this I will have.
Unfortunately I have already had many other types of chemo so have experienced side effects but what I wanted to know is if anyone else has had CMF like I am going to and if so what side effects did they have? how bad was it? and on what day/days of their chemotherapy cycle did they get the side effects.
thanks
Hi Jess and welcome to the BCC forums
In addition to the support and shared experiences you will soon have here please feel free to call our helpliners on 0808 800 6000, lines are open 9-5 weekdays and 10-2 Saturdays and they are here to offer you further support, a listening ear and information about other services BCC have to offer you.
The following link will take you to the ‘Treatments’ section of the website where you will find lots more information which I hope you will find useful:
Take care
Lucy
Hi Jess
I had CMF 2 years ago now I had all 3 on day one and then all 3 again on day 8 then 2 week break. I found the nausea really bad with the CMF I had Epi before CMF and was not very nauseous with that so for me it was worse. I also had really bad mouth ulcers after the 2nd dose bit apart from that didn’t fair too badly. I found that unlike with the EPI I felt a bit yukky all the way through not really feeling OK in between sessions although did manage to work all the way through.
I must say though other people who had the EPI CMF that I had coped better with the CMF I think I was the exception so hopefully you will find it bearable.
Best Wishes
Jill
thanks tolliebelle
That’s really helpfull.
One other question did it work? Iv’e had 4 different chemos this year already that haven’t so CMF may not either.
If anyone else can share there CMF experiences with me that would be great.
Jess
Hi Jess,
I don’t know whether this is of any help to you but I had CMF in 1999, so 13 years ago now. I had a local recurrence in 2004 but that was dealt with by a mastectomy. I am now fit as a fiddle & very healthy. (I’m only looking at this website at the moment because I’m presently undergoing a reconstruction). I can remember feeling really yucky throughout the 6 months of CMF but it was bearable. I was never actually sick but I found the worse part was that everything I ate tasted like rusty metal. Everything that is except chips (from a chip shop), pizza, chocolate, crisps and sponge puddings & custard, so guess who put on a stone & a half of weight whilst on chemo!!!
I wish you well on your journey & hang on in there. I did and I’m here to tell the tale!
Love lbx157
My wife Marg had e-cmf and actually found the E part ok she said cmf made her very tired and she had some mouth ulsers wasn’t sick or even felt sick but she was given an anti sickness drug called EMEND (we think)which is the gold standard make sure you ask for it.
Hi Jess
I cant tell you if it worked as I had it after surgery and for primary but have just had 2 year mammo and that was all clear so hopefully yes it did work.
Wishing you all the very best and hopefully you will have good results from it
Jill xxx
Hi Jess, I’m on cmf at the mo, but not the same regime as you. Like I other ladies on here have said I had epirubicin first. 4 lots, then w switched to cmf day 1, day 8 then a 3 week gap. I’m nauseaus for several days afterwards and constipated but that’s it really, bit tired and washed out too. The epi was worse for me.
HOw do you know other chemos haven’t worked? I hope this has worked for me but not sure how I’ll know top really. I think I’ll have to assume it has.
ivbe had plenty of delayd throughout chemo, due to neutrophils…lack of…but think that’s just me!
good luck
mandy x
Hi Jess, I had epi/cmf in April 2008 in the same format as most of the others have told you. It was over 28 weeks as part of a research trial. The cmf was good for me, well as good as chemo can be! I had the cold cap for the epi and was told not to bother for cmf and my hair grew fast on it. I did not need any steroids or anti sickness after having everything on epi. They told me most people find it so but clearly not everyone was as lucky and sadly struggled on it. I didn’t have any mouth ulcers or even felt the slightest bit sick and went out every day, no days on the sofa at all but felt a bit odd for longer rather than a dramatic horrible reaction to epi. I had the runs on cmf for the first week and couldn’t eat fruit or veg but no-one else seems to have had that. I did have a reaction to the cyclophosphamide (C) but was warned ahead that people get ‘swimmers nose’. As soon as the pain started in my nose (just like water up the nose when swimming) they stopped and it is generally treated by having it by a slow steady drip rather than the nurse hand injecting it down the tube (I had a port). The onc made me have iv piriton in case and I snoozed through, which was good as it is a largish amount and with the drip on the slowest timing they could do, took a while. The methotrexate is weeny, didn’t even make it up the tube to my port when the whole amount went in. It is yellow and also used for non cancer patients. It had a lovely side effect of improving all my joints and aches. The 5fu is the same size as the C and both are quite big in quantity. There are 3 different ways to have the C including tablets. I have read good things about e/cmf but the trial results are still not out so in time we may hear more. I was initially very anxious about starting it and in particular having the second dose (not happy to have blood tests on each dose though 
. So I was shocked to find cmf made my blood counts improve. They were far higher on dose 2 on day 8 than on day one each time. I was on the same cycle as you for it, 4 double doses. I did not find this one a hard regime and hope yours is successful and easy for you too. Good luck Lily x
Interesting to read your post lily, as I worry lots about the regime as its an unusual one say rather than fec/tac etc etc. my hair is also growing back on it too…yah…grey though…boo!