Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
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Hello everyone again,
I have been having another look back through the summer months to try to make some sense of what if happening to the thread. I do hope that there will be more posts as we all settle in to autumn and winter.
Looking back I saw some posts from June/July where the posters just suddenly disappeared.
I wanted to say hello Jrip in Malta. If you are still viewing please let us know how you are.
To Dimwiddi98, in Derbyshire, UK, you posted quite a bit in June and then disappeared so I am also wondering how you are.
To Alabeths, I remember you posted some interesting information and was wondering how you are. I am not sure where you are from. I would love to hear from you.
Sending best wishes to everyone.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Suewirral
I was wondering how you are getting on as you posted back in May when you were having a few problems. I did respond to that post, but since then we have not heard from you. I do remember all that you had been through and I do hope everything has better for you. It would be so nice to hear from you and to be up to date on your news.
Thinking of you and sending very best wishes from the south to the north.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
Someone recently asked me about Fosamax, a bisphosphonate used to treat osteoporosis among other things. The person had been reading some of the posts on our thread, in which I had said that I would not use them and that I had refused to have them. Adagio and I have often discussed them, because we both have osteoporosis. Recently adagio's oncologist was again discussing with her the possibility of taking them, but I remember so far she has not done so. As you know, I have no intention of taking them.
The person recently asking about them has had hormonal breast cancer (ER+, PR+, HER2-) and has now been put on a standard drug, Arimidex (an aromatase inhibitor), to deal with the oestrogen. This is common after treatment for hormonal breast cancer. As we all know, Arimidex affects the bones and can cause osteoporosis, so, in addition to the Arimidex the oncologist is recommending Fosamax.
I was wondering what you would do if you were in this person's situation, or if any of you are taking Fosamax or another bisphosphonate and how you are faring.
I have just asked my friend and neighbour who recently was diagnosed with hormonal breast cancer, had just a mastectomy and is now taking a drug in the same group as Arimidex, called Anastrozole. She has been told of the risks to her bones, has had a bone density scan (DEXA scan) and has been told all is well.
She will now have regular monitoring to see how her bones get affected.
I asked her if she had been offered Fosamax and she said no. she is, of course, in England on NHS so it may not have been offered to her for some reason.
I have another friend, not with breast cancer, who was on Fosamax for nearly seven years for osteoporosis, had little improvement in it but developed problems with her jaw. Despite this she has been offered it again after being off it for a year or so.
As you know, I am self treating my own osteoporosis (caused by a combination of breast cancer treatment and hyperparathyroidism) with Doctor's Bests Strontium Bone Maker, which I get on line. I also take Solgar calcium citrate supplement and Solgar vitamin D soft gel supplement.
I know that at the doctors you can be offered strontium ranelate instead of Fosamax. This is a man-made supplement and not without its side effects.
As with all things, on this thread we cannot give advice. We are not doctors. We can only say what we would do.
I hope we can get some views and information on this matter.
I am even concerned about calcium supplements, because for some time there has been information about cardiovascular problems caused by these and this week I read this again, as well as about research showing that calcium supplements did very little to strengthen bones. It looks as though we need to rely on a calcium rich diet rather than supplements.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hi everyone
Hope you are all doing ok. We have had a few lovely days here hope this sunshine stays a little longer. Hanieh I have only just found how to sent photos on here . This is one of me and my daughter. Xx
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Here are a few photos of my trip to Dubai
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Hi Sylvia
Nothing is really happening with the charity because I don't want to put in effort only to be told that I cannot operate.
I think Jeremy has a big problem over the nuclear issue and it needs to be resolved soon. I don't see how he can say that it is a party decision and then, if the party decides to keep the deterrent, overrule them and refuse to use the weapons.
I watched a fantastic TV programme on Irish TV called "Ireland's Great Wealth Divide" by David McWilliams. I don't think it is available on YouTube yet but look out for it.
Micheal
Ireland's Great Wealth Divide
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Hi Amanda
You and your daughter both look great. Thanks for sharing your photos.
I think you're lucky to enjoy too much rain. Here we mostly have sunny days without too much rain. And whenever it rains people are filled with joy .
Wish you and your daughter the best
Hanieh
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Hi, Sylvia and all
Haven't been here in a while, sorry things have been too quiet on the board. I have been dealing with my treatment for my liver disease. I have 10 days to go and then finished. My Labs done after 4 weeks of treatment showed virus "not detected", and the panel of liver tests were all within normal range. This is all very good news! I will be tested again after the 8 weeks is done (about 10 days from now), and then again in 3 months. Hopeful! It has not been without troublesome side effects for me though, although most people on the drug have no side effects, I am hearing.
