I now have Type 2 diabetes and started low dose ozempic 4th shot completed and already lost the weight except 40 more pounds . I’m on ibrance 100 and doing well.
I would like to start a probiotic. I don’t see an endocrinologist until May 8th. Any suggestions?
I take Visbiome as advised by my Integrated Oncologist.
Also very interested in Ozempic (to lose weight) as well. I am on Ibrance 100 and Letrozole and have gained like 25 pounds in the last 16 months and lots of diabetes in the family. How were the side effects with the BC meds? --Trish
Not sure where you are, but Ozembic is in short supply and docs here are struggling to keep enough for their diabetes patients and out of the hands of people who just need or want to lose weight. There is a big demand, and not unreasonable since weight is a health issue in itself, and I think there is something in the works to expand the approved use.
it took a long time to get it but they work hard to put us first. I’m in Virginia. It’s weird so many on it at my oncologist office. I’m on arimidex. Thanks for the info. Keep me posted 😊
I am in Charlotte. There is a different dosage approved - Wegovy for weight loss. But I want to try to prevent diabetes as it is prevalent in my family and these drugs have put some weight on me making the side effects of breathlessness and fatigue worse for two weeks of the Ibrance cycle. I have also used the probiotic along with supplements of D3 and B12 at the advice of our integrative folks here. They do seem to support some supplementation.
I did a lot of reading about the gut biome and the link to cancer. My oncologist said it was not so easily fixed because it was the cancer meds that were messing up my gut. The oncology nutritionist advised against supplements, and advised using food to correct any aberrations. I check out the yogurts and kefir. I am somewhat lactose intolerant, but I most days I have some probiotic intense food or drink. It has to be a good thing, especially given what treatments do to our guts.
Take lactaid for lactose intolerance. It works very well.
From my reading and knowledge gut health is extremely important. Many Onc believe cancer starts as a metabolic problem resulting directly from bad gut health. Having the right mix of gut enzymes help with inflammation and also the immune system. IMO it is extremely important to try and keep the gut in a happy state especially with chemo and medications that many are taking.
My first treatment of MBC was palliative radiation to many areas. Then l started lbrance and letrozole for 5 years. I was neutrpenic or nearly neutrpenic (low ANC) allow those 5 years. All of this changed my gut flora (bacteria in the gut). What this meant for me was sometimes l had colitis, sometimes l had esophagitis, GERD; always l had bloating, constipation, diarrhea, rarely nausea. Obviously my gut flora was changed. Estrogen is produced in the gut, the meds we take work there. Now l am on Flovanex, l know it's working on decreasing estrogen in the gut as well. My gut flora is changed again, differently. The flatus (gas l pass) smelled different than before l had MBC, on Faslodex it smells different as well (it is more awful, horrid smelling). I tried probiotics sometimes before l had MBC - they didn't seem to have any positive effect so l didn't continue. After the diagnosis l occasionally thought probiotics might help but l didn't have the energy or motivation to research it. I also didn't have a physician or pharmacist who l trusted with non standard medical practice.
I did a little research for you. This information is taken directly from Frontiers in Oncology Journal 3/12/21, Proniotics in Cancer
Suggest you earch Google probiotics in cancer scholarly articles if you want to read more.
Bottom Line: those probiotics didn't hurt the immunocompromised (which you likely are from the Ibrance) But we don't know if the probiotics helped them.
Bottom Line from my reading:
The possible benefit of probiotics
is thought to be prevention or
elimination of diarrhea and of mouth sores.
The possible side effects of probiotics for Immunocompromised patients - Which You Likely Are (low ANC) are diarrhea, bloating, bacteremia (infection in blood, spreading), fungemia (fungus infection in body), rash.
NOTE: Researchers in another study concluded that patients at risk for long term neutropenia (low ANC) Which You Are should not take probiotics. Being good scientists another article was cited that concluded probiotics were safe for this group but there was no evidence of benefit.
A happy sentence from the article:
"The intestinal flora is not a necessary condition for the antitumor effect of chemotherapeutic drugs . . ."
The article's conclusion:
"In conclusion, in vitro studies have found that probiotics induce tumor cell apoptosis and inhibit tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. In animal models, probiotics improve tumor conditions. This positive effect provides a basis for clinical trials. However, considering that most of the current research on probiotics and cancer is limited to gastrointestinal tumors, the specific mechanism of probiotics against tumors has not been fully elucidated."
