Early Stage Natural Girls!
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not~
You should try to read about Herceptin as the other poster said, it is not chemo. I took it and my only SE was a runny nose. They do keep a close eye on your heart when you are on it. One of my Aunts was one of the first ones to have it and she is still going strong...
Hang in there...
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OK. Thanks Ang7.
I'm trying to calm down, but it's difficult.I looked Herceptin up and I didn't like theSEs one bit. My dad died of a heart attack very young.
You've been HER2+ for over 2 years? Are you done with treatment?
Did you go natural?
XO
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Here are the side effects of herceptin from this webite, and the heart and lung SEs are totally unacceptable to me!
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/targeted_therapies/herceptin/side_effects.jsp
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not, this website might be of interest to you. http://www.anoasisofhealing.com/
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Nope, not all natural...
I did do 6 rounds of chemo over 2 years ago as I have young children and wanted to hit it with all that I could...
I have a great doctor who believes in natural as helping to heal the body. That is my concentration now and that is why I read these threads.
There do seem to be more people having Herceptin only now without chemo.
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not - where on earth did you get 0.6% from? Herceptin with chemo reduces the recurrence risk by 50%. The SE's are really minimal for most people - they do monitor your heart all along. They would get you to have a baseline echo before you start. A slight runny nose now and again is all I had. You are right to be worried about the HER2 factor especially with a positive node. I was node negative but am really worried about it - clean nodes don't mean a thing in reality. No way sunshine will fix up HER2 bc.
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Susieq, I got the 0.6% here...
http://www.oasisadvancedwellness.com/learning/herceptin-hype.html
"Herceptin proponents claim clinical trials show a 46 percent decrease in recurring breast cancer when the drug is prescribed to late-stage breast cancer patients. That number, of course, is pure marketing propaganda and statistical spin. Consider the facts: One of the main studies being cited in support of Herceptin saw 34 deaths in the control group (2.0% of the participants) and 23 deaths (1.4%) in the group treated with Herceptin. This translates in a 0.6% absolute reduction in deaths. Hardly a miracle, huh?"
Thanks Althea. I'll check it out now.
XO
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Althea- I've seen an oasis of healing protocol often online, with lots of testimonials. I'm doing most of the tx's, and plan to do many of the rest.I can't afford to go there.
Are you doing it?
XO
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not - late stage patients are not curable, so of course they died. You need to look at studies done on earlier stage patients which do show that a 50% reduction is in fact quite real. One retrospective study showed 100% no recurrence or mets for those Stage 1a and 1b patients treated with chemo/herceptin
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Hi Not - I see you had the appt with onc.
Yea, it shows. There are threads on the drug on bco, you can get the real truth of what it would be like by listening in there.
Your sig doesn''t show a stage or the grade. Might want to redo. It also shows one of one node cancer. Didn't the bs take more nodes? Why not? Was he expecting you to use chemo and rads, so thought he didn't need to?
You are correct, the first occurence that has mass plus lymph node involvement on same side is not stage IV, it is whatever grade deemed in path report. The lymph involvement that is far from cancer side, esp found after ssurgery or treatment, on other arm or collar bone of groin, that would be a IV thus mets.
It's okay, took me two months after surgery to figure out what I had, different stories and did not have bco the first several months.
Don't know anything about the HER2, I am considered next to positive, number so high, but am not positive, just the same, close is too close but the Herreceptin was not proposed to me .... yet.
Had second acupuncture treatment today. Have improved. The pains are pretty much gone, the swelling down, the lumps on right side are gone, all but one.
You asked about the drain and a lump there. I had one too and they did mammo which they should not have done, after surgery, and it was a seroma, went down eventually. Could be all it is for you too. Deep breath.
Deeeeeeeeppp breath.
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Thank You DianeEssa
I just took my chill pills. I shoulda taken them this morning!
No, I haven't seen onc yet. It's the lump that's growing that's FREAKING me out. I can't take anymore now.
Only took one node because I told him to. I don't want lymphademia (sp?) and tx's the same for 1 or 4, right? I have no idea what I have or what's going on. I enjoy being in denial, but panic keeps coming through. This is all in my mind, right? I can make it go away by believing I'm cured.
