Wouldn't it be great.....

Wouldn't it be great if a huge grant was awarded to one of the breast cancer research facilities for independent clinical studies on the effectiveness of alternative therapies?

So many of us take or add alternative medicine to our pharmaceutical regiment of therapies or even without pharmaceuticals. How hard can it be to study and follow those for a few years. How hard can it be to develop statistics? I don't think I'm naive!!

Any thoughts?

[Hidden]

I agree with you. I don't think you are being naive at all. In fact, when you consider cases of radical remission, many of the survivors used alternative therapy to treat, and ultimately beat, their cancer. But you don't hear much about them, as many of the cases have not been studied in detail. I am planning to do all I can to benefit myself, and hopefully get to that point too. Or if not, to at least add decades, rather than just a few short years, to my life. x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply SophSP! I have been thinking about this so much lately. Why can't they start when we have our blood tested every three weeks anyway! Great indication to see which alternative therapy effects our immune system the most!!

I wish I was a grant writer and could formulate this adequately!! It seems so simple to start the process of documenting the effects of alternative medicine on our immune system, with or without pharmaceuticals!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

You're welcome, SpiffyCJ! I would like to see more done too! I get the impression that some oncologists view alternative therapy and medicine as ineffective and so they discount it. My oncologist seems to feel that way. She has never told me not to have a massage or anything like that, but my complementary therapist is not her biggest fan. I get blood tests every 3 months, rather than every 3 weeks. I have printout of my latest blood test results and it all looked good, apart from my RBC, which was a little elevated. So I am wondering if that is all down to the treatment working, or if I may have done something to contribute to those results. But I have no way of knowing really. x

[Barbteeth in reply to Hidden]

Hi Sophie

I go through phases of taking different things..Berberis aspirin and Claritin glucosamine curcumin etc etc

I had a bit of a panic after my tumour markers went up last month so I’m just taking curcumin in golden paste as I’m panicking that I may be interfering with something..whole things confusing..we need guidance

I’ve just ordered a green powder from amazon..that should be ok

My husband bought me a pomegranate the other day..didn’t eat it though I adore them but I do know not to eat those☹️

Barb xx

[Hidden in reply to Barbteeth]

Hi Barb,

I know what you mean. You read one thing that says "eat this" and then something else contradicts it. I was eating flaxseeds before my diagnosis, then I read somewhere that they can fuel the growth of my tumour, so I stopped eating them. Then when I saw a naturopath last week she recommended eating them again!

I sometimes panic if I feel a pain anywhere in my body. I think to myself "is it spreading?" But it could be anything!

Enjoy your green powder. I have ordered a vegan alternative to cod liver oil and I plan to order some Juice+ tablets too, but I am waiting to hear back from my oncology nurses before I take any of these.

Take care,

Sophie x

[Barbteeth in reply to Hidden]

I took juice plus for a while..I checked they don’t contain grapefruit or pomegranate and they’re ok

Barb xx

[Hidden in reply to Barbteeth]

Thanks for checking, Barb. I got a call back from one of my oncology nurses this afternoon and she said that I don't need to take the vegan cod liver oil supplements. But she said the Juice+ will be OK. I wish I had called before ordering! But that's alright, as my husband can take them when they arrive.

Sophie x

[blms in reply to Hidden]

Asking your oncologist or the onvo nurses these questions is a losing battle. Basically they know nothing about nutrition and less about naturopathic alternative it complimentary assists.

[Hidden in reply to blms]

I felt confident with my oncology nurse's response because she said I eat a healthy diet, and my blood tests are good (she knows me). I am thinking of having a blood test to check my vitamin D though, as that isn't routinely checked. Then I can decide for sure about the supplements, as there is some vitamin D in tgem, which I already take as Adcal D3.

[blms in reply to Hidden]

I have my d levels checked quarterly. Normal ranges from 30s to 80’s. I like to keep mine between 50 and 60’s. Which I accomplish by taking a 4,000 tab daily

[Lemur2015 in reply to Barbteeth]

Hi Barb, Why can't you have pomegranate?

[Barbteeth in reply to Lemur2015]

Apparently it has the same effect as grapefruit if you take Ibrance..it can increase side effects

Barb xx

[Lemur2015 in reply to Barbteeth]

Thanks Barb. I didn't know. The company that supplies my Ibrance told be grapefruit. No one said anything about pomegranate which has so many health benefits. I haven't noticed any side affects but I just starting having maybe one a week. I will question this on my next doc visit. Thanks again!!

[Barbteeth in reply to Lemur2015]

Also Seville oranges!!.. however they’re the ones used to make marmalade rather than the ones we usually eat..I suspect those and the pomegranate must only have a slight effect otherwise they would be mentioned in the Ibrance leaflet

Tbh I’ve forgotten where I got this info from but I think it was on here

Barb xx

[blms]

Yep but thstvus not going to happen as the pharmaceutical companies can’t make as money on these things

[Hidden in reply to blms]

Absolutely! That's why a grant should be awarded for independent studies and peer reviews written. Not involving the pharmaceutical industry! Alternative medicine is not regulated by the FDA, so it has to be an independent study.