Survivors who had chemo etc and are into Complementary medicine
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lago I love cookies send me the recipe. I am skinny but once I had my son I never lost that belly. I think kids do it to you every time. So he says even though I am skinny I have enough for one boob but not two so gotta gain some weight. He laughed at me because I said if I am going to go through with all this I want them better than before.
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That list of side effects for Arimidex is fun because I am having NONE of them, not a one. My only side effect is hot flashes and thats from the Zoladex.
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Luah, I hear you. And LONG LONG LONG may you run too. Expect you post in the 3TN Forum, so you know about Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation, several of my friends have said it's a wonderful resource.
AnneW - thank goodness you were a grade 1 and so early! I too think we will find out more about causes everyday, meanwhile, I give thanks for the medical options being discovered everyday. I've been verey fortunate not to have the "if only" or "why me's" probably because of the wonderful medical treatment I've received, and the GREAT ADVICE of women on the Arimidex SE thread have kept me feeling GOOD. Thanks again, to all, for your support.
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No problems here either with the Arimidex. Don't forget, the ones who are having trouble are the ones we hear from. Those of us doing fine have nothing to complain about.
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Patzee!
Your link is NOT relevant to this thread which clearly mentions complementary medicine. The psuedoscience belongs elsewhere.
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Nice try, MaryNY - it's been posted on other threads too. Same reaction as yours. Thanks for trying.
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Pony .. that article which espouses a cure for cancer belongs elsewhere. Why not start a thread about that site and debate it that way.
Bren
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This has been a great thread for promoting complimentary practices, free from attacks on anything the women here are trying. Let's keep it that way.
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I also read the article. I was impressed by the amateurish look of the website, and also that I couldn't find anything else about this place when I did an internet search other than a reference from a couple of alternative medicine outfits.
I was left with the impression that not at all a professional operation.
I did not look up the individual therapies however.
I was left thinking that this is a very small operation and not at all known. Not where I would want to entrust my life and health.
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I will just say my view on cancer and then be done with the topic. I compare cancer to being at war with a terrorist organization. It doesn't matter how nice you are, or how much of an asset you are to the community, or how well your family loves you, or how positive your attitude is.... cancer cells, like terrorists, want to kill you. And so you have to get them before they get you. That means the big, bad medical treatments PLUS doing everything we can on a personal level to insure our very survival. And you only have one chance to get it right. That is what I think.
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ruthbru you are exactly right! I'm thankful we have this thread for those of us that chose the medical treatments AND would also like info on complimentary/healthy treatments, foods, etc. I have learned so much from all the women here!0
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That's why I started it
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Indeed Cytotoxen is mustard plant based
and Taxotere is made from the yew tree. Don't know if I spelled that right.
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Chemo IS about killing.....cancer cells.
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Why is this chemo-bashing continuing on this thread??
The purpose of this thread is for those who had chemo and wish to discuss complimentary treatments.
Patzee/rainbowpony please take heed.
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Wel, if the chemo basking continues on this thread, somebody will have to start another one. She went to the thread I started and spread her poison there too. Miracle Cures. So you can go and see that I edited my Original Post.
A certain thread, now locked became only one person postiing there, expect these will go that route too.
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I respect all opinions, even ones that aren't in line with mine.
But I will tell you what really ticks me off: blanket statements suggesting chemo kills. Talk to young survivors, please. Most of us (not me, I was strangely lucky) are stage 3 and 4. In those environments, it can maintain a remission, shrink tumors, and prolong life. Finito.
Stage 1, okay, maybe there are some arguments. But women under 40 are fighting a way older patients really can't understand, and I always have to chime in on our behalf. Our numbers, sadly, are exploding.
When talking about any treatment, please understand the medical community considers BC in women under 40 a potentially different disease. NO ONE has the answers, certainly none of us. And to scare off people from any standard-of-care might cost them a life. I still think about Wornoutmom nearly every day. You can't understand what it's like for the young survivors if you aren't on this side of the fence.
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LtotheK.....no, I probably can't understand what it is like to be in your shoes. However, I also take it as a personal affront that someone would try to convince me to forego treatment that most likely has saved my life.
I also think about wornoutmom. I just missed being Stage III, and that was the initial assumption. I knew from the getgo that I would have to take major, unpleasant action if I wanted to live out a full life span.
I am beyond furious at anyone who would recommend I do anything other than what my oncology team recommended. And certainly not a lot of unproven ideas from an obscure website where they don't even have the savvy to do something credible-looking.