I have been reading Chris Woolams latest posts; I am now a little confused on what to put in my morning cup of coffee. For many years I put a spoon of raw honey in it; but after reading "Anti-Cancer, a New Way of Life", I started using agave nectar, xylitol, or stevia. I much prefer the agave or the raw honey. Now Chris's opinion is NOT to use agave, but that it is okay to use raw honey (in moderation), xylitol, or stevia. Other than that, Chris's rainbow diet is much like the diet in the above-mentioned book, I think. I would like to purchase the Rainbow Diet book, haven't quite figured out how yet. His website says it's available to the US, but I haven't successfully navigated the site yet. But I do enjoy Chris's posts, always something to learn there.
Have you ever thought of trying the hyperbaric oxygen treatment?
My 6-month oncologist visit is next month, I have a whole sheet of questions to ask her about things that have cropped up, hope she's not in a hurry!
I have to go for now, wanted to pop in and say hello and tell you I am still here!
I have put my picture on the board put up by the moderators that wants pics of people who use the boards here. I noticed HanTagh put one of her lovely pics there. Amanda, you could post yours there too. It's under "All Topics" about the 2nd or 3rd one down. Or maybe you already did and I missed it! Nice to see all the lovely smiling faces.
Best wishes to all!
Mary
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I feel so frustrated (selfishly) when new research shows that types of treatment (e.g., recent: tnbc better treated with radiation even if you have chemo and mastectomy) or (weekly taxol just as effective in weekly doses as in dose dense bi-weekly with fewer side effects).
Three years out -- too late to add radiation. Also had dose dense and have permanent neuropathy in feet affecting balance.
I'm happy for newbies who can use this info to make treatment decisions but I think the time lag in these studies (e.g., red tape) is getting in the way of long-term survival and quality of life issues.
I'm glad about early results of Metformin trials I've been able to use. However, like many my onc unwilling to prescribe. Now I've moved out-of-state and he's retired, will my new onc (whom I'm seeing next week for first time) be willing to prescribe? Or will I have to go to another type of doc again?
Just needed to vent!!!
Hugs,
Peggy
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re 6 month check-ups--I've not found these very helpful. Perhaps I'm not making the best use of them. Next we I see a new onc due to my move from VA to NC.
What do other people do to make the best use of follow up care (I'm about 3 years out from dx).
Thanks,
Peggy
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Hello Michael, Maryna8, Amanda, PeggySull,
Thank you for your posts. It was good to hear from you all. I shall be replying tomorrow when I have more time.
I have just returned from seeing the podiatrist, whom I see from time to time to keep my feet checked and see what is going on with the peripheral neuropathy from my chemotherapy treatment with Taxotere. I had her test the souls of my feet again through needle prodding while i had my eyes shut. There is still no feeling in the souls of the feet but full feeling on top of the feet. She said the same thing I was told some years ago when I saw a different podiatrist about all this.
There is a new email from Chris Woollams entitled Cancer - the global quest for cures. I have to sit and read it.
I look forward to posting tomorrow.
Wishing everyone a good weekend and to all my fellow Brits, make the most of the glorious weather we are having.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hi, Peggy Sull
I feel as you do about the 6-month check-ups. All that really happens for me is the doc comes in and does a physical look-see for lumps and bumps and asks how I am feeling. No blood tests, (she says it would not be helpful). She has done several MRIs on my lower back, they finally decided it was a cyst not a tumor. My back pain has gotten worse, but I also suffered a fall on my ceramic tile and of course, I landed right on my lower back! I am going to ask her about that and see if she wants another look at it. I also have neuropathy from the Taxotere. Mine went away for the most part, but it seems to have made a big comeback in the last couple months. And it's worse now, to the point that my legs are weak and my ankles and feet hurt, the more I walk the worse it is. I am going to ask her about this, and see if she thinks any of this could be coming from somewhere else. I hadn't heard of neuropathy getting better and then worse!
To sum up my thoughts on the 6-month checkups, it seems to me they are mostly pointless unless you have some kind of definite symptom of something to check.
