Ugh, cat scan on Monday and feeling worried

2

Comments

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited August 2016 #22
    mokomapa said:

    Thanks

    Jan,

    'Hope your test went well.  Now we just have to keep positive until you get the results.  I'm doing much better thanks to you and all the supportive folks that sent me positive messages.

    Tom

    Thanks Tom! It went well. I'm

    Thanks Tom! It went well. I'm tired now. I find that I'm tired after every test, I think it's stress. It's not even 9 o'clock where I live but I'm going to bed.

    I'm glad you're feeling better. Having the opportunity to talk about it with like minded people helps so much, I'm so glad it was beneficial for you. There are always going to be down days, sometimes for seemingly no reason. Keep positive, it'll help you fight the beast.

    Jan

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,280 Member
     

    If there's a way to mess up the comments section, I'll find it, anyway, I hope the scan brought better news and things look brighter......................Dave 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    well if that's the deal, I guess I'm up to it, and my thoughts are with you, and I hope I can be an example of beating cancer, if not, I'm glad to be in this company....................................................Dave

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited August 2016 #24

     

    If there's a way to mess up the comments section, I'll find it, anyway, I hope the scan brought better news and things look brighter......................Dave 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    well if that's the deal, I guess I'm up to it, and my thoughts are with you, and I hope I can be an example of beating cancer, if not, I'm glad to be in this company....................................................Dave

    Thanks Dave. I get the

    Thanks Dave. I get the results next Tuesday. My family doctor might give them to me sooner than that, he has before. Mentally I feel like the spot isn't going to be an issue. It wasn't canecr last time and it's ithe lung that I had the PE in and I've been told about how they were sticking tubes down there and were being rough. They actually damaged one of my front teeth. I scar rather badly externally so I assume I'd scar badly internally, too. And that lung already has a dead lobe from the PE.  But emotionally I'm scared. And I'm worried that it isn't cancer but has grown because it's a scar that's getting bigger and I'll have to go through tests and fear to find out that it isn't cancer anyway. I just want to be left alone. I don't want any more poking and prodding and needles and fear. I need to deal with the parathyroid tumour right now and get that sorted out. I want a period of time where I don't have to deal with a bunch of crap about my health. Like I used to be. Sorry, now Im getting angry and upset. So, so sick of this crap. And I can't tell my family or friends because I get the 'at least you're alive!'response. Yes, and I'm grateful, but is it too much to ask to be normal like they are?

    Jan    

  • BillO60
    BillO60 Member Posts: 72
    edited August 2016 #25
    JanJan63 said:

    Thanks Dave. I get the

    Thanks Dave. I get the results next Tuesday. My family doctor might give them to me sooner than that, he has before. Mentally I feel like the spot isn't going to be an issue. It wasn't canecr last time and it's ithe lung that I had the PE in and I've been told about how they were sticking tubes down there and were being rough. They actually damaged one of my front teeth. I scar rather badly externally so I assume I'd scar badly internally, too. And that lung already has a dead lobe from the PE.  But emotionally I'm scared. And I'm worried that it isn't cancer but has grown because it's a scar that's getting bigger and I'll have to go through tests and fear to find out that it isn't cancer anyway. I just want to be left alone. I don't want any more poking and prodding and needles and fear. I need to deal with the parathyroid tumour right now and get that sorted out. I want a period of time where I don't have to deal with a bunch of crap about my health. Like I used to be. Sorry, now Im getting angry and upset. So, so sick of this crap. And I can't tell my family or friends because I get the 'at least you're alive!'response. Yes, and I'm grateful, but is it too much to ask to be normal like they are?

    Jan    

    Are you sure they are normal? hmmm?

    First I hope your test comes back negative on all counts.  I 100% empathize with your not wanting to be poked and prodded.  I finally (after already having 6 months of chemo) had a port put in. (I really think the first oncologist I had was just not all there but that's besides the point.)

    I've had a couple of colonoscopy's and a liver biopsy where they gave me a sedative for "twilight sleep" except I never went to sleep... at all.  Well, the very first was an endoscopy and then a colonoscopy (yes, different tubes were used).   All I remember from the endoscopy was gagging when they first put the tube in and then I was awake and alert when they started the colonoscopy.  They kept upping the dose and nothing.  With the liver biopsy I was chatting so much with the radiologist doing the procedure that she finally said something along the lines of "I really do need to focus here".  I had a long talk with the nurse anesthetist before the port porcedure and she said she'd take care of it.  Something about using the "big hammer".  The last thing I remember was when they put an oxygen mask on me (I have sleep apnea) and then waking up in recovery. I told her I want her on all my future procedures.

