Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
Comments
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Sylvia, thanks for your message. I was happy with the information given on diagnosis at the time. The word triple neg was not used, just hormone negative.They told me size and grade not stage. They explained that was why I would have chemo not tablets as no good.Perhaps they didn't feel the need to panic me too much and think that is why I just went with the flow.
Diagnosed August and Lumpectomy Sept, no spread and no lymph glands involved all of which I was told was very good.
Chemo started end of October then Rads alongside from May-June. My surgeons words when he was about to operate were that after my operation I would be Cancer free and the other treatments were my insurance policy to give me a longer life.
I always took a pad and pen, asked questions and never felt deprived of any information at the time. It was on another forum that when I said I was hormone neg the words triple neg were mentioned. I looked it up and fell apart. !!
Now confused and so depressed, trying to be positive but really hard. Look at my Grandchildren and now doubt I will see them grow.
Sure Metformin probably no good but I have to take it anyway so who knows, it may be my saviour.Sorry, just having a sxxt day and really tired.
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Hi Sylvia. Thank you for your reply. I am very glad to have met Edi on here and to know that the breast
Clinic I am going to is very good. Although I feel like it is cancer I of course will be very happy if it is not. I might feel a bit silly if it is not though as I have posted on here so many times and to come back and say No it's not will be strange (good, but strange) and Im sure I will feel guilty as all you lovely ladies have been so unfortunate. I have managed to keep my mind off things quite well today with the sun and the tennis (well done Andy Murray :-) ) but tomorrow morning will be awful for me. My husband and I have not really spoke about it and I don't want to bring up the topic of what if. So letting it all out on here has been a godsend.
You are all so brave and I hope I can be as brave as you if the outcome is not good news.
I will be writing a list of questions tomorrow morning to take with me but to be honest I'm not really sure what to ask. I will be writing down ALL of my symptoms but can anyone help with some questions I need to ask?
Thanks Savanna x0 -
Hello Scouser47,
I think you have every reason to be optimistic and you must now try to put all this in a small corner of your life and keep looking forward. More people are surviving cancer than dying from it and it is becoming a chronic illness.All we can do is help ourselves where we can. Eat healthily, keep active, avoid negative stress and negative people. Enjoy each day to the full and spend time with those you love and who love you.
Did you have scans before and after treatment?Are you now having regular check ups?
Take care,
Sylviaxxxx.
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Well ladies I'm back from my breast clinic appointment. Cut a long story short there is nothing wrong with me. Apparently the lumps in my breast and the pain I'm in is not real. They wouldn't do an mammogram as I'm too young. I'm 30. Ultrasound didn't pick up any of the lumps that can be felt. So doc said nothing wrong with you, go home. Everyone keeps saying how great that is but it's not! I'm in pain, I have lumps in my breast so why the hell can they not tell me why? I'm very very upset and angry. Yes it's great news they didn't find cancer but the fact they found NOTHING!!! The doc can feel the lumps but has no explanation except they MIGHT be cysts.
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Sinfullyd,
If it is a cyst in the US they typically do a fine needle aspiration either in the doc's office or a clinic. It's a great relief when that comes back as negative for cancer. Why could they not perform this?
I know I would want to know more about these lumps as you do!
Hugs,
Peggy0 -
Doc said as nothing showed on ultrasound then they can't aspirate as they must be too small! But he isn't sure that's what they are. He said they felt like blocked ducts at first but again no more was mentioned. When I asked about pain he said keep a pain chart for 3 months to see when the pain is better or worse. I explained that is everyday and has been for the last month but he dismissed me and said take simple painkillers. I will be going back to my GP on Wednesday and demanding more
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Good morning everyone
I have been reading here about various tests such as ultrasound (that can't cost much) not being done and as I have said before I am bewildered. Why on earth the yearly check up cannot include a chest x-ray is beyond me. My wife didn't get an X-ray until she relapsed. Then when she was terminal and beyond help they didn't stop scanning her. Close to her end they even brought an X-ray machine to her bedside. I guess there is some logic to it but I don't know what it is.
Northern Ireland Is roasting hot and it is too much for the pale skin Irish people.
