Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
Comments
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Hello Mary,
I just saw your post to adagio.
What a problem it is with our feet and teeth and what an expense!!!
I think we should start compiling a list of tips for getting through chemotherapy. I recently posted all the side effects of chemotherapy and think we should do another one with the side effects and at the side tips for avoiding them.
I was glad to know that the FDA had approved the cold cap treatment. I am not sure what goes on here in 2015. In 2005 my oncologist was dead against the treatment, because of fear of infection. I understand the cold cap treatment is no picnic and quite long-winded. It would be nice to hear from any patients using it of having used it.
How did you get on with the slippers that you chill and wear on your feet during chemotherapy to prevent neuropathy. I can imagine the cold must be very intense.
If you can avoid hair loss and neuropathy those are great gains. I have noticed recently that the palm of my hands are starting once again to go very red when I feel stressed. The stress makes me feel hot and then the hands go red. It is weird. They used to do this when I first started chemotherapy and my face would flush. Oh what tales we have to tell!!
Your film about Tolstoy sounds interesting. Can it be downloaded?
All for now.
Sylvia xxxx
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Okay, being doing some reading around and this copper thing is very interesting.
So the body does indeed require copper, it is an essential element to life, but in general most people obtain enough copper from their diets. Among its many functions, it is essential for helping many of the proteins involved in angiogenesis to work properly. (Angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels and is a strong target in cancer therapy with the idea being if you cut of the blood supply to a tumor is can't grow and will die). Copper is also required for many aspects of cell growth and proliferation.
The rational behind reducing copper levels is actually rather neat. In tissue culture studies in the lab depleting copper from the media (the special fluid we use to grow cells) reduces growth of normal and cancer cells and there is good evidence that copper depletion from the body reduces cells called EPC's (endothelial progenitor cells). The number of EPCs in blood have been shown to be elevated before or around the time of metastasis and this is likely linked to cancer cells forming a metastatic niche and EPC's aiding the formation of new blood vessels to supply this. The problem with the current anti-angiogenesis drugs is they target angiogenesis regardless of it being tumor derived or the body's normal requirement for new blood vessels. The clever idea with reducing copper levels is that it appears when angiogenesis is tumor driven the copper requirement is higher than normal and this is presumably due to the cancer cells trying to stimulate angiogenesis in an uncontrolled way. So if you reduce copper levels you in theory inhibit the ability of a tumor to drive angiogenesis but not normal angiogenesis.
The original study published in 2013 (by the same group who have presented their findings recently) was small but had some interesting findings. Two stage 4 TN patients were NED at 65 and 49 months. The recent findings are also very noteworthy (this is the link that was posted) 94% disease free survival for the TN patients in the study over a follow up time of ~5 years.
I'll try and get more detail, but essentially copper depletion appears to inhibit any cells that are trying to form a metastatic site and prevents angiogenesis at these sites from properly taking place.
The numbers of patients involved are small, but these are very interesting results!
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Hello Tom,
Thank you very much for helping us to understand more about this copper depletion. I need to do some more thinking about it all. Of course the trials are very small at the moment.
I hope you will be able to start relaxing a bit more in your work environment as the weekend creeps up.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hi, all
Sorry, I saw an article, posted a link but didn't say anything about it. Just ran across it and thought someone might be interested.
Mary
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Hello Mary,
Thank you for the link. I did read it yesterday and found it interesting. I do not really know what to think about it.
There is, of course, no mention of patients like me who went through neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for six months to shrink the tumour before surgery. I did have the surgery just three weeks after finishing chemotherapy. Whatever route one takes, I suppose it makes no sense to delay. All I can say is that I did delay a lot before going to a GP and even getting the first pronouncements that I probably had breast cancer, and then having seen a consultant and got a definite diagnosis, I decided against treatment for some months, before making up my mind to ahead with treatment. I went from diagnosis June 20th and starting treatment about November 17th. Somehow I survived and am still living to tell the tale. During that time of delay I was having oral Iscador, drinking green tea and eating bitter apricot kernels and also under the supervision of a well known herbalist, taking astragalus and wormwood.
All in all, I would not think it prudent to delay as I did. I think I would still prefer chemotherapy first, as it is a systemic treatment going throughout the body. I have read that surgery can spread cancer cells. I suppose you have to listen to your medical team and make up your own mind.
Thank you for taking the trouble to post the link and I do hope some people will post with their comments. The thread is so much more interesting when there is interaction, rather than passive viewing.
