Good morning lovely ladies! I’m stage 3c oc, surgery last March and finished chemo in October. As I had such a terrible time with white cell count, I’ve opted not to have Niraparib. I’ve read this book and was impressed by the author’s journey. I think my diet is pretty good but am trying to cut out sugar - not totally as that would be impossible for me! I take vitamin supplements, drink some green tea a day. The book gets quite technical towards the end, which I found difficult but from it all I have decided to try three new supplements: glucosamine sulphate, curcumin and berberine. Has anyone else taken these supplements and were there any side effects?
Thank you all for sharing your personal experiences - I read every day but only contribute on occasion. I feel blessed to have our ‘community’ to be a (reluctant) member of!
All good wishes, Angela
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Lilyada
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Thank you for your post. I'm sure our members will be along to share their experiences soon.
You may be interested in the Memorial Sloan Kettering About Herbs database, which provides information on various herbs and supplements, including the evidence base, side effects and drug interactions.
Due to the interaction between herbs and medicines and also possible side effects, it's also really important to let your medical team know anything you are taking, so they can bear this in mind.
Hi, I'm also reading the book and on the Facebook page and like you find it confusing to follow. I do take a couple of supplements that my oncologist knows about, vid d sray, turkey tail mushroom, glucosamine, cbd oil. I do hyperbaric oxygen twice a week too. Oncologist is ok with these but told me not to take turmeric curcumin as it does interact with chemotherapy. I also take ibuprofen xx
Hi. Just starting my oc journey. I've been diagnosed with stage 4 HGS, pending an MRI to confirm extent of spread (possible liver involvement). Been a traumatic 6 weeks so far but due to start chemo in next week or two. I've been taking supplements while waiting to try and boost my immune system and hoping alongside diet changes to hold things at bay until treatment starts. I have been taking turkey tail but my oncologist said to stop (along with turmeric). Wondered why the different opinions? I'm looking to anything that might help given where I am!
hi there Jpembs. I am so sorry you have joined this ‘club’. Those first weeks are unbelievably horrendous but your oncologist will be working on a plan for you to deal with this horrible disease. You will find many kind souls on this forum who will give you love and support whenever you need it and the Ovacome team are great, with lots of information.
There is so much to take in - don’t go on Google, it is not your friend in situations like this.
A lot of Onc's do not want you to take any supplements some they encourage which in my case was Vitamin D3 which studies have proven enhance the chemo to kill more cells but you have to ask your Onc as I mentioned above Transfer Point Beta Glucan is top notch to boost the immune system.
hi Newbery3 - thank you so much for your reply. A while back I did ask my oncologist if she had heard of the book but she hadn’t. I had thought I might just start taking them and see how I get On. I would probably introduce them one at a time. I think if/when I had chemo again, I would probably stop taking most things, apart from basic multivitamin. What is hyperbaric oxygen? I’m guessing it’s expensive !
I don’t go onto Facebook - do you think I’m missing a lot by not joining her Facebook page?
Really appreciate time spent answering my queries…I did get very bamboozled by the end of the book 😳.
I don't think you need to join the Facebook page really, I just stick to the basics too, some things sound so extreme. The oxygen therapy centre is used by people with Ms but its also used by athletes for muscle healing, its actually on the macmillan site if you google it. Anyway it only £15 an hour and I go twice a week, worth seeing if you have 1 near you xx
Hi Newbery3, yes, it’ll be the basics for me too. I was interested to hear about your oxygen therapy and its cost; I briefly looked at something on Google and saw £200 a session!! I’ll look at the McMillan site tomorrow and see if there is anywhere near me. Thank you so much!! Sleep well.., Angela
Yes, I take those and several others. Curcumin has been clinically studied and lowers inflammation. Berberine lowers blood sugar and glucosamine has been studied for other anti cancer properties. I take these during chemotherapy but I stop any antioxidants the day before, day of and day after chemo as chemo is a pro-oxidant and you don’t want to negate that affect.
I've had no side effects from the supplements. I worked with a Naturopathic Physician who is certified in Oncology. She recommended those and others such as selenium for immune health, boswellia (frankincense) for inflammation, coriolus (mushroom for immune modulation) and nattokinase (my fibrinogen level was slightly elevated). It's good to work with a functional integrative holistic provider skilled in oncology who can direct your supplements as it really helps with preventing side effects from treatments and has the potential to keep your blood levels in the normal range. Best wishes as you go through this journey.
Another supplement that is actually part of cancer protocol in Japan is Beta Glucan all natural although not cheap it helps tremendously to boost the white cells and also helps to put the immune system on high alert to identify cancer cells. [If you would like to know the brand I buy, please message me directly] how many capsules goes by your body weight you would have to ask your Onc if you can take it during chemo I did my white cells never dropped to the point I needed a shot to boost them I am NED 18 months still take it every morning 30 minutes before I eat just had my 6 month checkup with my internist blood panel perfect. It is an immune system booster.
Hi Saintgermain - thank you for that info; have just looked them up on Amazon. Very interesting…. But very expensive. I know, what price good health. Will give it some thought. Glad it seems to be working for you!!
Hi Lilyada join the Facebook group "always hope cancer protocol support group" fabulous help and support and they have a protocol re ovarian cancer. A lot of this is based on the metabolic approach. Also look up Dr Thomas Seyfried on YouTube with regard to cancer as a metabolic disease. This is what Jane McClelland advocates.
Hi, which book is it that you have read? I’ve read a myriad of them, and an following an adjusted diet from a famous German medic (I don’t know if I’m allowed to mention names on this site). I also eat lots of curcuma and broccoli sprouts, no sugar (fructose is fine, occasionally I’ll use honey), no fat except flaxseed and olive oil. I juice every day. I also did oxygen therapy, anti-virals, anti-bacterial, many vitamins and mineral supplements through homeopathy, and Dunklefeld (I live in Germany, so we have more options here than in the UK for example, though we have to pay for these as the health insurance doesn’t cover it). I was diagnosed with stage T2b after 2 tumors were removed. I refused a 2nd surgery to remove everything, and refused chemo. Now I’m no evidence of disease. I continue with follow-ups etc and review my decision with regards to surgery and chemo after each one, but so far so good.
Everyone must make their own decisions about what treatment they want to accept. I am a big believer in helping to support the immune system whether one sticks only to conventional medicine and/or complementary and/or alternative. Dietary adjustments, naturopathy and lots of movement (light sports) help me tremendously, and let’s me be a part of my own healing process.
I definitely think it’s wise to talk about the complementary treatments with our oncologist, particularly if one has chemo, as some therapies/food can definitively cause unwanted effects.
I don’t want to cause any upset on this site; I’m not promoting anything here. I feel it’s vital to continue to consult with healthcare providers and make our own personal well informed decisions.
wow Hailin, you come across as a very strong and well informed woman! So pleased your regime is working for you, thank you for sharing with the forum.
The book I mentioned - How to Starve Cancer, is written by Kane McLelland, a British author who charted her journey from being diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer in the late 1990s. I wonder if this is one of the ones you have read already
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