Looking for Alternative therapies

LDi

I have IDC. Had recent Lumpectomy on 11/15/2011. I do NOT want to take Armidex. I have struggled with Depression all my life and I would rather have my quality of life. I am post-menopausal for almost 6 years so I am guessing there is not much estrogen left. I am low risk for recurrence, only 9%. Has anyone opted not to have radiation and also opted not or take an estrogen/pregesterone blocker? I have an appointment with the radiation Doctor tomorrow....and I do not want radiation unless I am a either a candidate for Partial Radiation or lower dose of radiation for 3 weeks that is becoming standard in Canada. It is my left breast and I understand that radiation can damage the heart. I am lost....I have done research on alternative therapies. I am uncertain what to do about radiation. But I know I will NOT take the Armidex. Anyone with any similar concerns or comments? I would really appreciate any input. I am overwhelmed...I live alone. I do have a boyfriend in the Armed Forces that will be moving back here in the next six months. But living alone, all the bills and I am also underemployed...I am just sometimes paralyzed with fear. Please help in any way. Thank you in advance.

peggy_j

Greetings LDI. In the Radiation forum there has been some discussion on this. As far as I know, most women who choose lumpectomy also choose radiation. I remember at least one patient here with a 0.3 cm tumor opted to skip radiation. Some women opt for an Mx to avoid radiation.  FWIW, there was a famous study published this year showing that rads reduces the risk of recurrence by 40-50%. The moderators posted it here (somewhere....

Some women choose to skip hormone therapy. (there are discussions and pros/cons in the Hormone forum). That's great that you have a very low risk of recurrence, of only 9%. (it can never be zero, so this is pretty low) Is your ER+/PR+ % low? (Mine is high, like >95% ER+ plus I'm pre-meno, so my MO made the case for my taking tamoxifen. FWIW, I have other health issues so even if I were post-meno, AIs would  never going be an option for me. So even though the docs sometimes make treatment sound like it's standard practice, each patient is different and there are many factors to consider. BTW, some post-meno women take tamoxifen instead of an AI, and I believe there are other AIs than Armidex).

I'm not sure how the grade factors into it. I know that grade 3 is considered the fast growing kind, so that might be a consideration. (and/or a reason to do another type of treatment). Even for small stage 1 tumors I suspect it might be unusual to do only a lumpectomy and no other treatment (no chemo, no rads and no hormone therapy.)  BTW, some patients find it helpful to get a second (or even third) opinion. Good luck. You're still so early in the process. I found it very difficult and stressful to reseach all the treatment options and make a decision. But once Tx began, that calmed down a bit. Good luck to you!

Anonymous

Hello LDi and welcome. Hopefully, a sister with your stats will chime in. In the meantime, if you would like to join us on the alternative forum we would welcome you with open arms

Hindsfeet

LDi,

    I skipped rads and tamoxifen. I am about 6 or 7 years from menapause. I did have one visit with an oncologist about a year ago. She said that Armidex were usually given to women post menapause. She said she would recommend tamoxifen rather than Armidex because it's a harsher drug. She saw that I was concerned about bone loss, heart, stroke and aging factors. At that time I saw no need to reduce my estrogen levels for the reasons I just mentioned.

I am well aware that even if I took tamoxifen that I could have a recurrence. I figured we need to look at the risks either way and decide what we are most comfortable living with. I did that

   I am in a different situation right now. I have a recurence. Is it because I didn't take tamoxifen? My gut says that with the her2+++ gene, I would had gotten it anyway, but perhaps it would had been er- .

    Our choices and options are not easy. No matter what choices we make there are risk.

Racy

Please raise your fears about radiation when you consult with the rad onc. S/he should be able to tell you what portions of the heart and lungs will be in the radiation field and discuss the risks. Also, ask if there is treatment available in the event of any heart damage. Do you have a pre-existing heart problem?



If you have an option of partial breast radiation, that is good but you need to consider the recurrence rate with that option.



Have all your questions written down to take to the consultation.



Like many, I had concerns about rad damage (including limiting future treatment options if I were to have a recurrence) but I decided my odds were better to take the rads.

suzieq60

I've had rads to both sides - no problem with the heart, they make sure they aim the beam away from it. As to the Arimidex question - it depends on your hormone receptor percentages. Do you know what they are? Mine were both well over 90%, so taking Arimidex was a no brainer for me.

