Wanting to go Alternative, and need help!!

Hello varapoppas,

Why would an onco give you false info on DIM? DIM simply helps you to metabolize and get rid of unhealthy estro via your urine. I find that really irresponsible. There is no research that shows that it causes cancer. Did they tell you that the tamox can cause endo cancer? or thickening of the endo lining which you stated you already suffer from endometriosis.

The fact that your PR level is higher than ER is BC protective. A good thing.

Sorry about your Crohn's disease. There is a tx with LDN (low dose Naltrexone) that has shown positive results with Crohn's, putting it in remission, and LDN has shown to stop cancer cells from proliferating. IMO, well worth a try. I take it w/o any se's. It has to be filled at a compounding pharmacy. Research "LDN and Cancer or LDN and Crohns". a no brainer. PM me if you want more info.

Maureen

From WebMD:

Diindolylmethane is LIKELY SAFE when consumed in the small amounts found in foods. A typical diet supplies 2-24 mg of diindolylmethane. It is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth short-term for medicinal purposes. Taking larger doses of diindolylmethane is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. Taking 600 mg of diindolylmethane daily has been reported to lower sodium levels in some people.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Diindolylmethane is LIKELY SAFE when consumed in the small amounts found in foods. But don't take larger amounts. Not enough is known about the safety of larger amounts during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

Children: Diindolylmethane is LIKELY SAFE when consumed in the small amounts found in foods. But don't give children larger amounts. Not enough is known about the safety of larger amounts of Diindolylmethane when given to children.

Hormone-sensitive conditions such as breast cancer, uterine cancer,ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Diindolylmethane might act like estrogen, so there is some concern that it might make hormone-sensitive conditions worse. These conditions include breast, uterine, andovarian cancer; endometriosis; and uterine fibroids. However, developing research also suggests that diindolylmethane might work against estrogen and could possibly be protective against hormone-dependent cancers. But stay on the safe side. Until more is known, don't use diindolylmethane if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10689-01...

"Abstract

Hormonal exposures are known to influence breast cancer risk among women with a BRCA1mutation. Thus, dietary factors that increase the 2-hydroxyestrone (OHE):16α-OHE ratio, a biomarker inversely related to breast cancer development, may also influence cancer risk. We conducted a dietary intervention study to evaluate the ability of 300 mg/day of 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) to increase the urinary 2:16α-OHE ratio in 20 women with a BRCA1mutation. BRCA1 mutation carriers (n = 15) were assigned to receive 300 mg/day of Rx Balance BioREsponse DIM for 4–6 weeks (intervention group) and five BRCA1 mutation carriers did not take DIM (control group). The urinary 2:16α-OHE ratio was assessed at baseline and after 4–6 weeks by immunoassay. There was no significant effect of DIM on the 2:16α-OHE ratio (2.4 at baseline vs. 3.0 after the intervention, P = 0.35). A short dietary intervention with DIM did not significantly increase the 2:16α-OHE ratio in female BRCA1 mutation carriers. Larger studies investigating the effect of dietary or lifestyle interventions on circulating hormone levels in these high-risk women are warranted."

Anecdotally, I have 3 relatives in my family who were not offered hormone suppression, all diagnosed before 1969. None of them suffered reoccurrence of BC.

• One maternal aunt had BC in 1912, at age 24. Had UMX down to the chest wall *standard of care at the time* Died at age 90 of old age.
• Another maternal aunt had BC in the 1960s, at age 47. Had UMX down to the chest wall. Died at 74 of lung cancer
• Paternal grandmother had BC in 1969, at age 59. Had UMX down to the chest wall. Died at age 76 of colon cancer.

I'm not advocating non-traditional medicine; I believe that western medicine is the way to go, for me. My family members' experiences are purely anecdotal and not scientifically studied. None of them took any supplements, nor adopted a special diet, and in fact my grandmother was a 3 pack a day smoker. However, they all lived to be over 73 years old and died of other causes.

Your mileage may vary.

Claire, one would hope not, but it does seem like the science on this is at least somewhat ambiguous. I hope the study you reference will shed some light on the matter.

mustlovepoodles, thanks you for family history of the women. They seem feisty. I hope you too have the combined strength to match or surpass those ages. I am not sure how far west you would like to go with standards. For someone in China, the US is closer reached if he/she goes east. Please know that I am not being confrontational. You have your conviction. I believe if you think it, it is real.

I, too, am looking at the road of tamoxifen and seeking an alternative. I understand why they give chemo. I understand why they are advocating tamoxifen. There is something unsettling about this memory impairment, cataracts, deep vein blood clots, stoke, more cancers in other areas, edema, birth defects (if I become pregnant) for 5 to 10 years. Would I give this to my cat or dog? Do not want to be sick for the rest of my life? What cure is that?

Conventional medicine has proven statistics showing no improvement in bc survival rate under its treatment in 50 years. I am lucky my cancer was found early, but limited to the curative options. Tamo, is the only drug for pre menopause women, has been on the US market since 1970's. There is no pharmaceutical alternative or less toxic derivate. In fact, it was given by "quack centers" in Mexico before it got to "western medicine" standards and distributed in the US. Despite all the pink ribbon campaigns, this company has not produced any new alternatives to a 40 plus year drug it knows by itself causes cancer. Now, that I have survived the chemo which in itself causes cancer, let me move to on the road to another "expired drugs" thinking to another drug that causes cancer by itself.  I am going to take the chance on alternatives.  I am going to look for second, third, fourth,..nineteenth opinions.