Wishing you all the very best.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
I found an interesting website today that I thought you might find interesting. I discovered it because, from to time, I buy products called The Food Doctor and today I discovered lots of information on their website, as well as their ten principles for their "Eating better for ever" and I thought I would print them here for your to have a look at. I have not yet started to look to see if there are any details under each heading. On the product I bought today, I found on the bag Principle Number 9 – Stop and Eat. Number 9: Taking time out to eat will help you enjoy your food more whilst getting the maximum goodness and pleasure from your meals. Chewing slowly also helps aid digestion, so do not rush it.
There is a lot more information on their website www.thefooddoctor.com. They obviously do a lot of counselling about healthy eating, losing weight etc. They do say they are complementary to orthodox medicine, and not alternative.
1 Combine Food
2 Stay hydrated
3 Mix and match
4 Little and often
5 Start smart
6 Cut it out
7 Act now
8 Eat 80:20
9 Stop and Eat
10 Love fat
That is all today.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hi Sylvia,
I am at my daughters in Wexford to look after the boys. Max is progressing well and now has a head band instead of hearing aids.
Oskar is a wonderful if not too attentive big brother.Max certainly will be treated as any other little brother , lots of rough and tumble.
I am not sure when I will be able to go home as the levels of the Shannon are rising and the roads from Ennis to my house are flooded and closed. Damian went out in his car to food shop today and got stuck 2 miles from home. A kind man towed him out, gave Damian a lift home and is keeping the car in his drive until we can get it towed to a garage. The man's own attic was full of water pouring in because of the wind and rain and still found time to help. Other people just turned back and left him knee deep .
When I get home I will post about the Lymphodema. Yes it is more commonly found in the limbs but anywhere where the system is interrupted can be affected. Lymphodema of the breast is on the increase, whilst the arm seems to be on the decrease where breast cancer is concerned.
Exercise is recommended and wearing of special garments. Also to be able to do self drainage helps as the services are very limited and underfunded. There is no specific consultant in Ireland and it can be very difficult to get diagnosed, so self awareness and knowledge are key. Also prevention is vital as once you have Lymphodema its there for life.
I hope that you have not been affected by the storms. It is so sad to see the people whose homes have been devastated for the 2nd time in 6 years. Infact some where just cleaning up after last week when they were flooded again. So thankful to be warm and dry.
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Hello Lindsay,
It was so nice to have you back on the thread, and to have news of Max and Oskar. I do hope all is going well as you look after them by yourself.
I was so glad to hear that someone had come to the rescue of Damien. It does restore your faith in human beings in what is a very selfish world, You only have to think of that incident at the tube station in East London. It is unbelievable that one man alone was left to tackle a terrorist, while the others stood around taking photographs on their mobile phones. I do hope all that rain goes away soon. Apparently it is all to do with the position of the jet stream.
I shall look forward to hearing from you about lymphoedema when you get back home.It is something that can happen to any of us when going through surgery.
Keep well and keep in touch.
Love.
Sylvia. xxxx
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Hello Cathytoo,
Thank you for your PM and I am so glad that you got in touch. I was glad to know that you found my response encouraging.
With a diagnosis of DCIS and some invasive cells, and no lymph nodes affected, you have every reason to be optimistic. Your tumour is not large and most breast cancers with triple negative receptors are grade 3. It is good that you had good clear margins and the doctor is right to be optimistic about your prognosis.
At your age, cancers usually form more slowly than in younger women. It is excellent news that you are in fine health and are not taking any pills. It is also excellent that you are healthy, active and feel twenty years younger. I think this is quite exceptional. In the apartment complex where I live and where we have twenty-one apartments, my husband and I are probably the only ones not taking any pills! Lots of the people here are on a cocktail of pills. Keep up the good work. Like you, at 73, I look very youthful, keep active and do not feel anywhere near my age. I had never been ill until diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) which seemed to come from nowhere.
There are quite a lot of risk factors for developing breast cancer but they do not necessarily mean they caused the cancer.
Are you going to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy? It would be useful if you put your details in your profile. If you are going to have chemotherapy. Please let us know what you will have.
Having a healthy diet is very important and all of us on this thread are very informed about healthy eating and try to eat as healthily as we can. I and others basically follow the Rainbow Diet, which means eating a lot of fruit and vegetables, of all different colours, and organic where possible. You might like to join up to the Cancer Active newsletter from Chris Woollams. He has written a book entitled The Rainbow Diet and is very much informed about all aspects of cancer. Go to www.canceractive.org. It is free and full of information. You can also get information on line.
