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Has anybody had any experiences with alternative treatments after the surgey/ during chemo?
ZZ
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OC Alternative therapies
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23 replies
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- By SUZ909
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 8:09 am
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I also would be interested. Groups, clinics other than books where daily support and monitoring are important. I am in the Chicago area. Just seems that after it is all over with you're sort of on your own.
Has anyone ready Suzanne Somer's new book? I haven't, but am curious as to what others are thinking.
- By Jennifer88
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 8:24 am
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Suz909...
I have been researching the Block Center in Evanston, Illinois. It is an integrative cancer treatment center that includes nutrition, lifestyle, mind and body along with surgery and chemo. It seems, in reading their website, to be the best of both the conventional and alternative worlds of cancer treatment. However, I live in Columbus Ohio so I don't have the opportunity to go and check it out. Being from Chicago, have you heard of this place or Dr. Keith Block? Is it credible? Any thoughts you have would be appreciated as I am very interested in learning more about nutrition and its value in cancer treatment!
Thanks!!
- By sbender3
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 10:55 am
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i am from the columbus area. i have been seeing an alternate health care provider, taking standard process and natural supplements to aid my body defenses, and support my kidney function, blood cells, etc, for almost 2 years. i have been being treated since july of 2006. i have had 86 chemo treatments, and i work every day, work out as much as as can. have a strong faith. health insurance will not cover alternate therapies, so you have to pay out of pocket, but you have only one life. my doctor, louis vacerrello at the zangmeister cancer center now says keep doing what you are doing. i always took supplements, self taught direction, until the lord led me to dr weiland feb of 2008. so you need to follow your heart. blessings, sherry
- By Jennali
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 7:55 pm
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The doctor whom I trust most, Dr. Andrew Weil, has said that if he ever had cancer he would go to the Block Center, and that he would recommend it for friends and family.
It may be in my future if I don't see satisfactory progress with what I am doing now. I am definitely not throwing Western medicine out the window, but I do believe it has its limitations.
You can also search for alternative medicine practitioners state by state by Googling them. I found a couple in Georgia who trained at Dr. Weil's medical school in Arizona.
- By ZZ
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 9:25 pm
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I am from Australia, and Block Center is not an option for me. I don't have anybody close to me who has ovarian cancer, but a friend of mine who had colon cancer stage iii, has had absolutely fantastic success with a mixture of Budwig protocol, ganoderma mushrooms in very concetrated form, and chemo. Firstly he went through chemo with almost no side effects, and when they opened him up to remove the tumor, there was nothing left but a scar tissue. Since than, a lot of our friends have been sending the ganoderma mushrooms to their friends with different types of cancer and they all had pretty good results. I don't think anybody has decided to not do chemo, but they all survived it much easier, and have been in remission for years. But, as I said I don't know anybody with ovarian - and that might be quite different.
I guess I was just trying to see what others are doing.
Keep up and all the best
ZZ
- By abbaschild
- Posted October 27, 2009 at 10:18 pm
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Hey, ZZ!
Welcome to our website! You'll find lots of info and support from all our sisters here!
What I've been doing...when I was diagnosed in Nov. 2007, I was overwhelmed with decisions about a disease I knew nothing about. I had the surgery with debulking in Dec. My CA-125 was 1157. My gyn/onc wanted me to do both carbo and taxol...I opted for just the carbo. I am stage 3C. Had 6 rounds of chemo starting in Jan. 2008 and finished in June 2008.
During chemo I started drinking mangosteen juice which I believe has great benefits in fighting cancer and infection in your body as it's loaded with antioxidants and xanthones to kill cancer cells. I also eat organic vegs & fruits, some organic chicken, I juice carrots, celery, apple & ground ginger which is a cancer fighter...I take vitamins D3, B17 (laetrille), zinc, magnesium, coral calcium and a digestive enzyme. I also have the Budwig breakfast of the organic cottage cheese & flaxseed oil with freshly ground flax seeds every day. I love it! I also have my own near infrared heat treatment "sauna" which my husband built which is beneficial in killing cancer cells in your body.
I am not so rigid in that I can't go out to restaurants, but at home I do try my best to eat better and more healthy. I do indulge myself occasionally :)
My CA-125 has held in the single digits for a year now...November I will be two years since my diagnosis. I am doing very well. So far, so good!
