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Survivors who have used only alternative treatments

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Comments

  • 1Athena1
    1Athena1 Member Posts: 672
    edited April 2012

    I was goggle-eye-shocked by the same thing, gracie.

  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 1,032
    edited April 2012

    Mmardibra, that was indeed a weird thread. Seemed like she had made up her mind before even starting the thread. I never did get her intent.

  • Mardibra
    Mardibra Member Posts: 194
    edited April 2012

    Yorkie - strange thread....very strange.

  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 379
    edited April 2012

    Weird thread maybe, but not at all an uncommon question. I think many of us have been through the "scared to do chemo; scared not to" phase. It was inapporopriate to respond that way to someone who is new and frightened. regardless of where they stand on traditional/alternative treatments.

  • Mardibra
    Mardibra Member Posts: 194
    edited April 2012

    Yes, not the most appropriate response.  And yes, we have all been scared about chemo...who wouldnt be?  However, although the OP asked a question she didnt appear to want to hear the answers....positive answers!  I think that frustrated some folks who are fighting for their lives and couldnt understand her thinking.  Hopefully, she was just panicked and with some time would end up with a clearer head.  In the state she appeared to be in, she should not make any long term decisions.  

  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 379
    edited April 2012

    If you're going to DEMAND respect on the Stage IV forum, I think you should be prepared to extend it on others.  JMHO and now.....moving on.

  • abigail48
    abigail48 Member Posts: 337
    edited April 2012

    zuvart & diane, you misinterpret my reason for posting those long ago events by a family of doctors, I have many more events I could mention though no more by them.  It is that I have never had a good experience, as I said with allopathy.  never.  & plenty of occurances which leads me not to experiment with more.  those occurences are long in the past, but I want no new ones.  not to say I don't regard conventional treatment for our trouble & others, as esentially scams.  probably about 90% - 10% & the opposite for treatment with ahistory of generations.

  • wornoutmom
    wornoutmom Member Posts: 75
    edited April 2012

    Real fast I am packing for my treatment journey.  I try and pop in as I can.  There is so much meanness on here that I have to pace myself.  All my doctors agree stress is not good when you have cancer (both of my oncs and my clinic).  I posted yesterday and for some reason it is no where.

    I have a meeting to speak to my clinic regarding this.  One important thing I mentioned is that I think Evavberry deserves an apology.  There was a one sentence comment to her "how's the herceptin going".  I have tried very hard to see how this could be conducive to being supportive and I just can't see anyway it can??  It seems like a taunting comment that would inspire a defensive remark. P)lease correct me if I am missing something.  Luckily Evaberry put her morals first and didn't snap back. We all could learn from this.  

    I would also like to warn people about pushing that if you have HER2 you must have herceptin.  Realize that not all countries/states have access to this and pushing so hard to someone who is not allowed this can cause great emotional distress.  If you have read earlier posts I asked for this only and was told it was not legal to prescribe unless I was stage IV as it wasn't deemed standard of care.  So what we should do is fight to allow people options!  Just like we have when we decide to decline chemo but are allowed to still have radiation.  They don't force one without the other.  Although the intention might be good it can be very hurtful to the person who isn't allowed choices.  Remember we all live in different places.

    For those who are HER2 please read the earlier posts from Hollie Quinn.  She is over 9 years clean if I recall the years correctly with only surgery.  She came on and left due to the harrassment she recieved here. You can see this for yourself in the earlier threads.  She is still thriving as I have checked in with her. No herceptin.  

    I started this thread over a year ago with an honest question and had no clue what I was about to embark on.  But I will thank this group because seeing the prejudice that goes one has made me fight even harder.  I don't want my children to grow up in a world with no choices.  I really thought that was what my good old USA was all about.  Apparently it is only certain aspects.

    I fly high in the morning and have my meeting the following day.  May kindness and tolerance be learned in this thread.  I was hoping in 2012 we would have learned more from our history.  Most of all no one on this thread should be caught up in anger and stress as we are only hurting ourselves, we all have cancer for goodness sakes.  We should all find this a place of comfort and learning to help in our healing regardless of our choices.  Remember you can only be right for you!  I can swear a nice green salad is the best dinner choice but if you are a meat eater I will never convince you that it is.  The important thing is we both enjoy a meal and by picking what suits us we both can have what we feel is the best option on the menu and then we will both walk away happy.  If we argue we miss the blessing of great company.  

  • Ang7
    Ang7 Member Posts: 568
    edited April 2012

    WOM~

    I did read that sentence that you mention "how's the Herceptin going" and I swear I did not think it was said with hostility.  I actually thought the poster was asking how she was doing on the Herceptin.  I know all oncologists are not the same but mine is now starting to give Herceptin only option to those that seek it out.  Perhaps the standard of care is changing...

