Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) with Keto

kjm90

I was recently diagnosed with Stage IIB ILC in May. I am currently in a clinical trial for the next few months, just taking Femara (the trial was to potentially take Ibrance at a lower stage level, but I got randomized to the group that just stuck with Femara), with a mastectomy planned for December. Luckily, I have had minimal side effects from Femara so far. The blessing of this trial for me is that it has allowed me to have some time to breathe, think and research before I have to make serious decisions, like radiation. Based on the type, level, and size of my tumor, I am fairly comfortable with the idea of surgery, but not keen on other standard of care treatments. Like many here, I have done a ton of research over the past few months, and through that research I have become convinced of the metabolic aspects of cancer. From that research, I began the keto diet in August and I have already seen some tumor shrinkage over the past few months -- of course, not sure if the Femara or the diet, or a combo of both, have contributed to this. I have seen several books, videos, articles, etc., (Dr. Nasha Winters, Dr. D'Agostino, Dr. Harch, etc.) talking about the benefits of doing hyperbaric oxygen treatments WITH Keto, and I would love to try this. I have done a couple of sessions at a local sports recovery place, but the level that they can provide is only at 1.3 atmospheres, and my understanding is that is not really a therapeutic level. I have mentioned the idea of this to my oncologist, and like many things that I have brought up from my research of therapies that are outside standard of care treatments, she basically had no information or interest. I live in Houston and would think it would be easy to access this with our huge Medical Center, but I am finding that is really difficult.

My questions for the forum -- Has anyone implemented HBOT with Keto, not related to chemo or rads issues, and have you had any success? If so, how did you go about getting access to the therapy? What type of doctor were you seeing to get that access? What atmosphere levels were used for your therapy sessions and how many sessions did you do? Has anyone had good success with home level hyperbaric chambers? Has anyone tried EWOT as an alternative and was that successful? Any information related to oxygen therapy, even if it wasn't used in conjunction with Keto, would be welcome! Thanks so much!

MinusTwo

Kim - they have a hyperbaric chamber at Memorial Herman in the med center. It's up by where the life flight helicopters land. It's part of the wound care department. I went there to consult with Dr. Erik Maus about lymphadema after my first breast surgery. I might add, all the other docs said pooh-pooh, very rare, never happens but in fact I made an appointment on my own and it had happened and & was early stage LE. I gave up asking for a referral & just made an appointment - although I think my OB/Gyn would had provided anything I wanted.

His specialty is undersea, aerospace and hyperbaric medicine - along with wound care. I can't answer your other questions about diet & have no personal experience with the chamber - but he is an excellent doc if you want to go for a consult. This is a 'full on' chamber for deep sea divers among others.

I have a card which shows the following, though it may have changed in the last few years: Memorial Herman - Wound Care, Hyperbaric, Lymphadema - 2nd Floor Robertson Pavilion, 713-704-5900.

Google lists: Internist in Houston, Texas 6411 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030 713-704-4268

Please do report back if you have any success.

Myoak

Oxygen chamber therapy can increase circulation and oxygenation, Frye adds, allowing the oxygen to build and repair damaged blood vessels, as well as triggering collagen growth, which leads to healing.

santabarbarian

I did HBOT throughout chemo. I did it 1 or 2 x per week, at a HBOT center in my town.

I do not recall the exact pressure setting but it was per a prescription by a cancer-specialist naturopathic physician. I did HBOT in conjunction with high dose IV C. The two therapies together boost one another. I did it again after rads for healing and my skin healed VERY rapidly. I absolutely loved the feeling of walking out of there feeling fully oxygenated when my main symptom of chemo was anemia and breathlessness.

I did a lot of complimentary therapies alongside my chemo. I had a consult with a very experienced integrative oncologist who gave me a program to follow. HBOT I found myself, in my research. As it boosts the high dose C effects, I added it.

PS I did keto fasting mimicking prior to each chemo, then after chemo did a higher carb "rebuild."

1redgirl

I know a woman that has breast cancer, refused any treatment, but went to see a holistic practitioner near the Twin Cities that very much supported HBOT. I honestly thought this was just a way to get a lot of money from my friend. Since then, I have read many cancer books, especially about the idea that cancer is a metabolic disease, that mention HBOT. It makes sense now to me. Again, how much how often, etc to be able to measure improvement. It is important to be able to do so. So as an example, when I gave up sugar, I lost a lot of weight, my joints quit hurting, my migraines disappeared entirely, and I felt my mood stopped fluctuating. I felt in control a lot more. So I could measure success. HBOT definitely is intriguing to me. Hope more respond with experience.

macb04

I had HBOT, 50 or 60 sessions altogether, following my many reconstruction surgeries. It, along with Fat Grafting and Pentoxfylline and Vitamin E reversed the severe Radiation Fibrosis that had made my skin insanely tight and stiff in a strange woody way.

I self referred myself to a Wound Care Center at Northwest Hospital, which is now part of the University of Washington. With Rads damage, also called Soft Tissue Radionecrosis, I was able to get most of the sessions paid for by insurance.

Julweed

I have declined chemo and hoped to do rads + HBOT + keto. Even though there is a chamber at the facility where I’m being treated, they are denying me use of it. My radiation oncologist wrote a referral, after surgeon and med ONC both said no. The hyperbaric MD told me my insurance won’t cover it, therefore they won’t do it bc if they made it affordable enough for people to pay out of pocket, it wouldn’t be worth their time to do it. Yes, he actually said that. Disgusting. Most aggravating part is that my rads has been delayed over 5 weeks now due to unhealed surgical wound that I know HBOT would help heal, but it isn’t “bad enough” to allow me inthe chamber. I’m not planning to to tamox or AI either. I hope to take a month off work and pursue HBOT on my own after rads.