Was diagnosed with breast cancer in May this year. I had a lumpectomy and radiotherapy. Was told I 'had to' take Tamoxifen. I wanted to 'sleep on it'. I did and have decided, for now, not to take it. Anyone done the same? Would love to hear about your route and what's been helpful. So far, I am feeling pretty healthy eating well, meditating and exercising.
Dear Gron, it was a wise decision not to take Tamoxifen for your breast cancer for now. There is nothing that you can inject into your body that will kill a significant number of cancer cells. But, you have stem cells already inside your body that can be transformed into T-cells, B-cells, and NK-cells that can multiply exponentially, then seek out, attack, and destroy the cancer cells.
Thanks for your reply, Cassini, I am doing lots of research into what to eat (as well as meditation, exercise and visualisation) . I am taking green supplements, juicing daily, lots of cruciferous veg. A bit confused about phytoestrogens - whether or not they are good for breast cancer recovery/prevention. Lots of conflicting reports. You talk about stem cells being transformed into T, B and NK cells. Have you recovered from a disease, and if so, what did you do to take control of your own health? Ironically, I feel healthier than before and much more in control of my mind and body.
No Gron, this is not based on my experience with a disease, but in 2002 my daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of an egg. I had written a book on Healing, and I told her to read into a recorder a section of the book I sent her, and to play it back when needed. When she went back to the doctor, they tested her and found that the tumor had shrunk to the size of a pea. They vacuumed the pea sized tumor out through her nasal cavity. Today she's alive & well and living in Antioch, Tennessee.
How wonderful your daughter healed herself - and with your help. What is your book?
Healing with Stem Cell Hypnotherapy, by Lon Anderson. It comes with the therapeutic CD I mentioned that my cousin took back to her co-worker in Orlando, Florida.
Hi Cassini,
Where can we get this book and CD. It seems to be unavailable via most online suppliers. Sounds very interesting.
One more thing, Gron, my cousin was visiting here in Pensacola, Florida from Orlando one weekend, and I was telling her about my daughter's recovery from the brain tumor. She told me about a co-worker of hers who had leukemia. We agreed that she should take a therapy CD I had made back to Orlando and see if her co-worker would try it. She did, and when she went back for tests, it was discovered that the cancer was in "remission." This was in 2011. I recently asked my cousin how was her co-worker doing. She said she was doing just fine and still cancer free.
Hi Gron. I was diagnosed with breast cancer nearly 4 years ago, had 2 lumpectomies, chemotherapy and herceptin. I was then supposed to go onto Tamoxifen but after discussing it with my oncologist decided against it. I have also had ME for many years and all the drugs had made that a lot worse. We thought that my body just needed a rest from drugs. Often wonder whether I made the right decision but feel the natural way is best from now on. Don't want to poison my body any more. I try very hard to eat healthily, a struggle with 2 kids (well, 18 and 21, not really kids any more!) when they don't really want my healthy stuff. I have a great juicer but find it exhausting chopping all that veg! Penny Brohn has helped and inspired me enormously - my best times over the last few years have been when on one of their wonderful retreats. When you come back to the UK you must try and visit them. Good luck and keep healthy x
Thank you Rosabella. I am glad you've found a way that suits you. I guess you must have been exhausted with the ME, and your body having to deal with all the medication. For me it also felt wrong to load my body with more 'stuff' - especially a controversial drug. I too do the juicing daily when the kids are at school. Since I have time over here (I don't work as I can't get a work permit) I am focusing on my health. I agree, it's not always easy with kids, but mine are younger and have more or less accepted the healthier meals, which is a great blueprint for their future health. I also believe meditation and visualisation make all the difference. The natural route can be lonely, with some friends and family not 'getting' it, but it feels right for me and I am more energetic and healthy now. Great to have found Penny Brohn Cancer Care and like minded cancer survivors like you. The retreats sound lovely. I hope to try one myself. Happy healing journey x
Dear Gron. I was diagnosed with oestrogen positive DCIS (early stage breast cancer) in October 2012. I have remained untreated. I am pre-menopausal so have looked at reducing my oestrogen levels. What type of breast cancer do you have? Are you post or pre-menopausal.