And I somewhat agree with you about the radiation and neuropathy. I had mastectomy and chemo in 2014. I was offered radiation, but I had so many problems from the chemo, plus a very sore arm on the side they would have radiated that they decided against it. They said the benefits did not outweigh the risks. I got the neuropathy after my first chemo treatment of cytoxan, taxotere, and adriamycin. And I was so ill I was hospitalized. After that they separated my doses of Tax from the other 2. But I didn't do the 12-week regimen of Tax either. In fairness, it was mentioned but I chose the other route, the more dense-dose. Hindsight is 20-20 and I probably should not have done it that way, but I already had the neuropathy. My other problem was that my husband was very ill at the same time. I was trying to finish my stuff as soon as possible. In hindsight, I may have screwed up on my own treatment while trying to take care of him. He has since passed away.
At this point, I am just trying to deal with the problems I have now. I am still alive, and as far as I know, cancer-free. I can't go back and change anything, so I have to just go forward. I guess we can just hope for a cure someday for cancer, or even for neuropathy. I don't like the drugs they now offer for the neuropathy.
Hope you are doing well in all other respects!
Talk to you again, I hope
Mary
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Hello Amanda
Thank you for the lovely photographs. The architecture in Dubai looks really interesting.
Make the most of the next few weeks before you go back to work. Keep in touch and keep well.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Michael
I can understand your frustration with all the bureaucracy but let us hope everything works out well in the end. You should feel proud of the Janette Collins Foundation anyway, because it has a lot of information and I would recommend everyone to have a look at it and read all the information very carefully.
I do agree with you about Jeremy and the nuclear issue. I think he is in an impossible situation with his shadow cabinet, as most of them are hostile to his policies, and this does not say much for the shadow cabinet but he did not have much choice. I think, if things do not work out for Jeremy, who got nearly 60% from members etc. then this could sound the death knell for the Labour Party. Jeremy is a decent man and his policies are beyond reproach in my opinion. It looks as though the shadow cabinet is going to go against the wishes of the members and I think there will be a huge defection of members if these very establishment big wigs in the party and the shadow cabinet destroy him. I cannot understand how a country is prepared to spend £100 billion on Trident, something that only a mad person would use, when we have so much poverty and such a great need for money for health, education and housing.
I know that I would not spend money on something that was going to stay in my cupboard and never get used.
I was interested in the programme you mentioned called "Ireland's Great Wealth Divide". I shall try to find it. I could easily put in England instead of Ireland.
You might like to have a look on line at a very detailed article that was in the Independent on Friday October 2nd on page 35 under the title Section 2/The Big Read – An everyday medical miracle. The article starts as follows "Aspirin is already used by millions to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, but the latest research suggests that the drug could also have a major role in treating and preventing cancer. Cheap and safe, it is the nearest we have to a wonder drug, says Jeremy Laurance, so should we all be taking it?"
There are then two full and detailed pages about this drug.
The headline on the first of these pages is "If a new medicine were launched tomorrow with a similar sized effect as aspirin it would be hailed as a breakthrough".
Apparently aspirin makes the blood less able to carry cancer cells and aspirin can halt the march of any cancer through the body.
I know there has been a lot of information about taking low dose aspirin (75 mg) in a dispersible form as a cancer and heart attack preventive.
In the same paper on page 34, there are some very interesting letters on Letters to the Editor. There is a big headline "Corbyn is right – Trident is immoral".
On page 22 there is an interesting article entitled "Tall people exposed to greater risk of many forms of cancer, say scientists".
I know that you will be most interested in page 31, under the title "Voices", in the tongue-in-cheek article by columnist of the year Mark Steel, entitled "Proof at last that Jeremy Corbyn is genuinely bonkers" and a little heading "It is such a shame that Labour did not elect somebody more moderate, such as Kim Jong-Un".
I hope you and others on the thread will read some of these articles. The aspirin is of great interest to everybody, as well as the tall people theory. The rest might be more relevant to the UK, but the pressing of a nuclear button concerns everybody.
I do not like the latest news about doctors being paid not to refer patients to hospital and consultants. That could be fatal for patients who may have cancer undiagnosed.
There is a lot of food for thought today.
It is another sunny day here but next week it seems all is set to change.
Sending you best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hello Mary,
It was nice to see you back on the thread, which has been very quiet. I hope it will pick up now that the summer holidays are coming to an end.
I was glad to read about all the good news with your treatment for liver disease. Please let us know about the results in ten days time.
I was sorry to read that you had some side effects when most people do not have them.
