I just ran across a meta-analysis of various Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) used in combination with chemotherapy that found the herbal medicines increased effectiveness of the chemotherapy: "Results from 19 studies showed that 69% (466/671) of patients using chemotherapy with CHM were reported as complete or partial response, while 51% (324/633) of patients only using chemotherapy were reported as complete or partial response, indicating that the treatment for breast cancer was significantly in favour of CHM combined with chemotherapy (RR = 1.36)"

Additionally, "7% (47/671) of patients in the chemotherapy combined with CHM group were reported with progressive disease, while 16% (100/633) of patients without CHM were reported with progressive disease. Results from 19 studies showed that the combined treatment for breast cancer has a positive effect in the number of patients who reported progressive disease (RR = 0.45)"

Also, the CHM seemed to reduce side effects from chemotherapy: "Nausea and vomiting are common adverse events of chemotherapy. There was significant reduction of nausea and vomiting at toxicity grade of III-IV in patients treated by CHM combined with chemotherapy (RR = 0.37; 95% CI = 0.27–0.52; P < 0.00001; twelve studies; 694 patients). However, the reduction of nausea and vomiting at toxicity grade of I–IV has significant heterogeneity (RR = 0.75 (data not shown). A significant reduction of WBC inhibition at toxicity grade of III-IV was found (RR = 0.49; 95% CI = 0.34–0.69; P < 0.00001; twelve studies; 690 patients). But there was significant heterogeneity in the studies with reduction of WBC inhibition at toxicity grade of I–IV (RR = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.69–0.82; P < 0.00001; I2 = 91%) (data not shown). The decrease of platelet at the toxicity grade of III-IV or I–IV in patients with combined therapy was significantly reduced (RR = 0.29)."

So, it seems the Chinese have done quite a few (small) studies combining CHM with chemotherapy and found a lot of benefits. The five most used herbs were: "Radix Astragalus (73%), Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (61%), Angelica sinensis (dong quai) (48%),Codonopsis pilosula (45%), and Poria cocos (39%)"

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4876224/

Twinkly you are my hero! I turned down chemo and radiation (much to the chagrin of my surgeon and oncologist) and am 5 years out healthy and happy, (I did take tamoxifen for 5 yrs.). I am now waiting for my Cologuard results, I'm 58 and have never had a colonoscopy. I think about your lengthy discussion regarding chemotherapy and all the invasive tests and treatments out there. My uncle turned down chemo when he was diagnosed with stomach cancer several years ago. He chose to live his life feeling good as long as his body would allow, then accept death as part of life. He fished, took walks, ate what he wanted and enjoyed activities until approx. a year passed. He suffered about 2 weeks. My mother in law had multiple chemo treatments from ovarian cancer...her life was hell for about 6 years. She was in constant pain, muscle aches, terrible mood, no appetite, simply miserable. I often recall both of those scenarios from family experiences and side with my uncle. If my Cologuard results come back positive, I honestly do not think I will do anything about it. It's a preventive test, I get it! My insurance pays for it 100%. And for my own benefit, I will know there is an issue in my colon but will I treat it? Don't think so. I feel good, eat well and exercise daily. If and when the symptoms start to take me down, I'll accept them. The big pharmaceutical companies bank on fear. They have an answer for every little pain or discomfort. There are severe illnesses that require treatment like asthma and others, of course. But the gray and murky areas of health care are fear driven.

Your message regarding spirituality is also a good one. I've heard so many in the medical community say attitude is a huge part of the cure. I'm not a religious zealot saying no to all medical treatments. My appendix burst in 2011 before my MX. Of course, I had the emergency surgery to remove it, but I did turn down all pain meds. Took no pain meds for my MX either. The pharmaceutical community tries to paint life as pain free, totally blissful and carefree. Really? The commercials present legal drugs as an answer to all ailments when in reality they are mocking our natural resistance and natural immune responses to distress. I will accept life's limitations. Doctors and medicines have a place in our lives, but they will not rule my life or my decision about what to do with my body. I rely on my spirituality and instinct regarding what is good or healthy. I've learned to block the noise and go inward. Thank you for your refreshing post!

