natural girls
Comments
-
Oh Julia....I so hope you are wrong and that a baby is still hangin' in there. But at least you are right and you CAN conceive. You have changed EVERYTHING. The environment is right. And what's even more...you deserve this.
I will keep praying.
0 -
dear all,
my mother was diagnosed with DCIS Stage 2B Breast Cancer. She had a mastectomy with lymph nodes removal (4 out of 25) last February 8, 2010.
She is currently on a 42 day detox protocol patterned after Gerson Theraphy with the following supplements
Melatonin (20 mg at night)
Vitamin C (2000mg per day)
Liver Loving Detox
Pancreatin
Vitamin E supplements
Senior Multi Vit.
Can somebody send me vivre's website? I also hope that you welcome me in this forum (although I am not a BC patient---as primary caregiver of my 59 year old mother, I felt like I am also afflicted).
thanks in advance for your welcome!
0 -
Nanay
Of course you are welcome here. It is a great place to get info. Sorry to hear about your mother.
0 -
Julia: What sad news... I'm still praying for you and if anything, although it's a small consolation at this time, at least you know you can get pregnant. Keep your spirits up, you're doing everything right and you will be rewarded.
Nanay: Welcome and sorry to hear about your Mom. You've come to the right place for advice. These ladies are very knowledgeable and can help you both.
Terri
0 -
Hi, gals ~ I've been away from the computer since last Thursday, and haven't had any time yet to catch up on what I've missed here. But I wanted to quickly tell you that had that lengthy app't. with the integrative specialist @ UCLA, and I wanted to report back on a few things that I know many of us have wondered about. First, I want to say that we covered an incredible amount of material, but because my sister has been visiting from the East, I haven't had time to go back through my notes yet. But from memory, here are a few key points...
Lorraine & Patty, she had no concern about the timing of taking supplements, other than that some (like a new one she put me on for the joint aches) definitely should be taken with food. And she sees no benefit to taking breaks from them either.
Beth, you had asked about milk thistle. She's a big fan of it and said we should all be using it for liver detoxing, especially after chemo & rads.
By the way, I went in with a list of 15 supplements I currently take, hoping she would par them down. But she actually added two! She did question the benefit of 3 things I take, but she wants me to have some bloodwork before deciding yay or nay on those.
One of the ones she did not see any reason to take is Iodoral. She said our bodies are wiser than we know, and she wants me to add iodine rich foods, rather than messing with an iodine supplement.
Oh, and about wine... 1 glass per day increases our risk of a recurrence by 10%; 2 glasses increases our risk by 20%; and 3 glasses by 30%.
She's also a big fan of mushroom extracts, and I immediately picked up the one she recommended, because she raved about it.
So, that's just a quick bit of info'. Happy to share anything more specific if you want to PM me, especially after I find all those notes and extensive file of information I came away with.
Julia, I did glance at what I've missed enough to pick up on your situation, and just want you to know that I also believe that you have turned a corner re. your past infertility issues, and that it's only a matter of time before we will all be celebrating with you! Sorry it wasn't this time, but I absolutely believe it will happen. Deanna
0 -
Nanay...You are of course welcome here. This is a truly GREAT place! These women have gotten me through this. I have learned so much here and here we can talk to people who "get it" and don't get all stiff and uncomfortable with the subject.
As you will see from dlb823 3 posts down from yours...this is a place where we share information and learn from each other. We don't pressure others to do as we do, but we put it all out there and each of us decides which nuggets we can use in our own personal regimens.
0 -
Thanks so much for the update, Deanna.
Did she happen to give an opinion on DIM vs. I3C by any chance?
Beth
0 -
Deanna ~ Which mushroom extract did your integrative specialist recommend?
