Survivors who have used only alternative treatments
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Kira~sorry just now seeing this. Yes, I did one (triple dose) round of just herceptin and I was very ill. My intentions were never to seek just herceptin. Was scheduled to begin tch x 6 and told him that no way I could. I asked if just the herceptin and my onco was/is willing to do that. I'm in a cloud of confusion on how to proceed. I just don't want toxins.
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So you have had one triple dose of just herceptin and were very sick? I'm so sorry you are having such a hard time with it.
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Nancy91355, with all due respect, the side effects aren't what they were back then because we have better drugs to manage the side effects. But the chemo's toxicity and effects remain the same. Not much has changed there. Sure, there are targeted therapies if you are Her2+, but for the majority of us, it's the same old, same old.
xxoo
Melissa
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Hi, I am new to this forum and received a reply to my post saying I should join in this topic so here I am. I was diagnosed with stage 3A IDC ER-/PR-, HER2+, 5/24 nodes and told by my oncologist I had only 1 to 2yrs if I didn't do chemo and radiation as my tumour was 9cm and very aggressive.....well here I am 13mths after a right masectomy and my scans all show no cancer. Apart from the surgery I have only done natural therapies, so to those who say it can't be done I intend to prove them wrong. Don't get me wrong, I'm scared as hell too but I believe its crazy to destroy the one thing you really need to get you through the cancer, and that is a strong immune system so why do chemo and radiation. Anyway I have to go to bed now, will read more of the posts tomorrow, they have certainly been a mixed bag. Hugs to all.
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Kazza...great and encouraging news. I have a friend now, who is stage IV brain cancer. She was on chemo and other drugs for six months. She was told she had a year to live with chemo and just a few months without it. After six months of chemo and etc she went from a strong out going woman to the wheel chair, chemo brain, bladder problems, and gained 100 pounds. She wanted to take a trip with her family before passing so I suggested that if she was dx to die soon anyway to get off chemo and take that trip (because she was too weak then to walk across the room and no way could she travel). She's been off cancer drugs for six months and is walking again, alert, and is planning a family overseas trip. She is now on a few different alternative therapies without side effects.The tumor is shrinking. She is more independent and she and her family are happier. I have another friend of a friend, who was dx with bc, who died a week ago. She was told with chemo she would live two years and without it she would die within months. She was dx at stage III and died two years later of stage IV cancer...she had chemo from time of dx to death.
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kazza7 I did read somewhere that it takes only 3-6 months for your immune system to recover from chemo. I finished 6+ months ago and I feel and look great. I only have 2 more Herceptin treatments left. I don't seem to be having any SE from it .
There is always a chance that surgery will be enough treatment. We will never know for sure if it's the chemo or natural therapies that save us. We all choose our own path and hope for the best.
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Lago: I am glad you are feeling great. It's amazing how quickly our bodies can recover. I also don't have any SE, knock on wood.
kazza7: I agree with you, this thread is a mixed bag, but it is very interesting. I have learned from both sides.
I am currently reading "The Emperor of all Maladies". I think some on this thread were reading it also. I have learned a lot about this disease we are all battling.
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Lynn I'm reading it too!
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I'm ordering that book from Amazon when the paperback version is released in about a week. Everyone finds it gripping reading.
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A Malaysian man with stage 4 Kidney cancer-- all alternative therapies
Australian mother and daughter (both with cancer and is on alternative therapies
http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au
There are lots of them, but I dont think they will have the time or inclination to post in this board-- I hope they will and if they do, that they wont be discouraged to share their experiences.
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Lynn18-What have you learned from the book? How about a summary?
Thanks
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Other than my DMX I have turned down chemo, radiation and hormonal therapy. I have a book called "Prescription for Nutritional Living" which has suggested supplements for each particular illness. I also ordered a supplement from Dr. Ward Bond called "Healthy Cells Breast" which is supposed to remove artificial estrogen from the body caused by free radicals, etc. I'm purchasing a juicer to increase my organic veggies & fruit intake.
I'll let you know how it works out for me.
Denise
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chiluvr1228 - How and when will you know if it works?
Thanks.
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Chiluvr- Please post the good info in the book and let us know what are the ingredients in the supplements. We are all looking for things to support a non-recurrence.
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very interesting, athena, I'm almost 75. I don't do allopathy, I've never had a good experience with these physicians. I took 1st estrogen mexican birth control on the hype. got all the side effects right away (side effects are effects), except thrombosis. breast cancer wasn't mentioned: perhaps not known. this was in 1964. last year I developed breast cancer on the largest cyst I'd had it all that time. I'm finding mega green tea twice a day is helping the sensations which, it seems are caused by weather, a great deal.