Michael
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Hello Sinfullyd
If I were you I would not be fobbed off. I have heard too many stories of women being told not to worry about lumps etc. and then end up being told they have breast cancer. I can understand your relief at being told there is nothing wrong, but you need to know why you are experiencing pain. That is not a normal situation.
You need to insist on these lumps being aspirated if at all possible. Many years ago when I lived in Canada, I had a small lump in my left breast. I saw a doctor and he aspirated it straight away and said it was a cyst. He then said he wanted to remove it to be sure. I went along with this and still have the scar on my breast from that surgery done under local anaesthetic. He did this even though the cyst had shrunk considerably. All this gave me peace of mind, although the current view is that cysts should not be removed through surgery, but I would think the best thing is aspiration and then waiting for them to shrink.
If I were you I would be seeking a second opinion. You have nothing to lose.
You are very young and your breasts will be dense and so things do not show up so easily with mammograms. I do not know whether the same applies to ultrasounds.
With the present situation, you are in pain, on painkillers which are not good for you, and you would not want to take them indefinitely. Above all, you are worrying and do not have peace of mind. You do not want theories about what it might be, you want to know what it is. Have you seen a consultant? If the lump can be felt, surely a breast cancer surgeon would be able at least to do a fine needle aspiration and test the lump.
Do not be fobbed off. You are your own best advocate.
Thinking of you and hoping all this has a happy ending.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Michael
Thank you for your post. You talk a lot of common sense as usual! We need to push our weight around and ensure we get every available test and treatment in the early stages. They always seem to wait until it is too late.
We should not have women still dying of breast cancer. I was very saddened to hear of the death of Bernie Nolan. Have you read any details about what happened in her case?
We are also roasting in southern England and I find it too much. It was lovely early morning when I was doing some watering in the grounds between 7am and 9am but it is too hot now at midday.
I fear for all those people burning up on the Exmouth beach.
http://www.exmouthcam.co.uk/webcam/
Thinking of you.
Sylvia
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Hello Sinfullyd,
I have to agree you need to ask for a second opinion. Doctors can make mistakes just like any one else. There has to be a cause for the pain. I go to nearly every appointment with Liz and if I am not happy with the answers we get I always ask for a second opinion.
Peter
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Hi Sylvia,
Liz has an appointment this afternoon at the hospital about having her ovaries removed. This is the first appointment I have missed in 2 years with her but I have to take our son to the dentist. Its not one I need to be at as she has already made up her mind this is what she wants.
Liz's friend has had her results back. They have found cancer in Lymph nodes in her groin area. She see's the onc tomorrow to see what treatment she is going to receive. Liz is going with her to the appointment.
Lovely and sunny here too. Hopefully the weather will be hot next week in Devon. If it is we shall probably come down for the week to Paignton.
We have been swimming in the sea this weekend on the Norfolk coast and playing badminton in the garden so Liz is aching all over at the moment and takes pain killers at night to sleep but she do not want to stop doing the things she enjoys.
Peter
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Thank you everyone for your replies. Peter I'm sorry about your wife's friend. I also hope your wife's appointment went ok today.
I have researched ultrasounds today and found a few articles stating that they can miss cancer especially when it small and in the early stages so I will be taking them with me to the docs tomorrow. I have not taken any painkillers at all today and am in terrible pain but I refuse to take anymore until they fix me! I know that sounds silly but if I have to go to a&e because of the pain then maybe I will be sorted quicker. That's the idea anyway.
The doc I saw yesterday was not a consultant he was a collegue of the consultant I was supposed to see. He said the lumps are very small (too small to drain) although they are very noticeable by touch! I tried to explain that they are better felt when completely lying flat but he ignored me again. I will be fighting this until either they prove it is cancer or until they prove its not.0 -
Hello peterandliz,
It was nice to hear from you and I do hope that all went well yesterday when Liz went to the hospital to discuss having her ovaries removed. I can understand how you felt about not going with her, the first time in two years, but you could not be in two places at once. I think it is very brave of Liz to be having her ovaries removed and being willing to face more surgery. I can understand why she is doing it and a lot of women seem to be going for pre-emptive double mastectomies and hysterectomies. I can understand the concern about developing ovarian cancer but I think it is about time the NHS got its act together and started doing routine blood tests to detect this.