"As a dietary supplement, probiotics lack strict standards for efficacy and safety certification. Although the efficacy of several strains has been experimentally supported, the health-promoting effects of most probiotics have not been proven. Relevant publicity of probiotic products rarely mentions the potential risks."
"The ultimate goal is to identify specific strains or combinations of strains that can both reduce the side effects of cancer treatment and boost anticancer . . ."
1glajon, this is likely more than you asked for. I am glad l finally researched this a little, l learned alot and l am glad l haven't taken probiotics since l started treatment for MBC in 2017. Wish you the best of outcomes.
🌺 Mary
Thanks so much for sharing. Maybe I didn't read this correctly. I'm confused why you are glad you haven't taken probiotics since you started treatment? The information you posted above stated probiotics induce tumor cell apoptosis and inhibit tumor cell proliferation and metastasis - That sounds like a great thing.
The primary reason is that the entire time l was on lbrance l was neutropenic or very close to being neutropenic - l am glad l didn't put myself at risk for the possible ill effects (various infections). The effects you mention do sound great and in this research was found true in animals who had chemically induced cancers. There is not enough clinical research in humans to convince me to try it. I think this is well worth a discussion with your oncologist. If you could look up the article and possibly others and print them for your doc l think that would be helpful. I am sorry to say that nutrition and supplements are 2 things the majority of docs don't stay current in if they ever were.I so hope you have great success. Ibrance worked very well for me for 5 years.
Thanks so much for your response. I'm trying to learn and absorb everything I can. I pray continually that I'm being led down the right path to stop or delay progression. Every conversation we have from Surgeon to Onc to 2nd opinion Onc to Radiologist all use the word "grey area" when it comes to treatment. To me diet is a big factor. I have read a lot of articles about a low glycemic diet (even if not diabetic) from people that have been able to reverse BC since one of the biggest things all cancer feed on is glucose. I have been digging deep into gut health and pathways (to try and block) that fuel lobular ER+PR+ HER2- .
I take a daily supplement of Magnesium (with permission from my oncologist) to assist with keeping my gut regular. It's made a world of difference!
Wow, the things I learn on this site!! I had no idea that taking a Probiotic while on any of the CDK 4/6 inhibiters that cause the Low ANC could be a no, no! I totally believe our gut biome needs to be helped as much as we can. Currently, I am not taking a probiotic supplement per se, but take Turkey Tail mushrooms which has been shown to significantly help the good flora. I eat greek yogurt once a day and periodically eat some sauerkraut, haven't tried Kimchi yet, fermented foods help the gut flora! I l already take an extra 500mg of Magnesium twice a day because, it greatly helps in absorption of calcium and increases my energy level all while helping to keep me in a calmer state, and I never have leg cramps anymore. The RDA on Magnesium is the level needed to keep your heart from going into an arrythmia, super low, we need so much more d/t the stress of living in today's world. I do not see a Naturopathic Oncologist but spent many years seeing them to try to manage my Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue.
Taking a probiotic can replenish microbiomes not only in your gut, but also in your mouth, nails and breasts. I was getting infections while on xeloda until I made a point of taking probiotics. Recently started again, and my gums stopped receding!
Sister/Warrior, and yessssss Thriver I take supplements that are custom to my biochemistry. The best pro-biotic is one that is a (combo) capsule/pill that has both the pro-biotic, and the pre-biotic properties. Almost 70% of our gut health/ immune health system comes from the right balance of good gut bacteria.
Can you please share the name of what you are taking?
Greetings 😇: Sister/Warrior/ I can tell you that I get almost 100 % of my supplements that are ( custom) for me at vitacost.com, Amazon.com. Just put in Prebiotic/Probiotic capsule, and then use 🤓the filters of what you do, or don't want. in your capsule. I filter out non-GMO. nondairy. I filter in 12-15 strains, and 20-50 billion CFU's. I also only buy GMP supplements, and 3rd party testing supplements🙃. The very last filter I do is price low to high. For newly available supplements I check the customer recent reviews. I know this takes a little time, but after you get what is perfect for you, you can reorder really easily😇.
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