Don't make rush decision based on doctors urgency

"The one-size-fits-all approach of cut-poison-nuke used in the United States should be the last option considered after giving your body an opportunity to neutralize the cancer cells naturally. Why would anyone choose the draconian methods when hundreds of thousands of people have survived worldwide by simply using alternative techniques to kill the cancer, and then lifestyle changes and diet changes to keep the cancer in a dormant state."

I'm thinking that this thread is probably more appropriately placed in the Alternative Medicine forum.

Chemo and radiation is also the standard protocol for treating breast cancer in Europe and Canada. It isn't U.S. based only. You should try to be more informed before making sweeping statements about the medical industry. Below is an article about variations in breast cancer survival in Europe...maybe this can provide people with real data:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC138506/

It's also medieval not mid-evil. Medieval means the middle ages. Mid-evil means the middle of evil.

Ogicam,

Check out the video blog of Christine Newman on Youtube. She also went alternative after surgery for breast cancer and blogs about the process. Unfortunately, she had mets within a year or two of dx and only then did she undergo chemo and radiation in an effort to save her life. Her prognosis is grim. Enough said.

Annie

There is a really good book that someone was talking about on another thread so I ordered it about a month ago from Amazon the title is.....The Emperor of all Maladies....a Biography of Cancer....by Siddhartha Mukherjee....He is a Cancer researcher at Columbia....I have enjoyed this book....Liz

YOU!! Are so right....the BEST information about Cancer....it answers a lot of questions......Liz

Your statements could have been written better to be softer, not so judgemental on the most common medical practices to treat cancer. For example, "The one-size-fits-all approach of cut-poison-nuke used in the United States should be the last option considered after giving your body an opportunity to neutralize the cancer cells naturally." YOU may think that, but please don't FORCE your views upon us that choose mainstream medicine to treat OUR cancer.

I would have had more respect for your views had you not been so judgemental on mainstream medicine.

You probably would have gotten a more favorable review had you just presented as another option for treatment and for others to investigate to see if it is something they would be interested. Attacking in a post gets you no where.

You are entitled to your opinion, but if you want respect for YOUR views, you need to be respectful of OTHERS' views.

Oh, and btw, I read that the U.S. has already been conducting clinical trials on using several types of Hyperthermia to treat cancer (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/hyperthermia).

I have metaplastic triple negative breast cancer. This is such a fast growing cancer that i would not want to wait to start my treatment. And even after treatment the prognosis is not really great! I am glad your type of BC allowed you to check out alternative treatment, however it is not the case with all types of BC.

There are certain code phrases that cause me to ignore or discount the credibility of anything else the poster says. This one has them...

Wenweb, I would if she hadn't treated us like uninformed idiots and attacked not only our treatment decisions but our doctors too. We, as Stage IVers often form very close and CARING relationships with our doctors. She was pretty much as offensive as it gets. Then, instead of realizing how rude she was and offering an apology, she continued to assume that we didn't do the research and that our doctors (our medical field in general) don't have the skills to cure diseases. I'd give her a break if she'd at least acknowledge that she was extremely rude, insensitive and naive (but apparently she doesn't feel that she was). A simple apology would go a long way or at least a statement that would illustrate that she didn't still assume that the path we've chosen isn't the path straight to the morgue...it's apparent that she still doesn't respect our choices but wants us to respect hers. Again, if you ever get in my shoes (and I wish that you never do), you'll probably understand how we feel when someone with a low-stage dx and less than 6 months of dealing with it, arrogantly preaches how our treatments are not only stupid but draconian (her exact words). I'm also very concerned about the mis-information she stated as fact. Instead of asking me to give her a break (if she deserved one I'd give it), you might want to ask her to show REAL understanding of how RUDE and WRONG she was. Our treatment decisions are often a matter of immediate life and death and they're extremely vital to us and our very existence, you just don't rudely knock that and refuse to apologize. So sorry I don't agree with you but that's how I feel. I would politely ask lower stage bc patients to remember that their cancer, more likely than not, is curable. Ours is not, we will most likely die from this disease and will forever be undergoing the treatments that you can't wait to end. I can understand more how you feel because I was once there but you will never fully understand my position unless you get where I'm at. When I post responses to people not Stage IV, I try to give them honest, caring answers without scaring them. All I'm asking for is a little sensitivity back.

