Dr Oz. One hour on BC today

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pickle
pickle Member Posts: 1,409

Oh boy....he opened the show by say we can dx, treat and cure it. With these tips you don't need to be a victim of BC.

Sometimes I think he livea in the land of OZ

I am sure this show is going to cause a lot of controversy. Would love to hear your opinions after watching the show.

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Comments

  • JanetM
    JanetM Member Posts: 336
    edited November 2011

    He seems to think he can diagnosis, treat and cure anything in an hour....I think you are right he lives in the land of OZ...not the land we live in.

  • pickle
    pickle Member Posts: 1,409
    edited November 2011

    Hmmm..guess it was only a half hour. Although I'm sure he said at the beginning that this was going to be his most important hour this year.

  • scuttlers
    scuttlers Member Posts: 1,658
    edited November 2011

    "he lives in the Land of OZ". GOOD ONE! IMHO - a perfect example of a total self centered egotistic money loving idiot who couldn't make it as a real doctor.

  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited November 2011

    Frightening in this day and age that ANYONE would get health information from television. It is November Sweeps. That's when television shows have to pull out all the stops to get good ratings. I find the November and February Sweep months laughable.

  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited November 2011
    He has an almost cult following and sadly many will believe him.  Show me the person who choose to get cancer.  This is certainly about show ratings.  Money mouth
  • thenewme
    thenewme Member Posts: 1,611
    edited November 2011

    "Re: Hmmm..guess it was only a half hour. Although I'm sure he said at the beginning that this was going to be his most important hour this year. "

    I guess in the Land of Oz, time is another concept, along with logic and facts, that falls by the wayside.

  • bluedahlia
    bluedahlia Member Posts: 6,944
    edited November 2011
  • jwilco
    jwilco Member Posts: 486
    edited November 2011

    Land of Oz for sure.  Although if it gets someone to do their own exams and get a yearly mamo I suppose that's for the good. 

  • 208sandy
    208sandy Member Posts: 2,610
    edited November 2011
    I hear "quacking"Wink
  • Kaara
    Kaara Member Posts: 3,647
    edited November 2011

    I love Dr. Oz, but I have to admit, he disappointed me on this segment!  I thought it was going to be the entire hour so I rearranged my schedule to watch it only to find it was just a short segment with an oncologist giving her viewpoints.  I did pick up on the word "cure" which is a no no.

    The one thing I did learn was the new diagnostic technique she was talking about which I'll ask my bs about.  He will probably smile and shake his head the same way he did when I asked about thermography.  Good thing I wrote it down, beause the name escapes me right now.

    Today's segment was very interesting...perimenopausal rage, of which my DD has a full blown case! I called to see if she watched the segment...any guess as to what her answer was..."Why Mom...do you think I have a problem"!  Hummmm...whatever. 

  • mommyx3
    mommyx3 Member Posts: 99
    edited November 2011

    I emailed the show asking why there was no info on Her 2 positive breast cancer, what about those of us diagnosed Stage 4 at 36 (anyone under 40 since we are too young for mammograms), and what is the cure for us period.  I was disappointed.  If you are going to do a show on breast cancer cover everything, although you can't in only an hour I'm sorry half an hour.  Doubt if I hear anything, but i had to put my opinion out there. 

  • meme31
    meme31 Member Posts: 403
    edited November 2011

    Sorry if i'm intruding, i'm not dx.  But didn't he say if we are obese as an adult our risk is doubled?  Well, i have about 60lbs to lose so i'm obese.  Does that mean my risk is automatically 1/4women? Is that what he meant by that.  Maybe he could have covered more and been more accurate if he used the whole hour.

  • pickle
    pickle Member Posts: 1,409
    edited November 2011

    Why can't any of these big shows interview people from all age groups and stages? What about the stage 1 that is now stage 4..what about the person who was stage 4 at time of dx. What about the 25 year old (that is a family aquaintance. She just had her mx and is waiting final path) . It really frosts me that the whole month of October was really spent on media/celebrity fluff) Why can't a big show dedicate two hours in prime time to really get to the realities of this disease instead of 3 minute segments on the same old same old? Katie Couric has been successful in getting the realities of colon cancer out there. I wouldn't wish this disease on anyone but maybe it's going to take a very high profile newperson to get stage 4 and convince their network to lay it all out there. Oprah has her own network but is too busy with her "life lessons" BS, Shania Twain & Sarah Ferguson...and don't even get me started on Gayle King. I believe Oprah could have done so much for this disease but she chose to go the pink fluff route too.

    Okay, sorry for the rant.....I am just so twisted over this today.

  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited November 2011

    pickle - There is no need to apologize as many of us agree with you. It seems media always skirts around the "reality" of this disease for advanced patients.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2011

    pickle 141, ITA.  The Dr. Oz show is part of the OWN. Oprah should definitely put together a 2-hour primetime special to educate women about BC. I think one of us (or all us) needs to write her a letter and make this happen.   