I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, especially green vegetables of the cabbage family, and anti-oxidant rich fruits such as blueberries. I avoid dairy products like the plague because of their growth factor hormones and have instead organic soy yoghurt and unsweetened Alpro almond drink. I eat some wild salmon and some cold water prawns but no meat or poultry. I do not drink any alcohol but eat nuts, seeds, beans and pulses. I avoid processed foods.
Along with a healthy diet, I try to keep physically active by doing some walking and gardening.
I think it is very important to avoid negative stress as it increases the stress hormone cortisol in your body and this is not good for you.
I have not tried any CBD (by which I think you mean medical cannabis) or metformin, but I do take vitamin D softgel capsules by Solgar. I have been taking them regularly since diagnosis in 2005 and I shall continue to do so.
It is early days yet for you but you will find that as time goes on, you will think less about cancer and your life will become more normal. Concentrate on the positive and tell yourself you are going to survive. Live every day to the full.
In the ten years since diagnosis I have never had a recurrence. Before I started my chemotherapy, I had a CAT scan, a bone nuclide scan and an ECG test. When I had finished treatment I had the same scans again. After that I started on check ups every three months, alternating between my oncologist and my breast cancer surgeon. After a couple of years these went to every six months, again alternating. Finally, in the last years I was discharged from the breast cancer surgeon, but continued with the oncologist until I reached ten years since diagnosis last summer. During that time I had mammograms every three years.
On the thread we talk about breast cancer and what is going on with trials etc., as well as our ups and downs. We also talk about our lives and our interests, as it is good therapy to switch off our brains from cancer.
I do hope this helps and I do hope we shall hear from you.
Keep well, keep positive.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Sylvia...you must have been sent to me from an angel! Your words have made such a difference to me. I have read differing opinions...Older women die quickly from TNBC. Older women do better than younger women. Prognosis grim for women over 70. Prognosis hopeful for women over 70. My lump appeared out of the blue. However, I had been under a lot of stress. My husband died suddenly this past March. I thought I was handling things well, but I guess my breast didn't get the memo. I don't have one ache or pain in my body. I don't actually believe that hateful tumor was ever inside me. And, even though breast cancer is always on my mind now...I really don't believe it will kill me. I have already begun changing my diet. I'm not a walker but I will give it a try. I am low in Vitamin D and will buy a bottle this afternoon. I will give CBD a try. And my family doctor believes that Metformin does help decrease a risk for recurrence. I will begin taking a small dose. I see two oncologists over the next week. I'm praying I hear positive feedback. I said at the beginning of this journey that I would never do chemo. But, now I know that I will do anything and everything to kill this monster. I won't let it kill me. Thank you so much for being such a strong and encouraging voice.
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Hello Cathytoo,
Thank you for your post and I was so glad to be of help. Do not worry about all the differing opinions as, because of the internet, we are all overwhelmed with information and statistics. We are not statistics we are individuals.
Like you, my lump appeared from nowhere. It seemed as though one minute there was nothing and then I had a large lump. Back in 2005 in the UK in the hospital that I went to, I was not told very much, just that I was not hormonal positive and therefore after treatment I could not have tamoxifen, so the prognosis was poor. Later, I was told that I was HER2- and that was good. At that time I was not using a computer, so I did all my own research from books and putting it all together understood that I was oestrogen negative, progesterone negative and HER2 negative. I was probably told that I had invasive ductal carcinoma, which was the most common type of cancer, but that most women had oestrogen positive, progesterone positive and HER2 negative. I just kept reading books and trying to be one step ahead of my medical team, so that I was in charge of my own body.
Like you, I had been through a lot of stress and I definitely think that played a part in the development of my cancer.
It is good that you seem to have a sense of humour, so I am sure that is going to help. Keep to a simple diet and just a gentle walk a day will suffice.
I am sure the vitamin D will help, as unless you get some sum each day, the body will be low in vitamin D.
A good motto is be positive about triple negative.
I do hope all will go well with your two oncologists next week and I cannot see really why they would not be positive.
I hesitated a lot about chemotherapy, but once I realised that I did not have much choice, I went through it in a positive manner, took care of myself, and never really felt unwell during the treatment. A good friend gave me the advice to drink plenty of water, especially just after the chemotherapy, get plenty of rest and be strong. I have never forgotten that. It is important to stay hydrated through chemotherapy and to avoid crowds and anyone with colds etc. as your immune system is weakened so you can pick up germs and infection easily. I was also told to avoid raw food and seafood during chemotherapy treatment.
Please keep with us and we shall do all we can to help.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello peterandliz
I was just wondering how things are going with you. I do hope Liz is still doing well and that you and your son are in good spirits as well.
To marymargarethope, suewirral and jackpot (Gill),
I hope all three of you are well and getting on with your lives post-your cancer journeys.