0 -
Beth ~ I was disappointed that I3C is one of the supplements she probably wants me to stop taking. Unfortunately, the conversation jumped so fast from one thing to the next, I didn't get as much info' on it as I needed, but hope to follow up with her about this. I can't find my notes at the moment, but I seem to recall that she said DIM was better for premenopausal women (I'm post), but she wasn't thrilled that I was using I3C in lieu of an A/I. Deanna
0 -
Oh Crunchy...I was so happy to see your earlier post and then I read futher...Don't let it bring you down.You are healthier now than you have ever been. It's only a matter of time. I have a friend who had the same thing keep happening-she miscarried many times. The doctors finally found out her body was producing a chemical that caused it.They put her on something to prevent this and she got pregnant and had a cute little boy. I am going to contact her and ask what it was they gave her. I will PM you when I find out.
Deanna-Interesting information from the doctor. I know what you mean about information overload. I believe very few doctors know the importance of iodine. I haven't started taking it yet, but I'm planning on it. As far as the liver detox, I will not use milk thistle because I've read it is a phytoestrogen. I'm still leary about phytoestrogens at this point.
I hate to say it, but I think these new 'intergrative medicine doctors' are just cashing in on people like us. They see the tide is changing and figure this approach would bring them more business. Kinda like the 'Green Bandwagon' every company has jumped on. Did you know that Shell Oil was concerned with our environment? Have you seen the commercials? What a laugh! How gullible do they think we are!
0 -
Deanna-
I am aware of several concerns with I3C - I know that some women without enough HCL won't convert it to DIM; some people also convert too much into 4OH ; and there is some concern about some of the metabolites of I3C which could be harmful.
My compound pharmacist suggested me going strictly with DIM over his concern over the harmful metabolites. My functional medicine doc says that most of the research is still on I3C and he prefers that - so I have been taking both. If you find in your notes that she take sides in this argument, I would be very interested.
When she was talking about A/I - was she strictly talking pharmaceuticals or natural aromotase inhibitors - like melatonin?
FYI - Personally, I know from my Estrogen Profile results that my estradiol is extremely low (<.25) , so I know from that perspective, I would not be better protected on an A/I than from my current protocol.
Like you, I would love to streamline my supplements - although I would take the mushroom supplements if I weren't allergic to mushrooms.
Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Beth
0 -
Makingway ~ The point you make about doctors cashing in on the latest fads is all too true when it comes to things like cosmetic procedures (especially here in So. CA), or even laser eye surgery. But so far, I haven't met anyone like that in the integrative field. What I learned about ULCA's integrative program (actually overheard while I was there) is that the doctors needed a go-to expert for their patients who had questions about supplements, an area they admittedly can not keep up on in addition to keeping up on everything in their respective fields, so UCLA brought in someone to fill that role who is both a physician and a research biochemist. I think seeing her was well worth the cost because I believe her viewpoint and expertise is much like Dr. Servan-Schreiber's -- one of those rare doctors who truly understands the effects that foods and supplements have at the cellular level. She is the exact antithesist of the doctors we complain about -- one who truly understands that we are what we eat and that small changes in the amounts of micronutrients we're taking in can make big differences in how our bodies function. Yes, the tide is turning -- thank God. But the integrative doctors I'm aware of are all at the forefront of making that happen -- not trying to cash in on anything. Deanna
0 -
Deanna - thank you so much for getting our answers for us! I would love to know how long your appt. was! Did you say: this question is for Patty and Lorraine and so forth!!!!! What did she have to say about natural aromotase inhibitors? Are you going to start taking an al? I am very puzzled by the fact that she does not want you taking Iodoral. Did they say why? What is in the mushroom stuff you are taking? Did she mention Myomin for us gals that are post men? Sorry to still have a slew of questions!
Love to all, Patty
0 -
Thanks again, girls... it's weird because I've had another several days of negative tests but no sign of AF which is several days late by now. I guess my body doesn't want to let go of a conception even if it's not viable... anyway, I think you're right that it's a good sign that I was at least able to conceive.
makingway, if you find out the name of that, I would love to know what it is! THANK YOU!
0 -
Deanna, with all due respect I would never get integrative information with someone associated with a comprehensive cancer center. They have to tow the party line or they will get booted from their mainstream institutions. But most importantly, they don't go to the progressive medical conferences like ACAM and others.
My sister works for a company which organizes medical conferences so I have often gone to the good ones because I help her out, get in free and get to watch the sessions.