  • 208sandy
    208sandy Member Posts: 2,610
    edited November 2011

    That's right - Oz is an "Oprah" find - I don't think much of him - he seems to always come up with sensationalist topics - for instance, my powdered makeup is "cancer causing" - eating green vegetables means you won't get colon cancer - everything is simplistic and some is simply not true - I certainly would never listen to him about anything as serious as BC.  As for getting Oprah to run a two hour special what about getting ABC to get their morning co-anchor (whose name totally escapes me) to host the show - she had breast cancer and actually did a series on ABC that was very well done and VERY honest but it was only about her cancer - I bet she'd be interested in telling "all the stories" and maybe they could make it one of their 20/20 shows and honestly, I'd rather they broadcast in any other month than October when the airwaves are now littered with pink fluff.

  • LtotheK
    LtotheK Member Posts: 2,095
    edited November 2011

    I don't mind so much that people occasionally get it wrong. What really drives me nuts is, hardly anyone gets it right.  I fail to understand how difficult it is for medical professionals, no less, to give correct information on this disease. 

    I'm not a doctor, and even before my own diagnosis I understood the difference between Stage IV (palliative) and Stage I.  What a disservice to all BC survivors, and to the growing population of young women stricken with later stage cancer.

    And, he also should be educated that even in the Stage I environment, "cure" is a long way off from the whole story.  Especially with the new evidence mounting that ER+ cancers can come back ANY time.

  • LtotheK
    LtotheK Member Posts: 2,095
    edited November 2011

    Bluedahlia, I'm falling out of my chair laughing over your post!

  • Fearless_One
    Fearless_One Member Posts: 3,300
    edited November 2011

    Yeah, I'm getting sick of people throwing the word "cure" around.   I think this causes some people to perhaps underestimate the seriousness of this disease.   Granted, many here will live long and happy lives, no doubt - but we definitely do not have a CURE for BC (yet).

  • kim40
    kim40 Member Posts: 904
    edited November 2011

    I just watched Dr. Oz to see what all they hype was about. I couldn't believe he used the word "cure".  I agree with what  you said Fearless One, people would underestimate the seriousness of this disease - until it is too late.  If there was a cure for BC, we would not be here now would we!

  • pickle
    pickle Member Posts: 1,409
    edited November 2011

    I agree ABC could do it but no one wants to. Robin Roberts is the Good Morning America host and she showed her chemo on camera, her baldness etc but there hasn't been anything since. What about the fear we all have, the grieving for our old lives and bodies etc. Surely she must deal with some fears. It would be just so nice to have someone in the public eye follow through on the whole journey. I frankly would feel so inspired by a woman like her, if her journey just didn't appear to end after chemo. I don't want her to continually dwell on it but there is definitely more to the story than what gets reported. I'd love to hear how, or if it has affected her self esteem; does she fear it coming back, does she think about her mortality.... And if she has these fears and still manages to keep on going everyday...now that would humanize it for me. Sometimes I feel like being an everyday joe makes me feel like I am the only one feeling this way. It's really hard to live up to all the celebrity rah rah hoopla. I would like a celebrity to give everyone the real deal. how refreshing and honest would that be?

  • crusader1
    crusader1 Member Posts: 1,222
    edited November 2011

    Beth..Of course you say things so elegantly..We survivors all know the fear  and that there is no cure..We just continue to live and hope that we are not chosen to be the next one whose cancer has spread .

    One error I saw on the above is that Stage Four means palliative care.This is not necessarily so. I believe it means also that the cancer has spread to another organ outside of the breast..That is not necessarily a vital one. ..Yes it is not the best sign but I feel it is an injustice to bury all of our stage four sisters.

    I will try to find the show..

    HUgs,

    Francine

    Sorry I have not seen the show.

    One curious aside is that Dr.Oz is a noted heart surgeon here in NYC and I went to lunch today with a women whose sister was saved by him..I know three people who went to him before he became Oprahs boy and an often quoted doctor.

  • MJLToday
    MJLToday Member Posts: 2,068
    edited November 2011

    Crusader, I know you mean well, but all Stage IV and metastatic breast cancer treatment IS palliative.  There is no cure for 99% of us that have mets outside the breast, axillary nodes, and immediate chest wall surounding the breast, which is what metastatic breast cancer means.

    http://mbcn.org/developing-awareness/category/13-things-everyone-should-know-about-metastatic-breast-cancer/ 

    1. No one dies from breast cancer that remains in the breast. The lump itself is not what kills. The metastasis of cancerous cells to a vital organ is what kills.

    2. Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer to different parts of the body, typically the bones, liver, lungs and brain.