Thinking of you and sending best wishes from all on the thread.
Sylvia
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Hello everyone,
Just wanted to let you know that I have just received the latest email from Chris Woollams dated Decemebr 11 th 2015.
There are five headings that are of great interest.
1. New book - Rainbow recipes.
2. Twenty reasons research shows you should avoid sugar.
3. Managing stress is essential to surviving longer.
4. Essential to your good health and beating cancer.
5. Personal prescriptions.
Remember that there are headings within these five on which you can click for more information.
They are.
New book Rainbow recipes, Rainbow recipes learn more.
Twenty links between cancer and sugar.
How to reduce stress hormones in your cancer programme.
The essential ingredient in your anticancer programme.
Personal prescriptions.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hi, Sylvia and Cathytoo,
Cathy, I am so glad you talked to Sylvia and came over. She is a wonderful friend; even though she has been clear of cancer over 10 years she is still interested in the subject and wants to help in any way she can. At whatever stage in our cancer journey we are, it is on our minds a lot; it has helped me so much to have a place I could come and talk about whatever was going on. Nobody will understand your situation like someone who has been there. Also I want to offer my condolences on the loss of your husband; I am in your shoes there. I lost my husband in February 2015.
Sylvia, I read Chris Woollam's email too; I was very interested in the effects of stress on cancer; and apparently there is research that proves what we already knew. Stress can cause cancer. I was interested and sympathetic to read that Cathy lost her husband in March, and I lost my husband in February. I had a very large amount of stress that actually began in 2008 when my brother became very ill and died 2 months later of a very rare disease called CJD. He had never married and I was with him most of the time through the debilitating effects of this fatal disease. The weekend after his funeral my husband called from the hunting trip he was on and said he needed to go to the hospital with breathing problems. That began our journey through many hospitalizations with problems issuing from lung disease, and then heart problems, and then kidney failure this year. We did have some good periods through those years but gradually he could do less and less and I had to do more and more. I had a clear mammogram in Sept. 2013, and a full gyno exam in December 2013. In January 2014 I had to take him back to the hospital; the next day I was at our farmhouse chopping a frozen drain pipe and I was just feeling overwhelmed. About 2 weeks later I found a lump in my breast that had seemingly come from nowhere and I knew it wasn't good. It's been almost 2 years since then, hard to believe. I had considered myself in fairly good health before all that, I was very active and watched what both of us ate very carefully. There had been only one paternal aunt that had ever had cancer, and that was from a very large family. So I do believe in stress as a causation.
I was impressed by all the info on Vitamin D, I knew it was good for us but apparently it's better than I knew! I better get some more.
Have to stop for now, will talk to all later.
Mary
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So nice to "meet" you Mary. Sorry about your husband. I can really relate to your story. I sent you a little private message.
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Hello Mary
Thank you for mentioning our thread to Cathy and I am so glad that she has come over to us, so that we can help. Thank you for your kind words about me. I think I shall maintain an interest in all aspects of cancer and in particular breast cancer with triple negative receptors. I definitely think these threads serve a useful purpose, as nobody knows better than all of us what we go through from diagnosis, through to treatment, and then after treatment. I think we can all honestly say that nothing is quite the same after we have experienced breast cancer.
It is so good that you and Cathytoo have come together through these threads because only the two of you who have lost your husbands this year can know what it is like. You both seem like courageous women who are coping with the loss in addition to breast cancer.
I was so glad to know that you had read Chris Woollams' latest email. We are so lucky to have someone like him providing all this information. I have just been reading the detailed parts of the email by clicking on all the various headings. I was very interested to read about his new book Rainbow Recipes and am glad it has been such a success. I do have a copy of the Rainbow Diet book, which I find most interesting and most enlightening.
I have just read through the various pages (I tend to print out the information) on Twenty Links between cancer and sugar. I do hope everyone viewing and posting will read these pages carefully, as there is so much important information here. I was particularly interested in number 3 of list which states "People with the highest blood sugar levels develop more cancers, and people with cancer and high blood sugar levels survive least. Poor sugar control has been consistently linked with cancer and people with diabetes have higher risk of cancer. This may be direct – through glucose – or indirect – through insulin, according to the American Academy of Oncology Nutrition."
We all know that we have an epidemic of diabetes, mainly adult onset diabetes, called type 2 diabetes. We all know how serious this illness is and that it is a lifestyle illness that needs to be controlled through getting blood sugar levels normal. We do this through diet. The most common medication is metformin, so we can see how this pill is now being used in cancer treatment and prevention.