If your integrative doc had gone to the progressive conferences any time in the last five years she would have seen a half dozen different doctors talk about iodine and breast cancer. Knowing about the optimal dosing of iodine and D3 is a litmus test for knowing whether a doc has the most education in integrative medicine.
I hope you will check on what this doc says and not just accept that she is an expert.
Thanks for reporting back. Makingway has a point in that mainstream medicine sees a market here and is adding "integrative" to the menu.
0 -
Deanna,
I know you did all the necessary checking to know if you were spending your money on advice worth knowing from a person capable of rendering it. As much research as you have already done, I'm sure you were careful to not choose a lamestream doctor.
I'm with Patty...want to know more about whether us post menopausal women should be taking myomin, DIM, or I3C since I have already decided against an AI. I have been taking DIM..should I? I take 29 mg of melatonin every night, so hopefully that also adds as an AI, just not the prescribed kind. If I'm taking that much melatonin, do I still need DIM? As my sleep comes back, should I lower the melatonin dosage or is it good thatI can tolerate such a high dosage because of thr BC? So many questions...We all have so many...
I have been taking Milk Thistle, so am concerned whether that is good or bad since I'm not sure I completely know what to think about which phytoestrogens are okay if any are or what...still read good and bad...so very confused there.
Thank you, Deanna, not only for taking the time to share and letting us learn from the dollars you spent, but for opening the flood gates to these questions we have posed time and time again. Many of us have still not finalized our supplement dosage plans. I've been at this for a year and worry that I am missing something crucial.
0 -
Julia, I sure don't want to mess up your head with false hope, but I'm still praying that there's a baby in there who just doesn't want to take any more stupid tests! Sorry, that's just me. It ain't over til it's over....this said from someone whose SIL tried soooooo hard to get pregnant and then actually was scheduled for a D&C for a failed pregnancy only to have her husband say let's wait a bit...and turns out the hospital's test was wrong...they had twins. So, I tend to be one who hangs in there longer sometimes than makes good sense....other times hangin' in there has really paid off.
But, you definitely CAN get pregnant and that should help you relax some.
Oh by the way, the SIL was 41 when the twins were born. I have another relative who recently had twins at age 45, so you have time!
0 -
One last thing and then I will shut up!
I helped a guy because of all this nutrition stuff I've learned this past year.
It made me so happy!
Young guy, like maybe 23 or so....works in one of the supplement shops where I was buying a boat load of melatonin one day... He was curious why so much and why some timed release and some sublingual?...This young man had a brain tumor and hasn't slept well since...so we talked about melatonin which of course he was familiar with but had never tried it himself. Went in there for some probiotics yesterday and YAY!!! he said he had the best night's sleep in years on only 1 mg of melatonin. I had warned him NOT to take as much as I, since that would be sensory overload for most people.
Sorry to bring that in, but I was just so happy that I helped someone that young with so much on his plate and he would never have signed on to Natural Girls to get this kind of info
So there I am out there proselytizing the Natural Girls supplement beliefs to a guy who works in a supplement store !:) 0 -
WOW, Luna... that is an amazing story!!! I've got goosebumps... thank you SO much for sharing that! That has crossed my mind and I've thought about going and buying a regular pregnancy test if still no sign of AF today. Well, still no hint so maybe I'll go buy one... Both my grandmothers had their last babies at 40 and I recently found a couple of my ancestors who had babies at age 43 (and that was WAY before there was a such thing as infertility treatment!!)... so I guess I won't give up hope yet... in fact I'm not giving up hope on having TWO children someday!! (Hey, if I'm going to be hopeful, I may as well be brazen about it, right??!)
0 -
That's the spirit!
0 -
Until you know...don't go on any wild drinking binges or anything! JK!
0 -
Julia, be brazen girl and hopeful!!!!!!
Luna, you cracked me up
. I'm with you on the Milk Thistle. Is it good? Is it bad? I don't know!Patty
0 -
Once again, Deanna - thank you!!
I think a lot of these choices we make depend on what else we are including in our protocol and our biochemical individuality and test results.