You might be interested in reading a very good article in the Daily Mail for Tuesday July 9th, under Good Health section. I make a point of reading this every week. The article is by Lucy Deedes and is entitled Cancer killed Lucy's sister. So why did doctors think her symptoms might be all in her mind? It is also entitled From a writer whose ovarian cancer took months to diagnose, a cautionary tale.
I think everybody should read this article, because it shows how you must not be fobbed off by the system. Lucy was eventually diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
What I picked up from this was that despite the sister's history, the previous September Lucy's GP had not asked for a CA-125 test, a protein known to indicate ovarian cancer. It just shows you that you need to be one step ahead of your GP and demand the test if you have symptoms that concern you.
In the article it states that a few days before being diagnosed she had had a CA-125 blood test and the reading was 269. The normal would be below 35.
Why is it that we women are not being routinely tested for this protein known as CA-125 that indicates the presence of ovarian cancer? We hear so much about mammograms that are not a preventive, but nothing about this simple blood test for such a deadly cancer. The article says that three quarters of cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed once it has already spread. Why not routinely give this cheap £20 test?
Read the rest of the article that contains the good news that for Lucy the cancer had not spread. In the article it says her cancer was not linked with her sister's cancer. Their mother had ovarian cancer. I find it hard to believe there is no link between these three women!
Lucy was to be tested for the faulty BRCA gene to see if she was at risk of breast cancer.
Peter, I would be interested to know what you think about all this.
I do hope all will go well with Liz's friend. You said that they had found cancer in the lymph nodes in her groin. Does this mean the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes from somewhere else, and if so where is the primary? Let me know how things go.
Are you enjoying the hot weather? I have found it too hot these past few days. I hope the weather holds for you in Devon next week. So far there is no sign of a let up and we desperately need some rain.
Wishing you well.
Sylvia.
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Hello Sinfullyd,
I am so glad that you are carrying out research and being your own best advocate. I have also read that ultrasounds can miss cancer when it is small. It is good to go armed with evidence.
You are right to fight your corner and sometimes when GPs are not delivering the best thing is to get yourself to A & E, where you are certain to get some attention. I told my uncle to do this sometime ago when he had problems with his throat and was not getting anywhere with his GP. I had a definite feeling that he was going to get bad news. That is what happened. He had throat cancer, a cancerous lump on one of the tonsils. He was dead in ten months.
I wrote to my GP some weeks ago enquiring about a blood test that I had discovered to test for bone density for osteoporosis rather than a DEXA scan. I have had no response.
It looks as though you must have seen the registrar to your consultant. This often happens but I do not think it is as satisfactory as seeing your own consultant. I was told by a nursing friend that you can request to see your consultant.
You are dead right to fight until you get an answer and they prove either that it is cancer or that it is not. We are all behind you on this thread.
Thinking of you and wishing you well.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
I am posting some articles that I found in the Daily Mail Tuesday July 9th 2013 Good Health section that I think might interest you. The first one is entitled How a general anaesthetic could harm your memory for life. The heading is As research finds that three quarters of older patients develop memory loss after surgery. The article is by Lucy Elkins. I think you will find this article most interesting. It is all about how patients in significant numbers develop post-operative cognitive decline (POCD), suffering from memory loss and behaviour changes, which can last weeks but can sometimes be permanent. The article goes further by saying that general anaesthesia may also increase the risk of dementia, possibly by causing inflammation in the brain. Other studies have suggested it weakens the immune system. There is also mention that other countries tend to use less harmful local anaesthetic than the UK. This is a two page most interesting that I think you will want to read.
Another article that was interesting was in the Daily Express Tuesday July 9th 2013 in the Your Health section. The article is entitled New Hopes for Curing Cancer – drugs that harness the immune system could transform the fight against the disease – Jane Symons reports.
http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/413489/New-hopes-for-curing-cancer
I picked up on the fact that it stated that dozens of trials looking at different ways to pump up the body's natural defences and strip away the cloak of invisibility that cancer cells to invade out immune system were presented at the world's largest cancer conference, the annual meeting of the American Society For Clinical Oncology (ASCO) last month. Please read this article as it is important for all of us.