Looking through my printed papers I have underlined so much that it would take too much time to print out, so please take the time to read it for yourselves.
One last word on number 6 "As long ago as 1973 research showed that sugar consumption could block the action of the immune system from attacking cancer cells".
With my local supermarket, stocked up with wall to wall sugar products, it might be good for all of us to boycott them and make this a sugar-free Christmas, but remember to eat your Brussels sprouts!
Like you, I was most interested in number 3 "Managing stress is essential to surviving longer" and the subtitle to click on "How to reduce stress hormones in your cancer programme". We all know there is not one factor causing cancer and that it is multi-causal, but I do think there is a lot of truth in these pages.
I liked the question at the head of the page "Can your emotions and mental state make you ill; can they heal you? Answer: Yes, most definitely".
I can see how you would be interested in this because of what you have been through with your husband's health and your own health, not to mention your brother whom you have now mentioned.
I have always been convinced that stress played a great part in the development of my own cancer. I have had major stresses in my life and in 2002 there was major upheaval as Raymond and I moved in retirement to Devon. Just three years later I had breast cancer and my breast cancer surgeon told me she thought it had begun three years previously. As I said before I was also diagnosed with an overactive parathyroid which she definitely said preceeded the breast cancer. That parathyroid problem as I now know from reading this latest email, not only was taking calcium from my bones to the blood, but was also depleting vitamin D through causing high blood calcium levels. I have had many other stresses as well.
I was very sorry to read about your brother and how he died very quickly from CJD. I do remember all the news about mad cow disease here in the UK and how it had been transferred to humans and called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. My heart really goes out to you, Mary.
Have you noticed that we all say that our lumps appeared from nowhere. It must be something to do with our bodies filling up with the stress hormone cortisol. Again, I wonder why we are not tested for this. Life is not an easy journey, with lots of ups and downs and lots of worries. Since we have only one life, we should be able to go through it in a carefree way. Can you imagine all the inflammation build up through all that cortisol in our bodies? It is no wonder we have so many chronic diseases and especially cancer.
I picked up in particular on the following. "There is also research that shows an emotional disturbance (family deaths or divorce) can definitely be a tipping point and that people can develop cancer within two years of a major trauma."
I am not superstitious but looking back over my life, bad things seem to happen often in the years ending in a 5!!! I am glad that 2015 is nearing an end.
I can identify with you about being in good health, keeping active and watching what I eat and then being diagnosed with breast cancer. My consultant, the breast surgeon, told me I should not have it, but she also said that with healthy women the immune system can get lazy and fail to see off cancer cells!!! at the time, I was also concerned that I had the triple negative receptors and could find only women with hormonal breast cancer.
I do hope everybody will read these very important pages and look at what they say.
What did you think. Mary, about the emotions that are thought to heal you? Eating a colourful Mediterranean diet, fish oils, and how they protect your telomeres, yoga, and meditation? We should all remember how good laughter is for us. Apparently laughter improves the immune system. We all need to do or find things that make us laugh.
I am going to end my post for today and will talk to you about numbers 4 & 5 tomorrow. Number 4 which is all about vitamin D is too important to do in a hurry.
Have you finished all your kitchen renovations for Christmas?
Where will you be spending Christmas?
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Sylvia
We are all ok thank you. I do still read every post.
Liz still has a lot of aches and pains some but not all caused by chemo. She feels like she is 70 even though she is only 46. Liz has had the an ambulance out to her as she trapped her sciatic nerve and has a bursa at the top of her leg.
Along with my diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis I now also have plantar fasciitis in my foot which can be very painful but I refuse to cut down on the amount of table tennis I play. One of my team mates has had 2 players drop down dead while playing table tennis and I believe I will be the 3rd. But life is for living and I refuse to get old just yet.
We managed to get away in the motorhome to the South of France at the end of September for a couple of weeks but we plan to get away a lot more next year all being well.
Merry Christmas to everyone on the thread.
Peter.
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What an interesting and informative post. Thanks so much for posting this information. You're amazing!
I haven't seen any posts yet about Metformin and the positive effects it has on triple negative breast cancer. Lots of study results out there.
I just got a Rx from my primary doctor today. Seems to be a benign drug with few side affects. Just need to keep an eye on your blood sugar
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Hello Peter,
It was so nice to hear from you and to know that you are OK. You are someone I shall never forget from the very fact that you read the posts from beginning to end on this thread before posting! I doubt if anyone else has done that. I felt very proud of you. I thought it was a very good idea that you had. I look back from time to time and wonder what has happened to all the people that have gone through this thread. I hope they are all getting on with normal lives.