I hope this helps. I, too, have heard/read of cancer patients who have done the Budwig Protocol and have no signs of cancer in their body now. So, I am greatly encouraged :)
Blessings and hugs!!!
- By ZZ
- Posted October 28, 2009 at 12:17 am
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Hi abbaschild,
good to hear the good news for a change. I was starting to despair a bit. I am only just starting the journey - the debaulking op was done two weeks ago (IIC), and the doctors are suggesting chemo. I am in two minds about it because there were no visible spreads to other organs - it has only spread from one ovary to the other (a small deposit). But my CA before operation was stupendous 20,000, and the tumor was quite large. I haven't yet done one after the operation, but have started on Budwig muesli, vegetarian (mostly) diet and I am taking the ganoderma mushroom concentrate, same as my friend. I am not sure about chemo because my obmentum pathology was clear, and with no visible tumors elsewhere, it sounds a bit like ticking off the box. I am inclined to take the diet and mushrooms for a couple of months and monitor CA to see how it works. I am not sure what various experiences are, but I kept reading that secondary chemo, and second operations are generally short term solutions . However, a lot of women on this site say they have gone through several chemo rounds, so I am now a bit confused. Clearly a time to seek another medical opinion.
Keep well - your story is such a boost
ZZ
- By Mom82
- Posted October 28, 2009 at 9:17 am
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Like a few other posters, I would highly recommend the Block Center. Check it out. He also has written a book - for those for whom going to his center is not an option, they should read it, it is full of incredible information on how you can help yourself:
"Life Over Cancer" Keith I. Block.
And another book I highly recommend too is "Anticancer - A new way of Life" D. Servan-Schreiber. You will learn how food can be an integral part of your cancer therapy. It is really very interesting and fascinating.
- By Mom82
- Posted October 28, 2009 at 9:28 am
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Yes the Block Center is definitely credible and THE place I would go to - without hesitation. If you want to learn more about nutrition and cancer, two excellent must-read books:
Dr. Keith Block's "Life Over Cancer" - he also has a website:
http://www.lifeovercancer.com/
And the other book is:
"Anticancer - A new Way of LIfe" - D. Servan-Schreiber.
I also love one of the books mentioned in Servan-Schreiber's own book:
"Foods to Fight Cancer" - Richard Beliveau and Denis Gingras
These books are not about a specific diet, but about which foods promote cancer and should therefore be avoided, and especially which are the foods that can fight cancer the best and prevent recurrences, etc....
Once you know everything about these particular foods, including them in your diet is a piece of cake, won't harm you or the chemotherapy and will only benefit everybody. They also explain the mechanisms of cancer and what allows cancer to thrive and what will prevent cancer cells from staying alive, etc....
Knowing the enemy is an absolute must. Once you understand that - and all these books explain this very well, it's a win/win situation.
- By Mom82
- Posted October 28, 2009 at 9:43 am
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I am not saying don't do the chemo, but I understand your dilemma. If you can get those books I mentioned, or at least one of them, get Servan-Schreiber's. He also explains medicinal mushrooms' great benefits, I have to check the mushroom you mentioned, don't remember seeing that one.
Beliveau's "Foods to fight cancer" is also a very good option. He really concentrates on the top cancer fighting foods" after explaining the mechnisma of cancer, how food in general affects our health, etc:
turmeric, berries, green tea, soybeans (I personally don't completely agree with him and the others about soy), grapes, citrus, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, chocolate (not milk chocolate).
Bottom line is if you introduce these super-foods in you diet on a daily basis - it might make a world of difference. But food/nutrition is only one part of the equation, albeit an essential one. Environmental pollution, what's in your cosmetics, your cleaning products, etc... is also important. Make a chemical-free environment of your home. Servan-Schreiber also addresses those aspects in his book, as well as exercise, and mind.