Melissadallas, I'm sure your grandparents were indeed concerned and cared very much for their patients. Stage IV cancer patients, not just breast cancer but all, often form very deep and trusting relationships with our doctors. After all, we won't be just seeing them on an occasional basis, we will be in their care for the rest of our lives. Most take our lives in their hands and do their very best to help us achieve the longest, pain-free lives possible. Then they have the horrible task of telling us that our options are running out, after spending years with us and getting to know us and our families. So to see them attacked as puppets and unintelligent really riles me up. The human body, and cancer itself, is very unpredictable and to expect doctors to be able to fix us like a mechanic fixes a car is just stupid. I care very much for my oncologist (heck I see her EVERY week and would be miserable if I didn't), and I do so in an informed, logical way. I did my research and made my decisions not just with my brain but also with my heart.

Okay I was just going to read and absorb but its 11pm so here I am jumping in the deep end.

I have been a nurse for 30 years working guess where??? the operating room. It was just so ironic when my husband said think of all those patients you operated on all through the years and now its you. He is right- I probably scrubbed and circulated a couple of hundred different breast procedures from radical mastectomy to surgical bx- honestly what I knew about BC as a nurse compared to what I know as a patient is an evolving process. Surgery is the tip of the iceberg.

I just can't stomach the Big Medicine/Big Insurance/Big Pharma stuff that you hear all the time like we are the enemy. You don't see the docs and staff in the OR when the frozen section results come back positive and the lady on the table is 34 years old with 3 kids. My mammo tech cried when I thanked her for taking such a good picture that they found my cancer. If you didn't care about patients and work your a$$ off for their outcomes you would not be able to do it every day it takes too much out of your heart and your soul. I used to tell patients who worried about insurance "we get paid the same regardless of what insurance you do or don't have so you are all VIP to us"

My friends that are neurosurgeons rarely get to say 'Hey Mrs Jones its just a cyst" so yes- I do get offended at sweeping generalizations about healthcare and docs trained to manage not cure? I suppose that is so we can squeak every last cent out of you right- that is so wrong.

Oh well jumping off the soapbox now- I encourage everyone to be their own advocate for care and treatment because no one cares more about your treatment than you do. one person's choice is not everyone's choice. I often try to provide info or insight and hope I don't step on toes

I also get mad when people generalize about doctors and the medical world. Yes, there are some doctors that make mistakes (they're human) and there are some who don't care. However, to say that the all doctors or even the majority of them don't care or are profit mongers is a cruel sterotype. People who do this would claim that they're fair and don't try to peg people based on rumor or an experience with one doctor. Most doctors want to help make their patients well and if they're at risk of dying will do whatever they can to save that patient. Some people might say that they're being too aggressive at times but your life is in their hands and they also feel a sense of responsibility. If you don't like the options your doctor gives you then discuss it with them. They might actually have a very good reason for the treatment they chose. Remember they know the risks and have seen what can happen under various scenarios. I'd like to remind people to give doctors the benefit of the doubt before assuming they don't care, don't know, or just want to get money. Finally, if you still don't trust your doctor and his treatment plans, find another one. Sticking with a doctor you feel like you need to second guess all the time adds additional stress that isn't needed. I hope that all treatment plans work, whatever they may be.

I, too, take offense at the OP's diatribe against modern medicine.

I was diagnosed with an aggressive Stage III BC (with lymph node involvement) more than 9 years ago. Prior to this, I had known some women who didn't survive more than 3 or 4 years after diagnosis. My own grandmother survived only 5 years after double mx many, many years ago, before chemo & radiation treatments for BC (I'm negative for BRAC1 & 2).

I feel that the only reason I am here now, still alive, is due to the advances of modern medicine -- and the dedication of my involved, caring treatment team. Every part of my treatment plan was geared to giving me the longest, healthiest lifetime I could have. The difficult times of surgery, chemotherapy & other treatments were just brief moments in my active life, and totally worth it.

"He immediately urged a rush to chemo followed by radiation. This is of course standard protocol in the USA as the us medical system is under complete control of the major drug companies. Of course, hey also control the FDA and the insurance industry. It's one big happy family."

Funny how you state these things as fact. First, did he urge a rush to chemo? It seems like he was not recommending chemo until he discovered that you cancer was more advanced than he could tell prior to surgery. I don't know why the docs wouldn't ALWAYS recommend chemo if they were actually "under complete control of the major drug companies'. As far as I can tell, diabetes doctors 'prescribe' a balanced low carb diet and exercise, as the first line defense for diabetes. My PT uses manual lymph drainage for my lymphedemea and no drugs whatsoever are prescribed for it.