"Popular Herbal Supplements May Adversely Affect Chemotherapy Treatment"

coloCan
coloCan Member Posts: 1,944 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
as per various website today, such as:

medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-popular-herbal-supplements-adversely-affect.html

Comments

  • pete43lost_at_sea
    pete43lost_at_sea Member Posts: 3,900 Member
    #2
    thanks steve
    an interesting article, very general.

    i did bring my box of supplements and discuss those with my onc.

    the fact i did not take anything on chemo days, seemed to get her support.

    doing supplements under the guidance of a naturopath is essential.

    from the story

    "The truth is, integrative approaches can be beneficial for cancer patients, but it's important to take these approaches at the right time and under the supervision of your doctor."

    alot can be done to enhance the standard onc treatment, but you have to seek the best health care to get these benefits. that may mean finding an onc who is supportitive and open minded. it may mean changing onc's.

    thanks for publishing these really relevant articles here. i wish more peopel would read and comment. i guess thats life.

    hugs,
    pete
  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #3
    honest, knowledgeable discussion...
    I agree with the principle that it is important to discuss supplements with your doctors. Some supplements can improve outcomes, some can be incompatible with particular drugs.

    Likewise, it is important to find doctors that are either genuinely knowledgeable about supplements, or willing to work with other doctors who are. In some states that may be a licensed naturopathic doctor specializing in oncology, in other states, a DO or MD who has taken time to research therapeutic nutrition extensively and practice with supplements clinically.

    As for doctors who fail to work with supplements when requested, I have four letter answers. e.g. "Next", "Stop", "exit".

    Doctors that persist in being ignorant "nattering nabobs of negativism", I'll be civil, but not necessarily polite. The bald anti-supplement mentality has too long put people in pine boxes by refusing to look outside their own little box.

    The title of this article was shaded a little too provocatively negative for my taste. Given a long history of ridicule and ignorance about supplements, ASCO and many doctors are going to have to work hard to regain public trust on this subject.

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