I hope everybody is having a fulfilling week.
Best wishes.
Sylvia.
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Hi Everyone,
I wanted to share this with you!
I'm taking a certification class, and the president of the company is the one holding the class. I know of him through another organization that I belong to, and I've known that his wife was a BC Survivor, but I didn't know much about her or her bc until I took this class. I had also known that it was an aggressive type of bc, so I had wondered if it was TNBC. I finally got the chance to ask about her and find out more!
She is a 10-year Survivor of TNBC! She was dx'd in 2003 with 11/13 nodes positive, and her tumor had grown from 1.5 cm to 7 cm in the initial 3 weeks that they were going through appointments. She was stage 3. She had a UMX first, followed by chemo and radiation.
She is healthy and living a full life!
She read a book called "The China Study" (I just downloaded the 30 minute short version), which influenced her to where she changed her diet dramatically, she also incorporated exercising, juicing, and now she does yoga and meditation, but I don't believe she did yoga and meditation right away. She also employed several other things, such as refusing to let fear control her and really developing a fearless consitution. She tackled it from every angle it seems!
I also saw on TV the other day, that if you want the benefits of juicing, but don't have a juicer, or feel it's too time-consuming, that you can do it another way. You can blend the ingredients, and then use a small strainer to pour the liquid into your glass. You will have juice, without the pulp, just like juicing. I've gone out and bought my strainer, and now will be looking for some great recipes.
By the way, if you don't have Kindle, guess what? You can download (for free) the kindle reader for your computer, and then buy the books for Kindle and it places it right on your computer. I don't know how I discovered that, but it's awesome, and I'm a maniac now buying all these $1.99 to $3.99 download. I think actually if you go through Amazon, they have it set up to where you can press a button next to the ebook, to download the Kindle to PC program, instead of having to go out to the internet to look for it. I'm thinking now that this is what I had done!
With our diagnosis, we all have hope and at times fear. I'm hoping this positive story to refer to will uplift you all!
Hugs,
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Hi Sylvia,
Here is some information from the Mayo Clinic, about why the CA-125 test isn't accurate enough to use for routine screening in all women:
" A CA 125 test measures the amount of the protein CA 125 (cancer antigen 125) in your blood.
Many different conditions can cause an increase in CA 125. These include uterine fibroids, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease and cirrhosis, as well as pregnancy and normal menstruation. Certain cancers, including ovarian, endometrial, peritoneal and fallopian tube, also can cause CA 125 to be released into the bloodstream.
A CA 125 test isn't accurate enough to use for cancer screening in all women — especially premenopausal women — because many benign conditions can increase the CA 125 level. What's more, CA 125 levels are normal in many women with early-stage ovarian cancer."
Direct link provided: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ca-125-test/MY00590
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Hello Debra.
Thank you for your two posts. The informatiom from the Mayo Clinic about CA-125 is very useful and much appreciated. I still think I personally would like to have it done as part of a routine check up just to know what my number was. I suppose I feel vunerable because I ended up with osteoporosis from an undiagnosed overactive parathyroid gland due to parathyroid hormone level not being included in routine blood tests here in the UK. Better safe than sorry.
Thank you for telling us about the ten year TNBC survivor. We all need to hear news like that.
Fond thoughts,
Sylvia.
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Hi Sylvia,
Liz's appointment went well. There is a 4 month waiting list to have her ovaries removed so we will know if she has the brca gene before the operation. She is having a scan to make sure there is nothing there at the moment as she has had a couple of cists in the past so its just a cautionary thing.
I did read the artical about the 2 sisters but to be honest cannot remember that much about it 5 hours later but thats because it was not good news for Liz's friend. I can remember the 35 limit on the CA-125 test but Liz's friend was 35 and they decided to do more tests as they said it was to high.
Liz's friend phoned her local doctor last week as no one would speak to her from the hospital. She was told they had found positive nodes in her groin. When they went to see the Onc today it was a different story. There is lots of Cancer around her spine as well. Liz's friend has been given between 9 months and 2 years to live. She will be having Chemo but there is a waiting list. She should go to the top of it. Its horrible knowing she had to go home and tell her husband and mother (who lives with them) the bad news. She has 3 children 21, 13 and 9 years old that will also have to be told at a later date but not just yet.