    A PICC line was put in temporarily when I started this last round of chemo.  I got so tired of the lab tech's poking and missing multiple times every couple of weeks that I started going to the infusion center and having them draw blood through the PICC.  One of the nurse's understood.. a few of the others were a little put out.  I told the oncologist and she was surprised they agreed to do it.  I told the oncologist I was surprised it wasn't standard practice to have blood draws for chemo patients through existing PICC and port lines. Last thing I want is for lab techs to play whack-a-mole with my vein's using a sharp pointy object and missing 66% of the time.  Besides, getting stuck with any sharp pointy object hurts and why would she think patients want the extra pain.  I don't think she got the message but that's okay.

    I know it's hard not to worry.  Me, I just don't.  It's just not in my nature to assume the worst case scenario.  However, as a pessimist friend of mine mentioned to me the other day, no matter what the situation he's either proven right, or he's pleasantly surprised.  But he doesn't worry either. He just assumes the sky is going to fall and then goes on with his day.  If it doesn't then it's a good day. But he doesn't worry about it. Until he knows that sky has fallen he just lets it go.  I personally think he's a closet optimist but he won't admit to it. 

    No words of wisdom.  Everyone processes this stuff differently and although I can empathize it doesn't change how you process the anxiety, stress, frustration, and anger.  It's too bad you don't have a support group or confidant that you can talk/vent to. I understand about friends and family because they really aren't going to understand or relate to what you're going through unless they've been there themselves.

    Anyway, I wish you the best of luck and that the sky stays firmly where it's at.

    Bill

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    BillO60 said:

    Are you sure they are normal? hmmm?

    First I hope your test comes back negative on all counts.  I 100% empathize with your not wanting to be poked and prodded.  I finally (after already having 6 months of chemo) had a port put in. (I really think the first oncologist I had was just not all there but that's besides the point.)

    I've had a couple of colonoscopy's and a liver biopsy where they gave me a sedative for "twilight sleep" except I never went to sleep... at all.  Well, the very first was an endoscopy and then a colonoscopy (yes, different tubes were used).   All I remember from the endoscopy was gagging when they first put the tube in and then I was awake and alert when they started the colonoscopy.  They kept upping the dose and nothing.  With the liver biopsy I was chatting so much with the radiologist doing the procedure that she finally said something along the lines of "I really do need to focus here".  I had a long talk with the nurse anesthetist before the port porcedure and she said she'd take care of it.  Something about using the "big hammer".  The last thing I remember was when they put an oxygen mask on me (I have sleep apnea) and then waking up in recovery. I told her I want her on all my future procedures.

    A PICC line was put in temporarily when I started this last round of chemo.  I got so tired of the lab tech's poking and missing multiple times every couple of weeks that I started going to the infusion center and having them draw blood through the PICC.  One of the nurse's understood.. a few of the others were a little put out.  I told the oncologist and she was surprised they agreed to do it.  I told the oncologist I was surprised it wasn't standard practice to have blood draws for chemo patients through existing PICC and port lines. Last thing I want is for lab techs to play whack-a-mole with my vein's using a sharp pointy object and missing 66% of the time.  Besides, getting stuck with any sharp pointy object hurts and why would she think patients want the extra pain.  I don't think she got the message but that's okay.

    I know it's hard not to worry.  Me, I just don't.  It's just not in my nature to assume the worst case scenario.  However, as a pessimist friend of mine mentioned to me the other day, no matter what the situation he's either proven right, or he's pleasantly surprised.  But he doesn't worry either. He just assumes the sky is going to fall and then goes on with his day.  If it doesn't then it's a good day. But he doesn't worry about it. Until he knows that sky has fallen he just lets it go.  I personally think he's a closet optimist but he won't admit to it. 

    No words of wisdom.  Everyone processes this stuff differently and although I can empathize it doesn't change how you process the anxiety, stress, frustration, and anger.  It's too bad you don't have a support group or confidant that you can talk/vent to. I understand about friends and family because they really aren't going to understand or relate to what you're going through unless they've been there themselves.

    Anyway, I wish you the best of luck and that the sky stays firmly where it's at.

    Bill

    Thanks Bill, I enjoyed

    Thanks Bill, I enjoyed reading your post. I'm cranky again tonight because my ostomy bag leaked at work starting almost four hours before I could leave so I spent the rest of the day with paper towels folded up and stuffed down the top of my pants. Luckily I wear scrubs at work so nobody can see anything weird. I came home and put duct tape over it. It's leaking from under the sticker that's over top of the vent. Third one out of the newest box of appliances I have. Not impressed. Spent the rest of the day stressed out about it and Tuesday is our busiest and most stressful day to start with. So tired of feeling like Frankenstein.

    I was already in a mood this morning and posted a rant about people who share posts about alternative cancer cures and how 'big pharma' has the cure but won't produce it. Such a bunch of crap. Came home to a response from the worst offender saying how I'm wrong because she knows people that have done alternative things and their cancer hasn't come back. Really? And how do you quantify that? There's no way to know if it wouldn't have come back anyway. She's also the big pharma conspiracy theorist. Yeah, because people who run or work for 'big pharma' would rather allow their own family and loved ones or themselves to die rather than come up with a cure. And all those people who work for them are all in it together. Newsflash, dead people don't make future customers to purchase their products, so how would not offering something that would get rid of cancer be beneficial to them? 

