Alternative medicine

[Jane789]

Hello. I was diagnosed earlier this yr with a 6mm tumour after I was advised to have an MRI due to ringing in my ear. 6 months later my second MRI has shown an increase in the size to 8mm. My Dr says we should just 'watch and wait' and do another MRI in 6 months. My question is has anyone tried any alternative medicines to reduce or stop the growth. Like Chinese medicine, Acupuncture or Homeopathy medicine? Thx

[Tabbycat]

Hello Jane

I had a right side acoustic neuroma diagnosed in 2014 and was on wait and watch for 4 years with annual MRI scans. Each year the tumour grew, so I chose to have Gamma Knife Surgery in 2018. I have had two MRI scans since then which showed my tumour has stopped growing .

The whole waiting thing is so difficult to deal with - the gaps between diagnosis and referral; MRI scan and results letter etc - may only be a few weeks, but to the patient they can seem like forever. When I was on 'watch and wait' once I'd seen the skull base team I felt pretty much on my own to deal with the symptoms and side effects until I saw them again in the following year. My GP was very good and I was sent to the ENT department at my local hospital by her very quickly, where after my first MRI scan I was given an initial diagnosis and referred to my consultant in Leeds. However, I think she feels she's done her job, so if I go to see her because I'm not sleeping or am feeling nauseous she always puts it down to my AN and advises me to see my consultant.

I haven't tried acupuncture or homeopathy (yet) but I have tried mindfulness, meditation, massage and aromatherapy. They have all helped me to be less anxious and improved my sleep. But I don't think alternative medicines would stop or reduce the growth of a brain tumour.

By the way, the constant nausea (especially bad when I layed down flat) was treated by my AN consultant with strong antiemetics - which ended up with the cure being worse than the disease! After trying all sorts of herbal and peppermint concoctions and several visits to my GP's surgery, a locum doctor diagnosed gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) - so nothing to do with my tumour after all - which has been treated successfully!

Stay as well and safe as you can,

Tabby

[Wayne4211]

You do realise alternatives therapies have not been proven to work... you know what they call alternative therapies that have been proven to work... medicine... homoeopathy... dissolve a small amount of a substance in water to the point where it is not detected... yet remembers ita efficiency.. like it forgot about all the pizza and shit it had in it before it was...