  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited April 2012

    WOM - my question to Eve regarding her herceptin treatment was quite a legitimate concern as I knew she has had some issues and I wanted to know how she was.

    Boy, you sure read things into posts that just aren't there including the one where you thought I said you passed away which I never ever did.

    I would like an apology for your above comment please.

  • wornoutmom
    wornoutmom Member Posts: 75
    edited April 2012

    The question would have been perceived as kind had it been in a different context and had there not been a history of similar remarks.  Notice her reply.  Her first statement said nothing about herceptin and she was defending alternative care then out of no where you say hows the next herceptin.  Seems like a sneaky way to say she is relying on conventional.  Which she has never said she hasn't done some of.  Her reply back noted that it was under side effects to point out the trouble with conventional.  Guess she had the same idea as me otherwise it would have been thank you it is working well. Had you had a back and forth discussion about herceptin it may have been seen differently, it is all in the context of the whole thread not just the sentence. It would be like me saying I am curious "why do you have two diagnosis's"? Could be seen as an honest question or not. Some may lean more towards nice if we were talking about staging but more towards mean if I had just finished talking about the flaws in conventional medicine.  See the confusion.  I'd like to see what a few others have to say first. 

    I am curious why that is the only piece anyone commented on???  We all deserve choices in our care!  

    Oops forgot to mention I never said you said it in fact you commented about that to patty.  I just heard someone said I was dead then your name got brought up.  Frankly I have no idea what you said in the last year as I have been out living life and chose to surround myself in healing places.

    Need to sleep got a plane to catch Wink  

  • wornoutmom
    wornoutmom Member Posts: 75
    edited April 2012
    Geez with all this  I feel like I am the Rosa Parks for cancer treatment Tongue out
  • nikibird
    nikibird Member Posts: 8
    edited April 2012

    don't want to be a wet blanket, but i was stage 1b 9 years ago, had mastectomy, turned down all treatments other than surgery. treated it only naturopathically, and did great, until last month, and it is back......

  • Hindsfeet
    Hindsfeet Member Posts: 675
    edited April 2012

    As far as I'm concerned we can caulk up from what was said as a misunderstanding. I just thought this place wasn't a good place to talk about conventional treatment (herceptin) rather stay on topic with survirors experience who chose only alternative treatment.

    It is my desire to respect WOM desire for a thread for those who chose alternative to share their experience on what worked for them or to politely discuss alternative medicine. Once WOM came back to her thread, she was cornered about where she's going and her treatment. Forgive me WOM if I'm wrong, but I thought that you wanted to come here and share what has worked for you, but when harassed you didn't feel this was a safe forum to do so.

    WOM has become one of the friends I've made here at bco. I know her treatment and a little what she has gone through. Her diet, and treatment is working.  I believe in a earlier thread WOM did share a little of the treatment she is doing...just not the treatment center where she is going. I'm impressed with her committment and discipline to diet and her fight to rid herself of cancer so she can be around a long time for her kids.

    I am sorry WOM this thread is cluttered with a lot of meanness and debate. It is unfortunate this has happened. I will pray that you have a safe trip tomorrow. Take care and keep in touch...there are so many here who do care about you. (((hugs)))  

  • wornoutmom
    wornoutmom Member Posts: 75
    edited April 2012

     This is how I was referred to on April 4th in her other thread and am just wondering where the helpfulness/kindness is here.  It is one thing to post this in a PM but this is public and you are talking about me.  Maybe I deserve the apology??? 

    susieq58 wrote:
    Hi Trish - I went back to work part time a couple of weeks ago and put my back out!!! Got it fixed, then did it again!! All good now though. I'm only doing 3 mornings a week and will go to 4 mornings next week. The sooner I get back to full time the better - I miss my full pay :) I must say I feel really good this week - happy even - I'm finally starting to put this crap behind me until the next scans. I see the rad onc and surgeon on Wednesday and after that I don't want to see another doc until my Zometa infusion in late September!!!
    Hey Sue - doesn't that chick on the Alternative thread make you angry? HER2 is not to be messed with - stupid woman!!! How could you not have chemo being node pos and HER2? and she has small children!!!
    Sue

  • wornoutmom
    wornoutmom Member Posts: 75
    edited April 2012
    Sorry nickibird you are back here but please don't beat yourself up to much as according to standard of care you were considered cured when you made it past the 5 year mark.  Many with the full treatment relapse before this.  You have come along way and should be proud.  May you find healing in whatever method you choose Cool
  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 1,422
    edited April 2012

    I am extremely sorry WOM and I am truly glad you found a treatment you are happy with. I was very sad to hear you were Stage 4. At the time that's how I felt, I just couldn't understand it. I have come to realise you have to do what is right for you.