I was glad to know that you have been reading Chris Woollams latest post. I think you must mean the latest email dated September 30 2015 with the main title Cancer – the global quest for cures. I had a quick read of it yesterday and saw that item 3 was entitled "Why sugar is called the white death". I need to click on the underlined part Why sugar is called The White Death.
I saw that he mentions this other man on a mission like himself, named Ty Bollinger, who is running nine FREE one hour films telling people THE TRUTH about cancer. I need to look at this in more detail to find out how to get the links etc. Apparently Ty Bollinger, and American, did a previous series that was very successful. I think all of us on here will want to watch this. I certainly think Chris Woollams is a man well ahead of his time with everything to do with cancer. I have been reading icon magazine on and off since 2005 when Cancer Active first brought it out. I found it at the hospital when I was first diagnosed. It is now ten years old. I am not sure how many issues come out each year but I have received only one this year.
I think the best policy is to stay away from all sweeteners. The body does not distinguish, I would think.
I am sure there must be a way of purchasing the latest edition of The Rainbow Diet. Try the following link, because this book is despatched anywhere in the world and it has been updated.
http://www.canceractive.com/cancer-active-page-link.aspx?n=3530
I am about t order the latest edition.
As for icon magazine, you can email enquiries@canceractive.com
I hope this helps.
No, I have never thought of trying the hyperbaric oxygen treatment, but if I were newly diagnosed or if my breast cancer were to return, I might think about it because it makes sense. I doubt if you could get it on the NHS here.
Let us know how you get on when you have your visit with the oncologist. It is a good idea to ask questions. I did this from the very beginning and it is all thanks to icon magazine and Chris Woollams. It was quite by chance that as soon as I was diagnosed I went to the bookshop and found a book newly published in 2005 entitled The Cancer Directory by Dr Rosy Daniel, went through it in great detail and wrote down a load of questions, sent them to the consultant in advance of my next appointment and she had all the answers ready at that appointment. From that book I got certain names such as the herbalist Gerald Green and contacted him to get some treatment. I had astragalus and wormwood before I even decided to have orthodox treatment. Gerald Green was in icon magazine as well.
I also had a request form the moderators about joining the picture brigade for Facebook etc. but I have reservations about that. What I did sometime ago was write out the story of my cancer journey for the moderators to add to the thread they have on bc.org entitled Inspiring stories from around the world. That is a very interesting thread.
That is about all for now. I am going to take a break and then reply to PeggySull's post.
Sending you fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Peggy,
It was nice to hear from you. I can understand your frustration that after you have had treatment you read information that might have helped you when you were going through treatment. I have just read all your details and I was surprised that you did not have any radiotherapy in all of that. Until recently it seemed to be that surgery, chemotherapy either before or after surgery (usually before if a tumour was large), was the standard treatment. Here in the UK I was told I would have six months of chemotherapy first to shrink the tumour, then a mastectomy of the right breast, and a month or so later radiotherapy for three weeks to mop up any stray cells.
Do you think there was any particular reason that you were not offered radiotherapy?
As for doing chemotherapy weekly instead of every three weeks, as I had it, a few years ago oncologists must have decided to do it weekly to reduce the strain and the side effects by doing a weaker dose more often. Certainly the women who have been through this thread and on weekly or bi-weekly doses have said that they seem to cope better.
The fact is there is nothing much we can do about this after the event. We are where we are, but we have no choice but to move on.
Concentrate on the fact that you are now three years out and all appears well.
I can sympathise with how you feel about neuropathy in the feet. This is the main enduring side effect that I have from my chemotherapy. My oncologist told me that the neuropathy was definitely caused by the taxane group of drugs. These drugs, as you know, are Taxol (paclitaxel) and Taxotere (docetaxel). I had Taxotere and my oncologist said this had caused the neuropathy in my feet and that there was no cure. Somehow we have to learn to live with it. Neuropathy is a very strange sensation in the feet and is very hard to describe. I am over ten years out now since diagnosis and I have learned to cope. A few years ago I mentioned it to my GP and she said it was neuropathy and it would not go away. I then went to see a private podiatrist to see what she said. She had me close my eyes and prodded the soles of my feet with some kind of needle. I felt nothing at all. I then mentioned it to my oncologist and got the same reply that there was no cure. As I posted the other day, I recently went to see another podiatrist whom I see periodically and again we discussed neuropathy. She said there is no cure, tested me again with the needles and I felt nothing. There is no sensation in the soles of both my feet. She massaged my feet with a cream that she said had essential oils in it and this did make my feet feel good for a while. She is going to try to find out whether there is any cream like this that might bring relief to the neuropathy. I told her I do bathe my feet in warm salt water or bicarbonate of soda, and she said that could only do good. I shall let you know if I find out anything more.