    I know there are people on here who get upset with me for being such a non-believer in alternative treatments but that's how I feel. Please don't send me any private messages trying to tune me in, it just angers me more and does not make me see the light.

    Bill, none of my tirade was directed at you, I kind of got off topic. Thanks for your message!

    Jan

  • traci43
    traci43 Member Posts: 773 Member
    edited August 2016 #27
    John23 said:

    Hey..... Just for the laughs...

    Hey..... Just for the laughs...

    I had a CT scan a few weeks ago. It was just another scan of what seems like a few hundred since 2006, but....

    I never had a problem with a scan, or the contrast IV or oral. But the last scan put me into the ER right after the injection of contrast. I had a severe allergic reaction, complete with the rashes, the blown-up face and numbness of the mouth and throat, tough time breathing, very high (200 bpm+) pulse and very, very low BP.

    Who knew?

    Just something to lighten the load, ehh?

    There was no explanation for the reaction, other than my system may have finally became sensitized to the IV contrast.

    You'll likely have -0- problems, but it may be worthwhile to provide your concerns before that happens. Keeping the radiologist on his/her toes can be beneficial when every second may count.

    Just sayin'...

    Be well,

    John

     

    WTH!

    John - that's awful.  I hope you recovered from that.  guess you won't be getting contrast anymore.  Take care, Traci

  • BillO60
    BillO60 Member Posts: 72
    edited August 2016 #28
    JanJan63 said:

    Thanks Bill, I enjoyed

    Thanks Bill, I enjoyed reading your post. I'm cranky again tonight because my ostomy bag leaked at work starting almost four hours before I could leave so I spent the rest of the day with paper towels folded up and stuffed down the top of my pants. Luckily I wear scrubs at work so nobody can see anything weird. I came home and put duct tape over it. It's leaking from under the sticker that's over top of the vent. Third one out of the newest box of appliances I have. Not impressed. Spent the rest of the day stressed out about it and Tuesday is our busiest and most stressful day to start with. So tired of feeling like Frankenstein.

    I was already in a mood this morning and posted a rant about people who share posts about alternative cancer cures and how 'big pharma' has the cure but won't produce it. Such a bunch of crap. Came home to a response from the worst offender saying how I'm wrong because she knows people that have done alternative things and their cancer hasn't come back. Really? And how do you quantify that? There's no way to know if it wouldn't have come back anyway. She's also the big pharma conspiracy theorist. Yeah, because people who run or work for 'big pharma' would rather allow their own family and loved ones or themselves to die rather than come up with a cure. And all those people who work for them are all in it together. Newsflash, dead people don't make future customers to purchase their products, so how would not offering something that would get rid of cancer be beneficial to them? 

    I know there are people on here who get upset with me for being such a non-believer in alternative treatments but that's how I feel. Please don't send me any private messages trying to tune me in, it just angers me more and does not make me see the light.

    Bill, none of my tirade was directed at you, I kind of got off topic. Thanks for your message!

    Jan

    Oh... don't get me started...

    I just posted something about your ostomy reversal question.

    Alternative Cancer Cures

    I think many, many people start reading and researching when they are first diagnosed. Or at least after the stunned feeling of being in an episode of the twilight zone wears off.   I worked in an emergency room for about 3 years in the air force on all shifts. On the evening shift the doctor on call would generally wander off to their on base quarters (most lived off base but had to stay on base when they were on call) or go hang out at the officers club.  There were a couple of doctors who didn't mind hanging out and chatting so I got to pick their brains and over the course of 3 years, between the doctors, a Merck manual, Physician Desk Reference, and a few other medical books recommended by a couple of the docs I learned a few things.

    So being the rationale human being that I am, after I was diagnosed I read every website I could find on alternative treatments, researching various herbs, supplements, etc.  Here's what I learned. No one has any clear, definitive, absolute, 100% proof.  People want to believe in something, anything, and will defend that belief using any argument, whether it's supportable or not and will defend that belief by pointing to ancedotal evidence and claiming it's 100% factual. 

    Even pharmaceutical companies have gotten smarter than that.  Chemotherapy doesn't cure cancer.  It can delay growth, shrink it, make it go into remission, prolong life, etc. But medicine admits that it's not a cure and it doesn't work all the time.  The alternative treatment folks tend to want to make their cures work 100% of the time and if it doesn't work then it's your fault. Some of the people who started these sites have gotten smarter in their marketing and have toned down the sales pitch a bit but there are still the converts who swear up and down that their Uncle Joe ate nothing but Broccoli soup for a year and it cured his prostate cancer so that must mean that Broccoli soup must be a cure for all prostate cancer.

