Treating estrogen responsive cancer naturally
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Is there anyone on here who was stage 3, grade 2 and is taking the natural route? How important is B12 ? I am feeling quite scared at the moment...........
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My guy, a research pathologist at UVa, suggests 3mg of melatonin and flax seed oil. The flax seed oil is Barlean's high lignan and it must be mixed thoroughly with either non-fat or low fat cottage cheese. Ratio of 1tbsp flax oil: 2 tbsp cottage cheese. Mix with whisk or blender until you can't see any oil on sides of bowl or sitting on top the cottage cheese.
After much research he does not see any benefit of taking a higher dose of Melatonin. Just the 3mg.
Hope this is helpful.0 -
I thought that us ER+ PR+ gals were supposed to stay away from flax seed/oil.
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I posted this on a separate thread, but wondering if anyone here is knowledgeable about maca powder. My integrative oncologist has me taking this (along with several other ingredients) in a morning shake. I have read conflicting things re maca vis-a-vis breast cancer. Confused!
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do your research on taking melatonin long term please........
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Regarding maca power....I was planning to take it myself as I had heard so many good things about it. Did my research and found that there is a possibility that it can raise your estrogen levels, but they admit not enough research has been done. For me, it's not worth the risk, so I will not be using it.
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I think the flax and the natural hormones are good for us, but there is conflicting info. I think doctores automatically say no to any hormones, but some holistic doctors believe it is helpful because they are weak forms and will compete with the dangerous forms.
I ordered some sublingual B12 but I don't know if I'm deficient or if its bad to take too much so I would appreciate knowledge on this as well. Thanks!0 -
My integrative onc has me taking sublingual B12 also, FWIW. He also believes that moderate amounts of soy are beneficial, so long as they are in natural form. Naturopathic oncology doctor I consult with agrees. Lots of conflicting info online about whether the maca actually raises estrogen levels, or just "balances" hormones (i.e., in my case, would up almost nonexistent progesterone levels.). Feel like I need a degree in biochemistry to analyze all this stuff!
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Conflicting info on soy, flax and maca so pls be careful, ladies !
First, do no harm!0 -
I've read that new research shows that anything over 1mg of melotonin is not needed. Like a #30 sunscreen verses a #70. Higher sounds like more protection but isn't and in the case of melatonin, could have negative SE's. Soy in natural for such as miso, tofu, etc., is thought to be ok, but not the derivitives you find in crackers, snacks, etc. My doc did give me the caveat that although soy can be ok, if your immune system is comprimised you should only eat about half of the allowable amounts of soy. Flax depends on the source as well, ground verses oils and other derivitive forms, although there are so many more options now for the fats. I find Co-q10 easier to digest and new research is showing it to be as effective, if not more so than a lot of the other supplements.
What about the progesterone cream? An earlier poster mentioned using it, but I thought it was a no-no. I am 95-100% estrogen positive and like 5% progesterone positive. What is the benefit of the cream? To level out the two?
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My ND told me that the only flax i could have is organic fresh ground. No processed soys whatsoever. Im 100% er/pr+ ......so I just err on the side of caution when it comes to added hormonal effects.
Ive read such conflicting stories on melatonin lately....long term that is. Im suffereing with insomnia like I never have before and am even considering sleeping pills. Ive had it since my 20s on and off.....but this is out of control. Some nights I only get 2 or 3 hrs. 4 is a good night.
back to the ND next week for something that will help. Ill ask about melatonin......0 -
Mini1
IMO , I would not trust those creams!
When I went thru meno, in my 40s my dr. wanted me on hormones, but I said no. Then , he suggested a cream and said it would NOT be systemic so I figured, why not ?"
When I went to CVS, I was chatting with the pharmacist waiting in line and somehow I brought up that I liked the cream option since it was not systemic. She corrected me , and told that it most certainly does enter into the system!
I was furious at my dr.- and left the cream at CVS.0 -
Purple - I always err on the side of caution in these things. I've not read anything that says it's OK to use the cream, that's why I was wondering about it. Messing with my hormones probably sped up my cancer occurrence in the first place; that and mega stress. I would be too scared to try it with everything I've read.
It's crazy trying to figure out what's good and what's bad for you. There is so much conflicting information on pretty much everything out there. I wish something was simple. Just straight up good or bad for you. sigh
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I am reading Suzanne Somer's book called Knockout; it is an amazing and enlightening book. More than anything, it makes sense. There is support and logic for balancing your hormones with bioidentical hormones. I think the key is that you need to be under doctor's care so that you are truly balancing your hormones (I am guessing there is a high level of monitoring).