Hi Rianne, what a wonderful post! You are an inspiration to me also....everything you say is so uplifting!. Thank you so much for your refreshing perspective on living a life as fully as possible, and making the (very personal) decision where you will draw the line, and not compromise quality of life. I too believe all of our answers are within, and making decisions from this place leads to fewer regrets.

Thank you again for your post. I so loved hearing your story.

Big hugs,

Twinkly

Hi Goldie! It's great that your TM numbers came down, I'm so happy for you! Did quitting the Xeloda help you to feel any better?

Remember, if you want your RSO to deliver twice as many cannabinoids (compared to when you take it orally) you can take part of your daily dosage (the one before bed is best) as a suppository.

You can also make salve with your RSO, in case you are having lymphedema. Just inject some into a good base, like really warm coconut oil (stir until its all blended) cool down, and then rub directly wherever you have lymphedema..... or where the muscle is stiff from radiation....it really helps to generate healthy blood flow and helps keep the muscle supple for much longer than anything else I've ever used. The salve is also almost miraculous for burns of any kind. With salve, the pain quickly disappears....almost overnight, and then you heal very quickly.

If you know who is making your medicine, you could also ask them to grow some male plants for you to have the fan leaves for juicing. Fresh plant juice is very healing and has has a mega ton of cannabinoids in their acid form (THCa, or CBDa) and turpenoids etc. that aren't sacrificed to the heating process, and can help in so many ways. Once you have a batch of juice, freeze the juice in an ice cube tray and take a cube a day melted in water. To me, it tastes like watermelon, without all the sugar....really refreshing!

Take care Goldie! Biggest hugs,

Twinkly

Hi everyone, I unfortunately joined the "club" 2 weeks ago with a Stage 2B diagnosis and ER/PR + HER2 -

I am a pharmacist by trade and believe in some medications. Unfortunately lately I wonder if chemo just isn't a money maker for the institutions to help fatten their bottom line. I have had 3 opinions and have requested Oncotype and Mammaprint and have been roadblocked. I finally lost my temper and said "why not ? What are you afraid of?" If my score comes back and indicates chemo I will open that discussion but if not why would you insist? Not one can give me a straight answer they dance around an answer. I had one doctor walk out of the room , he said I hate dealing with medical people. Oops, Sorry I did my research and can have access to clinical reports. I have started taking melatonin because unfortunately I was a graveyard shift pharmacist and believe this could have been my cause. My BRCA was negative for gene mutation.

Does anyone else here ever feel like we are their cash cows? Even when I called Mayo for an appt , even though they say in their mission statement , non profit to promote health their first question was what insurance do you have?

Thanks!

Also oncodx testing if you have fewer than 3 nodes positive could let you know how effective chemo could be.

Whoops posted to wrong thread

Longterm, in what sense do you not trust Gorski

Stephanie, I feel the same way about David Gorski and Sciencebasedmedicine. He is very biased, which to me contradicts what science is all about. Alternative and Integrative researchers are doing scientific studies, too. It's ridiculous to reject the large body of evidence that has been collected because he doesnt' "believe" it. Very close-minded. I don't mind rigorous questioning, because that's part of science, too. But hostility has no place.

science protocols are interesting. double blind studies, peer reviewed s tudies, but control for fraud is always a problem; conflict of interests specifically; where the studies are done by the people heading the making of the substance being studied

Momine, I love the concept of science based medicine (as opposed to capitalist driven medicine, which we have in the U.S.) But there is a definite difference between bias and focus. Unfortunately, it's hard to weed through the bias to get to the valid points on this website. He may be right about some things, but just like Rush Limbaugh, his tone alone is enough to keep me away. Of course, I tend to like to read science studies directly, rather than have someone else filter them through his or her opinion or world view (I don't go to the Mercola website or NaturalNews, for those same reasons). Much of what is written on that site is just opinion, anyway (about 10 to 1 ratio of verbiage to science). There's a thing called "confirmation bias," which is filtering new information through preconceived notions, ignoring anything that doesn't fit. I feel that is rampant on that site. Unfortunately, with a closed mind, one will not see the amazing new connections science is making every day!

And Abigail, I agree entirely, conflict of interest and bias are a big problem in scientific studies, so funding should definitely be looked at, too!