    It's one of those topics like religion or politics.  Logic isn't required, just belief.  There was a site where the blogger claimed he'd cured his cancer by eating cloves of crushed garlic and I believe habanero peppers rolled up in a piece of bread and butter.  It's been awhile ago and I don't remember what kind of cancer he said he'd had and some of the details are a bit fuzzy but I believe he'd been through treatment and stopped it to do this alternative treatment.  What's interesting was that unlike many site he wasn't trying to sell anything. So, for that at least... I (sand)wich him well.... ahem and moving on.

    The pharma conspiracy has been around for decades.... some things just never die I guess.  Kind of like the carburetor that would allow a car to get 100+ miles per gallon. What car manufacturer in their right mind would not want to be the first to put that car on the market. It would have put Detroit back on the map overnight. 

    Pharmaceutical companies are like insurance companies.  Patients are immaterial other than the fact that they are the ultimate consumer of whatever medication the pharmaceutical company comes up with.   Pharmaceutical companies make money by being able to patent these medications.  During the life of the patent the pharmaceutical company will charge whatever it can get away with in order to recoup it's administrative and R&D costs and make a healthy profit so that management can get large bonuses and the shareholders can get whatever the lowest amount is that the company can legally get away with giving them.   That process hasn't changed in forever.  Nothing new. As an example, Mylan's EpiPen has increased in price from $60 9 years ago to about $400 now. They have a 1 year expiration date so have to be repurchased every year. I've given epinephrine shots and a 1cc syringe is at most $1 (monject 1cc syringe w/o needle, .21) and the dose of epinephrine is at most a couple of bucks. The EpiPen is patented and lets someone with no medical skill to inject someone with a predetermined dose of epinephrine.  So the delivery system is $400.  They've come under fire over it and are trying to do damage control. But, in business this is what businesses do. They do what they can, for as long as they can, to make as much money as they can.

    What makes the conspiracy theorists argument so odd is that the arguments are typically directed at US pharma.  Does this mean that every other pharmaceutical company in the world is also supressing a cancer cure?  Can you imagine what it would mean to any country, especially those one's not particularly friendly with the U.S., to come up with a cure and patent it.  Why wouldn't they?  The argument could be that no other country in the world has our technology and knowledge and skills. Okay, as we've seen in the news, if a country wanted that inforation they'd hack their way into a U.S. Pharmaceutical company and steal what they needed.  It would be a huge coup and it's not a huge leap. What pharma company is going to yell foul if Russia suddenly came up with a cancer cure that a US company was keeping under wraps.

    Even more than just being consumers of drugs, we're all consumers of food, gas, energy, auto, entertainment, etc.  Would these other industries allow one industry to control who lives and who dies and reduce their profits?   Why would the government not want live taxpayers?  If there was a conspiracy wouldn't the NSA have picked up on that by now? I mean according to the conspiracy theorists the NSA can get into anything right?  (okay, that may not be so far-fetched... reminder to self.. recheck my firewall).

    The conspiracy theorists have been around since way before the technology age and haven't quite gotten up to speed on the "information highway".  The kind of conspiracy they are talking about makes no sense in a very competitive global economy where companies not only want recyclable consumers they also want long-lived consumers.  If any pharmaceutial company could come up with an actual cancer cure they would have 7 billion potential customers for as long as the patent lasted.  Money trumps conspiracy every time.

    Okay, stepping down from soapbox now.  :)

    So, yup. I agree with you. 

    Hope you have a better evening.

    Bill

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    edited August 2016 #29
    BillO60 said:

    Oh... don't get me started...

    I just posted something about your ostomy reversal question.

    Alternative Cancer Cures

    I think many, many people start reading and researching when they are first diagnosed. Or at least after the stunned feeling of being in an episode of the twilight zone wears off.   I worked in an emergency room for about 3 years in the air force on all shifts. On the evening shift the doctor on call would generally wander off to their on base quarters (most lived off base but had to stay on base when they were on call) or go hang out at the officers club.  There were a couple of doctors who didn't mind hanging out and chatting so I got to pick their brains and over the course of 3 years, between the doctors, a Merck manual, Physician Desk Reference, and a few other medical books recommended by a couple of the docs I learned a few things.

    So being the rationale human being that I am, after I was diagnosed I read every website I could find on alternative treatments, researching various herbs, supplements, etc.  Here's what I learned. No one has any clear, definitive, absolute, 100% proof.  People want to believe in something, anything, and will defend that belief using any argument, whether it's supportable or not and will defend that belief by pointing to ancedotal evidence and claiming it's 100% factual. 

    Even pharmaceutical companies have gotten smarter than that.  Chemotherapy doesn't cure cancer.  It can delay growth, shrink it, make it go into remission, prolong life, etc. But medicine admits that it's not a cure and it doesn't work all the time.  The alternative treatment folks tend to want to make their cures work 100% of the time and if it doesn't work then it's your fault. Some of the people who started these sites have gotten smarter in their marketing and have toned down the sales pitch a bit but there are still the converts who swear up and down that their Uncle Joe ate nothing but Broccoli soup for a year and it cured his prostate cancer so that must mean that Broccoli soup must be a cure for all prostate cancer.

