Topic: Newbie here-- Milk Thistle, anyone?

Sheriden,

I am sorry about your dx. It sucks in plain English. Before you take any kind of supplement, herb or vitamin. Ask your Oncologist if it interacts with the treatment you are taking. We have to be careful. Especially if  ER+ breast cancers. I would wonder if the Milk Thistle was ok to take with Liver mets. I know it is benificial to people who suffer from Hep C.  Stay away from Soy, Parabens & anything Flax if you are ER+. Even if you are ER- you really need to question if there would be any interactions to change the efficacy of a drug. I was just told today by my hair dresser to take GNC hair, skin & nails.( a little hair thinning, DAMN!) But I see that it has Biotin listed as the main ingredient. I am pretty sure that is a no- no for me, being highly er+ . So I will ask my Onc at the next visit.

Well this is definitly the best place to be, if you need answers for whatever side effects treatments bring. This is a great group of ladies.

I was diagnosed with mets to the bones three years ago. At the time I saw a doctor of integral medicine who put me on heaps of supplements.  One is milk thistle and have been taking 3 a day for 3 years.  However, only 2 weeks ago I a 4.5 cm tumour was found in my liver.  I wonder if milk thistle did anything or did it control the liver thus far. I just don't know.  I will continue to take it and hope for the best.  I am doing yoga, and qi gung (with a Master of qui gung that swears by it and has had good results.  I will do anything to get better. anything. I hope you do to. Love Tania

My husband had a bone marrow transplant last year and the docs at Hopkins have been uniformly anti-supplement. They want him on a balanced diet - and that's all. He had daily monitoring of his liver function during his transplant and any little blip was a cause for concern. We have a couple of bottles of very expensive drugs that he got taken off of because they messed with his liver function. When it came down to it they were more concerned about his liver than the various possible transplant-related problems the drugs were supposed to prevent. If your liver goes there is not a lot they can do for you.

Recognizing that many people have more positive views about supplements and alternative medicine I second the advice to check with your  traditional doctor before doing anything. 

Just recently it was publicized that green tea diminishes the actions of the drug Velcade, which is used for blood cancers. So much is unknown, why take a chance that something you are taking might make your treatments less effective?  

i'm going to try to answer more tomorrow... take care, everyone! <3

hi denise,

yes i agree that we need to check before adding any supplements...

Lone,

 Just an observation...... Was it the Chemo or the Milk Thistle that brought you great results? Just being the devils advocate.... I am not trying to persuade you either way.

Hey Renee -- Let me know about the Biotin -- I took some when my hair was growing back...I don't think it made much of a difference though...  But I had no idea about it and ER+ not being a good combo.  I'm tossing it! 

hi all,

i am ER pos. though milk thistle was ok'd for me and my particular treatment/diagnosis... again, through my personal experience, i really think it depends on the particular doctor as to what each thinks is advisable according to their experience in the field--  i feel i must find a physician whose treatment plan resonates with what feels right for me as an individual. we must always question, and stay informed(even get second opinions). for me, being the alternative type,  i think it's so very important to have a doctor who is flexible and open-minded with adjunctive therapy--
I realize it can be confusing for anyone with all of the different opinions and medical advice: which is the best possible treatment with such variances? 
the decision still remains our own-- as we all can agree--
ultimately, we our own healers. Belief is powerful--we must believe in our treatment...
and mostly, in ourselves.

also, there are some wonderful guided imagery cd's by belleruth naparstek... also we can make our own!:)

<3
yes renee, i've looked at both sides(chemo vs. milk thistle), i understand your position.
it was my mother who had/is having the wonderful results.

No telling which it could be-- most likely, it could be a combination of the two, as they're not mutually exclusive-- milk thistle is known to make chemo less toxic and more effective--they work together(though again, people should ask their physician for any contraindications with their particiular chemo), my mother believes the milk thistle is benefiting her (it's been around for thousands of years and has been used to assist the liver in removing toxins). more power to her and to all who have hope with their treatment-- but not just  the hope in extending one's life--but living a life that inspires hope, no matter how long one might live...  'what is important is not how many years we live, but the life we put into those years'... we've all heard that one before, in so many words--i agree, wholeheartedly.

there's something life-affirming about hope-though i agree with the gal here who mentioned 'acceptance'--it doesn't mean we give up or lose hope== we just make the best of our situation-- we're reminded of what's important in life: to find the joy and to love all and forgive all--to live LOVE NOW, to find the joy in life, now. (i could get hit by a truck tomorrow-- to me stage IV is a soul reminder--keeping me awake and aware(that is a blessing), keeping me 'present' more often than not--i'm reminded of my oneness with others-- and that kindness matters-- so when i do leave this planet, as we all will eventually-- i do it, with a peaceful heart... i beleive in the great time continuum --there is no death, only transition... if i'm moving on, i want to travel light...my soul feels lighter without the heavy baggage:)