Mistletoe

Bluepearl, I love Sloan Kettering's website for questions like this:  Sloan Kettering Herb Index--Mistletoe

It did say that it can help make chemo stronger but didn't mention tamoxifen.  It's supposed to boost the immune system also.  

I don't know about an interaction with Tamoxifen.

Are you currently taking this?  Or considering it?  

This is an article that mentions there are 50 doctors in the U.S. who are allowed to prescribe mistletoe. One of them is a doctor and homeopath in the Baltimore area, Dr. Peter Hinderberger. My Uncle was a patient of his, and thought very highly of him. Not sure how you'd find out who the other doctors are! Maybe you could call his office and ask if he can recommend a doctor in your area, who prescribes it? 

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-09-11/news/p...

Oops Momine, I misread that:  "Mistletoe extracts have anticancer effects in vitro ⁽²¹⁾. But well-designed randomized trials are lacking. A meta-analysis analyzed 11 of these clinical trials conducted before 1994 and showed no benefit from mistletoe ⁽¹⁾, but recent systematic reviews point to the accumulating evidence in support of mistletoe while emphasizing the need for well-designed clinical trials ^(17)(18). Epidemiologic data also suggest survival advantage following treatment with mistletoe ⁽²⁾⁽³⁾. When used in conjunction with chemotherapy, a mistletoe extract improved quality of life in a study of breast cancer patients."

It would appear that no studies were done with tamoxifen and mistletoe, but one way to look at it is that tamox blocks estrogen from latching onto cell receptors and that goes for all cells.  The problem of course is that it is natural for estrogen to nourish all the cells of your body (including bone, liver, and brain cells) and  not just feed BC.  So, if I were the OP and wanted to do this, I would thoroughly research all the actions of tamox and mistletoe and see in what possible way they could fight each other--your doc won't say b/c studies haven't been done.  Have you been on pubmed?  

bluepearl, what diet are you doing for your fatty liver?  I read that it's not a high fat diet that causes it, but metabolic syndrome, which is more related to a high carb diet.  Many people take milk thistle or dandelion root for liver health.  

Piper, ok, just wanted to make sure we read the same thing. An awful lot of CAM approaches have been studied as QOL enhancers and the like.

Weleda is the manufacturer. Google.

Anyone currently using Mistletoe?  I'd like to know what your experience has been.  PM me if you would prefer.

dlb - thank you sooooo much for sharing this link.  I have done extensive research on this therapy.  Blessings to you!

I live in Sweden and spent some rehab time in an anthroposophic
hosptial in 2013. I began with mistletoe while there and continued for awhile because I thought I should take
something since I won't take tamoxifen. Stopped the mistletoe because the research
around it is extremely limited and really poor quality (I am a researcher by training and place a high value on evidence based practice).  So now I basically do nothing - I work 80% (so not over-taxed), I eat a 100% ecological vegetarian diet (the ecological is relatively new - but I have been vegetarian for 31 years) and exercise when I can be bothered. Just restarted my period a few days ago after 2.5 years without it.  My oncologist said it was of no consequence and so I just think my body is finally getting itself sorted out... on its own.