natural girls
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Well that makes me want to ask a question about thermography. If your going to a center that has thermography, aren't the Drs. there trained in reading them? It supposedly sees hot spots that could be cancerous, do other things turn hot that aren't cancerous? If that be the case, then why get thermography if other things can turn hot too that aren't cancerous? In other words, HUH?
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I have no health insurance right now. I am not working because I have other health issues and don't feel I have the strength quite yet. I just found out my liver is inflammed a little, again, and I am vitamin d deficient, plus the iodine I rubbed on my arm dissolved within hours, and I have all of the signs of progesterone deficiency.
So, I went to the county and got a free breast exam. They said that money is donated from a lady and that a mammogram and U/S will be covered, and if I need further I believe they will cover it. so right now I don't want to seem ungrateful for the help, yet I don't want to do further harm to my already fragile state I feel I am in, and RISK the exposure I don't need. I feel like I am in between a rock and hard spot.
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Gscott,
Since you have a golf ball lump now, your next step is to see a breast surgeon. See what he/she says to do next. You have films or a disc to bring with you from your last test? Bring them along. So call the breast surgeon, get an appt. That free mammo/US will still be there for you if the surgeon needs it.
I know your worried about over-testing for something that should come out anyway, but let the surgeon make those decisions for you. Good luck with it being benign.
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gscott ~ Since services are pro bono, seems like another reason you could graciously wiggle out of the mammo and tell them you'd be thrilled to go with just the MRI. In other words, leave the free mammo for someone else.
Again, I think it's your body and you need to express your concerns and possibly put your foot down if having the mammo is upsetting to you. Deanna
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The MRIs though are known for missing lymphnode activity which the ultrasound did catch.
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Thanks everyone. I have asked my films be mailed at the office I am supposed to go to, so I am going to beg and plead with them to bypass the mammogram and do the U/S for now and see what he says.
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Sometimes its easier to just tell them you are picking the films up. I have a big laptop size bag that i carry around with me to every appt. Just make sure you get them when you leave. If for some reason something does happen to them, aka my dog ate one of my mammo films, they will make another for a small fee.
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Thanks dogsaver great idea!
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Hello everyone! It's been a while since I posted (I was on vacation) and boy, did I miss a lot. Too much to read in one sitting anyway. I am scheduled for another excisional biopsy on Sept 24 - my second one since finishing all my cancer treatment. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is benign.
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Viv - I don't remember which thread it was where you recommended I use coconut oil for my skin. Well, I have to say I was a bit hesitant at first because I thought it would be super greasy (as I use it in food preparation a bit and it always adds richness to the recipe) and that I would smell like the beach everywhere I went (which I suppose isn't so bad - didn't Kramer on Seinfeld try to patent a "beach" cologne for men). I have to say though, I finally got around to trying it and it is great. It is a little greasy going on but once it is on, it feels great! Just wanted to say thanks for the recommendation!
Deni
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Nice to see that the FDA is getting crap!!!
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Yeah funny isn't it how the FDA isn't studying LDN why? No rich pharma involved?
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I posted this on the Iodine thread, but also wanted to post here... Several of you have found Neutropaths or compounding pharmacists, etc., to help you in your journey, which spurred me on to look for somebody like this locally to help me.
Today I had an appt. with an Osteopathic Endocrinologist (I am also hypothyroid). Maybe too soon to tell, but I have the best feeling about this. She was aware of the Iodine thing, loves DIM, and started editing my supplement list for me. She's ordering lots of tests (most I will have to pay for, but I am willing to do this) like stool analysis (!!!) blood work, thyroid ultrasound, Detox profile,a nd perhaps heavy metal and Mineral analysis, will consider altergy tests, (it depends on what the earlier tests show) and also she'll analyse my Estrogen 2:16 (which I just sent off today, Lorraine!!!) and will consider a 24 hour urine for "comprehensive hormones".
She was not totally agianst traditional medicine, but had what I felt was a healthy skepticism. A sort of "Ask for the research" attitude. She wants me to be measuring PH of my urine ) Alkaline food plan), and strive to eat different foods, and suggests I become Vegan! (We'll see about that, one thing at a time, I say!) So thanks to this thread, you ladies, and BC.org I may be onto someone to help shepard me through this natural/complementary process.
Mammo's: I don't have breast tissue left (bilateral mx's) but I tell you if I did, I would refuse mammo's. They were USELESS for me. I had a 5cm+ tumor that both mammogram (both screening AND DIAGNOSTIC) could not "see", nor could ultrasound. Dense breast tissue. Do you know that for 20% of women (or more, I suspect) mammograms are useless?? I am glad they work for 80%, but a 20% "failure rate" is not acceptable. With 1 in 7 to 8 women now getting diagnosed with Breast Cancer?
