In Search of Holistic Treatment After Lumpectomy
Hello =)
I am looking for like-minded people who would prefer to use holistic means rather than the traditional standard of care after surgery.
What do you do? Intermittent fasting? Organic plant-based diet? No sugar/dairy?
Quality supplements? Do you see a Functional Doctor for guidance? Do you get regular bloodwork work to see how the bloodwork trends?
(I'm really new to this site … any guidance would be appreciated … struggling with Tags)
Comments
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Hi steppingstone,
I am sorry that you’ve joined us. Our alternative threads are mostly quiet and most here use conventional medicine. There is also this disclaimer:
Alternative MedicineThis forum is a safe, judgement-free place to discuss Alternative medicine. Alternative medicine refers to treatments that are used INSTEAD of standard, evidence-based treatment. Breastcancer.org does NOT recommend or endorse alternative medicine.However, we do have a complementary medicine section which, though not very active, may be of help to you. Many members do avail themselves of complementary tx to ease side effects of tx and strengthen their overall health. Take care
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Hi @steppingstonetowhere, I am stage iv and as well as kisqali and letrozole, I use keto to help with side effects, which are so far very limited. I am allergic to the proteins and whey of dairy so I tend to really limit my intake of dairy - as much as I love dairy, it doesn't love me. I exercise on a daily basis and I think this helps - but I am very lucky, many are limited with exercise because of extreme fatigue. Also, your immune system is an issue when joining a gym and lots of members' immune systems are next to non-existent because of treatment. So joining a gym where there is a good chance of catching a virus is not an option for them.
I do intermittent fasting, not as a conscious choice but because I never got back into the habit of eating dinner after I lost my appetite years ago. After I regained my appetite, I just never got into the habit of dinner. I have since lost my appetite again and so am on a reduced calorie intake - again, not by choice - I don't have the self disciple for that.
I had a recent disastrous experience with probiotics and have decided after a month of taking them, that they are not an option for me on a full-time basis. The side effects were too extreme. I had previously used them on a short-term basis with antibiotics but I won't even do that again. I am careful with supplements - only vitamins B & D and a standard multi-vitamin.
I discuss this with my onc and she is aware of my situation. If I want to explore a new strategy with regard to food/supplements/exercise I always discuss it with her. Good luck with your treatment.
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@exbrnxgrl thank you so much for responding and reminding me of the ideal conversation parameters. I didn't mean to cross any lines. I find myself thinking I'm treating holistically, but in all actuality, I am leaning towards complimentary -with a lot of focus on Metabolic Therapy. I may be starting radiation in the next week or so.
Again, I sincerely appreciate your time and explanation -otherwise, I would have wondered why nobody chimed in. 😉
Best Wishes 🌻0 -
Hi @malleemiss251
Thank you for sharing 🌺 I'm glad you have found things to help manage side effects.
My Oncologist would like me to take anastrozole (which I'm told is similar to letrozole). I have several meetings this week -oncology, radiation, and my Functional Doctor. Then I have to make decisions.
The Functional Dr has helped me get my body healthier overall and that has to be a good thing. I am interested in starting to exercise. I need to start -yesterday I told myself I'd do leg lifts and arm stretching on commercials … I did yesterday, not yet today (giggling). But I did vacuum and brush our Great Pyrenees for about 20 minutes! That's gotta count for something! What exercises have worked for you? How did you get yourself to start? What exercises did you find to begin with worked for you?
It sounds really hard for you to get nutrition, what things taste good to you? what staples do you fall back on? I'm sending hope that you will find enjoyment in things that taste as good as to you as they are good for your body!
I appreciate the dimension you spoke about in doing something intentionally but only temporarily. I often (usually) tend to think if I do something, for example, take the anastrozole, that I will always take it as prescribed for the 5-6 year duration. My brain doesn't intially think of the variations that it could be taken. I was talking to a friend about this med in particular and she said she'd ask the Dr if she could take it every other day? and what if she only took it for 3-1/2yrs what would happen? I was surprised, as those options hadn't occurred to me.
All or nothing -giggling, like the exercise, too! Did I do the leg lifts today? Did I walk a lap in the house? Did I sit outside in the sunshine? No, but I often forget to remind myself I likely did something different that still matters.
As for discussing things with your onc, I too have done that the whole way through. I was diagnosed Dec of '22. They managed to get me scheduled with appointments with everyone and have me lined up for surgery within a month. It astounds me they were able to do that! Unfortunately, for me, it was too fast. I felt rushed and like it wasn't right for me.
I talked with a friend, another cancer survivor, and asked her if she would do anything differently knowing what she does now. She shared a lot. The primary thing she spoke about was working with a Functional Dr. I had never heard of that!