On my left foot on the joint of my big toe I have recently developed osteoarthritis, but I do not know whether this is connected to the neuropathy.
I did ask her whether this neuropathy was the same as the neuropathy that people with diabetes can develop and she told me no. With diabetes it is connected to high blood sugar levels and very poor circulation and can develop into serious conditions. With the chemotherapy related neuropathy it is all to do with damaged nerves.
I think we all have to be happy for the newly diagnosed if their breast cancer can be treated with less vicious treatment, but the real progress will be when we can get away from lethal, damaging treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and even surgery. A friend of mine diagnosed this year with ER+, PR+, HER2-, had had just a mastectomy and nothing else, so she has not experienced all the trauma of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Her cancer journey was very short and she is now on an aromatase inhibitor, Arimidex, which can damage the bones leading to osteoporosis, so she will be monitored for this through DEXA scans.
I do agree with you about all the red tape involved in trials to try to make improvements. They take years.
There is a lot of information about the anti-diabetes drug metformin but I do not think it is prescribed routinely for cancer treatment, at least not in the UK. Of course, it is not without side effects. I think there is a lot of work going on about using well established, non-costly drugs that have been used for other diseases to treat and/or prevent cancer. One of these is aspirin. You will see information about this in my post to Michael.
By the way, I read some years ago that you could buy metformin in the US without prescription.
I hope it did you a lot of good to vent a bit. You are welcome to do that any time here.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Peggy and Mary,
I just wanted to say that your six-monthly check ups sound the same as the six monthly ones I had for a few years and then went on to yearly. I started off with three-monthly. The check up was just a physical and visual one. The oncologist told me that physically when she went over the area of surgery etc. she was looking for everything to feel smooth to the touch. Visually she would be looking for any sign of a rash along the mastectomy scar which could be a sign of recurrence. She would have me hold up my arms and she would carefully inspect there for any sign of something wrong with the lymph nodes. She would also touch all around the nodes in the neck. With the good breast she would do the standard breast check looking for and touching for lumps and looking for anything wrong with the nipple or any swelling of the breast.
If there was any doubt about anything then an ultrasound would be ordered. The same happened with a regular mammogram. If there was anything suspicious you had an ultrasound.
Like you, I had no blood tests looking for markers and was told these were of no use.
To Mary, I do not think that chemotherapy induced neuropathy comes and goes. It is a permanent state of a strange feeling of numbness and stiffness. I have no pain. I do get aching feet if I walk a lot or stand a lot. Recently, like Peggy, I felt a bit unbalanced but that seems to have passed for now.
As you say we have to tell ourselves we are alive and as far as we know we are cancer free. The past is behind us and we just have to live the day.
I hope we can all tune in to the videos that the American Ty Bollinger is going to be running. If Chris Woollams thinks highly of him, that is good enough for me. Have you American ladies heard of Ty Bollinger and did you see his last series of videos?
By the way, Mary, I have not heard of any drugs that are of any use for neuropathy? What drugs are on offer?
Michael suggested that the B vitamins might help, so I do take them every other day.
That is about all for now.
Sending you best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi
I don't think that B vitamins do anything for neuropathy but I am convinced, after six months, that Alpha lipoic works. Don't buy at Holland and Barrett, try Nature's Best.
Michael
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Hello Michael,
Thank you for the advice about alpha lipoic acid. I have just been looking it up on Google and also looking at Natures Best. It is good to have input from other people about what we may like to take for side effects from our treatment.
I hope you are having a good Sunday. It is deadly quiet here in Exmouth and very gloomy.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hello Maryna8,
I have just been reading the recent email from Chris Woollams and looked at the section about why sugar is called the white death in more detail and I do agree with what he said. I was very interested in the truth about cancer and sugar by Ty Bollinger.
I found it hard to believe all the different kinds of sugars. I would think, judging from this, that the best source of a sweetener, if you have to have one, is natural honey, raw and unpasteurised from local sources.
Will you be tuning in to all these documentaries, nine parts, that hit the airwaves on October 13th at 9 pm Eastern (that will be difficult for me here in the UK as it will be 2 am. I am not a night owl!)?
There is so much on the internet about Ty Bollinger.
Take care.
