Knockout - Suzanne Somers has a new book

Wow.  I'm really glad to see such a response to my post.  It's great to open the doors of conversation and share our knowledge.

anomdenet:
> I guess you could say the publisher considers me their mortal enemy to suggest they give away their intellectual property.

Are you kidding, you will probably be able to buy it for your Kindle shortly.  They have a right to their intellectual property, and that is not compromised because of the medium through which it is published.

>I can see from your letter that you too are making recommendations not to read the book without ever reading it yourself. Doesn't this embarrass you at all?

No.  I will get my information from reputable sources.  But, I will probably read exerpts from the book when it becomes available to me, to be fair, and I'll happily come back here to eat my hat if I'm wrong.

> Do you even know the book is an anthology of interviews?

Yes.

vivre:

> We have brains and can make up our own minds. BTW, who are you Keith?

Of course you are smart and can make up your mind.  Many people have the capacity to plow through the massive amount of information and make informed decisions, others do not, especially with a life-threating condition hanging over them.  For those that are overwhelmed the last thing that they need is to persue an inappropriate treatment path.  If you've got cancer, you don't have the luxury to try just whatever happens your way, you need a treatment plan that has been proven to work time and again with cases similar to yours.  There are countless stories to be found on the internet of people that had cancer, chose an "alternate therapy" that wasn't proven to work, and ended up dead vs one story that SS has.  http://www.quackwatch.org/

>Sounds like you have vested interest in the medical profession. Maybe you are afraid that SS will take away your business?

No vested interest whatever, actually.  Even if I was a medical professional that specialized in cancer treatment where I live my compensation wouldn't be based on convincing people to come to me for treatment, my only motivation would be the satisfaction of curing the people that were to come to me.  Where I live the entirety of the cost of the treatment, drugs and reconstruction is covered by "universal health care", and if I were a doctor I would make a small fee per patient visit, but the majority of my compensation would come from salary.

rreynolds1:

> never seen him on any other threads.

Read many, but haven't commented before.

> Keith, do you or someone you love have breast cancer?

Yes.

MsBliss:

> Sorry Keith, but the Genie is out of the bottle....

If there were another way Big Pharma would be the first to jump on it and exploit it.  The very fact that other methods haven't been exploited should make you question their real effectiveness.  There is no conspiracy to deprive women of good, effective, appropriate treatment.  How do you think they would keep that genie in the bottle, such that SS is the only person on the earth to be able to uncover it?

> abstain from such knee jerk reactions like accusing our beloved forum member, Anomdenet, from having any ulterior motives

I call it like I see it, and such over-the-top, glowing recommendations usually come from marketing companies hired to promote products by having people blog about them in similar fashion.  anomdenet joined Feb 2008 and has made 583 posts, that's 575 days to make 583 posts.  Who has time for that when they are battling breast cancer, have a full time job, and kids to take care of?  Seems like a paid blogger whose job is to write posts.  I may be wrong, but I think that anom can stick up for herself and doesn't need others to defend a "beloved forum member"  Especially when a quick search for "anomdenet" highlights users on this forum, HuffingtonPost.com, Slate.com, gamespot.com, healthiertalk.com, rawfoodssupport.com, lipaugmentation.com, tv.com, boardreader.com, poorbuthappy.com, medications.com, thebosque.us, veryangryliberal.blogspot.com, mesothelioma.privy.se, wordpress.com, and others.  Who would possibly have time to dedicate to all of these blogs?

 Where anom are proponents of the soundly discredited Simoncin methodology, among other things.  (http://anaximperator.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/of-rodents-research-and-baking-soda/)

You can believe whatever you want, but the truth may still be different.  Sorry to say.

Keith;

This is an alternative health tread. You just joined today & are bad mouthing SS for what reason?

Is she threatening to pull your grant money? Chemo bonus? What? Why? Big Pharma pays for all research, they pay for the schools, do you think they will be doing clinicals on green tea & pomegranate juice? Can they sell that for 40K a treatment?

Turn on the TV, you will find drugs for everything from toe nail fungus, erectile dysfunction to growing eyes lashes!! How did we survive for all of these years? The real problem with the human gene pool is there are no life guards. People are sheep, they play follow the leader and VERY rarely think for themselves.

Unfortunately you ended up in a forum full of women who believe SS is on to something. We, sir...live in a litigious society. Most docs will not step outside of the box for fear of a big law suit.

My DO, is not only recommending I take NO synthetic drugs, she is supporting BHRT. My QOL, me feeling fantastic for one year is worth more to me than 10 years of hell. Very few doctors will risk years of school & fellowships and make waves. When one does, I listen. They would make much more money, pumping people full of chemo.

I watched chemo & cancer suffer my father to death. The last rounds killed him, don't get me wrong, the cancer would have killed him anyway....but would he would have lived longer if his immune system was not once again thrown down the shitter.

