Anyone heard of this?

CP, I really encourage you to search for a doctor who will help you. You will probably need to look in the chiropractic field like I have. Chiro's are much more open to integrated medicine. My doctor can draw blood, order tests, do breast and pelvic exams, but still believes in the power of nutrition. She has helped me to detox after treatments, recommended the Thermographer that I went to because I did not want another mammo, and has a dietician in her practice that I can call on anytime with questions. She also has supplements, reasonably priced, that she feels are produced cleanly, and she has recommended the amounts I should take. I felt I was on the right track on my own, but she has given me the sense of security that I have a doctor in my corner. I am not going back to the oncologist, surgeon, or radiologist because I see no point. They did not support my decision not to go on Arimidex, so I see no reason to do follow ups with them. Besides I just hate the thought of going to the cancer center. It was so depressing and I don't want to revisit those memories.

I have some of the same anger that some of you have. Luckily they did not make me do chemo, but I did do rads, although I am not convinced it did me any good, I am trying to get over the anger and just be thankful that they helped me get through it emotionally, and quickly and my surgeon got it all out on the first try. I respect the fact that my doctors were very caring people, but they are a part of a system that needs to come into the new millennium, by going back to some of the centuries old tried and true practices, instead of relying on the drug companies for all the answers.

As for the Healthfreedomexpo last weekend: I was able to go for one day, but I did not have enough time to attend a lot of the seminars, which would have been good. I am still trying to sift through all the handouts. Good news! They were really touting the benefits of dark chocolate. Since this is one vise that I cannot give up, I am happy. I heard a Canadian women talk about the miracle of purslane, a weed I have plenty of in my yard. She sells a deodorant that supposedly travels through the lymph system and purifies everything. I am not sure if she is for real or not. I guess I could go pick a few weeds and make some tea!LOL Her products are really expensive. I also was interested in theraputic saunas that help you to detox. There were a lot of people selling supplements but who knows if one is better than the other. The FDA needs to come up with a way to make vitamin manufactures accountable for what is on their labels. And there were a lot of people selling oxygenated water, but  I refuse to spend $3 per bottle of water and then have all those plastic bottles to into the landfill. I have well water which must be pretty good because my neighbors who have been here for years, are in their 90's. I do a triple filter before we drink it.  I just moved here and use to get lake Michigan water , which always worried my because so much junk is still put into the lake.

I am glad I went, and I would recommend you go if there is one coming near you. You just have to separate the good stuff from the snake oil.

Hi Ruthie,

I'm sorry for scaring you. I understand that fear, though. I tend to get angry when I hear of the harm radiation and chemo has done to people.

I don't remember where I found the studies I looked at. But will do a search. In the mean time, may I suggest you do a google search also?

Several books we've read also sited studies. ("Step outside the box" - Ty Bolinger, and "Cancer Free" - Bill Henderson).

Some more recent studies I've looked at indicate a slightly longer survival with radiation, depending on whether it was whole breast or partial. It also depends on your type of cancer along with other variables. Many Dr.'s don't even consider doing radiation with small DCIS tumors because the potential side effects aren't worth the risks.

It's true that radiation does reduce the risk of local recurrence. But over all survival (due to long term side effects) sometimes negates that benefit.

Again, I'll try to find some of the studies we looked at. It is scary stuff. I went through all this last year and felt like I couldn't even think clearly. My husband actually did most of the research and really didn't want me doing any conventional treatments. But my onc. was very insistent on me doing the rad., even calling me at home to tell me that he thought I'd die without it. So I gave into the fear and did them. I was on the Budwig diet the whole time and took detox baths once a week. My Dr.s were surprised at how well my skin looked.

Based on what I've read, I think Dr.s are too quick to do the rads. (there's big money involved). I have two friends who both had small (1 cm.) tumors with no lymph node involvement. They had partial masts. No cancer was found in the tissue after the masts. The Dr.s in both cases believed they had removed the tumor during biopsy, yet both women's Dr.s insisted on rads. and tamoxifin. One of the women has had ovarian cysts as a result of the tamox. And now after 5 years has had a hysterectomy and is being told she has osteoporosis, all as a result of her cancer treatment. (she's under 50 yrs. old). Yet she's considered a success story because in those magical 5 years the cancer hasn't returned.

So what I'm saying is...do your homework. If you feel more comfortable without radiation, don't do it. But there are many variables with each cancer. Ask your onc. if he/she can honestly tell you that radiation after mast. will increase your overall survival.

If I had to do it over, I probably wouldn't have done it. At the time, I was too afraid not to. Each of us has to make our own decisions. I don't know what your situation is. But if you decide to to the rad. my advice would be to do alt. treatments also. I really think it helped me get through it easier. Probably a few months from now, you'll look back on this as just a bad memory. 

mamafig 

Yes, Ruthie, I know a little about mammosite. I have a friend who recently had that treatment. She had a small DCIS tumor so she qualified for it. She was pleased with the short treatment time and beleives she made a good decision.

I would have preferred mammosite myself, but my tumor was 3 cm. with invasive cancer to the margins, so I didn't qualify. 

The friend I mentioned above had something similar. But she went to Oklahoma to the Cancer Treatment Center of America, and they called it Bracytherapy. She really liked that cancer center. They treat people with nutrition and other things, such as prayer, counseling...etc... But they also do the conventional treatments. I wanted to go there, but my insurance wouldn't cover it. Even though she's having probems now, she thinks they're a result of the tamox. not the brachytherapy. And even though the radiation is directed to the tumor site only, I think it still goes into your system . She said she felt tired for about a year after treatment. But at least it wouldn't shoot a radiation beam through any major organs.