Alternative therapies?

[Kelly1]

Has anyone tried any alternative therapies for their cancer as well as having chemo? And if so what, if any, positive effects have you had from them? Welcome your comments, thanks Kels

[Hidden]

Hello Kels,

Just to be clear 'alternative' therapies are those that are offered as an alternative to conventional medicine, and they usually are not deemed to work if you have chemotherapy. There are many 'complementary' therapies that are offered to enhance whichever conventional therapy you have.

Personally, I instigated the dietary and lifestyle changes that eliminated the ingredients -foods, situations and people- that undermined my immune system and weakened my resistance to illness ('Anticancer, a New Way of Life'). During treatment and to a lesser degree since, I kept to the 'Budwig Protocol'. I also take 'Transfer Factor' to boost my immune system, and do what I can to be fit by being very active, playing tennis 2or 3 times a week on top of my daily activity looking after our smallholding and animals. I also go to the Chiropractor every 6 weeks - this keeps the parts that ache (and there are many) correctly adjusted, and also is someone qualified to tell me which lumps and bumps are muscles and which should be further explored.

I'm 3yrs 3months since finishing treatment for 3c aggressive carcinosarcoma, in full remission.

The overall positive results of the changes I've made to my life have been wonderful. I can honestly say that I've never been happier (not something I would have expected at diagnosis).

Very best wishes,

Isadora.

[MargaretJ]

Like Isadora I have concentrated on a very healthy diet focussing on fresh and raw fruit and veg, very little meat, lots of oily fish. I have always taken calcium with vit D because I do not drink milk or eat much dairy produce. I also take garlic (strenghthens the imune system) glucosamine & chondroitin for joints; evening primrose oil for skin and high strength vit C which seems to protect me from colds. I have just introduced Holland & Barret's high strength turmeric extract as that is said to have beneficial effects! I am also adding turmeric (which is reputed to have beneficial effects) to all my home made soups and to the spices I coat vegertables with before roasting them!

I also keep fit by walking and cycling (despite the sciatic pain) and (most of the time) ignore the cancer and get on with enjoying life. Including having parties! My next one will be a 'open house' on Jan 20th (40-50 people expected) and then a 'hot Pot Supper' for about 30-40 in March! I will probably be back on treatment again by then!

Alternative therapies are dangerous as they encourage you to give up on the conventional (viz the nut case we had on the site a while back) complementary therapies are good as long as they do no harm and you do not expect miracles. y have found that the approach that works for me is to face the demon! Accept it an then get on with living with it! Like any chronic disease! I am diabetic and I am managing that so well with lifestyle that I do not need metformin which could help slow the cancer growth. i am going to ask at my next review (Nov 15th) what I do to ensure I need it and what dosage! My GP won't prescribe it because of the risk of hypos!

I am not sure that this helps but just focussing on the good things in life can help you to put the cancer out of your mind and it becomes less scary! That may help us to survive longer!

Thinking of you and sending positive thoughts in your direction!

Love Margaret!

Xxxxxxxx

Margaret.

[iamstillme]

Hi Margaret . Never knew Viv the nutcase !!

I dont personally believe in treating cancer with alernative therapies instead of chemo or surgery !! but like others trying to eat cancer fighting foods and a healthy diet . Lots of fresh fruit and veg and trying to cut back on the sugar . This bit the hardest for me as i have a sweet tooth . Have started taking green tea supplements/tumeric and multi vitamins

Hope this hels kelly

Allison

[Kelly1 in reply to iamstillme]

Thank you all for your replies, I'm just seeing if there is anything else that may help. I do believe that it really is a case of treatment or no treatment when it comes down to it but definetly leading a healthy lifestyle with the right foods and exercise along with positive thinking all help, I think?! Thanks very much for taking the time to reply, I appreciate your thoughts and comments. Love and hugs to you all xxxxx

[Whippit in reply to iamstillme]

Hi Allison - I think Margaret said viz - i.e. the nutcase - not Viv the Nutcase! That did make me laugh.

[ScotsH]

Some 'additional' rather than 'alternative' suggestions...

Walking, even if it's just to the end of the street and back. Brilliant for getting all the good things in your body going and helping you feel you've achieved something in the day. If others ask what they can do, get them to go walking with you (though watch the tea and buns afterwards!).

Omega 3,6,& 9 fish oils to help my joints and because I don't eat much fish, and Vitamin B complex to keep shooting pains at bay.

I find visualisation extremely helpful. It's using your thinking to impact on your body to heal. Consider how your body reacts to an embarrassing thought - you go red and feel differently. That's a thought creating a physical change in your body. Sounds weird and I was sceptical before I started, but I'm convinced that's why they discovered that my 3c ovarian cancer had shrunk significantly, and why they could operate and why I'm now in remission. It's something that you can do yourself and other can do for you, and for those of faith, a constructive way to pray for healing*.

My cancer was like seedlings according to my oncologist, so I visualised me going to where the cancer was in my body and "weeding out" each seedling, putting them in a basket for transfer to the compost heap. Others found this a constructive, practical thing to do on my behalf. You can do it anywhere you can find some peace to think - even out walking or in the queue to get your bloods done!.

Can I suggest you look at Dr David Hamilton's website as he explains this much better than I can, and provides evidence to back up the theory! I hope you find it as helpful as I did.