It is a $$ issue. I am proud of those of you who are doing alternatives (Like Vivre) to mammo. You have to stand up for yourself! Protect yourself!
Spring.
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spring! How did you manage to only have the small amount of liquid before the test? thats the only thing holding me back from sending it in! I work out so much its virtually impossible not to drink a lot!!
L
ox
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Lorraine,
I know!!! It was so hard. BUT, I was traveling back from vacation, long car trip up the east coast, and I decided, TODAY IS THE DAY. I will restrict liquids as much as I can. I think I went over the 24 oz they recommended, But that was the best I could do! It was WAY LESS than I normally drink!
I peed, I used the pippette, I called FedEx and sent the sucker off this morning! I feel totally unburdened!!! I was tired of looking at that thing on my desk !!! LOL!!!
I also re-did the Iodine loading test. Sent both off via FedEx this am.
Lorraine, you need a long vacation and a car trip home. LOL!!
Spring.
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Spring and Fairy-You guys are so funny! I am glad to see I am not the only procastinator around here. I tend to have those kits sitting around for a long time too. My excuse now is that it is hot outside and I do not want to have to put the stuff in the fridge. When I did the last one, I could just walk over to my cold attic, open the door, and keep it cold. I guess, I can wait, winter will be before we know it. YEAH, I hate summer. I know I am weird. I do love the flowers and the fresh veggies, but by now the weeds and the bugs are irritating me so much I am looking forward to some snow.
One more thing on the therms. They do not necessarily just show "hot spots" to determine if there is cancer growing. They look for asymetry in color of the two sides for hot and cool zones, but more importantly they show blood flow. Tumors are fed by the vascular system, so there will be a lot of vein lines going to and from a tumor. That is why they can detect better since they can see through layers. Rosemary, if you are interested, I can email you my pics.
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Spring ~ Sounds like you hit the jackpot with your new doc! I'm curious what she thinks about Tamox. You didn't mention that. Deanna
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I saw a new oncologist today. He is one of the rare oncologists that actually looks at alternative therapies in addition to traditional therapies. He is understanding about my not wanting to pursue radiation and chemo but said that since my tumor was Grade 3, we need to monitor closely. He described the grades like this: Grade 1 - like an 80 year old person, it is not all that active. Grade 2 - like a middle-aged person, active but not hyperactive. Grade 3 - like a 2 year old, really active. He said that the normally would recommend doing radiation but in my case would hesitate since my tumor was on my left side very close to my chest cavity. On the other side of the cavity from my heart. He said there would be too much risk to the heart and lungs if we tried radiation on it. He asked if the cancer center I went to explained the risks associated with the radiation while they were giving me their schpiel (?). And, actually, they didn't. When they saw I was hesitant about radiation, they actually assured me that there is no risk. The radiologist had said that she has been doing this a long time and she could angle the beam to stay away from my heart. I didn't really buy it. And, the oncologist I saw today confirmed that for me. He said that even when they angle the beam, it still radiates a portion of the surrounding tissue, which for me would be my heart. It is so scary and discouraging that I had put my life into the hands of one of the most well respected cancer centers around and looking back, they really did not treat me any differently than any other cog in the wheel.
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Deni, scary to read this, I had radiation on the left side, the tumor was at 11:00 position, and I asked about the risk to my heart, and radiation oncologist said there was nothing to worry about. I have felt fine though and sailed through radiation without even a burn or blister and they were very careful, always telling me not to move, so I'm hoping that meant that they made sure that none of those beams went where they shoudn't. I guess time will tell.
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Mine was at 11:00 too. I didn't want to do it because when the radiologist showed us the images of my tumor, it looked like it was so close to my heart. It really startled me. She assured me everything would be fine but I wasn't comfortable with it.
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When I went for my rads simulation, the rads onc took me to see the computer work up of my treatment. The field was going right to my heart. I asked if my heart could be avoided and they re did everything over and managed not to do my heart. The part that is scary is had I not been an annoying patient, the computer would have decided my treatment and my heart would have been hit directly.
About a week later, the rads onc attended a conference where they stressed how important it was to avoid the heart area. He was honest enough to tell me about the conference, but it is a little scary to think how close I came to having my heart directly hit by the radiation.
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That is insane. You had to ASK to not have your heart in the line of fire. Wow. We really do have to look out for ourselves. It's a good thing you were paying attention and didn't leave things in their hands.