Peter
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Wow, a lot to read since I last posted!
SinfullyD - I truly admire your constitution! You are 30 years old and you are demanding answers and not shying away from learning of any diagnosis. That is truly amazing, you are so determined and brave!!! When I 'suspected' something wrong in my right breast (we all thought it was an injury), I tried hard to avoid getting it looked at. I did the whole 'wait one cycle' to see if it goes away, I read all the things on the internet that it could be, etc. I tried to really not go to get it looked at, but of course, the female intuition kicked in, I felt in my heart something was amiss, and I forced myself to make the appointment. Actually, I told a very "squeaky" girlfriend about it, because I knew once I told her, that she would be all over me to go to the doctor, until I had done that. She is very pushy, and I knew once I let the secret out, she wouldn't stop short of an intervention to get me to the doctors. And sure enough, that is what happened. She followed up with me like one day later, asking if I made the appointment .. she was good, and I credit my Mom and her for getting me to the doctor as quickly as I got there. My Mom insisted I go, because she thought it was nothing and felt this was the best way to relieve my anxiety, and my girlfriend, obviously knew that if it 'was something' that early detection is key, but she remained 100% hopeful like me that it was a cyst or something.
I do think from what you posted, that it's a benign condition, but will be watching for your updates. Ultrasounds can miss things when small, but usually if a bump is palpable, it's able to be seen on an ultrasound. I'm glad you are seeking a second opinion to get closure. I really do think you will get closure on this, and once again, I admire your zest! I'm going to call you ZestyD!
Sylvia - Wow! You look beautiful - what a nice photo!
It's been 2 weeks now that I have been going without my wig. My hair is slightly longer than that in your photo, and I had been stuffing it in a wig for 16 months! LOL I had no idea how crazy that was. I colored it with an all natura product, called LightMountainNaturalHairColor in Black, but it is really a darkish brown. My hair came in gray, so the coloring was a must. This hair color is from a powder, no chemicals, and was rated a 0 on the SafeCosmeticsWebsite .... (EWG.org).
And Congrats on your 8 years! I noticed you also updated the heading on this forum with your new milestone, and that is so wonderful that you did that! I really feel the members need a lot more positive information posted, and this is certainly a wonderful validation for all of us, that this is possible!
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Hello peterandliz,
I was so glad to know that Liz's appointment went well, but I am horrified that there is a four month waiting list to have her ovaries removed. It does seem to be that it is all waiting on the NHS but you can get almost instant attention if you can afford to pay and go privately. The NHS is overloaded and I do not know how things will improve in the future. Everyone I speak to, whether it be treatment at hospitals or GP surgeries, are waiting to be seen. I have friends in Dorset who have to travel to different hospitals in their county for treatment. This is not is not right. It is all to do with cutbacks.
I was glad to know that Liz is going to have a scan to make sure that everything is OK with the ovaries at the moment. What kind of scan will she have? It is a good idea to keep a lookout for cysts. Please give Liz my best wishes.
I was glad to know that you had read the article about the two sisters. I do think the Health Sections on Tuesdays in the two newspapers I mentioned are useful and worth reading. It is hard to retain so much information but we do pick up bits of information from it.
I was so sorry to know that Liz's friend has had bad news and I do hope she will be kept comfortable and free of pain for as long as possible and that she might survive longer than they say. Has she been told how all this has happened and where the primary cancer is? I cannot believe she is on a waiting list for chemotherapy. She cannot afford to wait and how can there be a waiting list for chemotherapy? Do you think there is not sufficient space in the chemotherapy ward at her hospital? Do you think there is a shortage of the chemotherapy drugs that she needs? Please let her know that if she is up to posting here we shall help and comfort her all we can. It must have been truly awful for her to get this news and then to have to go home and tell her husband and mother this news. It is going to be very difficult telling the children. Is there counselling available at the hospital? They will need to be able to talk and get help.
Let us know how things go. Take care of yourself, your son and Liz.
Thinking of you.
Sylvia.