LDi

I want to thank you all that took the time to offer your help and perspectives. I am NOT going to opt for Partial Breat Radiation. I took all your advice. BTW I am sending prayers and hugs to all that are struggling. Up until now I have been in a fog; such a funk that I could not hardly get out of bed.  Just yesterday I empowered myself by,researching BC and Alternative therapies. Well, I saw the Rad Doc today; I was so pleasantly surprised, also one my best friends who works at the Center and sat in on the appointment. My Doc S., had Stage 3 BC, Chemo, Rad & Oral Chemo Drug. I
could not believe, after presenting much research and pleading my case that I
would NOT TAKE an ER/PR inhibitor. She understood that with my history (and I only have a 9% chance of recurrence that may go up without Arimidex.) I have other health issues that factor into this decsion. Dr. S., is so kind, professional, and a real person, understood why I wouldn't take Arimidex. Also keep in mind this is a personal choice for me and I would not recommend this for anyone else.  I am going to change my with lifestyle and diet. I am also a candidate for the "Canadian Hypofractionation," 16 Rad. Treatments opposed to 33--if my insurance allows. I feel more empowered after doing extensive research on BC. I know that there are many, many, many other Women/Men that have a much more aggressive BC and must suffer highly invasive, damaging & painful treatments. My heart goes out to all. I am thankful that I have a forum to   exchange info., offer/receive support and just communicate with others going through similar diagnosis and maybe gain some strength from those formidable women who are having to fight for their lives. So I don't want to appear to be a wimp....I understand, for the most part, in the whole scheme of things, it appears that I MAY be lucky that my prognosis is not worse. But, I have other serious health issues with the BC to fight concurrently -- we all know BC is a B..C.!  

To all: Strength & Courage and/or Strength to find
the Courage to begin the fight!

AlaskaAngel

LDI,

There are trials going on in Canada, Great Britain, a few sites in the US, and Japan for the use of metformin.  Here is a very very very current article about a current discovery indicating the basis for why metformin is likely to be helpful for cancers. Consider talking to your doctors about adding it for further protection.

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20111205_Check_Up__Treating_cancer_by_starving_cells.html

A.A.

LDi

alaska angel,

Thank you so much for the information. Knowledge is power in learning how to fight BC! I will look at the studies and see if it is available as of yet. If it seems right for my health issues; I certainly hope it is available very soon! You are an Angel:)

LDi

alaska angel,

Thank you so much for the information. Knowledge is power in learning how to fight BC! I will look at the studies and see if it is available as of yet. If it seems right for my health issues; I certainly hope it is available very soon! You are an Angel:)

LDi

Eve Barry, I wrote you a long message and it disappeared. It's my bedtime but I am going to try to abridge this message with similar content. I am sorry about your recurrence; and you are right you could have done everything prescibed and still have a recurrence....and Her 2+++ is a higher risk factor of course. If I were to have have had an Her 2+.....my other Onco Doc had told me she would have prescribed Chemo--I WOULD NOT have had it! I hope you are doing Ok. Please let me know how things are going for you...as I am certain they suc.! I am looking for a new option hopefully on the horizon rather than the ARM., and I hope until then I am able to (live) with my descision. Thank you for sharing your story with me. I am sending you prayers, good wishes, positive energy (whatever you believe in.) And I always say, a prayer does no harm.Please be well soon & Keep in touch.

LDi

Hi Peggy J. Thanks for your message. I am going to do radiation...but right now--no Arimidex. On my path report it states ER and PR both Positive (both 3+ in 100% of Cells.) I have to call my surgeon tomorrow to determine exactly what that mean in percentages. All your Path Stats look good. Would you mind sharing what treatment you decided on? And how is it going? Thanks for the message; I will be checking in to see how everything working out for you:) Prayers & Hugs!