I was sorry to read that Liz is still having lots of aches and pains. I do hope she can find some kind of relief from them. I suppose the secret is to try to find the source, but that is not always possible. I can imagine that a trapped sciatic nerve must have been very painful. People who have suffered from anything to do with the sciatic nerve tell me that it is extremely painful. I do hope she will be alright now.
How are things going with your diabetes? I have a cousin with this nasty disease and quite a few friends and acquaintances. My cousin has a lot of problems with his feet and has frequent visits to the foot clinic. He has been on insulin for quite some time now.
I do not know a lot about rheumatoid arthritis except that it is described as an auto-immune disease. Does it cause you a lot of pain?
I do sympathise with you about plantar fasciitis in your foot. I suffered from that a few years ago and I know that it is painful and takes a long time to heal. It happened to me when I was walking along Exeter High Street one day and suddenly I had crippling pain under the heel of one of my feet. I had to limp back to the car and Raymond drove me to our local Exmouth hospital where I was told it was plantar fasciitis and it would just heal itself. It did but it took a long time. Recently, I saw one of the neighbours here, limping along and I knew what was wrong. Yes, he had plantar fasciitis. Often, I think with these problems, it is best to try to carry on as normal. I do admire you for carrying on with your table tennis, but it must be very painful. I can understand your attitude that life is for living and you are too young to get old just now!
Remember the latest headline in some of the papers about metformin prolonging life, perhaps even to 120! Metformin seems to have redeveloped itself into a new wonder drug. As you know it is now being used in breast cancer treatment.
I was glad to know that you had got away in your motorhome for a break in the South of France. Where exactly did you go? I lived in Toulouse for a couple of years many years ago.
Wishing you all the best. Keep in touch and have a good Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Best wishes.
Sylvia
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Hello Cathytoo,
I was glad to know that you found all the information useful. I was interested to know that you now have a prescription for metformin. Did you get it prescribed specifically for breast cancer treatment? I do not know which country you live in. I know it is being prescribed in the US but I do not know whether it is the case in the UK.
I shall post more later on when I have more time. I need to finish the details about Chris Woollams latest newsletter and see what I can find about metformin.
Talk to you later.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello adagio,
I was just wondering how your fast went. I have been juicing some green vegetables in a blender and found the drink quite pleasant, but have not been fasting.
Hello Hanieh,
We have not heard from you in a while. I hope all is OK.
Hello Michael,
I hope all is well with you and with Alex after his ordeal. We have not heard from you since you told us about it.
Best wishes to all.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hi, Sylvia
For some reason the Rainbow Diet book seems to be unavailable in this country; I have checked on Amazon and I can buy the paperback version for $255.86!! Seems a bit excessive. On Chris's website it doesn't look available either. I have the general idea though; eat lots of colorful foods, heavy on the veggies. "Good" oils too. I have to admit the sugar thing is tough for me, I do have a small sweet tooth. Being raised on a farm it's hard for me to think that honey and molasses are bad for me. I can remember my dad and our neighbors getting together to harvest the sugar cane and make molasses, an all-day job stripping the cane and cooking it down. By the time I came along in the family we no longer had our own beehives but had relatives that did. I actually didn't like it then, and preferred the refined white stuff and remember sneaking a rare spoonful when an adult wasn't looking! I have heard good things about honey as to it's anti-allergy properties. The theory is that if you eat honey that has been harvested in your local area you will be ingesting those plant allergens, thanks to the bee's hard work, thus building up your own defenses. I have for many years put small bits in my morning drinks, either coffee or tea. After cancer I learned about the cancer feeding on the glucose and read that I should only use agave nectar or xylitol for sweetening. I did not like the xylitol but did like the agave nectar and began using it. After a while I noticed I was having much worse sinus headaches, and general allergy issues. I went back to the honey, and returned to my more manageable symptoms. It happened once more after reading how very bad all sugar is; and once again I stopped and then returned to having a small bit of honey in my morning drink and have a lessening of the sinus pressure and pain. So there is some anecdotal evidence, truth or coincidence, not sure; but in my mind there is a connection. I have read very bad things about the high-fructose corn syrup which is a sugar that is so highly processed it is considered worse than regular sugar, and it is the sugar that is found in soft drinks and highly processed packaged foods. I always check the label if I am buying anything in a package and avoid it when possible. Eating out in a restaurant is difficult, you never know then; but life is short and I will take that chance once in a while.
You are certainly right about the supermarket, it is wall-to-wall sugar; it is hard to find a cereal that is not loaded with sugar. I wonder how many problems are arising and will arise from all the sugar that children consume.