My advice to you, be gone, before I drop a house on you too.

Better yet, go find a thread called " I LOVE CHEMO!!!YAY!!!" and post there.

Live long & prosper; Dawn

Dawnbelle:

> Is she threatening to pull your grant money? Chemo bonus? What? Why? Big Pharma pays for all research, they pay for the schools, do you think they will be doing clinicals on green tea & pomegranate juice? Can they sell that for 40K a treatment?

 I think that I've already stated that I have no vested interest either way.  I don't get any grant  money, and never have.  I don't get a "chemo bonus", or any money whatever from anyone.   Big Pharma has sold less for more, and if there was even marginal effectiveness, they would find a way to package it and sell it.

Even if you don't believe the science, you have to believe the statistics.  Look at the graph on the second link in my previous post, and you will see that with the Gonzales methodology people die faster than with traditional methods.

About Keith's comments?

Hey ladies don't feed the trolls

I just popped in here to check out some thoughts on SS so I can compare various info to decide what to use and not to use in my own behalf.  I've previously always felt and still do feel that standard cancer treatment combined with other alternative therapies, and nutrition can benefit us in our treatment.  I get a little skeptical of anyone who comes along and makes claims and points finger at the very ones I have been forced to put my faith in.  But I am open minded enough to take many of the things SS claims in her book, yet I do question her terms like "breast cancer, breast cancer,"  and "full body cancer"  and hormone therapy while having est + diagnosis herself. But other than that I am so glad to be able to come here and get all of the opinions and sides of the research and treatment options, and info on various side effects.  Thank you BC sisters.

Keith. If your wife has breast cancer you are going about this the wrong way.

Anger is natural, but Suzanne Somers didn't do it. The under wire bra didn't do it, the Coke she drank at her sweet 16 didn't do it.

You fail to understand that MY cancer, anom's cancer & fairy's cancer are all different. We must be treated individually. Cookie cutter treatment just isn't working. The new OncoDX test alone has spared thousands of women chemo because their tumor cells do not divide rapidly & chemo would do more harm than good.

The graph you asked me look at is Kaplan Meicer for enzyme & chemo group, patients stage 2-3 pancreatic cancer. And in 40 months the stats were where?

Maybe you need to understand why these curves don't really work well. This is the most "lay man" explanation I can find.

http://cancerguide.org/scurve_km.html

If your wife has cancer, let's get it started, when was the DX, what are her stats? size? nodes? surgery? desired outcome. There is not a woman here who would not support you. BUT attacking other's choices in treatment, is just NOT the way to go.

Personally I mixed surgery with homeopathic. Surgery was my best chance of removing the cancer & I feel keeping my body healthy is my best chance at holding it at bay.

If I am wrong, I have to deal with those choices.

Take a look around, Keith. There are 50K women here everyday, terrified they will have a recurrence. Every lump, every bump, every ache, every pain....IF standard of care were working & they had true confidence in it, why would they be here?

I do not understand your motive here, accusing anom of working for SS? Do you want help?

Fill me in, you are all over the place.

Hi everyone, we recently had the honor of interviewing Suzanne Somers about Knockout.

We were very moved by her bravery and willingness to speak out about these alternative treatments.

If you'd like to listen I've archived the interview on Chatty Kris.

Hi CrunchyPoodleMama,

I'm glad to see you got past the horrible response in that other thread.  You sound sooo much better.  Keeping our heads on straight is often the biggest challenge.  I have not read the book yet although I read her first book.  Unfortunately, I did not take her advise and get bio-identical hormones.  I often wonder if I would have avoided the BC experience if I had.  My tumor  was estrogen receptive so the progestrone could have balanced it.  I still struggle with giving up the Arimidex but I'm getting closer.  I've only been on it for 2 months and don't have any obvious SEs.  I did some research and found a doctor who uses integrated medicine and I plan to see him for a physical.  Because of my insurance, I need to wait until Jan.  He'll do all the blood profiles that my other docs don't want to do.  Would you believe no one has even tested my Vit. D3 levels?  I also take 50 mgs of iodine based on what  Dr. Derry recommends in his book.  I have learned so much about nutrition.  My BC is Stage 1 just like SS and like her, I had radiation but no chemo.  I have made major lifestyle and nutrition changes but was not confident enough to refuse the Arimidex. 

Roseann

Wow, Dr. Dach really is a great analyzer. He's been at this a long time and has done his homework.

http://jeffreydach.com/2009/10/25/suzanne-somers-larry-king-knockout-interview-by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx

Hi, I'm new here, this is my first post, Dx ILC a month ago Sx Oct 27,  so you can be sure I picked up Knockout when I saw it in a bookstore a few days ago and looked at the breast cancer section with the interview with Dr. Julian Whitaker. Somers thanks him for adding in more estriol to her estrogen therapy so she will be <b>ensured</b> to not get breast cancer again. Further Whitaker claims that in the twenty or thirty years he's been using the 'balanced' ratio of estrone, estradiol and estriol, only one women has come down with breast cancer, and that woman had other health concerns. Do you believe this guy?