Best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
As I told Mary, I have been going through the email from Chris Woollams, clicking on the headings underlined and printing them out to read. There is a lot of information here that is really useful and interesting. The email is divided into seven parts.
I was most interested and somewhat intrigued at number 1, Watch the series trailer - and register for free. This is easy to do. Has anyone tried it?
I was also interested in number 6, What is your cancer risk? Take Ty Bollinger's quiz. I did the quiz and answered absolutely truthfully all the questions. At the end of the quiz my risk for cancer came out as "much lower" than average. Since I have already had breast cancer, I figure I must now be doing everything I can to keep my risk low. You can do all this quiz for free, so why not try it?
When I printed out the sheets to this I was delighted to find that it included the programme for the nine part documentary, so I now have the time table for this. It goes from October 13th to October 21st inclusive and is at 9 pm Eastern US time. All the headings sound most interesting.
Why not try the quiz and let me know what you think?
My printed pages also said that I would receive a free e-book within 30 minutes and I did.
Raymond also did the quiz and it came out as lower than average risk of cancer and so far he has been cancer-free. He did not get as low as I did because he does have a sweeter tooth, whereas I like bitter taste, such as bitter apricot kernels and 99% chocolate.
I have learned from this quiz that I should not use non-stick utensils. I did know that but I do not like stainless steel, but I shall have to get used to it.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hi, Sylvia
So much information everywhere, it boggles the mind. I also read about the non-stick pans and untensils, although I think the real truth is they are okay until they are damaged and start to flake off. While they are pristine, I believe they are safe. Since the good ones are expensive, most people tend to keep using them rather than discarding. For pots I use heavy stainless steel, love them. I have cast-iron skillet, a stainless skillet (not crazy about) and some pristine non-stick pans.
I have also read it's not safe to store food in plastic containers, one should use only glass. But there I believe the whole truth is that the plastic is not bad for limited use and as long as it is NOT HEATED. Trouble arises when we hang on to plastic containers and put them in dishwasher and/or microwave. The heat releases the toxic chemicals into the contents stored within. I am changing over to glass anyway.
I did take the quiz, I came out as "lower than average". But I believe I would have come out that way before I came down with the cancer. In my case, I am interested especially to watch the part of Ty Bollinger's series that looks like it addresses stressors in life that affect the bodily system. I did sign up for it.
Michael, thanks for the tip about alpha lipoic acid for neuropathy. I am going to try it when I finish this treatment for HCV. I have one more week to go with that. Here's my experience with B6. I was taking a B-Complex pill a day to help with nutritional needs and neuropathy. After a trip to my Family Practitioner with some complaints, he checked my B vitamin levels and found I was good with levels of B1 and B12, but my B6 was sky-high, about 9 times higher than recommended. One of the side effects of this is guess what? Neuropathy! So I am off of it for now, but I still have the symptoms. Sometimes I feel you just can't win.
Sylvia, the only drugs for neuropathy that I know of are the ones I DO NOT like. The neurontin, the combined anti-depressant/ neuropathic drugs such as Lyrica, et al. I do know people that take them, and I actually tried the neurontin but I felt much too drugged. There is nothing out there that touts itself as a cure as far as I know.
Hope the weather is pleasanter across the Pond, we are cool and very dry, need some rain badly. Right now it's all on our East Coast from the Hurricane Joaquin.
Mary
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Hello Michael,
I just wanted to say that I did look up David Mcwilliams on Google and found lots of information. I found two different sites depending on whether I just put in the name or whether I added Ireland's Great Wealth Divide. I would have loved to listen to that broadcast on RTE, but I cannot find a way to do that.
I agree with all that I have read about his views and that same divide certainly exists here in the UK. That 1% has all the wealth and all the power. I agree with what he says about the dangers of this divide, but I cannot find information about how it can be remedied,
I have to stop for the moment.
Best wishes,
Sylvia.
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Hello Mary,
I certainly agree with you that there is so much information everywhere that it almost overwhelms the mind. Thank you for that information about non-stick pans. I have been meaning to replace mine and I shall get some stainless steel ones.
Like you I have also read a lot about plastic containers and that one should use only glass. I have a mixture of these containers, but try not to use too many. I think you are right about plastic as well and I have read that plastic such as is used in boil-in-the-bag food or microwaveable food in soft plastic bags is very carcinogenic. I do not use any of these things.
I was interested to know that you took the quiz and came out as lower than average. I think my score would have been the same as well before I was diagnosed with breast cancer. These quizzes are only indicators.
