Is there a natural estrogen blocker? help!
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Forgot to ask: I see most of you mentioning which alt meds you use, but are they working? Does your blood work prove it? I need to make a decision and I do not want to make one out of fear of what my Dr. says. I realize that she has my best interest at heart. However, I also realize this is a business for her. Are these specific natural medications working? Kindly weigh in. I'll be here all night.
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I can only say what I suspect but this is what happened: Two weeks ago I started on DIM, 200 mg/day--didn't really notice any difference but I didn't expect to that soon. Last Monday I went in for my pre-op checkup and they looked at my long list of supplements and said I'd have to stop all of them, except the vitamins, a week before the surgery, which is coming up this Thursday. So I think it was Friday I stopped the DIM and on Saturday I started spotting and then started my period--heavy!--just two weeks after the last one started. So I don't know if it was stopping the DIM that did that but it sure does look suspect and I've been miserable and teary all day, esp since now I'm not sure if my blood count will be high enough for surgery--it was already borderline. So I don't know if the DIM was suppressing a bunch of estrogen, of which I have a very high supply, but it hadn't been eliminated from my body yet and then it was like holding on to someone tight and letting them go--and whoa--they go flying.
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I had a similar experience to pipers_dream. I've been taking DIM for several months, and since I've been taking it had no periods. It could be that it's just coincidental to my entering menopause (I'm 49, so it's about time), but when I stopped taking it just recently I started getting premenstrual symptoms and began to have a period. So then I took the DIM for the last three days and it actually stopped. This may be TMI, but the reason I stopped taking the DIM was because I was experiencing a lot of discomfort with sex, and I thought the DIM was the culprit. And in fact when I stopped taking it, the vaginal dryness was no longer a problem. So, I definitely think it has an effect, but I don't have any clinical tests to prove it.
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Pipers and Falls, I think both of your experiences show great potential that DIM works as described. Both you and many other women here. It doesn't sound coincidental to me! Even the emotional side effects that come with having estrogen in general returned not to mention the rapid onset of your period. I have to learn more! Many thanks!
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Pipers,
You mentioned that you have not had surgery yet, so I'm assuming this was your choice of neo-adjunct therapy. I don't know if you see a regular Dr. or a holistic Dr., but either way, I'm sure there is a way to boost up your blood. Or worse case scenario is a reschedule, right? I hope it works out in your favor. Let us know how you are
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Falleves, your vag dryness theory makes sense as that's a common complaint with women in menopause I think.
And budrfligal, yes, the emotional symptoms were hell today. I cried all morning before I went to work and was just depressed all day. Ugh, I hope tomorrow is better but I believe this may be the worst period I've ever suffered and I've had fibroids for years. In many ways I hope it does delay surgery but it occurred to me that they'll probably just order a blood transfusion if it's bad. I'm hoping to opt out of chemo and may have to if I can't keep my blood count up, but I'll go back to the DIM as soon as I can.
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pipers_dream, just wanted to say I hope you are feeling better soon, and all goes well with your surgery (whenever you have it!)
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I was aged 50 and still very regular at diagnosis, but chemotherapy threw me into permanent menopause even before I started Tamoxifen. Not an unusual occurence as I was, perhaps, close to entering menopause at that age and the Tamoxifen would have made little difference.
Perhaps you should check on the threads for Young Women with Breast Cancer and see if anyone there can relate their experience? Or seek a second opinion, perhaps with an OB/GYN or a fertility specialist?
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Budrfligal, your onc is not lying to you. Tamox does not put you in menopause. Also, Tamox does NOT stop your ovaries from producing estrogen. It simply prevents the estrogen from binding to and stimulate the cancer cells.
Was the onc saying that she ALSO wanted to give you lupron shots? Is that what you mean?
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Momine,
She said she could give Lupron instead of Tamoxifen. But in the end she decided on Fareston, although now that I am looking it up, it says it is used in post-menopausal women. Now I'm confused. I'm pre-menopausal.0 -
Guess I'll be calling them again tomorrow.0
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Budrfligal, OK, lupron simply suppresses your ovaries. So, that drug would make you feel like you were in menopause.
In your shoes I would go talk to another onc, to tell you the truth. This sounds very confused, and fareston is rarely used and is only cleared for use in post-meno women (as you also found).
What reason did the onc give for the fareston? Did you ask? You need a good discussion where you get real answers. You need to know the pros and cons with tamox (which sounds like the most logical med for you) vs lupron and vs fareston.
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Thanks Momine,
I am getting a second opinion on Friday. I also called my oncologist's office yesterday, but haven't heard back yet.
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pioneer07, are you a man or a machine?
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I had to weight side-effects with Tamoxifen.. I refused to put poison in my body.
IC3 works.. without side-effects.. it's natural. Drs. don't tell their patients about it. It's a shame!
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Can you tell me do you buy DIM over the counter Any specific brand? I also refused all hormone therapy, had my ovaries removed to stop the high estrogen. I am feeling pressure to take something. Is DIM the same or similar to IC3? thanks for all the great info, great thread.
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Hi J-Sport,
My naturopathic doctor recommended ozinator therapy and infrared sauna to oxygenate the cells since oxygen is toxic to cancer. There is non THC cannabinoids also that are not psychoactive that are cytotoxic to cancer cells. I am going to try DIM instead of Femara that was prescribed. Also adding L-Glutathione to my Myers Cocktailintravenous infusions through my naturopathic doctor . I had a consult by my radiation oncologist that prescribed radiation but now a recent UCLA study shows that radiation makes cancer worse. http://www.cancer.ucla.edu/Index.aspx?page=644&re...
