Integrative Medicine Doctor

LoraineM

A non-cancer but other illness friend goes to an Integrative medicine doctor here in Austin, TX. This doctor told my friend that I must get in touch with Dr. J. William Lavalley. He practices here in Austin and also Nova Scotia since the Canadian medical establishment is more open to Integrative care. This is IN ADDITION to standard cancer treatment, not instead. I am doing research on him. Anybody out there know anything about him or this approach?

zarovka

Loraine -

I am deep into integrative care with a couple different doctors. I looked at Dr. Lavalley's site and he has the thing that I think make a good integrative doctor for cancer patients. He focuses on cancer and he draws on a variety of modalities to treat cancer. This is important because you can't dabble in cancer. There are a lot of integrative doctors obsessed with things like metal detox. They have a big hammer and they think everything is a nail. They treat everything from heart disease to ingrown toe nails with this one thing they have become an "expert" in. Avoid these people.

He has a lot of experience. There is no short road to knowing what you are doing with integrative care because it is not driven by FDA approved recipes. He does integrative care ... he doesn't dismiss the Standard of Care, he works with it. I haven't seen a lot of people do well dismissing the standard of care. But add lifestyle changes and off label drugs and supplements and the odds do change.

He is trained in Canada where they a larger group of integrative care practitioners, better protocols, and generally a more robust dialogue.

He has a couple of protocols up on his web page. Most of it is pretty common integrative strategy,. He is not off the wall. He does seem to have some ideas I haven't heard of. Great.

I think it is great that you have someone like that nearby. The best thing to do is to visit and then pull out your Quack Meter (aka PubMed) to test what they have proposed. After I talk to these folks, I go home and look up everything they proposed in Pub Med. The integrative doctors I have chosen are all working straight out of the scientific literature.

>Z<

LoraineM

thank you for the informative reply. Interesting that you are using several different doctors. I have been coordinating every thing through MD Anderson. I live 3 1/2 hours away but go there quarterly. I have a local oncologist. Although he has been in touch with MDA it seems I have to remind him or th nurse what needs to be done. For example, not doing blood work in the first off week. Then when they did the blood work reminding them they needed a CBC panel to see if the dosage was right. Bottom line- glad MDA is in charge.

Re integrative: I think I will go ahead with the initial consultation and meet with a concierge doctor who will do me on an hourly basis. All of this is big money. Probably close to a $1000 for those two meetings. The complete protocol is $6000. Yikes. Are you finding your doctors expensive? I need toget a few more questions answere and if those are satisfactory, I'll do that first step and take it to MDA. Meeting with an integrative doctor ther but I've been told they just recommend acupuncture and massage. Already doing that

lovedandlost

Here is a sample treatment protocol from the LaValley MD Protocols website:

• Beta-1,3-1,6-Glucan
• Curcumin-in-water (95% plant extract standardized powder in capsules)
• EGCG (in green tea extract standardized powder concentrate in capsules)
• Vitamin B-12
• Metformin – 500 mg 1-3 times per day
• Celecoxib (Celebrex®) – 100mg 200mg – 1-2 times per day

First, these are all valid supplements for a complementary treatment for cancer. However, the list is far too short, with many key items missing – it might do for preventive purposes with a precancerous condition, but it would not be adequate for treating an existing cancer, much less a stage IV cancer. In terms of the supplements listed, doses are only specified for the last two items.

Beta-1,3-1,6-Glucan: There are far better immune system boosters, which would be the preferred choice for a cancer protocol.

Curcumin: Yes, but boiling it is not the way to maximize bioavailability. As far back at 2007, a new formulation with over six times the bioavailability of conventional curcumin became available (and superseded the combination of curcumin and piperine). Using the standardized powder will not deliver the necessary curative impact.
.
EGCG: Yes.

Vitamin B-12: Yes – it may be required to compensate for losses due to metformin.

Metformin: Yes, the dosage range is correct.

Celecoxib: Yes, but there are risks in using Celecoxib – its use is warranted in some circumstances. The dosage range is correct.

Sorry to be so negative, but, all in all, it's a very poor selection if you want to cure cancer or to prolong survival – especially with a stage IV cancer. The right supplements can make a very useful contribution, but it's important to find a health-care practitioner with a thorough understanding of the biomarkers and signalling pathways associated with cancer progression (there are over a 100), one who knows which supplements will block which pathways.

