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Survivors who had chemo etc and are into Complementary medicine

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Comments

  • barbaraa
    barbaraa Member Posts: 3,548
    edited July 2011

    Linda, he sure as heck did and I was really pissed. I did, however, quit smoking. So one good thing came out of getting BC.

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited July 2011
    BarbaraA - I don't think he should have said that.  He couldn't possibly have known that.
  • barbaraa
    barbaraa Member Posts: 3,548
    edited July 2011

    I completely agree. He (and the rad onc) are arrogant little twerps. But,that being said, they are simply the best at what they do so I deal with their stupid antics. Whenever I ask him anything about complementary supplements or therapies, he rolls his eyes and I so want to throttle him.

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Member Posts: 1,017
    edited August 2012

    Barbara

    You're still seeing him as a doc.  Wow, I admire your restraint for not kneeing him.  BTW, two great website, among others Dana Farber, and Sloan Kettering have excellent complementary, nutrition information - Q&A.  I think John's Hopkins does too.

  • LtotheK
    LtotheK Member Posts: 487
    edited July 2011

    VJ, that is fascinating.  And...that is exactly my profile, so I have to wonder.  I do, though, get confused about risk percentages.  "Double the risk" for someone my age was still peanuts.  (Under 2%, I think...)  And yet, here I am.  There is so much more to learn about subsets.  In the absence of family history, I really do wonder what set mine off:  no kids, life in cities, drinking and smoking with glee when I was young, stress...and yet, I know a ton of women who are exactly same, no cancer.

    Anyway, the info on smoking is really very interesting.

    Barbara, what is it with rad oncs?  Mine had an assistant who told me I did more damage to my long-term cancer risk with chemo than I ever would with radiation.  I can't help but snicker at yours--I didn't know someone figured out THE cause of cancer!  He's so special Wink

  • barbaraa
    barbaraa Member Posts: 3,548
    edited July 2011

    After I picked my jaw up off the floor when he said that, I told him 'You are full of $h!t!' He laughed. I think I amuse him. He is awfully cute, however, so at least the scenery is good. And the rad inc is HOT, but very arrogant.

  • apple
    apple Member Posts: 1,466
    edited July 2011
    so go smoke a cigarette.. Undecided
  • barbaraa
    barbaraa Member Posts: 3,548
    edited July 2011

    Oh, I can't. It is sooooo hard to quit and I know how I am...one puff and I am a two pack a day smoker. It is nice not to be a pariah.

  • apple
    apple Member Posts: 1,466
    edited July 2011

    Grapeseed oil and coconut oil are both delicious.. really and I am the biggest olive oil lover.  Shoot, I like butter too.. but only occasionally.

  • VJSL8
    VJSL8 Member Posts: 486
    edited July 2011

    I had to take a statistics class for my Masters but darn if I really remember. When talking about risk--is depends on if it's relative risk or (????can't remember the name) risk--and depending on which kind can make a huge difference.

    In the paper recently they quoted a study that there was a 72% increase in cardiovascular incidents from using Chantix to stop smoking BUT what they didn't tell you was the numbers were so small--they were statistically insignificant. They also didn't mention that the group with the placebo were more likely to die than the group taking the Chantix--but again, the amount was so small as to be statistically insignificant. 

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited July 2011

    Even if smoking doesn't cause breast cancer, heart disease kills more women than breast cancer and although more women get breast cancer lung cancer kills more women than breast cancer in the USA. Quitting is something that should be on everyone's list who stilll smokes. I know I don't want to go through this journey again for lung cancer.

    source linky

  • barbaraa
    barbaraa Member Posts: 3,548
    edited July 2011

    I so agree, Lago. It was so hard but I did it because I couldn't just ignore it anymore. And I really enjoyed smoking.

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited July 2011

    I really enjoy not smoking. I'm coming up on 6 years. Granted I was never a heavy smoker but I did enjoy it when I smoked. I can't stand it now. My husband had to walk on the other side of the street when he smokes and we're together. He starts chantix again next week.