Are you going to do chemo and rads?
XO
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Susieq- I also found this article today. My "sperm donor" died of a heart attack at 39. It's to the point I can choose which way I'd rather die. I don't choose by my heart or lungs.
I feel like Clint Eastwood's asking me "Do you feel lucky?" No. I don't.
Thanks for supporting me.
XO
http://strittermed.org/breast_equity/?p=467
"Significant heart problems develop in about 25% of those taking trastuzumab. Early identification is important to minimize the risk of overt heart failure.
In this study, measuring a blood protein called NT-proBNP (aka N-terminal pro-brain b-type natriuretic peptide) helped identify who was at most risk for this side effect.
40 patients had their blood checked for the protein before and during trastuzumab therapy. NT-proBNP was higher in those who had heart problems. If the test result was < 600 pg/ml, there was a 98% chance of having normal heart function. On the other hand, those who had results > 600 pg/ml had a 99% chance of having impaired cardiac function.
This bolsters the results of a study done in 2006 where the same test predicted trastuzumab-related cardiac toxicity.[1]
Importantly, this is a simple blood test that can be done at many medical centers. It costs around $200.
Caveat: this is a small study. Because of the cost of the test, many insurance companies may not cover it until larger clinical trials are done
Please see references below."
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Susieq- This is from this website! It's very confusing and contradicts itself over and over. You can read it any way you want. To me it's not any better odds than drinking soy and eating 1/2 a banana a day!
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/targeted_therapies/new_research/20110301.jsp
"The four-year follow-up data found a disease-free survival event rate of 27% in the observation group and 21.7% in the patients randomized to one year of adjuvant trastuzumab."
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The node - from what I understood before, during and after the surgery.... the sentinel node biopsy would show if there was a node affected by the tumor load, hence draining to the node. If it was then they took not one node but as many as the bs thought necessary. For me 11, for a friend 5, another friend 36 wow, did not know there were that many in armpit but seems every woman is different and body develops more as needed. Don't know where I read or heard that, let's see..... uh, don't recall but just learned that a few days ago and not on here. And learned that after nodes are all removed the body can develop more even if none. Does anyone know where I read this? I don't think I dreamed it.
Anyway, yes, the treatment is the same for 1 or 4 but if there were other nodes with cancer, the best solution would have been to have them removed while in there. Your surgeon hopefully knew what you needed, though mine did not, sorry to say.
So the one removed... was it cancer? Don't remember if you told me.
The LE isn't something my bs mentioned before, during or after surgery so I was oblivious to this and when I was swollen and draining after surgery, he did not give me any indication that I might be swollen forever. But I am still, and am lerning the LE massage etc and how to deal with it here on bco, in case you need to know more, there are threads and pics.
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I been lied to and not told important information so often by docs (most may have believed their lies!), and the biopsy was a nightmare, SO, I wasn't going to let them do any nodes because I didn't want LE and I didn't want the radioactive dye. I ended up aquiescing and at the last minute saying he could take ONE node. It turned out to be +
From all my research 50% of women over 50 have bc but it doesn't grow or cause problems because they're healthy and have healthy immune systems. I didn't, so I got it. Now, I believe my main goal should be to get healthy and build UP my immune sx.
That's the plan.
I'm thinking of IV vit C and I'm open to all natural cures if anyone has suggestions. Thanks to a few natural ladies there have been many weird words and acronyms I still have to look up. I was hoping there'd me more women like Essa, WOM and Eve in here, but these wonderful natural women are more than enough here now, and I've already have a ton of research to do.
I'm very appreciative for them being here.
XOXOXOXOX [[[[[[[[gentle hugs]]]]]]]]
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Vivki, gynos routinely do checks of hormone levels to judge if you are in menopause etc.
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Kaara-Love the new avatar. You do look like you are glowing!
As for that test that Dr. Oz promoted. I am just not buying it. I did a little research and found that if you have beta carotene in your system, it will show up on your skin. It is the only supplement that supposedly will do this, so that test is not really valid for evaluating the rest of the antioxidants in your body. I have more faith in blood tests. I also beleive that your skin is a window of what is going on underneath. If you have lots of break outs, your skin is too oily or dry, blotches, etc., that is a sign that you need antioxidants and better nutrition.