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The very day I was told I had a suspicious area in my breast I began to research on the best ways to treat bc and help prevent a recurrence. I have followed an anti cancer diet, do juicing, take supplements, have an integrative physician on my medcal team and seek second opinions whenever I feel it is necessary.
I had surgery in December and my site has healed completely...so much so...that the RO cannot find the surgical site to do the targeted rads that I wanted, so I am going to forego rads entirely and stick to my diet and supplementation program. I will continue to see my integrative doctor who will give me vitamin infusions (Meyer's cocktail) and I will possibly do some chelation therapy as high levels of cadmium were found in my urine...a metal that is tied to bc.
The committment to treat bc this way is huge and more expensive than just doing conventional treatments, but if successful, I won't have the SE's that come from conventional treatments.
I have a very early stage cancer and because of this, I feel I can have the option of treating it with alternative methods. My age is a factor as well...I'm over 70 and don't expect a recurrence if I continue to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle and take my supplements.
Everyone should target their treatments to suit their type of bc and age at the time of dx.
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OM goodness, I agree with mathteacher, I thought this was a forum for holistic or alternative treatments. I just joined and so far I have seen "MEMBER OF THE CLUB" Plaster all her views and push conventional medicine to every forum I have been in.
Wornoutmom... read my profile before making any decisions... read my story, then make up your own mind.
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Heather, you are not metastatic. Metastatic is when it has spread to a distant organ such as the brain, lungs, bones, or liver. It looks like you are still Stage IIB, which is good.
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Heather - the original poster left this site last year.
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heatherckc: I pray that you have good results with your diet and vitamin infusions. I am doing the same thing, hoping for good results. I was fortunate in that I didn't have node involvement, but we all know there are no guarantees with this disease.
Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.
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Regardless, Where are the discussions RE: alternative treatments, as the posts suggest??
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sweet bean, It is my understanding that Metastatic is the spread of a diseases from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. Since my cancer began in my breast.. it mets to my lymphs.
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No, your understanding is wrong. Spread to lymph nodes is not considered mets - it is still considered early stage. Mets is distant disease, not regional spread. I also had lymph node involvement, but I am not considered metastatic.
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heatherckc: That's good news! The goal now is to prevent mets, and good diet and supplementation is a great start! Glad you found the alt threads.
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Kaara is right - this is very good news. Have you considered adding Mistletoe, AveUltra, or low-dose neltrexone to your arsenal? LDN is not expensive.
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No, LDN is very inexpensive...I'm taking it and have been for several months. I've had no SE's and I'm going to step up the dose a level per my naturopath. Mistletoe is an injectable, and is quite expensive as it comes from Germany. If my doc had found any circulating cancer cells in my blood work, he would have had me do the Mistletoe.
It might be worth it to have your naturopath do a CTC test. It isn't totally reliable as small micro cells could be there, but it will recognize any larger more agressive ones. A healthy immune system can take care of the micro ones on it's own. Most MO's won't order these tests unless you already have mets. Seems stupid to wait until the horse is out of the barn to try and close the door, but that's conventional medicine for you, which is why I do my own research.
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interesting... medically speaking I always considered mets as to another organ but my report read "metastatic IDC" so i researched it.... this is why I changed my thinking.
me·tas·ta·sis (m
-t
s
t
-ss) n. pl. me·tas·ta·ses (-s
z
) 1. Pathology Transmission of pathogenic microorganisms or cancerous cells from an original site to one or more sites elsewhere in the body, usually by way of the blood vessels or lymphatics. 2. A secondary cancerous growth formed by transmission of cancerous cells from a primary growth located elsewhere in the body.Let me know your thoughts
Thank you Kaara and sweet bean... No I am not taking LDN. Along with the IV C therapy I take many supplements... I take so many immune boosters at the moment... High doses of Turmeric being one, Mushroom extracts(AHCC), Graviola is a well documented cancer fighter, Purdue university has some info on it, DIM, DHA, VIT D3, VitE, broccoli seed extract, lycopene, CQ10, resveratrol.. and i drink green tea three times a day a make beet smoothies... Just to start... lol
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heather:
Technically, lymph node involvement IS metastasis - it is known as locoregional metastasis.
Spread to organs outside the lymphnodes in the breast area is known as distant metastasis which is not considered curable and is "terminal.".
In cancer parlance people use the word "metastasis" to mean distant partly to identify themselves as terminal and identify their experience and treatment. So you were technically correct. The usage can be a bit confusing.
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Yes, the reason I was correcting you was so that you wouldn't confuse people, since the common understanding is that mets means distant disease.
Definitely look into LDN. It would be useful for you to have. Mistletoe is great, too - a non-toxic systemic therapy. The odds of you having some cancer cells roaming around are pretty high, so you definitely want to hit them with both barrels.
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