I had a healthy diet prior to my diagnosis but have made this even better. I eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables, watch for stomach candida (you can do a saliva test for this), and test my ph levels. I take cider vinegar and sodium bicarbonate to adjust my ph levels to more alkaline and to check out any stomach candida. I take indole 3 carbinol (see Canceractive canceractive.com/cancer-act.... Each morning I mix a drink of wheatgrass powder, neem powder, turmeric spice powder, cinnamon, black pepper and olive oil with boiled water and juice.
I exercise for 3 hours a week with an aerobic activity, strengthening activity and body balance activity.
The medical opinion on my DCIS is that it has remained unchanged. However, when comparing mammograms I could clearly see two spots had faded but two spots remained bright. I've still some time and work to go but my body will contain and/or eradicate this.
A good book for signposting is "Everything you need to know to help you beat cancer" by Chris Woollams.
Good luck with your journey.
PS Penny Brohn have a good leaflet on Phytoestrogens. But my understanding is that oestrogen positive cancers attract oestrogens which lead to the cancer growing and multiplying. Oestrogen positive cancers can attract phytoestrogens which will form a protective coat over the cancer and prevent it from growing. Phytoestrogens are less harmful oestrogens when you have an oestrogen cancer.
Thanks, JillF, for your reply. It's an amazing and brave decision to remain untreated. Since I had cancer and it was caught in a routine exam, I have been wondering how many cancers which aren't detected disappear if one's body and mind is brought back into balance. And could I have got rid of mine without treatment? In my case, it happened so quickly, the surgery and radiation, that I didn't have time to think about it. However, with the Tamoxifen, I gave myself more time to think and research and decided 'no'. I had early stage, non aggressive, oestrogen positive cancer and am pre menopausal. I juice each morning with mostly raw veg, and a couple of apples, plus turmeric and ginger. And take 'Green Power' supplement and flaxseed oil/EPA oil. Will look up the PBCC leaflet on phytoestrogens. SInce reading your reply, I have started taking Apple Cider Vinegar and bi-carb of soda. I also take powdered hemp seeds in water. I walk daily and have just started yoga again. I do allow myself dark chocolate, an occasional coffee and glass of wine as a treat, but mostly it's green tea. All in all, I feel much better and more energetic. I live in South Africa at the moment but our long term plan is definitely a UK return. Do you meditate or use visualisation at all? I am seeing an integrative health doctor next month just to make sure I'm on the right track health wise. I had seen the Chris Woollams site, think I will read more deeply. I wish you all the best in your recovery and am full of admiration for your choice.
It's great to see the support that the online community can foster between people with similar experiences and thanks for those contributions. It seems like nutrition is an important factor for lots of you, alongside things like meditation, visualisation and exercise which are all crucial elements of our approach at Penny Brohn Cancer Care. If any of you would like more information about what we do and also the Phytoestrogens information sheet that has been mentioned then please contact the Helpline on 0845 123 2310 or email helpline@pennybrohn.org and we'd be happy to provide more information.
Hi Gron, sorry to hear of your diagnosis.Sounds like you are doing all the right things. If you are lucky enough to live in the Bristol area or are able to get here easily, I would highly recommend you contact Penny Brohn Cancer Centre. Unlike conventional methods, PB look at the 'whole person' (so refreshing after what we've been through) they have so much on offer to help support your recovery with natural means. The staff are all so knowledgeable, kind and great listeners. I too had breast cancer, sadly due to complication I am too nervous to avoid the dreaded drugs, I was on Tamoxifen and stuck it out for 12 horrible months. I, like a lot of my fellow survivors found the side effects too severe to take. I am now on Aromasin (Examestin) which suits me far better. I also take the homeopathic Mistletoe (supplied on the NHS) well worth investigating! My Oncologist is delighted I am on this natural therapy. A friend who also had BC, decided against chemo and radio therapy or drugs - she had a lumpectomy, she is on the 'Mistletoe' is doing fine, coupled with exercise and a sensible diet. Go with your 'gut' feeling, it's usually right! Wishing you well. Rosebud51
Thanks, Rosebud51, for your lovely reply. I have heard about the mistletoe treatment from a friend. I live in Joburg at the moment, plan to return to UK in next 1-2 years and would love to visit the Bristol Centre when I do - it sounds wonderful. Here, it is harder to find complementary therapists and we have to pay for healthcare. How wonderful to get Mistletoe on the NHS and have an open minded oncologist! I am glad you've been able to find medication which suits you and the added help of complementary treatment. Good for your friend having the courage to forego the radiotherapy. I would like to have been brave enough to have done the same, as my margins and lymph nodes were clear, but it was all so quick. Given time to reflect, I decided 'no' to the Tamoxifen, at least, and feel very good on my new regime. It is a big commitment, looking after one's health properly, but I feel I am doing the right thing. am going to see an Integrated Health doctor next month, just to be sure I'm doing the right things. Wishing you the very best of health.
