Essiac

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TLH 48
TLH 48 Member Posts: 16
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Has anyone used the herbal Essiac while on chemo treatment. I was told it greatly helps the side effects. I have chemo forthcoming and very curious in someone has taken this path.

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  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #2
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    essiac
    I was given a big bottle of essiac when I was on 5fu and leucovorin but I chickened out of taking it. I guess I just didn't know that much about it and then onc said no supplements and I didn't do it.....sorry

    mags
  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #3
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    "Essiac" is "Caisse" spelled backwards
    The developer of this supplement named it for herself: Rene Caisse. I just heard about in on an MSKCC Integrative Medicine video on Botanicals - it has not been shown to be effective:

    http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69215.cfm or look up under Botanicals on the MSKCC website.
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #4
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    Never tried it
    Sorry no help here. George's oncologist told us no supplements at all, other than a multi vitamin, without running it past him first, that some can do more harm than good when combined with the chemo drugs. He did ask us before chemo if we were taking/using anything. Run it past your oncologist, this may be something they put the stamp of approval on.

    Tina
  • coloCan
    coloCan Member Posts: 1,944 Member
    #5
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    geotina said:

    Never tried it
    Sorry no help here. George's oncologist told us no supplements at all, other than a multi vitamin, without running it past him first, that some can do more harm than good when combined with the chemo drugs. He did ask us before chemo if we were taking/using anything. Run it past your oncologist, this may be something they put the stamp of approval on.

    Tina

    Same here, Tina, onc had me stop all supplements I had been
    taking for years due to poor diet when chemo started....Said (and I've also since read this as well) that its possible, for instance, that anioxidants may help the cancer as much as it does you.So all I take is multivitamin. Once this ends, hope onc lets me use Q-10,DHEA,Creatine,Fish and/or flax seed oil,D3 and maybe a few others. Besides multi and nutritution drinks, I used to take about 25 additional pills throughout the day. For some reason, since I've gotten my appetite back, I've gravitated to much more vegies and fruits and much less red meat and cold cuts.......Suggest clear everyhting first with onc.....steve
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    #6
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    Essaic Tea
    I didn't know about essaic tea while I was on chemo but did drink it after I stopped it and will again if I should ever need to.

    Given all the supplements my oncologist let me take while I was on chemo (he said there was absolutely no data saying I shouldn't for the chemo drugs I was taking, folfox 6 with avastin) he would have let me. I wish I had though since it is great for building up the blood/immune system. The success there has been with AIDs and essaic tea is pretty good.

    From what I researched the only so called FDA "acceptable testing" was attempted by Sloan Kettering I think it was but they didn't even follow the directions on how to make the tea so of course it wasn't very effective.

    I admire that you've done enough to even know what it is!!! Good luck to you.

    Lisa P.
  • kerdes
    kerdes Member Posts: 1
    #7
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    scouty said:

    Essaic Tea
    I didn't know about essaic tea while I was on chemo but did drink it after I stopped it and will again if I should ever need to.

    Given all the supplements my oncologist let me take while I was on chemo (he said there was absolutely no data saying I shouldn't for the chemo drugs I was taking, folfox 6 with avastin) he would have let me. I wish I had though since it is great for building up the blood/immune system. The success there has been with AIDs and essaic tea is pretty good.

    From what I researched the only so called FDA "acceptable testing" was attempted by Sloan Kettering I think it was but they didn't even follow the directions on how to make the tea so of course it wasn't very effective.

    I admire that you've done enough to even know what it is!!! Good luck to you.

    Lisa P.

    Scouty - Essiac tea
    I would love to know more about your treatment and what kind of cancer you had. We are taking Essiac and going to chemo. Not sure if we will take it while being infussed.

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