    It's one of those topics like religion or politics.  Logic isn't required, just belief.  There was a site where the blogger claimed he'd cured his cancer by eating cloves of crushed garlic and I believe habanero peppers rolled up in a piece of bread and butter.  It's been awhile ago and I don't remember what kind of cancer he said he'd had and some of the details are a bit fuzzy but I believe he'd been through treatment and stopped it to do this alternative treatment.  What's interesting was that unlike many site he wasn't trying to sell anything. So, for that at least... I (sand)wich him well.... ahem and moving on.

    The pharma conspiracy has been around for decades.... some things just never die I guess.  Kind of like the carburetor that would allow a car to get 100+ miles per gallon. What car manufacturer in their right mind would not want to be the first to put that car on the market. It would have put Detroit back on the map overnight. 

    Pharmaceutical companies are like insurance companies.  Patients are immaterial other than the fact that they are the ultimate consumer of whatever medication the pharmaceutical company comes up with.   Pharmaceutical companies make money by being able to patent these medications.  During the life of the patent the pharmaceutical company will charge whatever it can get away with in order to recoup it's administrative and R&D costs and make a healthy profit so that management can get large bonuses and the shareholders can get whatever the lowest amount is that the company can legally get away with giving them.   That process hasn't changed in forever.  Nothing new. As an example, Mylan's EpiPen has increased in price from $60 9 years ago to about $400 now. They have a 1 year expiration date so have to be repurchased every year. I've given epinephrine shots and a 1cc syringe is at most $1 (monject 1cc syringe w/o needle, .21) and the dose of epinephrine is at most a couple of bucks. The EpiPen is patented and lets someone with no medical skill to inject someone with a predetermined dose of epinephrine.  So the delivery system is $400.  They've come under fire over it and are trying to do damage control. But, in business this is what businesses do. They do what they can, for as long as they can, to make as much money as they can.

    What makes the conspiracy theorists argument so odd is that the arguments are typically directed at US pharma.  Does this mean that every other pharmaceutical company in the world is also supressing a cancer cure?  Can you imagine what it would mean to any country, especially those one's not particularly friendly with the U.S., to come up with a cure and patent it.  Why wouldn't they?  The argument could be that no other country in the world has our technology and knowledge and skills. Okay, as we've seen in the news, if a country wanted that inforation they'd hack their way into a U.S. Pharmaceutical company and steal what they needed.  It would be a huge coup and it's not a huge leap. What pharma company is going to yell foul if Russia suddenly came up with a cancer cure that a US company was keeping under wraps.

    Even more than just being consumers of drugs, we're all consumers of food, gas, energy, auto, entertainment, etc.  Would these other industries allow one industry to control who lives and who dies and reduce their profits?   Why would the government not want live taxpayers?  If there was a conspiracy wouldn't the NSA have picked up on that by now? I mean according to the conspiracy theorists the NSA can get into anything right?  (okay, that may not be so far-fetched... reminder to self.. recheck my firewall).

    The conspiracy theorists have been around since way before the technology age and haven't quite gotten up to speed on the "information highway".  The kind of conspiracy they are talking about makes no sense in a very competitive global economy where companies not only want recyclable consumers they also want long-lived consumers.  If any pharmaceutial company could come up with an actual cancer cure they would have 7 billion potential customers for as long as the patent lasted.  Money trumps conspiracy every time.

    Okay, stepping down from soapbox now.  :)

    So, yup. I agree with you. 

    Hope you have a better evening.

    Bill

    Love it!

    I love it when we get your started, Bill.

    Great post. 

    SUE

  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    alt med

    My wife just went through the PET-CT yesterday, preliminary report sounds okay, same old features. Complaints about the 3 hr drive in, one poke and veins.  

    -----------------

    I'm not sure what to say about alternative medicine.   Certainly I see stuff that looks in part to be shared ignorance, commercial exploitation, or just plain crazy.  Besides surgery, my wife's offers from standard medicine only could lead to disaster in suffering, finances and death years ago.   

    We are also aware of a lot of unused phenomena that have been extremely helpful for us with off-label medicine and somewhat specialized supplements in potent amounts, combined with standard medicines from other parts of the globe but not approved in North America.    Virtually no one utilizes these things in a rational, sustained manner to be really effective.    Certainly we've done a few things that would raise eyebrows, most in forms of applied logic and science as we see most practical.  

    Most people I hear of, they expect too much from one random treatment, tried way too late, too briefly, with too little, in erroneous efforts from dubious sources, to be reasonable expectations. Many critics and proponents have little idea what they are talking about.

    We started from the beginning.  I've marched through thousands of papers, myriads of literature abstracts. For us, it has been consistent effort from the start to accu mulate improvements and advantages, avoid mistakes - conventional and unconventional, then to recognize problems and mistakes and recover from them ASAP.  

