anyone else going natural - alternative

My oncologist said that in Europe, many docs recommend chemo not necessarily because it is ideal, but it kills the ovaries.  Having an oophrectomy/hysterectomy will sort of do the same thing.

Estrogen is still made in our bodies from our adrenal glands, fat pads, etc....so most women, without meds, have SOME estrogen circulating.

How high were you with Er/pr?  (some gals are only 40% while others are 95+%)...if you are highly hormonally affected, it may do you good to use a hormonal drug.

Have you had the Oncotype DX test to let you know how favorable that would be?

Have you had the 2D6 test to see how badly you'd be affected by side effects?

Seems like 10% are unresponsive and 10% or so are high metabolizers that suffer greatly from side effects---but many of us are intermediate metabolizers and hardly notice side effects.

Once your ovaries are out, tamoxifen is not your only option, though I hear AI's are harder on bones/joints.

I feel your pain about making decisions that affect your LIFE.

Some women simply have mastectomy and nothing else and are fine (Julia child is a prime example....having had a radical mastectomy--that was all they did when she was 54---and lived to 90) so how can we know if adjuvant treatment is what prolonged our life or if we'd have been fine without it.

I detest taking drugs but I am taking Tamoxifen.  I'm an intermediate metabolizer and I hardley notice side effects.  I worry that that is not enough.......

I wish you much success in seeking your resources and being comfortable with your decision...I know they say we should never look back, but I think if I make it to 90, I'll stop worrying

I would have to echo what another poster said--be very careful what you read and check out everything with your medical team before making any important decisions that will affect your life. I have been on tamoxifen for 4 years with mild SEs--hot flashes, insomnia, achiness--all annoying, but definitely manageable. The most common SE for tamox is hot flashes; the more serious SEs  of blood clots or endometrial cancer (this is the only cancer tamox is associated with, not "2 or 3") are very rare, reportedly less than 1%. Most women do very well on tamox, you only hear the bad reports, those that are doing well rarely post.

Dear Joycey,

Sorry to hear aout what you are going through, I was diagnosed with bc and hdd surgery in May 2007 lumpectomy of three locatioin one discovered on a routine mamogram and the other two found on an MRI, in June I needed a reexcision because the surgeon did not remove enough of the two locations found on the MRI.  I tried tamaoifen which almost killed me because I have very hormone sensitive hypertension, I had to stop taking it, they then tried to get me into menopause by giving me injectiions of lupron, I took one and be came seriously ill within one week, four emergency room visits for blood pressure of 250/145, so after eight weeks of trying to stabilize, I had my ovaries removeed to put me into menopause.  Needless to say I am very anxiuos about taking any other hormone related drugs.  It seems that aromasin and arimidex have the same side effects for hypertension.  I meet with my onc in two weeks and would love to know more about goint the natural route.  My cancer was ilc 1.2cm, 5mm, & 7mm, er+,pr+,her2 2+ but negative. 

I did do the 7 weeks of radiation, but did not do the suggested chemo.  There is a recent study that has shown chemo is only effective in helping 6% of the breast cancers,and they do not know which 6% it helps. I also refused the tamoxifen, due to the side effects and my history, so I had my ovaries removed.  I've also changed my diet.  However, if you read the boards, you see women who have done everything that was suggested, and it still comes back.  And women who have not done what is suggested, and it comes back.  I did what I thought was right for me.  You need to be at peace with whatever decision you make.  I wish you best of luck!

g

I have done everything recommended in terms of conventional medicine- surgery, chemotherapy (dose dense AC/T), 6 1/2 weeks of radiation, and now an aromatase inhibitor. You could not pay me enough to do otherwise. If my oncologist had told me that another full round of chemo would give me 5 more percentage points toward survival I would have said, "When can I start?" I also follow the research on alternative medicine/lifestyle change and make liberal use of these approaches. Allyson

Joy - If you got a reccurence or mets would you still feel confident and comfortable with your decision? If you answer yes, then you're doing what's right for you. I thought long and hard about all this when I was dx'd. I asked myself that question and realized I would most likely regret not doing "everything" possible to prevent it. And, in a way, I would have felt somewhat selfish in regard to my dh and family and friends. Good luck and best wishes!

Well, even though I went the whole nine yards with conventional treatment (bilateral mastectomy, chemo, radiation, herceptin), I do know someone who had a similar diagnosis who went the alternative route (hot-and-cold showers, special diet, scrubbing with a brush, enemas, you name it), and her tumor has disappeared (she had refused surgery, chemo, radiation, everything). Who knows which of us will live longest? The trouble with alternative methods is that they are not put to the same scientific scrutiny that conventional treatment receives, so we have only anecdotal evidence of their efficacy.

For whatever it is worth.... my sister-in -law, passed on conventional treatment for the nuts and berries approach.  She was dead at 45.

I also have a friend who did conventional treatment, "along" with the alternative therapies, approved by her Onc, who is doing well.

Be sure you understand the implications of all your choices, before chosing based on "feelings".

Grandma Wolf  aka Dakota