I heard that turkey tail mushrooms are the best mushroom supplements according to a study at Bastyr in Washington. Interesting stuff.
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Anna, that is not what the article says at all.
"“What is really exciting about this study is that it gives us a much more complex understanding of the interaction of radiation with cancer cells that goes far beyond DNA damage and cell killing,” Pajonk said. “The study may carry enormous potential to make radiation even better.”
Pajonk stressed that breast cancer patients should not be alarmed by the study findings and should continue to undergo radiation if recommended by their oncologists.
“Radiation is an extremely powerful tool in the fight against breast cancer,” he said. “If we can uncover the mechanism driving this transformation, we may be able to stop it and make the therapy even more powerful.”
This study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, the California Breast Cancer Research Program and the Department of Defense.
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I get DIM through Swansons Vitamins on line. Reasonable price. If you order enough stuff, shipping is free. They have paraben free facial cleasners and body lotions, etc. So that is better for cancer history. But all Swansons has are small bottles - so I order several. I don't really know how much to take though, as I am not working with a naturalpathic doctor. I am overwieght - 190 pounds or so. If anyone knows how much is recommended. for your weight, etc. please advise.
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Just want to put my two cents in, for what it's worth. I have had a lot of trouble staying on the AI's over the past two years. the pain is difficult to handle so I've been switching and taking vacations. Two months ago I developed bleeding from my vagina. It turned out to be a grade 3 cancer. I had a complete hysterectomy. They say the tumor was very well contained. My onc told me that the AI's may have slowed the growth and contained the tumor. Now I will not go off of them again no matter how much my joints ache!
BTW, I did switch, this last time to brand name arrimidex and so far so good. I don't know what the future will hold but so far the pains are minimal and it's been over two months.
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Good morning ladies. Rose, I agree with you! The doctor's definitely do not want to tell us the truth about alternative medicines. They have a vested interest in the drugs which they prescribe. And forget about getting the truth with them or anyone operating under the "puppet strings" of the corporate media. There is a DVD series out called "Great Lies in History". One of the topics is all about Cancer and the lies we are told. It is available through the WBAI and Pacifica radio station. The only radio broadcast station not operating under corporate media. If you happen to have these DVD's you are permitted to copy them and distribute for free. The pledge to get them was $250, so I could not afford it. I'm currently on the hunt for a copy.
I have been on Tamoxifen for about 3 months now. I don't have any outward SE's, but my Gynecologist told me my endometrium is becoming thickened. Of course I received no answer for this. Is it because I have yet to have my period since chemo? Am I in permanent menopause? Hmm, no straight answers. The thing that gets me the most is that Tamoxifen can cause uterine/endometrial cancer so why the heck are we given it? I wish I had the money to see a holistic doctor. But I'm not working until after my exchange surgery. Can anyone please give me information on DIM and the other one...CI? or whatever it's called. Please PM me with any information on these natural supplements, including where you get them and what you were told about them...the truth! What have your naturopath Docs told you all about cancer and hormone suppression? Please, I'm desperate for info. Thanks in advance!
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Budrfligal, here is the cancer part of that series: Cancer: The Forbidden Cures Here is some background on the filmmaker: Mazzucco As you can read in the link, he is, among other things, a truther and a believer in "chem trails."
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momine, you're an angel!!! Thanks for posting the information!
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Budr, you are most welcome. However, I have listened to the first part of the documentary, and it contains a lot of erroneous and/or twisted information.
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momine,
Thanks for the video link. I could only watch about 15 minutes of it. The first few minutes, detailing dx of cancer at the start of the 20th century as compared to today, was the first turn off. You know I'm not into conspiracy theories and the comments on that video were rife with them. I wish with all my heart that there was a simple, natural, no se cure or tx for bc that was scientifically researched and trialed. I have had most of those evil tx's the video discusses, save for chemo. Almost three years out from a stage IV dx and doing well. What can I say?
Caryn
ps: Truthers often are bedfellows with AIDS and Holocaust deniers. I prefer my purveyors of healthcare to stick to healthcare.
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Caryn, it gets worse after the first 15 minutes. I tried to verify random bits of the info, and none of it has panned out so far. It seems to be a collection of half-truths and outright fabrications.
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i finished watching it...what's so bad about it??
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June, it is mostly disinfo, twisted stuff etc. There is woefully little true info in the whole thing.
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Hi Everybody! Thanks so much for all your help and all your answers. It has been almost a year since I asked this question and I just wanted to give you the update. I did try the A/A drug combination but it was a complete disaster and my cancer flared up while I was on that drug combination. So now I am back on Arimidex and Xeloda, but I am also using grapeseed extract and DIM as well, and I seem to be doing fine...not well enough to risk going off of the Arimidex and Xeloda unfortunately because I am stage IV, but my tumor markers went up pretty high under A/A and now they have gone back down and the grape/DIM does seem to help. Anyway thankfully I am stable now. FYI- my oncologist knows that I am taking them (grape/DIM) as well and he is fine with it. We both wish that I could go off of the other medications but the grape/DIM didn't work enough on it's own for my cancers but again it did seem to help at least. And in the meantime I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that one day I can go off of the Arimidex/Xeloda. BTW- Also I heard about that 'Cancer forbidden cures" movie by the way and it does seem to be nothing but misinformation so I have ignored it. Thank you everyone and please keep posting information as well if you have any more wonderful ideas!
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The strongest estrogen blocker that is natural is DIM. According to my naturopathic doctor, DIM does not have a variant in brands or dosing. Best yet, it is derived from a concentration of cruciferous vegetables. I also juice kale, broccoli, red cabbage.
Best, Annabananas
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