I have been taking milk thistle(Silymarin) 3 times a day for over 6 months. I just asked both the compound pharmacist and the functional med doc about it, too - they both said definitely for me to continue. Of course, I also take 2T of ground flaxseed a day and I know that is a controversial topic. I have no way of knowing the effect of each individual supplement that I am taking - but the sum of the parts is working - at least as far as my estradiol levels.
Beth
0 -
Deanna, FYI, My osteopath also told me I could stop I3C since I was taking DIM, she thought DIM better.
0 -
Mollyann, your point is well-taken. But one thing I personally like about integrative medicine (as opposed to straight alternative) is the blending of the best of both conventional and alternative modalities. But you're right, and perhaps this is what Makingway was also saying, you will not get a totally non-traditional perspective from a place like UCLA -- although I tend to believe they are head & shoulders above the Integrative Medicine Departments at some institutions. Maybe that's partly because we're in California, where there is a significant Asian population, as well as an abundance of knowledgeable, health-minded individuals. And in defense of the doctor I saw, I believe she is up on Vitamin D ("the most important thing we can do to prevent a recurrence"). She just expressed a concern that we may not understand yet the total impact of megadosing with an iodine supplement -- not that iodine isn't important.
Anyway, I love the intelligent input and questioning we have on this thread, and I think we all agree that no one doctor has all the answers. I was just very happy to be able to talk to one who has a wealth of knowledge in the area of supplements and nutrition, and she gave me a lot of reassurance about what I'm doing, as well as some excellent new information.
Patty, as far as natural aromatese inhibitors, this was a very personal consultation, and she was rightfully concerned about what I'm doing and wanted to talk to the onc @ UCLA who is familiar with my pathology because that onc had written in a report that my bc was acting aggressively. She understands why I decided to forgo an A/I, but she did raise the question if I should have at least considered Tamox as an alternative, which is what Mollyann was pointing out -- she won't override the docs. But I have always been very comfortable with UCLA's team approach, and am interested to hear what they will say. Deanna
0 -
I have been trying to get to an integrative medicine doc or nutritionist at the least. Insurance says they will not pay for it (something I am going to appeal) and the "wellness" benefit that we have will cover a gym but nothing nutritionally related. Does anyone have any suggestions or advise?
Appreciate any help! Gigi
0 -
Deanna, yes, I too believe in an integrative approach. It's just that, in a comprehensive center you're not going to find someone who can practice/think independently from the insitution. Also, your doc was incorrect to say iodine's long term effects are unknown. If she investigated it she would know it has been prescribed in megadoses since the 1800s. And at least 500 doctors have prescribed it in the US alone since 2000. This info comes from the integrative medical conferences I have accompanied my sister to.
0 -
Mollyann ~ Which conferences are you talking about? I just googled Dr. Mary Hardy and actually found her as a speaker or on the planning committee for quite a few of the top integrative conferences within the past few years, including the major functional medicine one coming up @ La Costa in May:
http://www.cancer.ucla.edu/Index.aspx?page=588
http://www.functionalmedicine.org/ifm_ecommerce/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=180
http://www.hmrlignan.com/images/Research.pdf
http://www.npainfo.org/index.php?submenu=About&src=gendocs&ref=Awards&category=About
0 -
Catching up on my email this a.m., and just came across this interesting story...
http://www.pharmpro.com/News/FeedsAP/2010/03/pfizer-gave-docs-35-million-in-last-half-of-2009/
0 -
Hi everybody,
I like to introduce myself. My name is Manuela, am 50 years young, had an excisional biopsy last December that turned out to be DCIS that did not show up on any mammogram by the way which is not unsual I learned. A follow up MRI showed nothing specific but was "cloudy". the radiologist said he couldn't confirm that this was cancer but also not that it isn't. So did "the second opnion" clinic. Recommendation was mastectomy which I did not do. Until I can do the next MRI which will be in early June I decided I will do everything alternatively that makes sense to me. So I am a specialist now in nutrition, supplements and other fields (just kidding). I feel well but I must say, being alone with it has been the hardest part. That's why I am showing up here. And I am seeking for someone who also does wheatgrass therapy. Ladies, I am happy to meet you all virtually!
Manuela
0