Wow......has this ever been a learning experience! Good luck with everything. - Claire
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Hi Claire, I hope I didn't come off sounding self-righteous, and absolutely feel the pain of every person on these boards. I just feel like Wornoutmom got a scary bum steer, and hardly anyone posting there was a young survivor. I remember when I first came to these boards, so vulnerable, trying to get every inch of information I could.
I agree with you 100%! We all suffer horribly with this danged disease. We must all be careful not to assert opinions that could be life-changing, literally.
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Not at all LtotheK. I have bad news for you though. Other things in life will be no fun.
Right now, its my ankle/foot which has been hurting for almost a month from wiping out cycling. Was well enough to do the Seattle-to-Portland, so guess what. It has been hurting all week.
But seriously, feel so lucky to be able to move forward with an interesting and rewarding life. That is what I wish for everyone. That we all get to kick cancer's butt to the curb, and then continue on to do great things.
But we need the most advanced conventional medical treatment to do this in most cases.
I also think wornoutmom got a bum steer, but more because most of the women posting were Stage I or had no long-term history of fighting breastcancer (the ones who were advocating alternative). She needed high risk women who had gone this route, and remained cancer-free for a number of years. I don't remember any.
I do remember a couple of cases of women who had tried this and now regret their decision.
So glad you are fine. - Claire
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I agree with ruthbru---its a war and one most of us want to win. Knowing as I have, two women who are dead from breast cancer having taken alternative meds (while 2 others diagnoised at the same time lived), I find my blood presure rising when I read about people encouraging others to go the alternative non-chemo route. Chemicals are everywhere in life---would the non-chemo people who tell someone not to take taxol approve of chewing yew branches? Whats the difference except that one is a little pill and the other requires schlepping a tree branch?
If an individual decides that for themselves, its their choice but to encourage others with much more serious diagnois is criminal. That said, if someone can id for me a high risk advanced stage woman who has gone this route and remained cancer free, I'd be interested in hearing their opinion.
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I went to GNC to get some CoQ10 today and now they have 'Ubiquinol', a more active form of CoQ10. Does anyone know about this new version? Is it better than the regular Q10? I take the Q10 mostly for my heart since I am still on herceptin. I didn't take it during chemo though, was advised not to by my onc PA.0
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Omaz--I can't answer your question, but you reminded me that I wanted to look up CoQ10. I am on Herceptin too, and have had a decrease in heart function. I think I will buy some tomorrow. It looks promising for heart, and for fighting cancer. There is a study going on right now for women with bc that are taking Adriamycin. It may help protect the heart from the damage the A. can cause. (you might already know this!)
If anyone is interested in reading a little about CoQ10, HERE is a link with some info.
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TM - I started out at 73% ejection fraction and now as I have 2 more herceptins left (yay) it is 55%. They tell me that is OK!0
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73% is very excellant and 55% in still in the normal zone. Another reason to encourage people to exercise and live a healthy lifestyle. If something goes wrong, you have some reserves to draw on, so that you can do what you need to do and still come out OK.
In the category of 'Will Wonders Never Cease', I asked my 'eat the ice cream right from the carton' DH if he noticed what delicious, healthy meals I had been making lately and he said, "Yes, I have, and they have been very good." I said, 'Well, just so you know, our grocery bill is going to be a lot higher if I'm cooking healthier." and he said, "That would be fine with me". WHOPEE, I'm off ot buy some more $2.00 zucchinis!
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Claire I too know what it's like to be almost stage III. My BS pretty much felt I would be. He really thought micromets in my nodes. I may not be under 40 but being diagnosed at age 49 pre/peri menopausal also raises eyebrows. I, like WOM, am/was HER2+. My treatment would have been the same if I was stage III except I would have had rads too. It really worried me that she was going to forgo chemo and therefore not get herceptin. I really hope she is doing OK.
Chemo kills… isn't that what we want it to do? Kill cancer?
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Thanks ruthbru - I am so happy to be able to exercise again! I hope that once I am done with the herceptin my EF will come back up. I notice on the hills when we walk that I don't have quite the pep I used to have. But at least I CAN DO the hills now, during chemo I really couldn't. I have also been able to increase my free weights since my bout with LE and cording. I have been increasing slowly and so far so good.0
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If you want/need some cheerleading for exercise, check out the 'Lets Post Our Daily Exercise' thread on the fitness forum. Great group of ladies in all stages of treatment and post treatment and activity levels.
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A lot of us did try to encourage WOM to go the chemo/herceptin route. As a stage 1 triple positive I was shocked when my onc recommended it but you can't play with HER2 bc, just as you can't play with triple negative.
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WOM is still an active member of BCO, posting a couple of days ago. I suggest you speak to her directly. Ask her directly how the replies to her thread affected her.
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