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited September 2016 #31
    BillO60 said:

    Oh... don't get me started...

    I just posted something about your ostomy reversal question.

    Alternative Cancer Cures

    I think many, many people start reading and researching when they are first diagnosed. Or at least after the stunned feeling of being in an episode of the twilight zone wears off.   I worked in an emergency room for about 3 years in the air force on all shifts. On the evening shift the doctor on call would generally wander off to their on base quarters (most lived off base but had to stay on base when they were on call) or go hang out at the officers club.  There were a couple of doctors who didn't mind hanging out and chatting so I got to pick their brains and over the course of 3 years, between the doctors, a Merck manual, Physician Desk Reference, and a few other medical books recommended by a couple of the docs I learned a few things.

    So being the rationale human being that I am, after I was diagnosed I read every website I could find on alternative treatments, researching various herbs, supplements, etc.  Here's what I learned. No one has any clear, definitive, absolute, 100% proof.  People want to believe in something, anything, and will defend that belief using any argument, whether it's supportable or not and will defend that belief by pointing to ancedotal evidence and claiming it's 100% factual. 

    Even pharmaceutical companies have gotten smarter than that.  Chemotherapy doesn't cure cancer.  It can delay growth, shrink it, make it go into remission, prolong life, etc. But medicine admits that it's not a cure and it doesn't work all the time.  The alternative treatment folks tend to want to make their cures work 100% of the time and if it doesn't work then it's your fault. Some of the people who started these sites have gotten smarter in their marketing and have toned down the sales pitch a bit but there are still the converts who swear up and down that their Uncle Joe ate nothing but Broccoli soup for a year and it cured his prostate cancer so that must mean that Broccoli soup must be a cure for all prostate cancer.

    It's one of those topics like religion or politics.  Logic isn't required, just belief.  There was a site where the blogger claimed he'd cured his cancer by eating cloves of crushed garlic and I believe habanero peppers rolled up in a piece of bread and butter.  It's been awhile ago and I don't remember what kind of cancer he said he'd had and some of the details are a bit fuzzy but I believe he'd been through treatment and stopped it to do this alternative treatment.  What's interesting was that unlike many site he wasn't trying to sell anything. So, for that at least... I (sand)wich him well.... ahem and moving on.

    The pharma conspiracy has been around for decades.... some things just never die I guess.  Kind of like the carburetor that would allow a car to get 100+ miles per gallon. What car manufacturer in their right mind would not want to be the first to put that car on the market. It would have put Detroit back on the map overnight. 

    Pharmaceutical companies are like insurance companies.  Patients are immaterial other than the fact that they are the ultimate consumer of whatever medication the pharmaceutical company comes up with.   Pharmaceutical companies make money by being able to patent these medications.  During the life of the patent the pharmaceutical company will charge whatever it can get away with in order to recoup it's administrative and R&D costs and make a healthy profit so that management can get large bonuses and the shareholders can get whatever the lowest amount is that the company can legally get away with giving them.   That process hasn't changed in forever.  Nothing new. As an example, Mylan's EpiPen has increased in price from $60 9 years ago to about $400 now. They have a 1 year expiration date so have to be repurchased every year. I've given epinephrine shots and a 1cc syringe is at most $1 (monject 1cc syringe w/o needle, .21) and the dose of epinephrine is at most a couple of bucks. The EpiPen is patented and lets someone with no medical skill to inject someone with a predetermined dose of epinephrine.  So the delivery system is $400.  They've come under fire over it and are trying to do damage control. But, in business this is what businesses do. They do what they can, for as long as they can, to make as much money as they can.

    What makes the conspiracy theorists argument so odd is that the arguments are typically directed at US pharma.  Does this mean that every other pharmaceutical company in the world is also supressing a cancer cure?  Can you imagine what it would mean to any country, especially those one's not particularly friendly with the U.S., to come up with a cure and patent it.  Why wouldn't they?  The argument could be that no other country in the world has our technology and knowledge and skills. Okay, as we've seen in the news, if a country wanted that inforation they'd hack their way into a U.S. Pharmaceutical company and steal what they needed.  It would be a huge coup and it's not a huge leap. What pharma company is going to yell foul if Russia suddenly came up with a cancer cure that a US company was keeping under wraps.

    Even more than just being consumers of drugs, we're all consumers of food, gas, energy, auto, entertainment, etc.  Would these other industries allow one industry to control who lives and who dies and reduce their profits?   Why would the government not want live taxpayers?  If there was a conspiracy wouldn't the NSA have picked up on that by now? I mean according to the conspiracy theorists the NSA can get into anything right?  (okay, that may not be so far-fetched... reminder to self.. recheck my firewall).

    The conspiracy theorists have been around since way before the technology age and haven't quite gotten up to speed on the "information highway".  The kind of conspiracy they are talking about makes no sense in a very competitive global economy where companies not only want recyclable consumers they also want long-lived consumers.  If any pharmaceutial company could come up with an actual cancer cure they would have 7 billion potential customers for as long as the patent lasted.  Money trumps conspiracy every time.

