Re: Vitamin C Therapy - oncotype DX test denied!

[Guest guest]

:

Thanks for your comments; I appreciate them and will check into it

further. I've done a lot of digging already and this particular

doctor is great...he's not trying to scam me or impress me with

his 'prestige.' He's a humble guy with a quiet, but steady practice

who also believes in alternatives.

I just found out my insurance (who has been great throughout my

treatment so far) DENIED the oncotype DX test for me, deeming

it " investigative " and not necessary for my treatment! Without the

test, they said chemo would benefit me by 2, 2.5 or 3%. The test

was supposed to stratify my tumor/cancer and give me more valid

numbers. Without that data, my decision would be to forego the

chemo. Ironically, I'm sure the chemo would probably cost the

insurance more than the test (at least I think so), so you think'd

they want those test results before deciding to 'waste' chemo on me,

because I'm pretty sure if I said, Yeah, sign me up for chemo now,

I'd get it! Wouldn't paying for one test that may negate chemo be

cheaper than chemo and dealing with any potential health problems

from chemo?

This bugs me....I may be a separate post. May appeal the

decision,but why appeal when I don't want the chemo anyway?? I just

wanted the results to help me make an educated decision.

Suzanne

>

> Hey Y'all,

>

> I grew up on the theories of Linus ing (My Dr. Dad was a big

fan). I'm still leery of IV

> Vitamin C for these reasons:

> 1. If you max out on C (like 10,000 mgs daily), you'll give

yourself scurvy when you quit.

> 2. Don't assume that only the " good " cells are getting the benefit

of the therapy.

> 3. During radiation, it is a good idea to back of off major doses

of antioxidants as the radiation

> is hoping to create free radicals in the cancer cells to wipe them

out. Healthy tissue can survive

> for an eight week period without antioxidants, but - hopefully -

the cancer cells won't.

>

> If I were going to do it all again, and I hope never to have to

test this theory, I would

> concentrate on bio-available antioxidants found in food/juices. I

don't think we've improved upon

> the GI tract's ability to absorb and use vitamins. Make every bite

as nutritious as you can. I

> drank lots of organic pomegranate juice, and organic vegetable

juice during chemo treatment. I had

> dose dense therapy, 4 A/C, 4 Taxol. I had no side effects to the

chemo, and didn't even need the

> Neulasta for the last three Taxol treatments.

>

> But, it is your body and you have the right to do whatever you

please with it. It might be fun to

> query the doctor as to the specific benefits of IV therapy as

opposed to simply ingesting large

> doses of C. Coming from a large medical family, I love it when

patients ask detailed questions and

> get detailed answers. Remember, the doctor is your employee

(please don't let this hack off any

> doctors on the list, but we are all familiar with the " I am the

great big Doctor and you are the

> itty bitty patient " syndrome).

>

> Take care,

> R.

>

> Ruffing

> Grade 3, Stage IIIA, ER/PR+, HER2 neg, 4.9 cm and 5 nodes positive

> Chemo and radiation completed 9/28/06

> Mastectomy, no reconstruction

>

>

>

>

_____________________________________________________________________

_______________

> Have a burning question?

> Go to www.Answers.yahoo.com and get answers from real people who

know.

>

[Guest guest]

you can appeal the decision by the insurance company - i swear,

they're in the business of denying claims!

Over the summer, when I was getting A/C, my prescription plan denied

coverage for neulasta - let me re-phrase--they would ONLY cover if I

went back to the hospital the follwong day to have the nurse give me

the shot - but if I wanted to pick up the drug myself and give myself

the shot--that was a big NO!

ridiculous!

i got them to cover it.

bte, the chemo costs ALOT more than the cost of the test...herceptin

alone (if you're her2+) is around $130K !!and that's just one agent.

you know, re: the test - if the hospital you go to is an ECOG

affiliate, ECOG might cover the cost...

marisa

> >

> > Hey Y'all,

> >

> > I grew up on the theories of Linus ing (My Dr. Dad was a big

> fan). I'm still leery of IV

> > Vitamin C for these reasons:

> > 1. If you max out on C (like 10,000 mgs daily), you'll give

> yourself scurvy when you quit.

> > 2. Don't assume that only the " good " cells are getting the

benefit

> of the therapy.

> > 3. During radiation, it is a good idea to back of off major doses

> of antioxidants as the radiation

> > is hoping to create free radicals in the cancer cells to wipe

them

> out. Healthy tissue can survive

> > for an eight week period without antioxidants, but - hopefully -

> the cancer cells won't.

> >

> > If I were going to do it all again, and I hope never to have to

> test this theory, I would

> > concentrate on bio-available antioxidants found in food/juices. I

> don't think we've improved upon

> > the GI tract's ability to absorb and use vitamins. Make every

bite

> as nutritious as you can. I

> > drank lots of organic pomegranate juice, and organic vegetable

> juice during chemo treatment. I had

> > dose dense therapy, 4 A/C, 4 Taxol. I had no side effects to the

> chemo, and didn't even need the

> > Neulasta for the last three Taxol treatments.

> >

> > But, it is your body and you have the right to do whatever you

> please with it. It might be fun to

> > query the doctor as to the specific benefits of IV therapy as

> opposed to simply ingesting large

> > doses of C. Coming from a large medical family, I love it when

> patients ask detailed questions and

> > get detailed answers. Remember, the doctor is your employee

> (please don't let this hack off any

> > doctors on the list, but we are all familiar with the " I am the

> great big Doctor and you are the

> > itty bitty patient " syndrome).

> >

> > Take care,

> > R.

> >

> > Ruffing

> > Grade 3, Stage IIIA, ER/PR+, HER2 neg, 4.9 cm and 5 nodes positive

> > Chemo and radiation completed 9/28/06

> > Mastectomy, no reconstruction

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

_____________________________________________________________________

> _______________

> > Have a burning question?

> > Go to www.Answers.yahoo.com and get answers from real people who

> know.

> >

>