I went to a nutritional shop today and the owner suggested AHCC and EPICAN FORTE in conjunction with my dad's chemo. My dad has ext SCLC and just finished 3 rounds of chemo. His scans showed great improvement - live mets gone tumor shrunk. Anyone heard or used these? He is currently taking ground flax, flax capsule 1000mg, and wheatgrass.
good grief, dear - those are impressive sounding thingies!!! please, please, PUH-LEASE, talk this subject over with your daddy's onc - there are some supplements that will counteract chemo - particularly some anti-oxidants - and as bad as chemo is, you want the stuff to be working as best it can possibly be working!!! particularly since your daddy is responding so well...and I love it when daddies respond well....
hugs, friend
Pat
AHCC builds the immune system. I would highly recommend "Natural Stratagies For Cancer Patients" by Russell L. Blaylock who is a retired neurosurgeon who reccomended supplimentation with his patients. The book (about $16) is avialable in some health stores and on the net. AHCC is not an anti-oxident. I now nothing of epican so will not comment on it. He explains the anti-oxident theory in his book. He does not agree and explains why. Anti-oxidents should be taken in conjunction with other anti-oxidents. The studies that have given them a bad rap have been done using the cheapest forms and used them singly. This is not how they are found in nature and never the recommended way to use them.
My onc told me to take a good mult-viatmin. My surgeon said he would probably be drinking the "blue stuff" too if he had what I have. My first radiation onc said not to have any anti-oxidents. I pointed out anti-oxidents are now known to be in everything and that there are 1000's of them, about 5000. She said to just eat a normal American diet. I never have so didn't think I should start. I fired her. It is the one best thing I ever did.
If you choose to rely on a health food store owner, make sure it is someone who is specifically knowledgeable about cancer. Do the research such as the above mentioned book and make your own informed decision. There is no magic but proper nutrition and supplements can help with everything. They can make treatments more effective while reducing side effects and making your father stronger. The more strength to fight the beast the better the odds.
It is a lot of work to actively do this instead of just letting things happen to him. I figure you can handle it or you wouldn't be asking in the first place. One of the least expensive but most important things to do is to stay well hydrated at all times. My radiation onc told me this too. Good luck and feel free to contact me personally.
Best of Luck
Thank you Pat. I am going to his onc today and talking to him at least about the Ahcc. It is to build the immune system. The reason I am looking into all of these is that it seems after chemo with sclc there isn't much else. Dad has cancer mets to live and into bones and nodes. The said radiation is not a possibility and I just want to do some research ahead on supplimental stratagies. He is doing so well I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize or interfere with the onc.
Keep you posted.
Pam
hey, Pam,
while you're there, talk about cyber knife surgery - some oncs are not fully aware of what focused radiation is capable of....
I'll be saying prayers for your daddy.....
hugs, girlfriend!
Pat
Ramona,
Thank you for the response.
I feel that the "American" diet is what is causing alot of our health problems today so that is why I am leaning more towards natural suppliments etc.
I would like to talk with you some more about this. Do you take suppliments and have they helped you? I just don't want to sit back and let things just happen if there is anything that can be done to help him. I think drs some time just look at the small picture, and not the whole person,,,,,,no one loves there dad like a daughter does!!!!! The onc basically didn
t give much hope at the start of chemo and now my 79 year old dad is giving cancer a fight!!!
Thank You again.
Pam
AHCC is a polysaccheride and good for anti-cancer, among other things. I take IP-6 with inositol (Cell Forte), which is in the same family.
Alisa,
Thank you for responding. I will look up IP-6 and inositol. How long have you been taking the additional suppliments, and do you feel they have helped?
My dad is currently doing his 4th round and will have 2 more after.
Bless you and your twins!
I have been on a number of supplements since my diagnosis in 2000. I feel they help keep me free of disease all these years. I only take nutraceuticals/CAM with evidence and science behind them. Feel free to email me privately if you'd like to discuss and compare notes. Take care.
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