LDi

Hi Medici, Thanks for info:) And yes, I have found the alternative section here (thanks to you:) there is also a thread called Natural Girls...but I am unable to find that thread. Are you familiar with that one? Thanks to you and all herer making me feel like I belong to a community. Like everyone, I need support, and I do not want to burden my friends...already did with several meltdowns. Now it is time to share, offer support and communicate with others here. At one point, I had to tell my friends...."you can say anything to me; but please stop saying it's going to be fine." I explained I wasn't being cruel, but I had heard those words so often...they were like chalk screeching on a chalkboard. And it was more than likely I would be fine...but couldn't stand those three words. And I understand many do not know how to respond to the news of BC. I look forward to seeing you on the board; and hoping to share some alternative/adjunct therapies. Anything that helps us with BC and preventitive measures. There is SO much out there to research---at least this finally got me out of bed. And now it is time to go back to work Thursday. Talk to you soon:) Prayers & Good Wishes:)

ANNIE18

DEAREST LDI  I AM A TWO TIME BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR ,  THE FIRST TIME I REFUSED TO TAKE TAMOXIFEN   MOSTLY OUT OF FEAR ,  8 FRIENDS WITH THE SAME LUMPECTOMY DID RADIATION AND THE DRUG   NONE  I REPEAT NONE OF THEM HAD RECURRANCES   BUT I DID .

I AM NOW ON FEMARA FOR POST MENAPAUSAL WOMEN , I WILL NOT GET OFF OF IT FOR ANYTHING AS WE LEARN FROM OUR PRIOR EXPERIENCE S  WISHING YOU LOVE LUCK AND GOOD HEALTH   AMEN

YOU ARE IN MY PRAYERS  I DO HOPE I CAN HELP IN ANY WAY !!

flannelette

Hi LDI - I'm sorry you have to go through this fear. many women choose not to take aimidex. Why is is that you are choosing not to? I too battled with depresion most of my adult life, and have been on arimidex 3 years and have no ses involving depression.(though I do feel aged and have joint pain like many others)

But i do know a woman who was on tamoxifen a few months and had to quit due to depression.  So, from my experience, arimidex does not necessarily equal depression. sounds like you have alreAdy decided, based on things you have heard, read. but perhaps you might find surprise, surprise, it doesn't create/worsen depression for you. You might give it a chance, find it's not good for you, then quit.

By the way you can combine arimidex or femara with SSRIs, as I do. (Prozac) I find that the more I do re treatment, the more control I FEEL I have,. the less depression. You seem to be in the grip of anxiety, and that is totally natural, but, - without the anxiety over the possible ses of arimidex, do you think you might be freed up to re-think it all in a more open way? And I do know about anxiety, too, having had generalized anxiety disorder which completley incapacitated me for close to a year.

Wishing you well

flannelette

Just remembered - the natural girls who opt out of ai inhibitors ues a lot of alternatives such as DIM, Indole-3 Carbinol, Melatonin. Books that help you about foods that are being shown to fight cancer are Foods That Fight Cancer by Beliveau and Gingras. Also, good to read David servan-Schreiber'santi Cancer - a new way of life.  If you put these words into the search box way up top it will guide you to some of the many discussions on what women who opt out of ais are doing (though these books were writen by people who advocate complementary care, not strictly alternative.  the other really big thing is lots of active exercise - I believe there are many studies on the role exercise plays in prevention of recurrence.

naturegirl2

Hi LDI, sorry you are going thru all of this grief, and it is grief.  I think you made the right choice in getting radiation.  I was diagnosed in 1991 with Invasive ductual carsinoma, stage 1.  At that time, lumpectomy, radiation, and chemo was how it was treated back then.  I had micro calcifications that looked suspectious.  The rest is history.  I went thru 25 rounds of radiation, whole radiation, and 6 months of chemo.  No meds were mentioned at that time, I'm glad.  In 2007 I was diagnosed once more with BC, same breast, different kind of cancer, had NOTHING to do with the first kind of cancer.  The second time around, mastectomy was strongly recommended along with taking Femara.  I went thru with the mastectomy and decided not to take Femara.  I spent many days and nights doing research on what I had.  Eating the right foods, vitamins, and keeping your weight down helps quite a bit as well as low amounts of alcohol consumption.  I wish you well my friend, hope something/anything I have stated helps you out.

naturegirl2

I want to add to my favorite topics.