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A few seconds ago vivre wrote:
Kaara-Love the new avatar. You do look like you are glowing!
As for that test that Dr. Oz promoted. I am just not buying it. I did a little research and found that if you have beta carotene in your system, it will show up on your skin. It is the only supplement that supposedly will do this, so that test is not really valid for evaluating the rest of the antioxidants in your body. I have more faith in blood tests. I also beleive that your skin is a window of what is going on underneath. If you have lots of break outs, your skin is too oily or dry, blotches, etc., that is a sign that you need antioxidants and better nutrition.
I would not touch those biophosphates with a ten foot pole. There is too much evidence that they do more harm than good. Instead, keep the bones strong with weight bearing exercise, free weights and exercise. Also take a form of active calcium with vit D, which it needs to absorb.
Speaking of Vit D. Have you ever noticed how your pets will seek a sun bathe when they are not feeling well? It is healing! It is not the sun that is causing all the skin cancer, in fact, they are now saying that the lack of it is causing Vit D deficiency. Not to mention all the junk we are putting on the skin to block it.
Kaara-look at the label of that skin care product you bought. If it contains parabens or formaldehydes, toss it. You should also only buy skin care products in tubes. If you buy them in little pots, they can quickly become contaminated, and the air alone will cause any antioxidant ingredients to start to desintigrate. -
Late stage cancers ARE cureable. Dr. David Kelly lived for 40 years after his dx with terminal pancreatic cancer. He was told they had nothing for him. Good thing, they did not kill him with chemo like they do today for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. It killed two people I know in a matter of weeks. They would not even consider anything alternative.
The idea of treatments lowering risk by 50% has to take into account relative risk, vs absolute risk. For instance, I was told rads would lower my risk by 50%, but in essense the absoulute risk was less than 10%. Had I realized this I would have said no. Exercise and weight loss also lowers your risk by 50%. I decided to choose that. And the side effects are great-Going from a size 12 to a size 6 (even bought a size 4 dress that fits great.
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vivre: My ND said the same thing you did about the antioxidant test which is why he didn't buy the machine for use in his clinic. I did it for fun, and was pleased that I had such a high number. Doesn't mean I'm going off my antioxidants. I'm still taking them regularly.
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Susieq - late stage cancer patients are brought back to health. I will not deebate 'cure' but they become healthy, safe in their own bodies and regain QOL which they lost from either tumor burden or from ODs of traditionally given chemo or rads. There are books full of stories about late stage cancer patients living and living well. Brought back to balance by so many variances of alternatives it is astounding. And even after chemo and rads. But definitely their chances of feeling safe in their own bodies and building their health has been illustrated with living experiences, recorded.
I am now reading the book, The Doctor Who Cures Cancer. Twice, he refused the French honor (Nobel-like prize)so another book of hundreds of patients. And what a man, such hope and gentleness and gifts of service he offered to everyone who he touched lives with.
He worked with pH balance and studied pain for clues to what was running the cancer, changed his direction each time but each time he knew something was not working, he knew that he was closer.
In all due respect, before this thread topples too, I wish the forum would add to this::::
""""Alternative medicine refers to treatments that are used INSTEAD of standard, evidence-based treatment. Please share your experiences here, but please also refrain from providing individual medical advice (our Rules of Conduct: http://community.breastcancer.org/help/rules)""""
that would be added and enforced :::::
Also refrain from denouncing the hope and information others are actively pursuing in the Alternatives thread. These are adults making choices for their lives and are quite capable of going to the 'other' threads for more information on conventional allopathic health services.
Thank you for considering.
Diane (Essa)
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Wow, very inspiring and encouraging Vivre. Thank YOU!
That's what I came here for. You made my day. I'm feeling so much better and stronger today. I'm going out for a walk, then I'll look up that guy's bio.
Have a great day everyone.
Love To You All.
XO
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not, I went through my treatments years ago. Also, my dx was her2-, a big difference between us. I'm still here because I'm too stubborn to leave -- both the planet and bco.