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Hello InspiredbyDolce (Debra),
I have to say that I agree with what you said about Sinfullyd. I do admire her fighting spirit, especially as she is doing all this at such a young age. I am glad that we are here to encourage her and support her. Like you, I delayed getting anything done when I found a lump in my right breast, even though I knew it was cancer. I delayed for many months and then one day in June 2005 I decided that I had to get it sorted out and off I went to the GP. I knew what she was going to say and even so I went into a shocked silence. Even when I saw a consultant and had the fine needle aspiration, followed by a mammogram, ultrasound and core biopsy and was told I definitely had breast cancer, I was still not convinced that I was going to put myself through the awful standard treatment. it was strange too that my large tumour had seemed to appear from nowhere after I strained my arm doing some gardening. It took me three months to start treatment after that and during that time I saw a specialist nutritionist, a homoeopathic consultant who dealt with breast cancer patients and had been a cancer consultant, and also a reputable herbalist. All said they could help during my treatment but that I would have to have standard treatment to stay alive. I did take things during those three months but with hindsight I know I was playing with fire. Once I started treatment I gave it 100% and never looked back.
I was very interested to read your own story.
Thank you, Debra, for your compliments about my photo. As I said when I posted the avatar I was wearing a wig and I wanted other women to see that you do not have to be afraid of losing your hair, as you can make yourself look good in a wig. I remember my cancer support nurse telling me to be prepared to wear it for a good eighteen months and that was about right. I never actually went completely bald. I had some stubble all the time. I do not think it is a good idea to shave all your hair in anticipation, as I think that may weaken the roots even more. However, each to her own. I let mine fall out naturally. When it was growing back it was very afro-style and very dark. It is now totally normal but I take care of it and just shampoo and style. It is a natural dark brown colour with very little grey. When I first removed my wig and went into Exeter, I felt that everyone must have be looking at me.
I was interested to know that you are using natural hair dye. I am sure that will be helpful information for women on this thread.
I do think it is good if women who no longer post pop in and let us know when they reach milestones, as everyone needs that important encouragement. I do wonder what has happened to all the women that have been on this thread. It is so easy to pop in and say I know longer post, I have moved on but I have reached whatever milestone and want to say to others that they can do this. I think there is a lot to mind over matter.
I agree with you, Debra, that positive information is very important. I was so sad to hear of the death of Dawn on TNS and I feel for her family. We have to keep looking forward and remembering that more are surviving than not and that we have to focus on more gentle and targeted treatment and on cancer becoming a chronic disease if not a curable disease.
Sending you fond wishes and thanking you for your great contribution to this thread.
Sylvia xxxx
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Good Morning all,
Just read the following headline on AOL in bold below I personnally think Scientists have no real idea what causes cancer apart from a modern lifestyle. They are never going to find a cure or cause by doing surveys. They are a complete waste of time and frighten everyone in the process.
Omega-3 Supplement Taken By Millions 'Linked To Aggressive Prostate Cancer'
A supplement taken by millions for its health benefits may help to trigger aggressive and lethal prostate cancer, research has shown.
Omega-3 fatty acids, derived from fish oils and lauded for their anti-inflammatory properties, were found to increase the risk of high-grade disease by 71%.
Taking omega-3 was also associated with a 44% greater chance of developing low-grade prostate cancer. Overall, the fatty acids raised the risk of all prostate cancers by 43%.
High blood concentrations of all three omega-3 fatty acids commonly found in supplements, EPA, DPA and DHA, were linked to the findings.
Scientists conducting the study compared blood samples from 834 men diagnosed with prostate cancer and 1,393 participants without the disease.
The results add to evidence published in 2011 by the same US team which associated high blood levels of DHA with a doubling of the risk of high-grade prostate cancer.
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Morning Sylvia,
The Cancer services department of the Norwich hospital have not increased in size for 15 years and the Onc said yesterday there has been a surge of cancer sufferers in the last 5 years. I guess patients living longer with cancer and having more treatments has not helped and the increase in the UK population in general. They are building a brand new building at Norwich hospital solely for cancer sufferers at the moment. The reason for the waiting list is because they cannot process the amount of people that need treatment.
We have the Big C charity at the hospital were people can go and talk about cancer and get counciling. Liz's friend has been offered councilling for her family including the children.