- By ZZ
- Posted October 28, 2009 at 11:12 pm
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Thanks to you all - I'll try to find Servan-Schreiber book - I have read some of his other books and found him fascinating (nothing to do with cancer and food though). Pretty much all cancer food books say more or less the same - lots of veggies, some fruit (list is always the same), no white sugar and white flour, minute amounts of fish (small is better) and no meat at least not in the active stage. I really like Dr Budwig though, and trust her protocol a fair bit - it includes all of the above, but also the flaxseed oli/cottage cheese muesli. Given she was 7 times niminee for Nobel prize, kind of think she is one of the best on the Western medicine side. Being in Australia, we get a lot of Asian stuff here, and ganoderma mushrooms is one of those things. I am pretty sure the company that sells them is international - try www.dxn.They are also called Lingzhi and Reishi in chinese and japanese. Try also this website: http://intelegen.com/nutrients/reishi.htm. They are used in Japan in some hospitals as a standard post-operative treatment together with chemo. I know a few people in Melbourne with various kinds of cancer who have used them and they are all in reemission.
It is really funny having this conversation where I am writing when you all sleep.
May the night be kind to you all and send lovely soothing dreams.
Keep up
ZZ
- By quacker
- Posted October 28, 2009 at 11:27 pm
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I've been doing a lot of research because my cancer has become resistant to all chemos. I was stage IV at diagnosis. The general consensus is the following: the best diet is lots of veggies, organic if possible, no sugar, little or no meat, wheat or dairy, mind body work, antioxidants and post op IP and IV chemo to mop up any residual cells too small for the surgeon to see or feel. If you should get a recurrence and the tumor is growing rapidly, chemo is the way to go. If it is slow growing, you are better off with alternative treatment only. Interesting that the gangoderma mushroom is being used to treat cancer. It is a nuisance fungus in south Florida and is killing all the royal palm trees here.
- By ZZ
- Posted October 29, 2009 at 12:19 am
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Hi quacker , great to hear from you. I didn't know they grew in Florida - I am generally nervous about collcting mushrooms myself. However, there are a few people I know who have used ganoerma extract (I suspect the quantities needed are pretty high). A friend of mine took ganoderma while undergoing chemo aimed to stabilize his stage iii colon cancer prior to surgery. He survived chemo without the usual side effects, and when they operated they only found the scar tissue which was negative on pathology. He was taking 24g a day of dried concentrate from mixture of micellium and the mushroom itself. The company he (and I now) bought the muchroom extract from is registered with the Australian equivalent of your FDA (which at least means it has reasonable quality control)
I was diagnosed stage II (one ovary and only a small trace on the other, but nowhere else)> I was lucky that it had a cyst which broke and caused quite high fever so it was caught relatively early. I had my operation and am now recovering. The doctors are suggesting chemo as a follow up, but I would like to explore the time lines for chemo. If it can be postponed by a couple of months, and if my CA keeps normal with the the mushrooms and Budwig, I am not sure I want to go through chemo.
I have, of course started all the other diet suggestions and walks in the sun daily. I can't yet exercise as my op was les than 2 weeks ago.
What is the post op IP?
Cheers
ZZ
- By Mom82
- Posted October 29, 2009 at 8:37 am
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Hi Jennali,
Are you a regular on Dr. Weil's forums? I am.
<<It may be in my future if I don't see satisfactory progress with what I am doing now. I am definitely not throwing Western medicine out the window, but I do believe it has its limitations.>>
Why wait? You don't have to throw out Western medicine - Dr. Block doesn't. He integrates alternatives to conventional treatments. Better start earlier rather than later. Chances of fighting your cancer will be increased manyfold by following his protocol. If you haven't already, read his book and you will understand how.
Here is the link to find a Dr. Weil trained physician:
http://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/alumni.html
- By Mom82
- Posted October 29, 2009 at 9:02 am
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Hi ZZ,
Servan-Schreiber's book is different in the sense that it first goes to explain how cancer cells function, what makes them thrive, what makes them commit suicide, what they need to survive, etc... and which foods specifically do what to help the body fight them. Eeach of the super-foods have different actions on the cancer cells. For example, mushrooms work by stimulating the immune system, turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory, without inflammation cancer cells cannot thrive, berries have antiangiogenic effects, many herbs and spices act along the same lines as Gleevec, which wroks by blocking the cellular mechanisms that enable cancer to grow. In Beliveau's experiment some herbs worked in a degree comparable to Gleevec.
If a cancer patient includes all these wonderful foods into his/her diet every single day - and it's really not difficult to do - it increases the chances of fighting this dreadful disease manyfold. But we need to know what helps and what harms. Knowledge is power.