    Okay, stepping down from soapbox now.  :)

    So, yup. I agree with you. 

    Hope you have a better evening.

    Bill

    Bill, you rock! Thank you,

    Bill, you rock! Thank you, that was agreat read! Ironic that you used the example of broccoli soup because for some reason I was addicted to it for months and I jokingly told me daughter that I was going to tell everybody that it cured my cancer. Or that LoveHearts did, I was also addicted to those little candies.

    I never thought about how it's the American big pharma that they go on about but that's so true! My friend that posts the most about conspiracy theories and big pharma is also an anti Monsanto poster. Personally, I'm not into organic fruits and veggies. I'd rather have a perfect looking piece of fruit or vegetable than somethat looks like it got used as a hockey puck. And I'm sure somewhere in Africa there's a group of people that are very grateful for grains and veggies that can grow in harsh or arid conditions. People seem to get mixed up with GMOs and Monsanto, she does. One day I asked her whats he thinks peaches and cream corn is? Or new varieties of fruits? Or potatoes that have purple flesh, anything like that? GMO's are not always a bad thing. New colours of roses or petunias, all GMOs.

    Anyway, I will also get off of my soapbox and go see what you posted under my ostomy thread.

    Thanks Bill!!

    Jan  

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    tanstaafl said:

    alt med

    My wife just went through the PET-CT yesterday, preliminary report sounds okay, same old features. Complaints about the 3 hr drive in, one poke and veins.  

    -----------------

    I'm not sure what to say about alternative medicine.   Certainly I see stuff that looks in part to be shared ignorance, commercial exploitation, or just plain crazy.  Besides surgery, my wife's offers from standard medicine only could lead to disaster in suffering, finances and death years ago.   

    We are also aware of a lot of unused phenomena that have been extremely helpful for us with off-label medicine and somewhat specialized supplements in potent amounts, combined with standard medicines from other parts of the globe but not approved in North America.    Virtually no one utilizes these things in a rational, sustained manner to be really effective.    Certainly we've done a few things that would raise eyebrows, most in forms of applied logic and science as we see most practical.  

    Most people I hear of, they expect too much from one random treatment, tried way too late, too briefly, with too little, in erroneous efforts from dubious sources, to be reasonable expectations. Many critics and proponents have little idea what they are talking about.

    We started from the beginning.  I've marched through thousands of papers, myriads of literature abstracts. For us, it has been consistent effort from the start to accu mulate improvements and advantages, avoid mistakes - conventional and unconventional, then to recognize problems and mistakes and recover from them ASAP.  

    I think a big issue is if

    I think a big issue is if someone gives up traditional therapies entirely and just uses alternative. But if they use traditional and include alternative than how can anyone say that that's what is keeping their cancer at bay. It's impossible to quantify it. I did read the other day about a owman who was treatig her son with herbs for his affliction, Ican't remember what it was, and then she got breast cancer and chose to use the same herbs and she died. They didn't work for the son, either, he improved greatly when a doctor intervened and got him on some proper treatments.

    Anyway, I agree that people will try an alternative option too late. And it makes me heartsick to hear about someone spending all their money on something that does not work. To prey on someone who is just desperate to live and take enormous sums of money from them for treatments that don't work is a horrible cruelty. At least some things like Essiac tea or herbs or cannabis or those types of things don't cost a lot. The Mexico treatments are very expensive, though. An I hate to hear about someone who's already miserable cutting out things like sugar because of that stupid theory.

    Jan  

  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    edited September 2016 #33
    JanJan63 said:

    I think a big issue is if

    I think a big issue is if someone gives up traditional therapies entirely and just uses alternative. But if they use traditional and include alternative than how can anyone say that that's what is keeping their cancer at bay. It's impossible to quantify it. I did read the other day about a owman who was treatig her son with herbs for his affliction, Ican't remember what it was, and then she got breast cancer and chose to use the same herbs and she died. They didn't work for the son, either, he improved greatly when a doctor intervened and got him on some proper treatments.

    Anyway, I agree that people will try an alternative option too late. And it makes me heartsick to hear about someone spending all their money on something that does not work. To prey on someone who is just desperate to live and take enormous sums of money from them for treatments that don't work is a horrible cruelty. At least some things like Essiac tea or herbs or cannabis or those types of things don't cost a lot. The Mexico treatments are very expensive, though. An I hate to hear about someone who's already miserable cutting out things like sugar because of that stupid theory.

    Jan  

    some thoughts

    [got] cancer and chose to use...herbs and she died. They didn't work for the son either,...

    Your examples are of those that I mentioned, "Many...have little idea what they are talking about" with no able support. On a mountain road with many twists and turns, they are likely going off the cliff on the first or second turn.

