Alternative Therapies Useful?

[GeorgeGlass]

Anyone on here had success with one of these type of alternative therapy places? Raleigh would be closest for me.

cancure.org/10-list-of-clin...

George

[FCoffey]

How do you define success? I am not familiar with the clinic in Raleigh, but I've used pretty much all of the therapies they list.

Did it cure my cancer? Definitely not.

Did it slow the cancer down? Maybe. No way to be sure. It's the n=1 problem, you can't run an experiment on yourself. After treatment for several weeks at one clinic, my PSA was more or less constant for over 2 years. Did they do that? N=1 problem, no way know.

But I am over 12 years into this journey, no symptoms, and in the best health of my life because of all the work I've done and what I learned about myself and my body at those clinics.

Did the clinics make me feel better? Absolutely. One thing competitive medicine does is emphasize treatments that strengthen the patient, their immune system, their diet, their metabolism. None of the treatments hurt me, not even a little, except in the wallet. That's a claim that "school medicine" can't touch. When I go to a prostate cancer support group, 100% of the talk is about the life-changing side effects of the treatments.

The clinics also make people feel better because it gives them a sense of empowerment and control over their lives. Cancer takes away your former life and substitutes one with a whirlwind of doctors and hospitals, drugs and radiation and surgeries, talk about "standard of care" (meaning same damn thing we do to everyone) and losses of many kinds.

When people choose to go to a clinic, they are voting with their wallets and their minds. It makes them feel better to regain that tiny bit of control, to feel like you are adding something.

The placebo effect is very real and very powerful. If I could bottle it I would already be a billionaire. I don't care if my cancer recedes because I was fooled by a non-traditional treatment, all I care about is whether the cancer receded.

Talk to the clinic before you go. If the head doctor doesn't talk directly to you find some other place. Ask lots of questions. Prepare a list in advance, and use that list as you talk to the doc. Get references to former patients, and talk to them.

When I tried to find the website of the clinic in Raleigh, it appeared to be shut down. Not a good sign, but it happens.

Having a clinic nearby is convenient, but finding the best clinic for you is more important. Talk to at least three doctors and check patient references before you make a decision. None of this stuff is covered by insurance, so spend your hard-earned money with care.

Good luck!

[middlejoel in reply to FCoffey]

FCoffey, all great suggestions except here where I live in LA County, many are nearly impossible. I have been consulting for many years with 2 well-known and respected clinical oncologists, (1) Dr. Scholtz' of Prostate Oncology Specialist and (2) Dr. Dorff at USC Keck Medical Center. I posted earlier about my last appointment that was one of 34 that day and how that went. I can't imagine either of those 2 doctors taking the time to discuss their practice with any potential new patient.

jal

[FCoffey in reply to middlejoel]

You're absolutely right, trying to have a conversation with a conventional medicine doctor is all but impossible in most cases. If they are seeing 34 patients in 8 hours, that's 14 minutes per patient before counting for eating, bathroom breaks, reading to keep up, etc.

I don't see those kinds of doctors. My MO is in a small community clinic. She comes there once a week. When I see her, we spend as much time as needed. Typically 20-30 minutes, but a few times we've gone for an hour.

Is she well known? I don't know. Is she respected? I respect her, and that is what counts.

[GeorgeGlass in reply to FCoffey]

Great insight FC, do you recommend a place that you've already been treated at?

George

[GeorgeGlass in reply to FCoffey]

Also, I forgot to ask what kind of treatments you would recommend from the alternative therapy place: hyperthemia, Vit C chelation etc?

George

[FCoffey in reply to GeorgeGlass]

I've tried most of them. I now do whole body hyperthermia at home. I have an IV-Vitamin C scheduled in a week.

As to where, start local, see if you can find a clinic that offers these things, go visit and see if you are comfortable with the doc and the staff. Nurses are important too.

[GeorgeGlass]

Good info as always. I'll give them a call.

[FCoffey in reply to GeorgeGlass]

I looked them up. The correct URL is

acam.org/