Hi Gron,
Thanks for starting a really good thread. I am currently at the point of deciding whether to take the hormonal drugs or not. Tamoxifen isn't really an option for me as I have endometriosis which might get worse on Tamoxifen. Zoladex is being recommended. I was on this for 6 months about 7 years ago and my brain function evaporated. I also felt it changed my personality and I don't feel sadness or joy to the levels I used to. It kind of dulled my response to the world. I nearly went nuts. So I'm understandably very reluctant!
I'm also eating a great diet with juices and smoothies. I avoid dairy, gluten, alcohol (odd glass of red wine) sugar (apart from very dark choc) and caffeine. I only eat meat occasionally and everything is organic as far as possible. I have started meditating and doing visualisation too but need to work on getting more exercise! Starting yoga too. Why would I want to undo all my hard work with Zoladex?
My husband is really good with statistical analysis and we have found a study that examined the outcomes of women given 1. Tamoxifen 2. Zoladex 3. both 4. nothing. A cursory look makes us feel that the 'advantage' is not big enough when set against the side effects. When he's had a proper look at it I'll share his findings if you like. I'll be meeting the oncologist next week when we will present our analysis.
Thanks for this thread. I have felt very alone in trying to make this decision. x
Hi Brownlow, sounds like you've got it all sorted, well done. I was on Tamoxifen after my mastectomy, it had the most terrible side effects, really bad bone pain, so much so that I had to descend the stairs on my rear end, at night if I needed the bathroom - it was a case of rolling out of bed onto me knees and crawling to the bathroom. I had to get up at 5.00 a.m each day to enable me to get moving and attend work for 9.00 a.m, then there were the hot flushes, brain fog and feeling of not being alert. To top all that, after 2 years the cancer returned on the mastectomy site. Once again I found myself on chemotherapy every 3rd week for 9 months and all that goes with that treatment, a breeze compared to the drug!! I thought long and hard before telling you any of this, but I know many people who have had the same reaction, I feel that if you are armed with the information - it will benefit you. I now take Aromasin (Extamestain) as do may of my cancer buddies, I get a few 'Mediterranean Moments' (flushes) but can cope with that. I am a survivor of cancer of some 27 years! It started when I was 36, I then had 16 years free of it, in that time I lived a very healthy life style, I am a veggie anyway and gave up dairy immediately. With all you're doing, I'm sure you will be fine. Through the Penny Brohn Cancer Centre here in Bristol UK, I have never felt like a victim, the staff are wonderful - so upbeat. I have learnt many ways in which to heal myself, I've also made lots of very good friends.
I wish you peace in your heart and a speedy recovery. I am fine now, back to full time work and loving life, like you I have a supportive husband and 3 wonderful, kids (adults)
Best wishes, Rosebud 51
Thanks Rosebud51, really helpful. You raise a very good point that ultimately there is no guarantee that Tamoxifen or Zoladex will 100% keep cancer at bay. It's a very personal decision I realise but for me it's a question of balancing the risk of return with the risk of the awful life impinging side effects. There are women who do not suffer much on the hormonal drugs but I already know my reaction. The reason I was on Zoladex was for endometriosis which has returned...and gives me far more trouble than cancer! My endo diagnosis last Christmas sent me down the road of improved diet, alternative therapies, meditation etc. It kind of gave me a head start when I had the cancer diagnosis in June.
So happy to hear you are healthy and loving life.
Best wishes. x
Hi i have taken tamoxifen, and i am not sure if it has helped but certainly it has been damaging, as it created cervical cysts and endometriosis - i had 3 or 4 scrapings of the womb. I ended up braking the tabletts in 4 and have a much smaller dosis. After 4 years i had another lump in my other breast. I don't know if it was helpful. Right now i don't take anything and certainly no more tamoxifen!
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