As Hippocrates said:
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food!"
Nature can be a really amazing healer if we let her.
And yes, it is true that the basics of a good diet for cancer patients is based on veggies, fruits, etc... but it should also be the basis of everyone's diet, period. Maybe there would be less cancer in this world if we would all wake up and eat right to start with. Food is not the only factor influencing whether one will get cancer or not, but it is a big part. And it is one area that we have complete control over.
- By lifeisgrand
- Posted October 30, 2009 at 11:04 am
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It scares me to think you would choose an alternative only treatment for ovarian cancer. You will find people who push what they believe is keeping them in remission but the truth be told they also had chemo and you just don't see them giving it any credit. Spend some time reading here and you will see the enemy is a formidable one and you need every weapon you can find! I do believe alternative treatments have their place and can help us overall but to forgo chemotherapy is just risking too much.
While you believe the ruptured "cyst" saved your life it is also all the more reason to have chemo (in addition to any alternative therapies you choose to pursue). Stage IIC has an overall 5 year survival of 57%... that's with traditional treatment (aggressive surgery and chemo).
You can find an informative piece at e-medicine (http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/265651) regarding all types of malignant lesions of the ovaries. Knowing your tumor cell type and grade are important decision makers. Below is an excerpt from the article about when chemo is necessary.
Chemotherapy
Only a small percentage of women with EOC can be treated with surgery alone. These include patients with stage IA grade 1 and stage IB grade 1 serous, mucinous, endometrioid, and Brenner tumors. Clear-cell carcinomas are associated with a significantly worse prognosis in stage I, and patients with this histologic subtype should be considered for chemotherapy at all stages.
- By Shamrock2009
- Posted November 1, 2009 at 9:45 pm
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I agree with Lifeisgrand.
Get at least two opinions and if they say chemotherapy then the oncologists are recommending what has been proven to put you and keep you in remission ---nothing else has been proven to do that. Remember tumors need to be 1 cm to show up on a CAT scan so the chemotherapy is given to eradicate those little microscopic cell buggers.
What grade and what type of tumor cell does your pathology report indicate?
- By ZZ
- Posted November 1, 2009 at 11:04 pm
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Hi LIfeisgrand, the doctors are actually contemplating radiation vs chemo for me at the moment. I will do whatever they end up suggesting.
Stage definition varies a bit from country to country - I am not sure if USA and Australian classification quite match. I was told the chances were 75% /5years by my oncologist. It is a serous/ epithelian tumor, not sure about the grade.
I tried the link, but it did not work. I did search the website though and found:
"Low risk for recurrence includes the following:
* Grade 1 or 2 disease
* No tumor on external surface of the ovary
* Negative peritoneal cytology
* No ascites
* Tumor growth confined to the ovaries"
Apart from dot point 2, all others apply to me, so I am realtively calm and optimistic. However, that does not mean that I am silly and would not use the Western treatment. But I shall supplement it with other treatments, particularly those that I have seen work for people I know.
Cheers,
zz
- By lifeisgrand
- Posted November 2, 2009 at 8:00 am
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I would ask for a copy of my pathology report and consider a second opinion. Find the grade of the tumor (high-grade or grade 3 are the most aggressive) and the cell type. In the US radiation is sometimes used in recurrences for small localized tumors but not often as primary therapy following surgery. The standard here is IV and IP (flooding the abdomen with chemo) whenever possible. The thing you need to keep in mind is that even though there were no tumors in your peritoneum there were microscopic cancer cells which in time will regroup and start growing again. The chemo tracks them down and destroys them. With your extremely high level of CA125 prior to surgery it's important to do all you can to wipe out any traces of disease left behind.
In the meantime starting the dietary changes can only help but if you do go into chemo I would be certain to let your oncologist know everything you are doing alternatively as some things affect the effects of the chemo and if you're going to have it you want it to do what it's supposed to! The Anticancer recommendations are a good place to start as he suggests dietary changes but not miracle cures from any single thing.
Best of luck to you.
- By CountryGirl46
- Posted November 2, 2009 at 7:54 pm
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I suggest going to cancertruth.com and listen to what Ty Bollinger has to say. He also has a wonderful book called Cancer-Step Out of the Box. Right now I am doing a lot of research on alternative methods and have been very surprised with some of the things that I am learning.
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