As to the ways Chris Woollams says to manage stress: he mentions the Rainbow Diet and fish oil. Not too hard to do that, hope it works; I have taken fish oil supplements for quite some time. I eat more fish now that I am alone; my husband did not care for salmon, mahi-mahi, halibut etc. so we did not have it often. He only liked the fish locally caught in our rivers and ponds. Woollams also mentions yoga, which I would really like to do. My family doc suggested it to me as well; but there is not a good program for it anywhere close around here. I did buy a CD of yoga for beginners the other day, thinking perhaps I could learn it that way. As to the Transcendental Meditation; there has been an advertisement running for some time on the radio for it; I read up on it a bit. From what I can gather one goes to a center, and pays a goodly amount of money and goes to a few sessions. A personal mantra is given that has been carefully selected for you, and you are trained in how to use it. Apparently the mantra is very important, the wrong one can cause bad things to happen. This is the Eastern method, I think. Many years ago I dated a young man who used TM on a daily basis, and he believed it really helped him calm his thoughts, and find his center and sense of balance. I use somewhat the same method sometimes at night when I wake and can't go back to sleep, repeating a prayer over and over or maybe "counting sheep" is somewhat the same principle; although I have no idea if I am using the "proper" words or images; I am just using anything that helps quiet the mind and reel in the random thoughts that run through when you don't want them to do so. I just don't think one can get through this life without having stress, so managing it does seem to be very important.
As to my kitchen, it is finished. I did also decide to work on the little rooms that join it on either end. They are not finished, one is only missing a light switch and closet door. The other needs paint, wood trim, new electric outlets and switches and the outside door finished up. I never thought it would take so long but the end is in sight.
Christmas has always been a very busy time for us, this year promises no difference. My step-kids will come around noon on Christmas Eve with grandkids, and we will be together here until about 3:00 when we will go a few miles and join my husband's side of the family and have a big meal and some games and gifts. I will have to leave there around 6 PM and go to church because I sing in the choir and that is when our Christmas service is, we start singing around 6:30 and service is at 7 PM. Then my friend wants me to come back to where I was, pick her up and go another friend's house to finish off the day. This has been our routine for many years until cancer and chemo, I told her I am not sure I will make it to the last stop on the list, which would disappoint her because she is busy the next day. I will have a very quiet Christmas Day, and then will probably visit with my siblings and nieces, nephews and families the day after Christmas. It sounds like a lot of running about, but when people are so scattered and have so many places to go it is almost a miracle when we can all get together so I do value these visits, however hectic. Just need some decompress time, hopefully I will find some here and there. It is probably also good to be busy, so as not to sit around and think about the fact that my husband is not here. That is also a big reason I went ahead with the kitchen remodel when I did, I figured it would be a good distraction. And it definitely was, although at times I really questioned my decision!
I had better leave off for now.
Cathy, I did read back and see that you are waiting for appts. with 2 oncologists. I see my onco in April, I think I will ask her what she thinks about the metformin. So far I have not heard it mentioned by a doc around here, it's probably still mentioned more for diabetic patients.
Talk soon, Mary
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Maybe of interest, I revisited the Woollams shopping site and can now purchase the Rainbow diet book for a bit $50, which is steep but better than Amazon. I may wait a bit.
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Maybe of interest: I revisited Woolams's shopping site and can now purchase the Rainbow Diet book, for a little over $50, which is steep. Better than Amazon, but I may wait a while on getting it.
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Hello Mary,
Thank you for your two posts. I shall answer them in more detail tomorrow and try to finish off posting about Chris Woollams latest email. That number 4 item, which is all about the importance of vitamin D (not actually a vitamin but a hormone) I need to go through more carefully. It has been a busy day today!
I think we all need to have a discussion about metformin as well.
As for the book, the Rainbow Diet, it is only available through the Cancer Active website. That was the only way I was able to obtain it. It costs £18 plus postage. I would imagine it is available world wide but it would be sent from the UK. That might explain the cost in the US. This edition would be the most recent and the most updated. It is the fourth edition. Any others in places like Amazon will be old editions. It is a very good book and well worth the money as it can be kept as a reference book.
I shall talk more tomorrow.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello Mary,
I was interested in what you said about honey. I am sure it will not hurt to have a little bit of honey and molasses. I read long ago that both of them have nutrients and I did read also about honey, eating the local honey, and anti-allergy properties. I think the main problem with sugar is that it is everywhere and we all know we should have everything in moderation. I think honey is probably less harmful than agave nectar and xylitol. I stay away from these artificial sweeteners that are in vogue at the moment.