Good luck!

zarovka

lovedandlost -

I try to be positive and, in general, this doctors has key things I like to see in a complementary oncologist. You could certainly do a whole lot worse. However, I scratched my head when I looked at his protocol. I am hoping that he comes up with something a little better when you come in and visit. I figure one doesn't put all one's tricks on the internet.

I prefer FABNO's but there aren't any in Texas. So you have to weigh the benefits of having someone you can easily visit (very important) vs. working with someone online and over the phone. I live in the boondocks so I work with my complementary onc over the phone. That allowed me to pick anyone in the country and I'm feeling comfortable with my choice. However, I had to fly to arizona last week to meet him in person just to get that connection. I haven't had a major crisis yet, but if I do I want the guy to know me.

If you have it and you don't have anything better to spend it on, I think it is worth it. With my complementary onc, the first intake meeting was $400. The follow up meetings have been one hour for $250. The supplements and treatments are on top of that. IV's are very expensive, but the supplements certainly add up too. I'm probably spending $5k per year on complementary care. I would have spent $5K alone to get rid of the debilitating hot flashes.

This guy seems a little expensive but not wildly so.

You seem exceptionally knowledgeable about complementary oncology. I'd be interested in your diagnosis and your regime. PM if you would like to continue by email.

>Z<

Heidihill

Loraine, yikes is right. I'd take the sample protocol to MDA and see what they say. My regular onc has prescribed the bottom 3 in that protocol and insurance has payed for the meds. So it is worth seeing what you can get from standard sources, either from your onc or internist. Good integrative medicine is one that is truly integrated, because someone has to have the big picture and monitor the whole thing, preferrably your oncologist.

https://www.mdanderson.org/content/dam/mdanderson/documents/Programs/Integrative-Medicine-Program/Feb-2017.pdf

This is the brochure from MDAnderson.

Bestbird

Like zarovka, I work with a Naturopathic Oncologist. Below from my MBC Guide is a writeup about them.

Naturopathic Oncologists typically recommend a protocol consisting of supplements, dietary recommendations, and/or other therapies that may help to enhance the patient's health, reduce treatment and cancer-related side effects, and hopefully help suppress their cancer.The patient's integrative protocol is also designed to work with their mainstream cancer therapy. Among Naturopathic Oncologists, those who carry the title "FABNO" (Fellow by the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology) have passed stringent examinations in order to meet the highest standard of the profession.

That said, not all FABNOs are alike, any more than all Medical Oncologists (MOs) are alike.The best FABNOs customize their protocol to address the specific patient's overall situation instead of recommending a "one size fits all" regimen. A thorough FABNO will review the patient's medical records and related test results and will order special laboratory tests that Medical Oncologists typically do not. These additional lab tests may assess the status of biological factors regarding the formation of blood vessels (such as vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF]) and inflammation markers (such as C-Reactive Protein), that may be indicative of the status of the patient's cancer. Based upon the results of these lab tests and the patient's conventional tests, the Naturopathic Oncologist will design a protocol to address any areas of concern as well as optimize the patient's health, and will periodically re-test (and make protocol adjustments if necessary) to ensure the regimen is working.

It may be possible to work remotely via phone, email and Skype with a Naturopathic Oncologist who lives in a different location than the patient.A list of Naturopathic Physicians can be found at: https://oncanp.org/find-nd/

LoraineM

Thank you for your detailed analysis. After going round and round, I have come to the decision not to go to Lavalley. He was recommended by a concierge doctor a friend swears by. I have a consultation with her on Monday. Just to see how her practice works. I am not sure about my primary doctor and the information his office gives out. Although I really like him when I see him. I have reconnected with my original decision to have MD Anderson be my main treatment source. When I go for my tests the end of April I have an appointment with an integrative doctor. I already do acupuncture and massage and exercise. Re the diet, I just try to eat healthy and stay away from sugar

zarovka

That is an awesome plan. 60% to 80% of the benefit of an complementary protocol is in the diet and exercise. If that is not in place, popping supplements is pointless.

>Z<