As far as we know the cancer started as ovarian cancer but had spread by the time they found it. They still referred to it as ovarian cancer yesterday. It has not spread to other major organs ie Kidneys,liver etc so I think is still classed as stage 3c not stage 4.
Liz's scan will be an ultrasound scan external and internal.
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Hello Debra
I was just reading your post on TNS about using your blender and strainer as a juicer. I did do some juicing when I was going through treatment but got fed up with all the clearing up. I juiced avocados a lot when I was going through chemotherapy as they were very refreshing. Fresh pineapple juice was also lovely, nothing like the juice you buy in the store. I gave my juicer to my brother some years ago. It was quite a neat compact one, not like the big expensive ones on sale today.
The herbalist I consulted when first diagnosed told me not to drink carrot juice, freshly made or not, because it is too concentrated in sugar. I have also read that cooked carrots are better than raw carrots because the cooking brings out the healthy beta-carotene in them. What do you think?
I received a useful little book at the time from the herbalist with good nutrition tips in it. I also had prescribed from him astragalus powder and wormwood pills to deal with the breast cancer while I was making up my mind whether I was going to go for orthodox treatment. I also started the green tea immediately on diagnosis and have been having it ever since, along with bitter apricot kernels.
Best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Peter
I have just seen your new post. I will reply later on today as I have to go out now.
Best wishes
Sylvia
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Hello everyone,
I was wondering if any of you saw the really interesting programme on Wednesday on Channel 5 at 8pm entitled Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead? It will be repeated on Friday at 11:10am on Channel 5. I think you would find it very interesting. To quote from the description in the TV guide:
“Joe Cross, a seriously overweight Australian with a debilitating autoimmune disease, tries to improve his condition by quitting junk food, drinking only fresh fruit and vegetable juice, and weaning himself off steroids on a road trip across the United States.”
It is also available online:
http://www.channel5.com/shows/fat-sick-and-nearly-dead/episodes/episode-1-full-120-slot
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Thanks everyone for the info re CA-125. I am going to ask for that test now!
Peggy0 -
The carrot juice I made yesterday, was a spur of the moment thing to see if the concept worked ... and it did! LOL Maybe other things need to be in the carrot juice as well, I will definitely research. This carrot juice is coming with a lot of comments! LOL
My belief was that the longer carrots are cooked, the higher the glycemic index in them goes up, which the glycemic index is one we want to keep stable, having had TNBC. So I thought raw had a lower index. I do have an app on my phone and will see what it shows!There is an app called Fooducate. You scan any barcode on items and it grades the item, tells you why it got the grade, highlights anything suspicious in it, states what is good, and shows you alternative items if you want to bump up to a higher grade item, etc. It's awesome.
I've been really watching my sugar and fat now. I had some more room for improvement, so I decided to improve! I've cut out all sweets 100% other than these organic cat cookies ... they are low in fat and sugar, and only a few ingredients in them. I eat as a treat only though. I don't worry, in general, about the sugar in fruit as our body does know how to process that. I eat blueberries, without fail every day, and blackberries, when on hand, same with cherries, and maybe sometimes strawberries. If I can find an organic red apple I have that. I do limit bananas though, because they are not on the approved glycemic index list that I downloaded.
I changed my D3 to 6,000 i.u. in pill form, that says it is in organic olive oil I read that aids with absorption. I was using a liquid form of D3 previously.
What did you tell me? I need to make sure to increase Vitamin K with this? What food does that come in? I do need to find a multivitamin this week. I ordered in an amazingly great product, but when I got it, I realized that Vitamin A was listed at 5,000 i.u., and I read online that Vitamin A should be kept to 2,000 i.u., as higher amounts might have a link to developing breast cancer.
I will watch the video you posted. I tried to find it again last night, but didn't find it. I'll run a search this time and see if it comes up!
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Hi Peggy,
They may have already done the test when they carried out other blood tests on you. They tested Liz but we never knew as it came back as normal (a low count). We never knew this until we asked if we could have it done and they told us it had already been done.
We only here of the tests they do that are not as they should be. For instance I have blood tests every year as I am diabetic but never here back about any of them unless something is wrong.
Peter
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