The books has chapters specific to several successfull doctors and there unique natural based approaches. The natural paths noted in the book make more sense than anything else I've read (so far).
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When I was diagnosed, a friend from church told me she was so glad I was getting medical treatment. Her friend had just died of breast cancer. She had forgone conventional treatment, instead trying the protocol that Ms. Sommers promoted in her book. She spent $125,000.00 over 9 months and her cancer didn't improve, so she, in desperation, went to a MD, but it was too late, she died 3 months later. I've been working with a Board Certified Naturopathic Oncologist since my radiation treatments, and she knows of no natural cure for cancer that she would solely recommend. I have tried and failed with the anti-hormonal drugs so I am opting for natural anti-hormnals now.
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phxsunshine - What natural anti-hormonals do you use, if you don't mind my asking? I take DIM and other supplements, but don't know if any of them woud be considered anti-hormonal.
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Hi Mini ~ what was added to my plate, specifically for natural aromatase inhibition is: Chitosan and Resveratrol Extra along with 8oz of Button Mushrooms/week. (Works out to about 2/day) Flaxseed and Fish Oil also qualify for this duty, but I was already taking them and will continue to do so.
I wish there were a test we could all take to find out if our cancer is gone, but there isn't, so I gauge how I'm doing by how I'm feeling and how my health is. Four months after I began working with my Naturopath, I noticed my sinuses didn't hurt and I decided to stop taking my Zyrtec to see what would happen. I have had hayfever and allergies since I was a little girl and have used Alegra or Zyrtec since they were introduced years ago. What happened was I don't have allergies anymore. For the past 2 years I am allergy free. I have my windows open whenever I can and I go stick my face in the citrus blossoms and breathe in their perfume - it smells like heaven to me. I also haven't gotten sick since my diagnosis. There have been days I didn't feel good, but it was not because I was sick, it was because of the Rx SE's - which is why I decided to stop them. Recently my son and husband got horrible colds, it is the sickest my husband has ever been in the 34 years we have been together. And I didn't get so much as a sniffle. Unreal and awesome. I know that my energy is available to fight any cancer cell that even thinks about trying to grow in me.
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Speaking of testing for cancer, I spoke to someone today who was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma. She gets an annual test where she drinks a dye which then goes to all her lymph nodes to see if they are cancer free.
Has anyone heard of this test? If so, why don't we all get this? I know cancer can be spread thru blood, but isn't it mostly spread thru the lymph nodes? And if a cancer is found in a lymph node near an organ then the next step would be some sort of scan.
Anyone heard of this?
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I think the key is that you need to be under doctor's care so that you are truly balancing your hormones (I am guessing there is a high level of monitoring
I wouldnt try any of that without being under the care of someone I REALLY trusted. That's the key. Somers has LOT$ of money and can go anywhere. ( Besides, she did some conventional tx , ladies!)
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Purple - I'm doing all but the Chitosan. I'm not familiar with that one at all. I'll have to look it up when I leave here. I was amazed at how much my diet has played in how I feel. It's not easy detoxing off of too much sugar, soda, salt, packaged foods, etc., but I'm amazed by how much better I feel. If you look at what we ingest in our foods, it's not nearly as hard to change your eating habits. Between a good diet and the right supplements I'm amazed at the difference in my skin, hair, allergies, and overall heatlh. I actaually scored higher than my husband on the health eval we had to do for our health insurance through his work, and I was barely out of radiation. All my numbers are right in line except my alkaline phosphates. I have to have a CT scan in a couple months for that if they remain up. Make sure the liver/pancreas is OK.
Dogs - I have a friend whose son had non-hodgkins lymphoma. I'll have to ask her if he had/has that type of testing done.
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Mini, totally agree with you with the postive changes in my health that have resulted from me taking better care of me. My Naturopath told me at the onset of my working with her that nobody can promise your cancer will not come back, even with all these changes, but wouldn't I rather be healthy if it did? The answer is a big yes. I'm grateful I had no other health issues for the Docs to have to work around and now I have none. My goal is to be the healthiest cancer patient ever.
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phxsunshine - Exactly! At least we will go into battle at our strongest. And I just feel better in general. And for those of you that don't think you could do it, believe me, 2 years ago I would have said the same thing. I didn't realize how what we eat corrupts our palletes. Had I not had to do it out of necessity, I probably wouldn't have done it. But I am so glad I did. Now half the stuff I used to love doesn't even taste good to me. And I have lots of delicious foods I can eat.