In this field of medicine the doctor has extensive bloodwork panels run. The results fit in to one of three categories: a Healthy Range, an Unhealthy Range, and a Clinically Unhealthy Range. Their goal is to have all results in the Healthy Range, 😉 as does traditiontal medicine. The difference being that they can watch and see if you trend out of the Healthy Range and guide you to make changes to prevent you ever getting to where the general doctors treat you for being Clinically Unhealthy using medications to try to bring you back into the Healthy Range.
I wish I had known about this branch of healthcare so many years ago.
But I digress. When I felt rushed, I did reach out to my Nurse Navigator and shared that with her and asked her to pause everything. I explained I was going to talk with the Funct. Dr. and would get back to them. I talked w/the FD then went back and talked with the Onc. with my husband and mother. We all talked, asked questions, and in the end the Onc. said it was OK for me to try the other way. We agreed I would get follow-ups every three months to keep an eye on things.I worked with the FD for a year and a half: I had the bloodwork done, mammograms and ultrasounds every three months. I met with the Onc every three months. Then I decided that since I was not doing all I could with the guidance of the FD, the lumpectomy and SNB were what I needed to have done.
And that's where I find myself now. A month out of surgery and trying to decide the next steps for me.
I do value and appreciate traditional medicine. To me, trad. med. can be harsh and cut-and-dry. I prefer a kinder, gentler way of life. If my health can be improved that way, too, I would prefer that.
I do also understand that sometimes life really sucks rotten eggs ~ and I cannot always have my way. Why can't we have our own way more often? LOL
So, in closing, thank you again for sharing and commenting in an area on this site without much activity. I find myself thinking in 'holistic' measures, but in reality I suppose Complementary Treatment is where I am heading. I've even heard the term Metatbolic Therapy recently, and that may be the terminology I should adapt to.
There is a whole other language I need to learn -and I hope not to upset anyone as I venture out asking for guidance and offering support as I go.
Sending peace, health, and happiness your way! 🦋🌺0 -
You’re welcome! Many of us have used all manner of complementary tx so ask away on the complementary threads. Use the search function to see if there are existing threads on therapies that might interest you.
Many cancer centers offer some things such as acupuncture and yoga. My center even has a weekly organic farmers market!1 -
Hi Steppingstone:
Actually there are some of us still around who are pretty holistic/natural treatment BC survivors. I’m one of them. It was a tough decision for me (treatment) but I’m so glad 7 yrs later I chose the treatment I did. (Only surgery). For me, it was the right decision. But that decision isn’t right for everyone. I’m doing well and I do try to eat mostly plant based. I try to cut out processed foods. I’m overall dairy free. Cane sugar free. Don’t drink alcohol. I do intermittent fast eating much later for 1st meal, but not every day. I stay as active as possible on our farm.
I hope all goes well with your treatment. So sorry you’ve joined the BC family. 💐1 -
@jons_girl thank you for sharing. =)
I really wish I had the where-with-all to forgo the radiation. I had the fortitude and belief in myself and the choice to go the holistic route -while still closely monitoring with my Oncologist every three months. I did this for a year and a half. Then my body/brain made it clear that it was time to do something different -so, after struggling a while, I knew it was time to have 'it' removed.
As soon as I decided to have the surgery all of the chaos and stress I had bottled up went away. I was at peace with the next step: lumpectomy. I hoped it would end there.
I had one day -one glorious day- where I happily declared that chapter in my life was over. I was moving on with no further treatment.
The next day, another doctor explained the recurrence odds were 30% if I did no other treatment. That was just too high for me. Oncotyping said there was less than a 1% chance chemo would be successful. I was very happy about that! The next thing was radiation.
I didn't and don't want it. But I had treatment number one today -of a six-week regimen. I do not have the same peace of mind with this decision. But neither was I comfortable with the thirty percent possible recurrence rate.
I do not have the discipline to eat cleanly as a lifestyle. I just don't. Family in the home eat typical American foods -pasta, pizza, meat, and potatoes with another veggie, desserts full of sugar and flour and all the comfort enjoyed while I was growing up.
I know my health is better on the plant-based, no sugar/dairy/soy, intermittent fasting. I know it. I felt it. I just don't have it in me currently to follow that lifestyle. If I won't follow it, I don't know how to justify not following the standard of care to 'fight' "it".
I don't know what other way to turn. I don't know where else to look.
I totally respect everyone's right to do what is in their heart and what is best for them. I honor the decisions each person makes for themselves.
I am searching for a path where I can honor how I feel about my decision.0 -
You’re welcome. Yes we all have to make the decisions for treatment that are best for us. My decisions won’t be the same decisions that others here make for themselves and that’s ok! Have a wonderful week!
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