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Fb489
Fb489 Member Posts: 69
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
What form of treatment did you received?
When were you diagnose?
Did you have any surgery?

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  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #2
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    Chemo and nutrition
    Hello Fb! I know of programs that integrate nutrition with chemo, but i'm not sure what kind of nutrition they do. My doctor wouldn't let me take any antioxidants or hardly anything else while on chemo, so my advise would be to eat as 'naturally' as possible. Lots of raw, organic vegetables. The consensus on cancer and sugar is that sugar of any kind is bad, so try to eliminate or greatly reduce your sugar intake. This includes fruit. I've been spending a lot of time researching diet and illness, and i've learned many interesting things, such as people curing thier "terminal" cancers with diet alone. Mainly this entailed juicing fresh organic vegetables many times a day, eating raw foods, and even doing cleanses and coffee enemas.

    www.gerson.org. Max Gerson cured cancer and many other illnesses with his diet. It's very easy to do at home. I'm not doing the full program; he allows for some cooked food, and i refuse to eat any.

    I post recipes once in a while on easy, delicious, and nutritious raw meals that anyone can eat whether or not on chemo.

    I hope this helps! Good luck on your journey to wellness!

    Krista
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #3
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    hello again
    Hello,

    I actually just answered your question to me on the "my scan results" thread a little bit ago, so I won't write down the whole run-through again on my past treatments now- you can read it on the other thread. But, I never mentioned on the other thread about nutrition. I'm certainly no expert on nutrition, but I have been trying to make positive changes for myself and my family. I'm certainly not all the way there, but I believe making the many changes that I did can only help. I've been trying to buy more organic products and definitely am doing a lot of label reading so far as trying to avoid dyes, nitrates, etc. I'm buying more fruit and vegetables than I ever did before. It's not an easy change to make when my husband is definitely not on board and gets upset if I stop buying things he was used to (his favorite food is "beans and weins"- beans with hot dogs- gourmet, he is not! :) So, my grocery bill is a little higher now and I buy both, but less of the junk than I used to, for sure. I do have my 13 yr old on board now, though, who is a "food nazi" and now reads labels even more than I do! So, that definitely helps, because she makes comments to my husband or others who are about to eat anything unhealthy.
    I also am taking "vitamineral green" almost daily (except on days I have diahrrea issues- then that and also too many veggies seem to make the diahrrea worse, unfortunately).
    This Vitamineral Green (aka "green sludge"):) is all organic and whole food. It contains many healthy things- whole leaf wheat grass, whole leaf barley grass, nettle leaf, alfalfa grass juice, kale juice, spiruluna, chlorella, barley grass, oat grass juice, spinach juice, and brocolli juice to name a few! I get it at Henry's, but I'm sure you can find it at most health food type places.

    So, there's what I'm doing. I find that the Vitamineral Green really does give me extra energy. As I said, it's not good with the diahrrea, so I've taken less than it recommends but I think even a little supplies a lot of whole food vitamins and minerals.

    Hope that helps- check out the vitamineral green or something similar (make sure it's organic- you don't want to put anything in concentrate form in your body that might contain pesticides, etc.)

    Lisa
  • robinvan
    robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
    #4
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    Hi Fb489
    I am stage 4 diagnosed in 2004. I think your question about chemo on one of the other threads may have been meant for me.

    I had two rounds of chemo. one for 6months and one for 4 months. There was 2 years between my orgiginal diagnosis and my first recurrence (another liver met) and another 2 years between the first recurrence and my second recurrence which just emerged this fall. I'm on radiation now and will probably begin chemo later this fall.

    So basically I had two very nice long 2-yr treatment-free/symptom-free periods for which I am very thankful. Another one would obviously be welcome!

    Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I hope you can find a good oncologist and some good supportive advice regarding living with chemo and cancer.

    Rob; in Van
  • sfmarie
    sfmarie Member Posts: 602
    #5
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    robinvan said:

    Hi Fb489
    I am stage 4 diagnosed in 2004. I think your question about chemo on one of the other threads may have been meant for me.

    I had two rounds of chemo. one for 6months and one for 4 months. There was 2 years between my orgiginal diagnosis and my first recurrence (another liver met) and another 2 years between the first recurrence and my second recurrence which just emerged this fall. I'm on radiation now and will probably begin chemo later this fall.

    So basically I had two very nice long 2-yr treatment-free/symptom-free periods for which I am very thankful. Another one would obviously be welcome!

    Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I hope you can find a good oncologist and some good supportive advice regarding living with chemo and cancer.

    Rob; in Van

    I don't like stats
    Because they are based on a very wide range, are dated and everyone is different. No doctor can tell you how much time you have left, and they shouldn't. You may have a very good reaction to the current treatment and respond beautifully, living well beyond anyone ever thought! I pray that is your case.
  • Fb489
    Fb489 Member Posts: 69
    #6
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    robinvan said:

    Hi Fb489
    I am stage 4 diagnosed in 2004. I think your question about chemo on one of the other threads may have been meant for me.

    I had two rounds of chemo. one for 6months and one for 4 months. There was 2 years between my orgiginal diagnosis and my first recurrence (another liver met) and another 2 years between the first recurrence and my second recurrence which just emerged this fall. I'm on radiation now and will probably begin chemo later this fall.

    So basically I had two very nice long 2-yr treatment-free/symptom-free periods for which I am very thankful. Another one would obviously be welcome!

    Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I hope you can find a good oncologist and some good supportive advice regarding living with chemo and cancer.

    Rob; in Van

    stage 4
    any advice on how to survive this beast.
    You must be doing something right, please let me know what it is.
  • iluvmms
    iluvmms Member Posts: 134 Member
    #7
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    Fb489 said:

    stage 4
    any advice on how to survive this beast.
    You must be doing something right, please let me know what it is.

    frame of mind
    I feel I have to keep a good attitude and fight. I cannot let cancer be who I am. I wake up every day and decide that I am going to fight this and feel good. I could easly get into my on "pitty Party" and I do sometimes and then I have to put myself in check. It is very hard at times but we are all fighters!!!
  • Fb489
    Fb489 Member Posts: 69
    #8
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    sfmarie said:

    I don't like stats
    Because they are based on a very wide range, are dated and everyone is different. No doctor can tell you how much time you have left, and they shouldn't. You may have a very good reaction to the current treatment and respond beautifully, living well beyond anyone ever thought! I pray that is your case.

    thanks, I am hopeful that I
    thanks, I am hopeful that I am lucky like many of you on this board.
  • dmdwins
    dmdwins Member Posts: 454 Member
    #9
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    iluvmms said:

    frame of mind
    I feel I have to keep a good attitude and fight. I cannot let cancer be who I am. I wake up every day and decide that I am going to fight this and feel good. I could easly get into my on "pitty Party" and I do sometimes and then I have to put myself in check. It is very hard at times but we are all fighters!!!

    Combo
    Hi there. I am Stage IV diagnosed in Oct.2007 had surgery and 6months Folfox and Avastin. I had a second surgery in 11/2008 to remove a metastatic ovary.No chemo after that. Normal scan in May 2009. I am currently NED with a probable scan in November.

    I have used a combination approach. I had surgery,chemo and have made major diet changes. I worked with a nutritionist to detox, support my system during chemo, and now try to stay well with a combo of diet(no gluten,no sugar, whole foods-organic when possible,organic or grass-fed meats on occasion etc.)supplements and positive attitude. It will be 2years on Oct. 11th and I am feeling well. I know many poo -poo the idea of nutrition and cancer but I do believe it can make a difference-It certainly can't hurt to do it. I plan to do whatever I have in my control to fight and see my daughters grow up.

    Smiles,
    Dawn
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #10
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    dmdwins said:

    Combo
    Hi there. I am Stage IV diagnosed in Oct.2007 had surgery and 6months Folfox and Avastin. I had a second surgery in 11/2008 to remove a metastatic ovary.No chemo after that. Normal scan in May 2009. I am currently NED with a probable scan in November.

    I have used a combination approach. I had surgery,chemo and have made major diet changes. I worked with a nutritionist to detox, support my system during chemo, and now try to stay well with a combo of diet(no gluten,no sugar, whole foods-organic when possible,organic or grass-fed meats on occasion etc.)supplements and positive attitude. It will be 2years on Oct. 11th and I am feeling well. I know many poo -poo the idea of nutrition and cancer but I do believe it can make a difference-It certainly can't hurt to do it. I plan to do whatever I have in my control to fight and see my daughters grow up.

    Smiles,
    Dawn

    HI there!
    I am no expert on nutrition, I still eat what I always ate, I never ate alot of red meat, but I do eat alot of chicken and turkey, I am a veggie and fruit eater, though I have never juiced, I am sure I won't like it, but may try it, I still have to have some sugar, I love my Hot Fudge sundaes and banana splits, so that's my weekly treat, but the regimen I am on, Folfiri and Avastin has been really working well on me, and my tumors are shrinking!