I do hope I can get to watch the videos in Ty Bollinger's series. It was worth taking the quiz to get all the topics being discussed from October 13th to October 21st. I discovered that each episode will be able to be viewed over a time period of twenty-three hours, so I shall not have to get up in the middle of the night here! I am now going to sign up, knowing that.
Did you get the free e-book? My husband downloaded it for me and printed it, so we have been reading it this afternoon. There is so much that is toxic and carcinogenic in everyday life and all the things we use, eat and drink, that it is overwhelming. Safe alternatives are offered, but are they safe and do they work?
My husband clicked on something to do with Chris Woollams and then found he had received a free e-book entitled The Great Statin Con. We already knew quite a bit about that.
I was surprised about what you said concerning vitamin B complex. I know it is supposed to be the energy vitamin and I have read that you should take vitamin B as a whole complex supplement and not any one of them separately. I have also read that you need the B vitamins only in small doses and that you get the proper amounts when you take the complete complex. How did your B6 level get so high? Were you taking a separate supplement of this? I think B6 is recommended to women going through menopause. Do you think your neuropathy was caused through chemotherapy or through B6? With your symptoms of neuropathy coming and going, do you think it could be something else? My oncologist, GP and podiatrist were adamant that neuropathy was permanent.
I do not know the drugs that you have mentioned. I shall probably look them up, but I have read about the terrible side effects of antidepressants including bringing on dementia. I tend to steer clear of drugs and doctors.
Here in Exmouth the weather has turned wet, a horrible slow drizzle, but it is still fairly mild. We are being told we are going to get the tail end of hurricane Joaquin.
Although it is not for me, I did look up the new thread with photographs and saw yours and Hanieh's. I had seen photographs of Hanieh on our own thread but I had not seen one of you before. I thought you looked great and I can see you take care of yourself.
That is about all for now.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Michael,
I just wanted to quote what I found on one particular article about David McWilliams' broadcast.
"David will suggest a radical solution at addressing this that does not require new taxes but addresses the imbalance and will incentivise people and give them a greater stake in our economy".
I would like to know what this radical solution is. Can you tell me?
Sending you best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hi, Sylvia
I did get the 22-page book, I haven't read it all yet. I am looking forward to the documentary, glad it's 23 hours available. Like you, I do get overwhelmed with the "dos" and "don'ts". I like to use the organic stuff but it's not always easily available here. There is always something on the shelf but limited. And expensive.
Thanks for saying I look like I take care of my self. I try to, but the latest thing that has happened is my blood sodium level is really low. It tends to be chronically a point or two low, but yesterday my onco-doc did a lab test and found my sodium level was very low at 27; supposed to be 36 for low-normal. She faxed the liver doc and he called today and told me to back off my water-drinking. I have been drinking about 3 liters of water a day on this liver-disease medication. This drug makes me thirsty, and I always did drink a lot of water but not this much. Apparently too much! So now I need to build up my sodium levels before my labs with the liver doc next week. It's always something! I guess as with the B6, I think I am doing a good thing and I'm over-doing a good thing.
I wasn't taking a separate B6, I was taking a BComplex with 100 mg of all the B vitamins +Biotin+Folic Acid+Pantothenic Acid. Maybe just too much along with my diet? I am a meat-eater, and a lot of salmon and salads. So I quit taking it while on this medication, almost 2 months now.
I think my neuropathy came from the chemo and it never went away. It did get better a few months after chemo and didn't bother me much. It seemed to make a big comeback in late July, but the oncologist yesterday said that wouldn't be from the chemo. It's the same time that my legs got the weak feeling so I am not sure what is going on. She said that could also be from the degenerative disc disease in my back. But the neuropathy as it is now is bearable, it's the weak legged feeling I don't like and would like to get figured out. 4 days and I am done with this liver medication, then I will see what is left of my other problems. I sure am ready to do something fun instead of all this.
HanTagh is very pretty and has a very handsome family, always takes good pictures. My niece took my picture but she took a lot of them that I threw away!
I shall talk to you soon,
Mary
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Hello Mary,
Thank you for your post. I am sorry that I did not post back straight away but I have had quite a lot to do and I needed to get it all done.
I did read the 22 page e-book but I printed it out to read, as I do not like sitting at the computer for a long time. The book makes very easy reading, but there is a lot to take in.
Despite all the do's and dont's I tend to make up my own mind about what I am going to do and not get too obsessive about it all, as it could drive you mad! We do have to live!
