Survivors who had chemo etc and are into Complementary medicine
Comments
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Hope someone here can help me out on this question...What is a good level to have for Vitamin D and what is too high?
I was so happy that I was able to raise my low score by taking D3 over a 3 month period up to a 62. I saw the NP in my medical onc's office today and she said they like to see the number between 30-40. Huh? The test range says 30-80 is normal !
I told her I had been taking 4000IU a day to raise it and she said not to take over 2000. I'll cut back to 2000 because my level is 62 and I guess hope that it maintains me where I am. I'm confused though because I really thought we should be trying for a 50-70 range.
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30 to 80 is normal. 63 is very good. It doesn't make sense (from what I know) that they would want it that low. Did you ask? If not, you should call them back and then let us know what they say.
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According the my lastest lab results for the Vitamin D, 25 Hydroxy test, which measures 25-OH Vitamin D which includes metabolites 25-hydroxy Vitamin D2 and 25-hydroxy Vitamin D3:
Deficiency < 10
Insufficiency 10-29
Sufficiency 30-100
Toxicity > 100Hope this helps.
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Hi all~
I tried Reiki when I was still having hip pain after chemo...
During it, I felt a strong warmth on the hip where I was having pain.
Now no longer having pain in that area...
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Lee, I just saw a naturopathic onc and he said he likes to see vit d levels between 60-80. He has me taking 5000.
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Hi Ladies,
Been gone for a while, dealing with some scans, etc. Not fun.
Regarding CoQ10: they put me on it at the Block Center, so I have to believe there is some cancer benefit, though I can't remember the explanation now.
They also told me not to take standard multivitamins because they contain copper. I have read that copper supports the process by which tumor cells form their own blood supply (angiogenesis) and I suspect this is the reason they told me not to take it. I am even wary of cashews (which I love) and cashew butter (which I just discovered, and really love too) because it contains copper. All things in moderation, I guess.
I try to do my exercises in the morning, and so I am watching way too many infomercials these days. Has anyone heard of/tried the cookware called OrGreenIcs? It is supposed to be ceramic non-stick "green" cookware. I have been trying to find a substitute for Teflon coated pans, which I use a lot, which is non-toxic. Don't want to get taken in by hype, but I have to admit, the infomercial for this cookware, though quite cheesy, had me convinced. I also saw some "green" non-stick cookware at the natural food store I shop at, can't remember the name of that one - possibly EcoGreen or Eco-something. If anybody has any experience with 'green' non-stick cookware, I'd love to hear it.
Thanks everyone.
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pinkbutterfly, I have gone back to my old iron cookware. An added benifit is it gives me some natural iron when using it.
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Lee my onco has me on 2000iu's per day of Vit D3. He said he wants my levels between 65-80.
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This what I have to change soon my pots. Pinkbutterfly I am going to read up on this.
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Renrel, you said, "I get a non-instant Irish oatmeal that can be cooked easily in the microwave." That's one more change you might consider ... stop cooking with your microwave and cook that stuff in a pot instead. Micro cooking is really bad news.
xxoo
Melissa
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In regards to Reiki and other energy work, I have to chime in here. Legit energy healers have given me more life than any other tx, conventional OR alternative. There are a team of them at www.cancertouch.com that I would HIGHLY recommend if any of you ever wind up with active disease again. These guys have saved my life more than once. The only downside of energy healers is that there's really no way to determine if they're legit or not ... especially for someone like me who can't feel the energy running. I'm attuned to practice Reiki Level 2, but even still can hardly feel anything except a very delicate tingling in my hands. However, the person on the table sure can feel it. I also have an amazing woman who works with me long-distance (over the phone) who clears emotional energy blockages which is VERY helpful for me. She does physical too, but I use her more for emotional work. And the best thing of all? Totally non-toxic!
xxoo
Melissa
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Ruthbru, ProudMom, vmarie, sherryc...Thank you for the Vit D info. I really have to wonder about my medical onc team. The dr is ok, it's the rest of them. This isn't the first time I feel like I've been given odd information from that office. In fact, one of the onc's nurse originally read me my score and said it was 67. It was only after I got my actual labs printed out for me I saw it was really 62. I know the # is not a big difference with a VitD level but she misread the #'s for my FSH/estrogen tests earlier..telling me I wasn't post meno and could still get pregnant. The dr had it correct and I got the Arimidex.
I have to say I trust the collective wisdom I read here a LOT more than what I'm hearing from my current onc. office and I'm seriously considering trying to switch to a different one. Thanks again for the input!
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You should make a list of all the problems you have had; set up an appointment with your oncologist and talk to him/her about them. You may find that he/she is more shocked than you are. I actually did this with my oncologist (who was new to my clinic) and some major changes came out of our discussion.
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Melizzard - I eat the oatmeal at work so I really need to microwave it if I am going to eat it. I do make a point of using a china bowl and not plastic for microwaving. My Reiki teacher also said not to use the microwave, that shaking up molecules could not be good for you. Made enough of an impression to make me think 2x but not eough to make me stop using a microwave. And I remembered the missing ingredient - Wheat Germ. Lots of B vitamins from that. And am not sure if Cherries are supposed to be anticancerous but they are anti inflamitory (a cup is supposed to work as well as advil) and cancer is related to inflamation so I like using those for the bit of sweetness I like to counter the curry spice. I was using tumeric with either ginger or pepper, as I read you need to use one of these other spices to get the tummeric benefits but it is easier to get all three, plus a few others in the curry.