* I also pray, trusting God to be with me and my family at each step of this journey. Often I felt nothing special, but that's what faith is about - trust that you will be upheld and calmed, and I have not been let down. I've discovered many folk have prayed for me along the way, and you will have too - even if you haven't said they could!. For me, this has been a huge support and their willingness to think of me regularly has been very humbling.

[Kelly1 in reply to ScotsH]

Thanks, the visualisation sounds interesting, think I will look into that one a bit more. Thanks for your comments. Keeping positive is important I think and all the above comments are very useful. Thanks xxx

[Hidden in reply to Kelly1]

Hi Kelly

If you google William Li - Ted Talks you will find a link to a very interesting video where Dr Li talks about foods to starve cancer. He speaks very well and gives a list of foods.

ScotsH thanks so much for the info about visualisation - it sounds fascinating - well worth a look.

Monique x

[Whippit]

Dear Kelly

The problem is that there isn't really any double-blind treatment, therapy or diet for us to measure what works and what works and that includes chemotherapy!

My sister has been living with 3 different cancers for nearly 40 years - all aggressive and life-threatening. She enjoys yoga, walking, swimming and other outdoor activities, and eats a diet based on a lot of raw fruit, avoid alcohol and too much meat. Others recommend Budwig, or Curcumin - don't get Gwyn started on that! - some of us take supplements and others drink green tea.

What I would say is don't feel guilty about what you do. Each one of us does what we feel good about so if you don't fancy green tea, for instance, don't make yourself miserable by persisting in drinking it. Life's to be enjoyed.

I'm sure positive thinking is good - but I sometimes think that people who are positive thinkers are generally healthy people - so perhaps positive thinking is the egg rather than the chicken. Again nobody knows.

I think you're right to keep an open mind and look at complimentary therapies, activities and a diet that makes you feel good about yourself. If you're lucky it will also contain foodstuffs that are generally thought to be anti-carcinogenic. I found the Anti-Cancer Diet book inspiring and pick and choose from that. I'm currently interested in exploring the Budwig Diet but I'm not disciplined enough to follow it to a tee. I have read Macmillan research that recommends aerobic exercise for half an hour 3 times a week is linked to longer lengths of remission - but then again research can be misleading.

Good luck with your research. Let us know what you think is good.

love Annie xxx

[jennybutler]

No more chemo for me with my husbands support I had it plus big op. only 18 months remission made me so low,when I had it before doing Dr Budwig diet plus excercise and visulization. I would rather feel well and do it my way with my wonderful husband who spports me 100% than spend the next perhaps 3 years on and off of chemo. just my way it has come back to my stomach and nodes leading to liver but positive i will live happily even if shorter life, chemo really changed me from positive to negative as i had 1 carboplatin only last week i refused taxol felt so bad over the weekend my decision made for me. Heres to healthy positive living love to you all Jennyxxx

[Hidden in reply to jennybutler]

IT's a very brave decision, Jenny. Lots of American ladies see Naturopaths/anthroposophical doctors and seem to have good results from them. I think one of the things they advocate is mistletoe/iscador.

Wish you all the best

Monique x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I should add that these naturopaths work in a complementary way, so they do not advocate not having chemo if that is what the patient wants to do, etc. they work with it.

[wendydee]

There is lots of info on the Penny Brohn Centre website. It used to be the Bristol Cancer Centre, looking at supporting patients with complementary therapies. They do residential and weekend courses for people living with cancer and I have found their visualisation, relaxation and meditation tape very useful. I am sure they will have reissued it in CD form, now mine is so out of date. Also, ginger had a good review as a complementary therapy a while back, in OC.

All the best to you all

Love Wendy xx

[Nicky100 in reply to wendydee]

I was about to recconend the Penny Brohn Centre in Bristol too for you. I can't rate it highly enough. They do 1to 3days courses on how to fully support EVERY area in your life, from nutrition, to mindfulness, to many other things and it is a wonderful place to stay if you can get there. Their website also has all the latest and best books. For me, hypnotherapy was the best thing I ever tried and still do it. Also acupuncture and massage are great too. Good luck and love x

[Hidden in reply to Nicky100]

Hi Nicky.. good to hear about your good experience.

Just a little tip for you as you're relatively new to this site. Be careful to check that the discussion you're joining is a current one - right hand corner of the text box.

It can be upsetting when an old one comes to life again and one or more participant is no longer with us, as in this case.

All the bestx

[Kelly1]

Thank you all very much I'm just trying to find best complimentary and possible alternatives. There seems to be so many choices and options alongside the chemo it's great to hear so many of you have found help and support with your cancer, I guess it's a case of trial and error really what works for some may not work for others and visa versa, good luck and good health whatever you try, love and hugs xxxx

[jennybutler]

Hello girls i dont think i am brave not having chemo. and seeking alternatives my book that helps is anti cancer by Dr.David Servan-Schreiber, He had brain cancer and given 6 months he had chemo op. etc came back had another op. and changed his diet good old green tea etc.now 12 years on still ok. also mind over matter Dr.David Hamilton I will keep in touch and let you know how it all goes. Also Glastonbury very mystical a trip there talk to the right people and you will not believe what you can find out. Seek and you will find.BUT BE POSITIVE WHAT EVER YOU DECIDE IS RIGHT FOR YOU Love to all Jenny xxx