I try to buy organic but it is not always easy to obtain. I am a great reader of labels on all the fresh produce and always look to see where produce comes from. I try to buy British and as local as possible. Recently there has been quite a lot of produce from England or Scotland and I tend to buy that. I have been buying broccoli from Cornwall and lots of fruit from Kent.
I am hoping to tune into these nine videos and I must say that episode one, entitled The True History of Chemotherapy and the Pharmaceutical Monopoly is going to be of great interest to me. I do wish there was a longer time scale as I do not know whether I shall be able to tune in every day for nine days.
I do hope other people on this thread or other threads will be tuning in and will come here with some comments and views.
I do hope you will be able to get your blood sodium level back to the 36 for low-normal. I suppose drinking a lot of water will be flushing sodium out of your system. Are you able to take some re-hydrating salts that you dissolve in water? They are full of electrolytes and will rehydrate. You could try having these instead of the ordinary water you are taking. I know they come in different flavours.
I try to avoid taking vitamin supplements if I can. I am just taking one strontium tablet, one calcium tablet and 4,000IU of softgel vitamin D, mainly for osteoporosis, but try to emphasise a calcium rich diet. Apart from this I just take one multi-vitamin/mineral six days a week. I take nothing at all on Sundays in order to give my body a rest.
I do hope you get to find out why you have a weak-legged feeling. There is always an explanation for these things.
It is true that Hanieh is a very pretty young woman and has a handsome family. I do hope she is alright as we have not heard from her in a while. She might be busy with her teaching work.
At the moment I have started to read the very latest 2015 edition of The Rainbow Diet. I have not got very far, but I was truly interested in the first chapter, which is all about what exactly cancer is.
I do agree that eating the rainbow diet way is very similar to that book by Dr David Servan-Schreiber Anticancer a new way of life.
Autumn is well on its way here. I like the autumn colours of the trees but I do not like the mess of falling leaves or the dying down of nature.
That is about all for now. Take care and keep in touch.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi Sylvia, Mary and all
I appreciate all your kindness and nice comments.
Sylvia as you said, I am pretty busy these days with teaching, translating and also my daughter 's school projects. Not to mention lots of household chores. In fact here in Iran the educational system has changed drastically from the time I was a student. I hope this system helps our children achieve more in life. This state of being busy is the best way to keep the thought cancer at bay. Yet from time to time it shows itself up again.
It has been long since I wanted to post here as I have really missed you. Yet I try to check this and some other threads everyday.
I am really enjoying The Rainbow Diet and so far I have translated four chapters. It's really good to have something to do that you enjoy and could be of help to others.
The weather here is so nice in fall and I really enjoy it.
Lots of love
Hanieh
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Hello Hanieh,
It was nice to hear from you and I do understand that you are very busy these days, what with your teaching, your translating and also, of course, taking an interest in your daughter's schooling.
I was interested to know that your school system has changed drastically since you were a student and I do hope, for the sake of the children, that it is for the better.
The school system has certainly changed beyond description here in the UK since I was at school and it is the same for the university system. I do not think our children here or our older students are being educated to the standards that I and my husband were. They keep changing the types of the schools and the education for 11 to 18 year olds has been turned upside down. The schools are too big and there is a lack of discipline. As for spelling, grammar and general diction, it has gone out of the window. I would not like to be teaching here these days. We have one secondary school here in Exmouth, called the Exmouth Community College (11 to 18 year olds) and it has 2,500 students and growing. I would not like to be there, either as a student or a teacher.
I am glad you are enjoying the Rainbow Diet. I am reading the latest edition of it (2015) but so far I have ony had time to read the first chapter.
Today I am hoping to tune in to these free videos organised by Ty Bollinger and that Chris Woollams has been promoting. It is entitled The Truth About Cancer. Episode 1 that I shall look at today is entitled The True History of Chemotherapy and the Pharmaceutical Monopoly. It id going to be about two hours long. It started last night in the US and each episode is available for 23 hours. There are 9 episodes from October 13th to October 21st inclusive.
That is about all for today. Keep in touch.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hey Sylvia
"The Truth about Cancer" came to my computer at 8 PM last night. I was going to watch half of it as I was very tired, but it was so interesting that I watched the whole thing. I will wait till you see it to discuss, but I will tell you I am almost afraid to watch the show tonight on breast cancer! Some of this is just infuriating, to think what we have been subjected to.
I will talk to you soon,
Mary
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