DIM and Recurrence

Islandgirlpr,

I have been taking DIM since July. I don't have any side effects. I had my estrogen levels tested this week and the results were: Estradiol - 54, FSH - 12.6, and LH - 3.2. I am premenopause. I read somewhere on this site that the optimum level for Estradiol is 20 or less.

what is DIM???

Hi JanetinVirginia,

Just to clarify, the clinical trial you refer to is a Phase 1 trial which is defined as 

"Phase I: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects. "

The trial is fairly new and is still recruiting participants, so there are no results yet.  Also, if you notice, BioResponse is the collaborator in the study, and they're specifically testing this particular formulation of DIM, so it doesn't necessarily mean anything in comparison with other brands or formulations.

islandgirlpr - I do not take DIM, but I do know of a woman that I "met" on the boards that got a recurrence while on DIM. Her bc.org name is Merilee. I "met" her because she did the same chemo I did - CMF once she had the recurrence.  I am not saying that DIM caused her recurrence, and I realize plenty of women get recurrences while taking tamox or A/I's.  I have not seen her post for months, but you can click on her profile and she states she had too many side effects from tamx so was taking DIM and able to reduce her estrogen by 25%.

I am interested in the outcome of the trials on DIM.  I am on femara and have not had any trouble with it as far as side effects are concerned.  

Oh Angie, I am sorry you went through that. You were taking DIM and Femara at the time of the recurrance? This is such a nastyass disease. I finally got one of the docs to admit the first two years are the highest risk for that to occur. May I ask what you are on now?

I am not on DIM, but may consider it, as I am declining AIs.  I would say that we should be careful to "blame" recurrence on any one thing.  I think my Onc told me that 50% of women on  hormone therapy have recurrences.  This BC is a mysterious crap shoot.  Don't I wish it was black and white!

Hi Girls,

I am 61 and have been on on Femara for about 18 months. It started out fine but 3 months ago got progressively worse. I have excruciating leg/joint/hip/ankle/neck pain. I wrap heating pads on my legs at night. I bounce between Vicodine and Ambien to sleep. I am frustrated and grouchy because I can't do anything anymore like get out of the car, walk more than 20 minutes, get up off the couch or floor without looking and feeling like I am 90. I finally went off the Femara over the Holiday because I was waking up to my fingers being curled like I had Arthritis. I am on a mission to find something else natural. My Onco score was only 18 and I am otherwise in good health. I know that my recurrence score is relatively low but do I take the chance? Please send me your advice and any suggestions or experiences you have been dealing with. Tnx.....Happy and Health New Year Survivor Friends

I've been on DIM for about a week now and I can already tell that something is changing in my body.  11 years ago when I had my first bout of triple neg IDC 1/11 nodes, I was put on tamox but only lasted 2 months.  During that time I started bleeding heavily and ended up having surgery to fix it.  I was also seriously depressed (i have a history of depression).  I was told by my onc at that I would not likely last 2 years without tamox.  I said I'd take my chances thank you.  So I did last 2 years I didn't have a recurrence for 11 years.  So this time they put me on hormonal treatment with zoladex and eventually arimadex.  I had horrible side effects form the zoladex.  So I decided not to continue and started researching natural aromatase inhibitors which lead me to try DIM.  I have been a bit weepy on it the last couple of days but other than that I'm doing pretty well.  I don't know personally of people having recurrences on DIM but I sure know plenty who have had them on tamox.  I am doing a lot of different things for prevention this time that I didn't do last time so I'm very hopeful that I won't have another recurrence.  Good luck to you!

Hi DebbiSue:    I am confused by your post.  If you are Triple Neg, why would you be prescibed Hormonal Therapy??  Either 11 years ago or now??  And why would your doc say you would not last 2 years without it?? 

grannydukes-

I am only aware of DIM coming in capsules, which is what I take. I take the Nature's Way brand - best prices I have found online are at Vitacost, SwansonVitamins or LuckyVitamins.

Beth

My ND told me just to eat all the cruciferous veges instead of taking a Dim pill. I still feel that I should be taking something as well as all the cv's. I saw Dim Plus in the health food shop yesterday. Is that the same as DIM 13.? I see from the label it has added vit. D.

Anyway, I bought it and started yesterday.

you would have to eat 50 pounds of cruciferous veggies in order to get the benefit that you get from DIM, I can't manage to do that!! I take Nature's Way brand, enhanced absorbtion formula, 400mg per day. 

Thanks Fairy.

I had a look at the label. Mine is Nature's Way too. It is 100 mgs, so I expect I should up the dosage. Mind you I eat so much cv's I am beginning to look like a sprout! LOL

If you will pay for the blood tests yourself there are a few online sites where you can order your own blood tests and then go to labcorp for draw.  www.privatemedlabs.com is one place.