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Hey, I wanted to share this resource with all of you. Some of the segments are really great for me. There is absolutely no cost and no strings attached. You can listen to these at your own pace for the next month, I believe. Enjoy: http://cancertelesummit.com/
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How do I get rid of my sugar cravings? It started with the Aromasin (as you guys know, I blame EVERYTHING on that) but since I haven't been on it for almost a year what is causing it. I am afraid to even buy cookies because if I do a whole box is gone in a couple of days.
I am craving something right now, but then looking down at my spare tire I decide to stay strong (for how) The store is only a few blocks away----so tempting.
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I, too, love the sweets. My naturopath told me if I have them, just make them myself, because that way I know what's in there. I make a mean brownie. I have found, quite by accident, if I have a healthy green drink/smoothie that I don't think about sweets. Happens every time. I figure I must be low on something, so my body thinks sugar is the answer. I've also found the less sweets I eat, the less it takes to satisfy my sweet tooth.
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Thanks! I'll have to get back to my juicing - just bought more veggies and apples. Apples are sweet so that should help as long as I don't eat more than one a day.
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I had to detox from salt, sugar, etc., for appx 1 month. It takes that long to get it out of your system and cleanse your pallette. You can retrain your taste buds. I'm amazed at what I like eating now. I still get psychological cravings, but they are less and less all the time. And when I do get them, they are more easily satisfied. I could never eat 1 cookie or 1 brownie before. Now sometimes just a bite is enough. More than that is actually too much. And this is from a straight-up sugarholic. I use lots of spices I never ate before now. If you would have told me a year ago that I would be eating this way and liking it, I would have laughed out loud.
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Thanks Mimi, that is so encouraging. I do remember 30 years ago when I started running I lost my craving for sweets - I think when my arm is completely healed I will start jogging on a regular basis and that should help. For now, I eat a big apple every day which seems to help the craving---
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I have been reading thru this topic to catch up, and wanted to throw my two cents in. I am 61, and had cancer treated ten years ago with an LX, SNB on r. side. They removed a tumor = 2.5 cm, er/pr +, her2-. Stage II, grade 1. Had full course of rads with this, which felt like overkill to me. After surgery I had swelling and intense pain from the SNB due to developing a seroma, which I had drained at least 4 times in six weeks. The radiation was brutal on my skin, and I still have very obvious skin changes from that. My r. breast is still sore beneath the area that was operated on. I was offered Tamoxifen and declined. I had ten great years after that, in which I went to grad school, hiked half the Appalachian Trail, got full time work in my field and lost 25# after a year at Weight Watchers.
This Dec. a mammogram picked up a new ca. on left side. I changed tx teams and am
glad I had a choice in that. The details are similar but not identical, in that the tumor was 1.4 cm, er+, pr-, her2-, stage one, grade 2. OK. So, I am super motivated to avoid
another radiation course. I do not want Tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors. I had surgery on 1/15/13, and I am still at home dealing with significant pain from a more extensive repair than the surgeon initially expected. Three Advil take care of it, and avoiding too much use of the arm on that side. I am still sleeping a lot, but will go back to work on Monday.
There has to be a way to prioritize the ways we can influence the body's tendency to support or suppress tumor formation. I like the concept of dietary management, but am finding real data about that to be slim. Prior to developing the second tumor, I was under intense work stress for over a year. I had to have had chronically high cortisol levels 24/7 then. It got better over the last six months or so, but I do wonder about its role in feeding tumor action. Its so good to have a forum for this kind of concern, where experiences can be shared and we can choose from a fuller menu than is offered mainstream.
I will be too busy to follow this probably once I am back at my job, but thanks to all for your rich contributions and for sharing your sources.0 -
Hi - I am the one who brought up progesterone cream. I use 100 / day trough my natural endocrinologist. it is bioidentical. This kind actually fills the receptor cells on the PR+. The synthetic hormones are what caused the issues for us and has made us terrified of hormones in general. I am both dismayed at the false info out there that caused me to go without the protection i could have had as 95% ER+ PR+. And grateful I finally pressed through all the research and found a natural endo who knows what he is doing pertaining to breast cancer too. If you do a search on this website for my name and bioidentical you will find the multitude of posts as I struggled to figure out what to do. I had gone almost two years without the natural cream but the one I used before was too weak for my situation anyway. There are many many links and reports to read as you decide for yourselves what to trust. I found my answers beyond the AMA, that is for certain.
Flax oil, I prefer to stir mine into raw milk yogurt, seldom on salad now. I stopped DIM supplements but will use short term occassionally.
For cancer tests consider the Navarro urine test for one.
My ER and PR and both low and pretty equal. The endo told me I was doing 90% right and back then he knew I was using helichrysin oil and pink grapefruit oil to balance hormones, plus chastetree berry extract powder which lowers or balances too.
I will check into melatonin and maca.
LOVEESSa
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