Belinda Pre-Chemo Nutrition?

[Guest guest]

Ah, a woman after my own heart. I declined, chemo, herceptin and

aromatase inhibitors as I felt the toxic effects would destroy my

immune system, just when I need it most. All these therapies can,also

have serious heart consequences. Do I really want to trade in one set

of problems for another? Congestive heart failure with dementia runs

in the family. I am seeing a nattropath and taking suppliments to

boost the immune system and did yo know that melatonin can moderate

estrogen production? Another thing to consider is that a naturopath

can support you through chemo thus moderating the dide effects. That

is what my naturopath normally does for her cancer patients. I got

her name from a Phd, who had breast cancer, had done her research and

this is what was being done for her.

Ruth

PS I am a diet controlled diabetic so eating anything I want is not

an option!

> Pre-Chemo Nutrition?

>

>

> I am surprised by the way some doctors try to run you through

> this " treatment " system without addressing what I think are some

> important points. Nutrition for what they plan to put us through

> primarily.

>

> I am 44 and was diagnosed in Dec and had a lumpectomy/sentinal node

> mapping on Jan 16. The tumor was removed with excellent margins and

> it had not spread to the lymphs. It was er/pr positive, her2

> negative. I thought, great, radiation and " we'll see " about anything

> else. (My mom had cancer 35 years ago when she was 28, my maternal

> grandmother died of ovarian cancer when she was 39, as well as

> numerous great-aunts with b/c, so for me, it was never a question

> of " if " but " when. " )

>

> At the first meeting with my first onco, she starts going on about

> chemo and blah blah, because I did not hear anything after that.

> After some discussion, we decided to do oncogene testing--which she

> said would give a better indication for recurrence rate--and a PET

> scan.

>

> At the follow-up, she said that the oncogene test results came back

> with a " very low " (still trying to get a copy of that) number,

> meaning the recurrence rate is low. The PET scan, in her opinion,

> showed " inconclusive " results--the lab attributes a gray spot (not

> hot spot) in the lymph area to the recent surgery, she attributes it

> to possible cancer that should be treated with chemo. I asked her

> couldn't we just surgically remove the one node in question (it

> appears to be the one the needle biopsied in Dec) and THEN decide

> about chemo if it came back with cancer in it. Her response was that

> surgery was a radical way to go. MY response was " And chemo's not? "

> At that point she saw I was not just signing up for the standard

> program and suggested I get a second opinion. And I am doing that

> next week.

>

> I asked her, and one other doctor, that going on the assumption that

> I *DO* need chemo, are there any dietary changes or recommendations

> I should start beforehand to ensure my immune system is as strong as

> it can be. Surprisingly, the response was " We don't recommend people

> who will be going through chemo make any lifestyle changes as chemo

> will be enough of a lifestyle change. " I just keep thinking that if

> a doc could say " make sure you eat every day, " it

> might actually make the chemo EASIER to deal with.

>

> I don't understand why this is not addressed as part of the

> solution. Or is it just these two docs don't address it?

>

> Actually, at this very point, I am considering no chemo, no

> radiation and no drugs. Just getting on with my life. Getting sick

> and dealing with side-effects of all these DRUGS to MAYBE not deal

> with something that MIGHT happen sounds like using a tank to crack a

> nut when there's a nutcracker handy.

>

> Sorry for the long post. This is my first one. And in re-reading it,

> I see there's no point. So my point is: Has anyone done anything

> nutritionally to make the treatment process easier? (Not herbal, as

> I understand these can really mess things up!)

>

> Best!!

> Belinda

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ruth,

Thanks for the info. I will definitely be looking into this whole

nutrition area more before doing ANYTHING! A naturopath might also

have some great input!

I just want to avoid " having things done to me. " I prefer to take

part in my own wellness, but that requires dialogue with docs, and

so far I haven't run across that. It could just be " bad matches. "

I look at my initial consultations with doctors like it's their job

interview. I am hiring them to help me get a job done--improve my

health. I mean, I am paying them, right? So I want to know the

person is not just talking at me, which I seem to keep running into!

Blessings!

Belinda

>

> Ah, a woman after my own heart. I declined, chemo, herceptin and

> aromatase inhibitors as I felt the toxic effects would destroy my

> immune system, just when I need it most. All these therapies

can,also

> have serious heart consequences. Do I really want to trade in one

set

> of problems for another? Congestive heart failure with dementia

runs

> in the family. I am seeing a nattropath and taking suppliments to

> boost the immune system and did yo know that melatonin can moderate

> estrogen production? Another thing to consider is that a

naturopath

> can support you through chemo thus moderating the dide effects.

That

> is what my naturopath normally does for her cancer patients. I got

> her name from a Phd, who had breast cancer, had done her research

and

> this is what was being done for her.

> Ruth

> PS I am a diet controlled diabetic so eating anything I want is

not

> an option!