It is the high fructose syrup that seems to be causing all the problems, so I think that is one thing to stay away from. This is being put into all kinds of food. I rarely buy anything where you need to read the labels as these are all highly processed.
I agree with you that it is difficult to eat out, and that is especially the case in the UK. You do not really get value for money and probably not a lot of nutrition. Raymond and I have a couple of places where we go, just for a change, but we have very simple things. We find that restaurants are too noisy these days and that people are shouting, not speaking, and talking on their mobile phones. It is all very antisocial.
I agree with you about what Chris Woollams says about avoiding stress. I find that other people can cause you stress and I try to avoid negative people. I remember reading years ago a book by Hans Selye about good and bad stress. I find that the best way for me to relax is just to sit quietly and think about nice moments etc. Deep breathing is good, too. I have never done yoga but I read only good things about it. I try to learn not to worry about things, but it is difficult. Modern life seems to be getting more and more stressful and more and more complicated. I do wonder where it is all going to end in the Middle East. I just cannot see the point in bombing countries to destruction and killing innocent people.
I was glad to know that you had finished your kitchen, and I am sure it has helped to keep your mind off other things.
I read all the details about your busy Christmas. It all sounds very hectic but if it is enjoyable that is all that matters.
That is about all for today.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone,
I am going to try to finish what I was posting about "Four essential steps to incorporate into your fight against cancer".
1. Rainbow diet.
2. Twenty reasons research shows you should avoid sugar. - (I think sugar is your enemy.)
3. Managing stress is essential to surviving longer.
4. Essential to your good health and beating cancer and an essential ingredient in your anticancer programme. Vitamin D and make sure it is vitamin D3.
There has been a lot of research evidence showing how important vitamin D is and I would encourage you to read the eight pages on vitamin D. The link is:
http://www.canceractive.com/cancer-active-page-link.aspx?n=509
Here are some things you might like to know.
Vitamin D helps our infant cells mature correctly.
Vitamin D is an important factor in cancer prevention.
Vitamin D activates the immune system to work against rogue cells.
Vitamin D has the ability to normalise and correct cancer cells – it is the 'ultimate epigenetic compound'. It can 'kill' cancer cells.
2015 research shows that its levels in your blood at the time of diagnosis can also predict survival times in breast cancer.
2014 vitamin D was shown to make certain chemotherapy drugs work better and researchers in America are proposing to use it as part of a hormone therapy package with breast cancer patients. If you go to the link and read the pages you will find more details about all this by further clicking.
Vitamin D seems to play an important role in preventing all manner of illnesses too and by clicking again there are details about low levels of vitamin D linked to illnesses such as dementia, type 2 diabetes and MS.
I shall leave it up to you to read the pages mentioned for lots more details.
Vitamin D is hard to get in your diet and you need to get out in the sunshine in moderation, as vitamin D is formed in the skin through sunlight and/or take vitamin D supplements, especially through all the months when there is little or no sunshine.
That is all for today.
I just leave you with this news. On the radio today, on the news, it was stated that 90% of cancers are caused by lifesyles and the environment.
Best wishes to all.
Sylvia
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Hello Peter
I was interested to read that you had plantar fascitis along with rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. I have friends with the RA, one is taking shots of Enbrel and one is choosing to treat with diet by avoiding certain aggravating foods and taking supplements. I hope you can find some relief.
I wanted to ask you about the foot problem. I started having burning aching heels about a month ago. I have discovered if I wear shoes with a very good arch they are not as painful but if I wear a flatter shoe walking is agony and so is standing for any length of time. At night just sitting in a chair with feet up they still hurt. I have not had a diagnosis, but wonder if that sounds like anything you have experienced?
I also want to tell you that my sis-in-law (hair stylist) and another stylist down the street from her had the same problem. And they are both on their feet all day. They went to a sports medicine doctor who performed a procedure called "Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection" (PRP). It is non-surgical, involves taking some blood, getting platelets, and injecting those into the site. I heard they were limited on their feet for only about 2 days, and then back to working on their feet all day. Both are completely happy that they had the procedure and that was a couple of years ago so it is a lasting result. You can google it and see what you think. I did that briefly and everything I read was positive. So that sounds like good news to me.
I join your wife in her aches and pains. For me it all is much worse since the chemo treatment, and I too feel like I have aged a lot in the last 2 years.
Best wishes to you both!
Mary
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Hello everyone,
A couple of days ago I mentioned that I had heard a report on the radio, that stated 90% of cancers are caused by lifestyle. I have found a link to the article in the Daily Telegraph that the radio report referred to. The link is:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/120552...
Best wishes to you all from a grey, damp Exmouth.
Sylvia
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