Actually, the long standing original natural girls thread is what keeps me coming back. Treatments knocked me on my butt, and my energy levels are still not where I want them to be all these years later, but they're improving steadily. I cursed my slow recovery along the way, but now I consider it a blessing. I had energy and enough attention span to read and learn new things literally every day. Only in the aftermath did I ever acquire any awareness of options other than the chemo/surgery/rads that I received for treatments.
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Hurray for the people who tell us we WILL get better! We will! We need that. We need to believe that.
And Hurray for all you ladies here, so brave and courageous!
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Althea is so right. It takes us each a while to figure out what works for our own chemistry. There is no one size fits all, so we do not say to do this or that. We just tell you what works for us, and you can try different things. The great thing about most alternatives is that they are not all that expensive. I figure the money I save by not doing tests I don't need anymore cover the cost of the big things, like my sauna. I would rather have the sauna than give the onc another $500 to tell me what I already know-I am cancer free. We have a high deductible but a low monthly premium which means I can choose how to spend my health $$$.
Info about Kelly/Gonzalez protocol:
http://www.sawilsons.com/gonzalezprogram.htm
Here is the bottom line. There are lots of cures for cancer. There is just not A cure for cancer. The trick is to find out what works. Cancer cells are like an invasion. The better our digestive and immune systems, the more weapons our cells have to fight off the invasion.
Like Althea, it took me a long time and lots of research to get to the kind of vibrant health I have today. The more I read, the more inspired and empowered I became. That is why I say to keep learning. Knowlege is indeed power.
This is not giving people false hope. It sure beats the doctors who say there is no hope. Just because they do not have any guns left in their arsenal, does not mean they aren't out there. The trick is to find the ones that work for us.
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On my dog's mangled crate (HUGE dog who did not want to be left in there when we went to the hospital) anyway..... I have stacks of books that have inspiring sstories in each one, dozens of stories of people regaining their health, especially those who had cancer, this is in each one, and I believe these stories. I always have. I always said I am not doing chemo if I get cancer, I will do this or that. Well, it came to pass and I was left with decisions and of course, the family pressure and fears. Thus, I did do surgery which I do regret so far, and I have now learned enough about chemical-therapy that I would consider it if I had no alternatives left. But for me, for now, I am full of hope and new knowledge, since I have borrowe many more books and purchased more than I had prior to the dx.
Was taking break from packing, but think I will go to bed in a few. Night all.
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Hello not:
I highly recommend Cancer: Step Outside The Box by Ty Bollinger. He provides such a huge amount of information and links (when they are still working - you know how the Medical Mafia works) to more detail about each treatment he discusses. He only discusses treatments with a high success rate. I would recommend you get this book sooner, rather than later, since you say you have an aggressive cancer. I believe this information is reliable. My only problem is I want to do it all.
I got through the treatment parts of the book and then into the detox part. He says that is the most overlooked and underused part of cancer tx. He says you do the cleanses in a certain order: 1) Colon Cleanse 2) Parasite Cleanse 3) Kidney Cleanse 4) Liver/Gall Bladder Cleanse 5) Blood Cleanse. I need to get with my naturo doc and get started on these.
I was able to find a place to buy B17 and am awaiting its arrival. However I won't use it until after I do the cleanse. I think any treatment that kills cancer cells should be preceded by the cleanse so that the dead junk can be effectively removed from the body.
This is just a small bit of what I have learned from this book. It is 500 pages of inspiring information. Get it now!!!! And best of luck!
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Also not:
I am avoiding phytoestrogens. Mainstream and alternative doctors have suggested this. I don't know if they are dangerous to ER+ women or not, but I am choosing other ways to deal with the cancer. I returned my Essiac tea. In the Green stuff that I use to make my morning smoothie there is lecithin (from gmo free soy) and milk thistle. Both of those are phytoestrogens, and I wish the lecithin was not in it. However, the milk thistle is so good for the liver. And I still need to discuss with naturo doc the lecithin thing. The rest of the stuff is sooo good for me I hate to have to give it up.
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Thanks dunesleeper
I believe the weaker phytoestrogens prevent the real powerful estrogen from the receptors. I get most of my info from James Sloane on curezone.com on his forum "The Truth in Medicine" and there's forums on all those cleanses there too.
I just ordered the book. Thank You for the support;-)
XO
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