    Eve - I asked you how you were on this thread because you don't often post on the HER2 forum, so I took the opportunity - I really am concerned how you are.

  • digger
    digger Member Posts: 74
    edited April 2012

    Geez, sure would be nice to learn more about the specific details of the alternative treatment that had so much success and is working.

  • abigail48
    abigail48 Member Posts: 337
    edited April 2012

    I wish we'd get back to herbal research.  I dreamed about giving the information to the site to the dream sister of a dream woman.  I wonder if there's anyone who is like me:  n o x-rays, no biopsy, no surgery, no intervenus anything (since heroin many years ago)........only very rarely to I small gasoline, I don't drive.  I walk now about 5 miles a week in 2 or 3 days.......years ago I walked 3 miles a day.

    Had a bad night, drank cinnemon, organic maple sugar & half & half before going to bed.  bad move?/ earlier I ate 3 dates & the discomfort stopped.  related?  & how long until something we eat manifests in symptoms?  or is it high pressure system, weather to come in later?

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,744
    edited April 2012

    Glad to see we are turning a new page, back to discussing personal experiences and kindly supporting and respecting individual decisions. It is such an emotionally-loaded issue.

    Thanks, Everyone!

  • 1Athena1
    1Athena1 Member Posts: 672
    edited April 2012

    WOM, have a good trip and keep posting!

  • abigail48
    abigail48 Member Posts: 337
    edited April 2012

    there's such a lot of information about the value of violets in the literature I wonder if there have been any studies.  also is gentian violet related?  I plan to look up that other geranium plant today.  & to remember there's good estrogen & bad estrogen< are there any lists comparing the two?  & again, what of opiates regarding estrogen.  & cocaine, called "boy" is that pertinent?  tobacco, ruled by mars must be anti-estrogenic, minus the harmalines (AKA "telepathin") & the cumarin (arrow poison), but tobacco causes anger, "anger weed" so not good on that account.

  • Hindsfeet
    Hindsfeet Member Posts: 675
    edited April 2012

    Susie, actually, I'm posting the most on the HER2 threads.If you watch you wil see I'm posting there a lot more than here. I've tried not to be here as much due to an effort  to stay away from the alternative/conventional debate. I've checking the alternative threads more seeing Joy' and WOM are back. I consider them friends, and are here to support them. Got to run to work.

    Great to see WOM hasn't left...:)

  • pip57
    pip57 Member Posts: 7,080
    edited April 2012

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeA84udy7hY&feature=player_embedded

    Evebarry, thanks for that link.  Very interesting.  I have reposted it in hopes that others will take a look. 

  • dunesleeper
    dunesleeper Member Posts: 1,305
    edited April 2012

    Have a great trip WOM. What a lovely post!

  • abigail48
    abigail48 Member Posts: 337
    edited April 2012

    called geranium maculatum peterson field guide to eastern & central medicinal plants says in part:  externaly used as a folk cancer remedy..........reason there's no medical info on herb robert:  too stinky (same reason no cancer info on golden seal:  too yellow staining) & both no patenty likely, if the allopathy would concentrate on plants instead of chemical dickering, we might have a good remedy but people want money for patents

  • nikibird
    nikibird Member Posts: 8
    edited April 2012

    thanks WOM, yes i realize there is no sense in second guessing any of your decisions, you follow your heart, and that is what is right for you. who knows, maybe that is why i had an 8 year remission!

    i will be doing AI and radiation this time, but i am also continuing with the naturopathic route where it doesn't interfere. ie , mistletoe injections (Iscador), DIM, alpha lipoic, calcium d glucarate, enzymes, and  mushrooms.....oh yes and quercetin and turmeric.

  • dunesleeper
    dunesleeper Member Posts: 1,305
    edited April 2012

    nikibird: I read that combining black pepper with turmeric enhances the effects of turmeric. I don't know about quercetin. Will have to google that.

  • pip57
    pip57 Member Posts: 7,080
    edited April 2012

    We put black pepper, garlic powder and tumeric in a shaker and put it on everything.

  • abigail48
    abigail48 Member Posts: 337
    edited April 2012

    I heard that termeric was estrogenic.  good estrogen??would like to know.  I used it for quite some time.  I don't use salt (because of another trouble) FOR FLAVOR i USE FRESH LEMON & MY OWN "CURRY POWDER":  IN A SPICE GRINDER UNUSED FOR COFFEE, PLACK PEPPERCORNS, CORRIANDER SEEDS, BIT OF DRIED HOT PAPPER, PINCH OF GROUND CINNEMON (OR A BIT OF THE BARK), PINCH OF CARDAMOM (GROUND:  TOO MUCH TROUBLE TO SHELL THE SEEDS), DRIED BAY LEAF.