  • barbaraa
    barbaraa Member Posts: 3,548
    edited July 2011

    Here's hoping he can do it. Have him try auricular stimulation. Totally workd or me and I am die hard.

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited July 2011

    I'm sure I could get him to try if I knew whre to send him.

  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 4,503
    edited July 2011

    lago good luck to your husband hope he is able to quit this time. Can't wait to try the cookie recipe you sent to me. Thanks so much

    Broke down and had a steak tonight for dinner.  sometimes just gotta have that red meat.  Also had a fresh tomatoe, onion, goat cheese salad from my garden.

  • kira1234
    kira1234 Member Posts: 754
    edited July 2011

    lago another one hoping he can quit. I have two kids who smoke so important  to me.

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,794
    edited July 2011

    what is edamane?

  • claire_in_seattle
    claire_in_seattle Member Posts: 2,793
    edited July 2011

    Another name for fresh soy beans in the pod.  They are the "in" snack, and not something I particularly like.  Others rave about them, but we used to grow the same thing back in the day.  We fed them to our cows for extra protein, so you might know them as "cow beans".

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,794
    edited July 2011

    Oh, I thought we were suppose to avoid soy. ?

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited July 2011

    We found some fresh pods at the grocery on the Big Island (grown local I think) and boiled them with salt.  They pop out of the 'shells' and are a tasty snack I thought.  I haven't been able to find the fresh pods here in AZ though.

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited July 2011

    Trader Joes and Costco sells edamame frozen. I don't know where they are from.

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited July 2011

    Says china on the package (costco), don't know about trader joes.

  • apple
    apple Member Posts: 1,466
    edited July 2011

    Costco, Sam's... you grocer's freezer.. edamame is easy to find.  I live in KC adn we are not a very sophisticated  population.

  • 1Athena1
    1Athena1 Member Posts: 672
    edited July 2011

    Barbara - I agree with the others but, like you, I think your onc is a keeper. If he played a role in you stopping smoking, then he may have saved your life from many premature death causes. Maybe he took advantage of a teachable moment. Good medicine man. My guess is that he knew you knew he wasn't stating a scientific fact but, rather, giving you an opinion. I was utterly alone in my quit. But strangely, I think not smoking will be what most makes the pendulum swing in favor of saving my life, If it is to be spared from cancer, that is.

    (I was in that high risk group - no pregnancies).

    Edited because I am now on a comfortable desktop and not an annoying iPad! 

  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 4,503
    edited July 2011

    All of my docs have said eating soy is ok with moderation in the diet but not to take soy supplements of any kind.  I really like edadame they taste really nutty

  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 757
    edited July 2011

    I must have had a bad batch of edamame (http://www.edamame.com/).  I had no idea what it was, but an in-law of mine who likes to be really up-to-date cooked some for us.  She bought them frozen, and either steamed or boiled them.  A sorry dish, IMHO -- tough, soggy, with the taste of greens that have been frost-injured.  They were probably over-cooked; but once I discovered we'd eaten soybean pods, I thought, "Yuck! -- someone's really desperate here".  My family home was surrounded by agricultural land, including a large soybean field.  Soybeans were used for animal feed back then, and nobody (in the U.S.) would think of eating the pods.

    It is hilarious that, with the huge soybean industry here in the U.S., someone has to import soybean pods from China.  There's something wrong with that picture.

    otter

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited July 2011

    Not supposed to eat the pods!  At least not that I know of!  The 'bean' pop out of the pods.

  • ktym
    ktym Member Posts: 673
    edited July 2011

    I love edamame raw on salads.  Yumm.  Which is funny because I never liked lima beans and they look and feel a lot alike to me

  • apple
    apple Member Posts: 1,466
    edited July 2011

    i pretty much just eat the raw beans as a snack.. they really are excellent.