    3. An estimated 155,000 Americans are currently living with metastatic breast cancer. Metastatic breast cancer accounts for approximately 40,000 deaths annually in the U.S.

    4. Treatment for metastatic breast cancer is lifelong and focuses on control and quality of life vs. curative intent. ("Treatable but unbeatable.")

    5. About 6% to 10% of people are Stage IV from their initial diagnosis.

    6. Early detection is not a cure. Metastatic breast cancer can occur ANY time after a person's original diagnosis, EVEN if the patient was initially Stage 0, I, II or III and DESPITE getting annual checkups and annual mammograms.

    7. Between 20% to 30% of people initially diagnosed with regional stage disease WILL develop metastatic breast cancer.

    8. Young people DO get metastatic breast cancer.

    9. There are many different kinds of metastatic breast cancer.

    10. Treatment choices for MBC are guided by hormone (ER/PR) and HER2 receptor status, location and extent of metastasis (visceral vs. nonvisceral), previous treatment and other factors.

    11. Metastatic breast cancer isn't an automatic death sentence. Although most people will ultimately die of their disease, some can live long and productive lives.

    12. There are no hard and fast prognostic statistics for metastatic breast cancer. Everyone's situation is unique, but according to the American Cancer Society, the 5 year survival rate for stage IV is around 20%.

    13. October 13 is National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. To learn more about it as well as resources specifically for people with metastatic breast cancer see www. mbcn.org. We appreciate your support on October 13 and throughout the year.

  • pickle
    pickle Member Posts: 1,409
    edited November 2011

    MJL, I misunderstood the meaning of the word palliative. I thought it meant very end stage of life care in a hospital setting or with full time nursing staff at home. I had to look up the definition. Def: "A medicine or treatment that provides temporary relief, alleviating symptoms, but which does not provide a cure for a disease" Thank you for teaching me something new and thanks for the excellent points. I've been here for almost 3 years and always learn something. I think it's important to educate ourselves, no matter what our stage, because then in turn we can educate the non cancer people about the sad realities of this disease.



    Francine, I have no doubt that Oz is an excellent cardiologist. I used to like watching him when he was an occassional TV guest but now that he's Oprah's boy he seems a bit too quick to jump on
    a lot of fads. Lol...loved your name for him..."Oprahs's boy"

    Maybe we should all plan to email ABC or NBC . If everyone sent emails with the same subject line perhaps they would notice.....a girl can always dream can't she?

    Hugs from
    Beth aka "Pollyanna"


  • pickle
    pickle Member Posts: 1,409
    edited November 2011

    Ok...new idea. How about "Occupy ABC" ? Start our own movement....We'll picket but no pink allowed!

  • LtotheK
    LtotheK Member Posts: 2,095
    edited November 2011

    Hi Francine, that is so true!  We surely don't want our Stage IV sisters buried, I want my Stage III and IV sisters alive, I want a cure.

    Here is what palliative means:  Medications and treatments are said to have a palliative effect if they relieve symptoms without having a curative effect on the underlying disease or cause.

    Lord knows, I don't understand everything about cancer, and I want to learn.  If the above does not explain treatment in the Stage IV environment, I want to know.  I have a friend who was just diagnosed Stage IV, and she has spots on her organs.  But I also understand she'll be on treatment for the rest of her life with no hope for a cure (rather, remission, correct?)

    Edited to add:  thank you for the clarifications after Francine's post.  I am learning, and appreciate everyone testing what we say carefully.

    Not only to young women get diagnosed Stage IV, they often, according to many studies and the YSC, get diagnosed later stage than our other BC sisters (and I surmise that means more than 10% are Stage IV out of the gates, but I do not have numbers and have been looking--based on my personal experience, it is a lot more than 10%).  If you want to get hoppin' mad, it's watching how ignorant people are with my young survivor friends.  Of course, no one wants to talk about it, because it makes us all feel so out of control.  What it makes me is furious.

  • 208sandy
    208sandy Member Posts: 2,610
    edited November 2011

    Dr. Oz is a "cardio thoracic surgeon" NOT a cardiologist - huge difference and now he's a jack of all trades, master of none!

    Pickle - LOL!

  • 3katz
    3katz Member Posts: 1,264
    edited November 2011

    Bluedahlia - LOVE your earlier post!! LOL!!

    My onc gets so irritated with Dr. Oz. A while back there was a segment about a chemo drug - I think it was Gleevac (sp?) and asked my onc about it. She stated that so many of her patients inquire about things he has said and they just are not true. It's sensationalism - get the viewers. Unfortunately it creates so many unsuspecting idiots - my sister's boyfriend was just talking about eating wild blueberries will prevent cancer. I can't believe how many people really believe this crap. Yes . . . many of the so-called remedies can HELP and not hurt. After all, living a healthy lifestyle has never been a bad thing. But cure and prevent? Nope.

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