Alternatives to Tamoxifen My Approach and Questions

yhendrix

Hello. I'm sharing my story in a new thread even though I've posted it in a couple of others that seemed relevant. I hope that this is OK.

Here's my story. I was diagnosed with ILC in my left breast in February of this year.

I had a lumpectomy and lymph node biopsy on March 17. I am ER/PR+, HER2 negative, Grade 1 Tumor (estimated size 1.8 CM), Ki-67 proliferation rate 1%, 1 node with a metastatic focus of slightly > 2mm. My lumpectomy didn't come back with clean margins. I had a contrasting MRI on April 10 and it showed no further sign of ILC, but because the pathology report shows not clean margins I am going in for a second lumpectomy on May 11. My CBC and CMP blood panels all came back excellent. No genetic markers for cancer. Waiting for my Oncotype test results.

I have chosen not to do the Tamoxifin because I have Crohn's, which I finally have under control. My doctor really want's me to try it and see if it agrees with me. Knowing my body the way I do I just know it will flare up my Crohn's. So I'm seeking out alternative estrogen blockers that women in my situation have had good results with.

Here's what I'm doing:

I'm making a shake once a day with the following:

1 scoop Garden of Life RAW Organic Perfect Food® Green Super Food
2 caps Garden of Life Vitamin Code® Women Raw Whole Food Multivitamin
2 caps Garden of Life Vitamin Code® RAW B-Complex™
1 cap Garden of Life Vitamin Code® RAW D3 -- 5000 IU
1 tbs Ground Flax Seed

NOTE: You can empty all Garden of Life Vitamins in to your smoothie and drink them vs. having to swallow a whole bunch of vitamins.

3 tsp of the following:
1pt Maitake Mushroom Powder to 2 pt Reishi Mushroom, powder (Ling Zhi)

In addition to the shake I'm taking:

20:1 CBD Tincture (cannabis not hemp) - 7 drops, 3x daily
Reishi Extract - 7 drops, 3x daily
2 softgels Terry Naturally CuraMed + OPC (French grape seed extract)

I keep seeing good things about DIM and AHCC and am wondering if it's a better alternative than what I'm doing. Any thoughts or insights anyone can share will be greatly appreciated. I really want to do all I can to beat this.

dtad

hi there. I answered you on another thread but I take DIM, melatonin, mushroom extract, and berberine. I have also lost 30 pounds since diagnosis and try to exercise daily. Its been 2 years and so far so good...

yhendrix

Thank you dtad. What mushroom extract are you doing?

I'm also doing diet and exercise. Since January I've lost 12 pounds. Everyone keeps telling me to do the Tamoxifen, but my gut instinct, and because I have Crohn's, says otherwise.

On May 11, 2017 I'm schedule for a second lumpectomy (no lymph nodes) Praying for clean margins.

dtad

Turkey tail mushroom extract. I totally get where you are coming from. Those of us who have compromised health and QOL issues before BC diagnosis are in a completely different situation than those who are healthy at diagnosis. We have a lot more to lose. I also believe that weight loss and exercise is under emphasized by most MOs. I have read studies that suggest it can give you a 40 percent reduction in recurrence rates. I also question how effective a drug can be that makes both weight loss and exercise more difficult. Just my opinion. I respect and support all informed decisions on treatment options made. Good luck to all....

Alfie2U

Which of these was significant to your weight loss? I believe the drug is packing the lbs on me.

yhendrix

Hi Alfie2U. None of the supplements. I made diet changes. More veggies and soups. Less fat. More exercise.

MarciaM

hello dear;

I have used flaxseed oil and found it to be estrogenic when measured in the blood if you take it with tamoxifen it has no effect and mixes well. I could not tolerate tamoxifen and I have to be on armedix for many years. Passionflower is anti-estrogen it's an aromatase inhibitor. I use it for sleep at night do not take during the day. It will make you drowsy. The other thing you can try is the DIM, or otherwise known as indole 3 carbional.

I would steer clear of flaxseed I was told that by my oncologist to stay away from the oil I don't know about the seeds they are less strong. There's been some studies that the seeds create an anti-estrogen effect by binding with the estrogen in the breast. I was on estrogen for seizures and then taken off estrogen which made the seizures all the worse then I turned to flaxseed oil to follow the WithBudwig diet in a long side my standard of care treatment. What I noticed is that the seizures stopped and I eventually concluded it had to be something about the flaxseed lo and behold when they measured by estrogen levels which I highly recommend you do ask your doctor to measure your estrogen levels then you'll know for sure if your regimen is working.

currently I'm using Vista because I have so much bone loss but I'm not comfortable on it and I'm very constipated. I think you're in the right direction I wish you the best of luck do ask your physician to test your estrogen levels it may help. feel free to contact me through the e-mail

Wishing you health

Marcia