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Hi, everyone. I met with my new medical oncologist today - and boy I wish I had gone to her 6 months ago!! She is a specialist in breast cancer, and is really up on everything. First off told me the TC I had was wrong for me and there were others that were better. And, she said after reviewing my extensive and problematic history of both bc for the last 6 months and before, said I shouldn't have gotten cancer after everything we did surgically over 10-15 years ago. Well. Okay! Anyhoo, she is fully supportive of everything I've been doing - and gave me a list of other items she wants me to supplement with - Reservitol and cinammon. Said I'm doing everything else right. We will hormone level testing at my next appointment in early October - she does believe in it - and we will do other levels of testing at that appointment too. We are going to try tamox, but in a very small, controlled way to see if I have a reaction to it - 1/2 dose of a 10 mg. pill to start - and the nurse who went over every single se and benefit was wonderful too - wants me to follow up with her via email to make sure I'm okay. I was so relieved to find a doctor who not only took the time to spend with me (I was there for 2 hours on my initial appointment today!) and thoroughly check me over and then discuss my history and bc trials and tribulations, and then who was just so human and kind, I almost cried! We will be doing BRCA testing, even though I don't have any history in the family, but we will do it to see if my daughter could be at risk. So, maybe I have finally found the best of all worlds too!
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Oh - also wanted to report as of last night, apparently my mojo came back!!! SIX MONTHS of nothing and pow!! Maybe it's the DIM? Or that I'm working out and feeling good? I don't care what it was . .. just glad it was!!
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Chelev, If you find my Mojo, please send to me!!!
If anybody has a "cure" for vaginal dryness, please let me know. This is **really** making me crazy!!The whole bit about RADS, just makes me crazy. Frying your heart Deni? Good grief. I also had a left side tumor. i hope everything is okay. Cripes!!! I can't stand it!!!
Deanna, Well, The Osteopathic Endocrinologist asked me about my symptoms from Tamoxifen - she was not sure yet how to handle the vaginal dryness (which is why I asked above!). I also asked about progesterone creme. She mentioned we're going to look at the Estrogen 2:16 results and see what's there first. Makes perfect sense to me. She was like, one thing at a time. I just feel so glad to have found somebody I can finally work with on this stuff.
I mentioned to her they would likely want to switch me to an AI (from Tamoxifen) in 2-3 years, and she said, "Well, we'll talk about that". (I smiled inside... I DO want to talk about it). I just know the oncologists will scare me. My tumor was large, I had vascular invasion, and I didn't have a fantastic response to chemo. (Which ALSO MAKES ME CRAZY!! - why don't we test these friggin tumors PRIOR to chemo? No, we just blast everyone with chemo **hoping** it shrinks the tumor).
Ugh. this. Just. blech. I am going to start focusing on how much angst I feel about the upcoming surgery so I can stop focusing on the dumb RADS and chemo!!! LOL...
Spring.
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Spring - it is so wonderful that you found a doctor that you feel comfortable with who knows her stuff about the alternatives. A rare find indeed. Best of luck with the surgery. please keep us posted!
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Spring - first off, love the curls from the hair hair hair thread!
Second, NO, I haven't figured out how to remedy the vaginal dryness issue - and I've been dealling with it since 1997. Used vagifem for about 4 years - it puts a small amt of estrogen into the vagina, it didn't do much. Nothing worked except the estratest, which we know now for me is bad bad bad. We did discuss briefly at my new onc's visit, but I think she wants to do one thing at a time too - like your new doc. First start with the tamox, then when I go back in October, we'll look at test results and see what we can do. I was just so thrilled that I felt like doing anything and we were creative (just don't try that KY Yours & Mine, unless you like the feeling of chili peppers burning the . .. ouch!!!) in making me happy first. It stings. but, we use a lot of lubrication (my ob/gyn recommend olive oil - haven't tried it yet) and my DH is very considerate of how dry it is. Wish there was something that would help it better - I'm going to discuss it again with her in Oct.
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Deni and girls-
Just wanted to mention again that I had rads done at NYU Cancer Center with Dr. Sylvia Formenti - check her out on the web - I did 15 rads in the PRONE position (lying on my stomach and my breast hung down on the side it needed the rads and was radiated from underneath - the only part of my body that got rads was the breast - they use this technique at all the major cancer centers (SKM too) but now where I live in the DC area - so I went to NYC Mon - Fri and home on weekends. It was the very best way to get rads and preserve my healthy body! Good luck and God Bless-
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Chelev, I DID try that KY "Yours and Mine" and it does burn! I thnk the idea is to make you numb down there? I mean, What the heck!!! Back to replense and "astroglide". Neither are working too well. Chelev, I went into menopause during chemo and that's when the vag dryness started. I don't know if the Tamox. is making it worse or not. Do you have a clue on this?
Spring.
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Have you gals tried coconut oil? It seems to work for everything else. And you might look into progesterone. Fairy will attest that it seems to work wonders. LOL. My problem is a lot bigger. He is 6 2 and pushing 60. Need I say more???
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