    I wish you luck and my prayers are with you!

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna
  • Fb489
    Fb489 Member Posts: 69
    #11
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    dmdwins said:

    Combo
    Hi there. I am Stage IV diagnosed in Oct.2007 had surgery and 6months Folfox and Avastin. I had a second surgery in 11/2008 to remove a metastatic ovary.No chemo after that. Normal scan in May 2009. I am currently NED with a probable scan in November.

    I have used a combination approach. I had surgery,chemo and have made major diet changes. I worked with a nutritionist to detox, support my system during chemo, and now try to stay well with a combo of diet(no gluten,no sugar, whole foods-organic when possible,organic or grass-fed meats on occasion etc.)supplements and positive attitude. It will be 2years on Oct. 11th and I am feeling well. I know many poo -poo the idea of nutrition and cancer but I do believe it can make a difference-It certainly can't hurt to do it. I plan to do whatever I have in my control to fight and see my daughters grow up.

    Smiles,
    Dawn

    for dmdwins
    With Stage 4 what kind of surgery did you have?
    Where did you cancer spread to when you were diagnose?
    My husband cancer has spread to his liver, and will be treated with chemo only for now.
  • dmdwins
    dmdwins Member Posts: 454 Member
    #12
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    Fb489 said:

    for dmdwins
    With Stage 4 what kind of surgery did you have?
    Where did you cancer spread to when you were diagnose?
    My husband cancer has spread to his liver, and will be treated with chemo only for now.

    Ovaries
    My cancer spread to my ovaries. I am an ultrasonographer and had an ultrasound before my colon surgery just for peace of mind since they would be in there anyway. Well, I didn't like the way my left ovary looked so I had told my colorectal surgeon that even if it looked ok that I wanted it out. Luckily, because they looked normal at surgery. So I thought I was stage 3 until a few weeks later when the final path report was positive for colon metastasis. Unfortunately since they didnt take the other ovary out -a year later the second ovary showed uptake and was positive also.
    My oncologist(Pittsburgh) and a consult at Mayo both felt chemo after second surgery. I sure hope they were right.Scan in May was good-should have next one in November. It is unusual to spread to the ovaries only about 3% do.

    I am sorry to hear about your husband. Chemo can do wonders and may shrink the tumors so that he can be a surgical canidate. It is a rough road but he can do it. Being our care givers is a hard job. Please take time for yourself. I would be glad to talk to you any time you would like.

    You'll be in my thoughts and prayers,
    Dawn
  • Fb489
    Fb489 Member Posts: 69
    #13
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    dmdwins said:

    Ovaries
    My cancer spread to my ovaries. I am an ultrasonographer and had an ultrasound before my colon surgery just for peace of mind since they would be in there anyway. Well, I didn't like the way my left ovary looked so I had told my colorectal surgeon that even if it looked ok that I wanted it out. Luckily, because they looked normal at surgery. So I thought I was stage 3 until a few weeks later when the final path report was positive for colon metastasis. Unfortunately since they didnt take the other ovary out -a year later the second ovary showed uptake and was positive also.
    My oncologist(Pittsburgh) and a consult at Mayo both felt chemo after second surgery. I sure hope they were right.Scan in May was good-should have next one in November. It is unusual to spread to the ovaries only about 3% do.

    I am sorry to hear about your husband. Chemo can do wonders and may shrink the tumors so that he can be a surgical canidate. It is a rough road but he can do it. Being our care givers is a hard job. Please take time for yourself. I would be glad to talk to you any time you would like.

    You'll be in my thoughts and prayers,
    Dawn

    thanks
    Thank you, It difinitely is a rough road, but I am thankful for the good days.
  • menright
    menright Member Posts: 256 Member
    #14
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    Treatment
    I was uncertain if this was being directed to me or not. Sorry for the delay.

    I was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer in October 2008. I have had the following treatment:

    Pre-surgery Chemo 6-weeks
    Pre-surgery Radiation - 6-weeks
    Surgery - April 15th 2009
    Post surgery Chemo - 6-months expected to end in October 2009.

    Possible liver resection surgery dependent on MRI scan scheduled for November 6th.

    The process has been long yet not to difficult. I am eager to be done and hope a cure is the net result.

    Regards,

    Mike

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