For a detailed look at the book by David Gorski, a breast cancer surgeon see:

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=2244

Gorski believes the fact that Somers was taking cortisteriods for menopause is how she ended up in emergency last November.

Kathy in British Columbia

I have no doubt the book will be as telling as her TV appearances have been--phenomenal to say the least. 

I've just joined this community and you all probably heard my huge "sigh of relief" after I read the bulk of your posts--and I've only just begun.  So the biggest of "thank you's" to you.

I'm 54 and I was diagnosed with Stage IIA right breast cancer 4 cm. invasive ductal high grade (fast growth) in Nov. 2007.  By the way--it doubled in size in two weeks due to the biopsy--if was 2cm.  Yes--two years ago this happened.  I DID NOT have surgery.  I did not have chemotherapy.  I did not have radiation.  I did not have any type of chemical pill whatsoever.  I don't even take an aspirin.

Now--for what I DID do:  like many of you, I changed my life.  I detoxed my system and learned how to eat to live using the professionals at Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach.  I am NOT connected to them other than my three weeks that I stayed there learning more in that time than I did in my entire 50+ years before (and I've always had an interest in alternative health BECAUSE I worked as an exectutive in mainstream hospitals).  My cancer is ER and PR positive and HER2-negative which means that I should have learned more about how to deal with that BEFORE I went into menopause which just happened.  My tumor stayed at bay for two years using only my life changes with nutrition and exercise--and I've never felt better.  With the changes, I pulled off about 25 lbs. Recently, I've experieced night sweats and activity in the tumor, so its time for adjustments.  Does anyone know of or have confidence in any surgeon or oncologist who would support surgery without involving my lymph nodes?  If I could have found one before, I would have probably opted for, at least, the lumpectomy.  Any help, at all pointing me in the right direction would be grand.  I much appreciate ALL of the dialog.  Thanks a million to everyone.

Welcome Sammer-You are an inspiration. Have you looked into iodine therapy? Check out the info at breastcancerchoices. You might also check out the Block Center in Evanston IL. They are integrative all the way, and may be able to recommend a doc in your area.

Bless you one and all for your quick and HELPFUL responses.  Could you tell me what doctor/surgeon who agreed to leave your nodes alone?  I don't care if it is across the U.S. or in the Bahamas--just need someone willing to think in that way.

And, by the way, after I have surgery, I will be traveling to the Bahamas for the vaccine that has been used there for more than 25 years developed by Dr. Clement.  I was referrred to him by my doctor who used to work with him that many years ago until the FDA threatened by his success, shut him down and he went to the Bahamas to continue his work.  The vaccine is developed for EACH person--takes 6 weeks to grow and you return to get it.  It is often used instead of chemo to prevent recurrence.  Dr. Clement phoned me personally this week--and with my research, I have confidence that this is no quack therapy.  In fact, trials are underway for a vaccine in this country somewhere in the Carolinas--I think at Duke University.  But Dr. Clement has 25 years of experience with it.  Alternative medicine is getting so much attention due to forums like this, that mainstream medicine has to get on the band wagon--sooner rather than later. 

Please write back on the surgeons that will agree to leaving alone my lymph nodes. And thanks a heap--I will actually sleep even better tonight thanks to all of you.

Sammer

Okay-I say we all pack up and head for the Bahamas together. We can ask them for a group rate and let them use us for case study guinea pigs. LOL Who is in?

After several days of dreary rain, just the idea of sitting in the sun warms me. Is anyone a travel agent? We need an organizer. January would be just fine for me. Or I guess we could all just make camp with the CA girls. Do you think Suzanne Somers would take us in? LOL

Sammer, I read about the Duke study. They made it sound like this was something new. I cannot believe this doctor has been at it for 25 years! They will throw a drug out there in a few months, even if it ends up killing people, but anything that is considered natural, and is cheap, takes decades to even be considered. It is all insane!

kjbell,

Here are a few links on the risks of Tamoxifen. You are absolutely correct as to knowing someone else's point of view, and the more information you have the better your decisions will be. Somer's latest book Knockout is very informative. I just keep searching for answers as to why my daughter was dx with TNBC. My daughter is taking BHRT, and is doing well.

Nan

http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/0008-5472.CAN-09-1355v1

this next one is not recent 2003

http://www.preventcancer.com/patients/med_avoid/ici_tamoxifen.htm

read down to where it says...does tamoxifen cause cancer of the uterus? (for bc patients..life threatening)

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/tamoxifen