On Reiki - I remember when I got attuned to first level I felt so so so good for about 3 days after, not just pre cancer good, I felt young and I had no idea I was feeling old until I had the Reiki after glow to compare it too. And my hip pain was completely gone for several days as well. Don't think I have had any other treatments that wowed me like the attument and treatment but I am very glad to have this tool in my kit. And the price of my attunements was very reasonable. $100 for first level, $200 for second and I think $250 for third. Now I can have the energy whenever I want/need it. I only paid for a treatment once, during chemo. I don't know if it helped with chemo but it did help with the cough I had which was completely gone within days when they normally linger for weeks even without being autoimmune supressed.
Another antioxident recipe - Quina cooked in green tea with dried fruit (blueberries, apricots, cherries, whatever you like) soaking in the tea with the Quina. Then a dressing made of raw apple cider vinigar, olive oil, tumeric, ginger and any other good spices you like, and walnuts or some other good for you nut and chopped onion or leek or scallion. Delicious cold or hot, can be mixed in with other things like greens, or used as stuffing for roasted peppers and you can play with the recipe based on what you like or think give you the most bang for the buck.
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Omaz thanks for the site it is great.
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Hi everyone,
first, what a great thread! I looked at all the posts and I don't think the omega3/omega6 ratio has been mentioned. Based on current research, it looks like having a high ratio can help prevent breast cancer in some women. The movement away from partially hydrogenated oils in processed foods and fast food meals has left the false impression that high omega-6 fats such as soybean oil and corn oil are "healthy." But these high omega-6 fats drive down the ratio (others are peanut oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil). So I try to avoid these oils if I have a choice, in addition to trying to get more omega-3s and using virgin olive oil (omega-9). Below are names of some academic studies on the topic:
Dietary intakes of ω-6 and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the risk of breast cancer
Mammary Gland Density Predicts the Cancer Inhibitory Activity of the N-3 to N-6 Ratio of Dietary Fat
Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and breast cancer risk in Chinese women: A prospective cohort study
Long-chain n-3-to-n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios in breast adipose tissue from women with and without breast cancer
Hope this is useful,
Sarah
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Love all the info on this thread. Been thinking about Reiki for awhile. I think I'll give it a try!
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I have a Le Crueset wok (gift) but it won't work on my ceramic top stove.
It seems like nice stuff. 0 -
Looking for information...had a heart attack 4 months after finishing rads and taking tamoxifen..was taken off it an dhave been on heart meds since the heart attack in march..no high blood pressure but they are all pretty confident the tammi caused the blood clot ...so....was just told I am now post-menopausal and can begin another treatment....I know there are lots more options...but the side effect scare the crap out of me (for obvious reasons) and I am also afraid I will end up with anothe rheart a ttack..even though I am on a blood thinner....anyone else been in this situation?Any natrual medications or treatments you have been focused on that seems to be helping? I plan on making an appointment with my naturopath as well.
thank you
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SAndee you should ask BarbaraA what she takes as she is going natural supplements and I think she is post menopausal.
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Sandee - I am not positive but I don't think the aromatase inhibitors like femara are associated with blood clots the way tamoxifen is.0
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Sandee, I take grape seed extract (City of Hope is studying it as a natural aromatase inhibiter), DIM, curcumin, calcium d-glutarate and NAC. I was post-meno before cancer and had had my last hot flash years before. Well, this is working and I am flashing my brains out. Last time I was tested, my estrogen was below 9. But with the supplements I take, the estrogen I do have is metabolized in a better way.
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Hi BarbarA - I am meeting with the study coordinator on Monday to see if I can participate in a clinical trial here that is comparing tam+DIM vs tam+placebo on breast density and recurrence.0
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Sandeeonherown I know a friend of my is having lupron shots so she can take Anestrozole instead of tamox because she had issues with blood clots. Tamox is know to have blood clot issues. I think your doctors are doing the correct course but don't be afraid to question them further on it.0
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BarbaraA
Are you working with a Naturpath, or Holistic Doctor to determine doses of each thing you're taking?
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I work with Dr Joe Veltmann of the Intitute for Indivdualized Medicine. He does phone consults with me.
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Barbara, after reading your list, I went and was surprised to find GrapeSeed extract in SO MANY of the supplements I take
Good to know. thanks, for your information.0 -
Hi all,
I posted a while back about how I had done chemosensitivity testing on my lung mets. I just got results from my first scan since starting my new treatment (5 doses), and I have substantial regression!! That is in spite of 7 weeks between my last scan and beginning treatment. My doctor is floored. I am so happy I stepped outside the box and had the surgery and testing done. I thought I'd pass along the great news. It is one thing to be stable, but to be winning the battle is another.0 -
deenah - Wonderful news. Thank you for sharing it with us.0