    ...But if they use traditional and include alternative than how can anyone say that that's what is keeping their cancer at bay. It's impossible to quantify it. 

    First, we don't exactly fall into any Western mainstream medicine option on any chemo treatment subset.  In fact I dumped an MD Anderson trained surgeon over a choice of a Japanese trained one. I had a fistful of Japanese research papers and the latter surgeon could listen and accomodate, as well as operate well. Thus we were able to retain molecularly important treatment features through the perioperative period. 

    As far as inability to quantify, that is no longer true and is changing in degree, yearly.  This situation may actually become critical to the pharmas themselves for new drug applications if their new treatments have more narrow treatment windows than say, Erbitux.  Otherwise they will resist and subvert quantification techniques when it costs them sales. In other words, if it is possible to cheaply test your tumor specimen with 50% positive results, or to directly test you for $xxx,xxx sales, they will prefer to "test on you", as they do now if not legally compelled.

    ...it makes me heartsick to hear about someone spending all their money on something that does not work. 

    This another facet of the quantification and personalization issue.  With adequate measurement and analysis, you quit or modify ineffective treatments sooner, whether mainstream or CAM.  The Western mainstream seems to ignore the obvious in generally available CRC technologies, for over a dozen years now. I don't require a grand conspiracy theory for this either. It can be accounted for in path dependent evolution of practices and simple self interest behaviors.

    The expensive Mexican or German clinic escape syndrome partly reflects a lack of competitive medicine in the US at many levels, with artifically high prices. This also partly reflects the lack of neutral oversight that profitably aggregates the results for their PPO choices, like insurance companies should do.

    ...I hate to hear about someone who's already miserable cutting out things like sugar because of that stupid theory.

    Sugars and high glycemic starch are not health foods, especially in huge excess without some vital co-factors.  In some cases, reducing these carbs by various degrees can make a huge difference in weight gain, insulin levels, IGF-1, and inflammation as well as clear therapeutic vitamin C absorption, retention, and response at a cellular level.  

    Our experience with over six years of immunochemo is that you don't have to be miserable to get superior results.

    For people on heavy chemo, simple calories may dictate them as an easy, tolerable food source.    Another basic issue is whether someone has access to, and support for, a reasonably consistent lifestyle that they are happy with, for potential benefits in some therapeutic strategy.   Nobody likes a food nazi.    

  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    edited September 2016 #34
    Is it my time yet?

    Is it my time yet?

    When Oxford University formulated "Trovax" they tested it for years with various types of cancer. Very successful! It was immunotherapy and managed to get one's immune system to fight the cancer cells. Trovax had to be used alone, since a weakened immune system would have a tough time fighting the damaged, rogue cells.

    Merck (One of the largest chemotherapy suppliers in the world), bought into the license to do further testing for FDA approval. Merck insisted on Trovax be used as an adjuvant to their chemicals (chemotherapy), and they insisted on testing Trovax with cancer types that were never tested prior to their purchase. They spent hundreds of millions on their tests, and each and every test failed. The license was given back to Oxford Biomedical and Oxford could not get any other investor to invest into Trovax. for further testing necessary to market their product.

    All of the very inclusive doc umentation regarding Trovax is available on the web for reading. The Oxford/Trovax story is available at most all of the major investment websites. It was a very major investment by a very major leader in the industry, with results of the failure of the tests noted. Everything indicated that Trovax was totally useless as a cancer fighting tool. That had put an end to Oxford's Trovax; without investor support, Oxford had come to the end of it's road. (Conspiracy theories? haha.....  funny!)

    Years prior to Trovax, a chemical known as "Hydrazine Sulfate" was studied by  Dr. Gold (a member of the "The Syracuse Cancer Research Institute"). All tests indicated very successful results for those of late term stages of cancer. The chemical is a "jet fuel" byproduct. It was deemed as a carcinogenic chemical and denounced by the chemotherapy industry. The fact that every known chemical used in Chemotherapy are known to be carcinogenic, was not noted. (immunotherapy products are not classified as "chemotherapy").

    The physician and the entire non-profit Institute were denounced by the industry for promoting "Hydrazine Sulfate", in spite of the in-depth testing and record keeping that indicated the chemical's usefulness. "Hydrazine Sulfate" had been proven to stop (or slow) the liver from converting Lactic acid back into glucose. (Lactic acid is generated as waste by a cancer cell during it's use of glucose for it's survival). A cancer patient in the late stages of cancer looses weight and energy quickly, since the cancer cells are using glucose faster than "good cells"; HS breaks that cycle and provides the patient with a better chance for survival. The Syracuse Cancer Research Institute and Dr. Gold had absolutely nothing to gain financially for their work with Hydrazine Sulfate; HS is already marketed in other countries and is already licensed for use in those countries.
    _____
    Hydrazine Sulfate:
    http://scri.ngen.com/

    http://www.hydrazinesulfate.org/

    The cost for the amount needed for total HS treatment? I paid $5 per bottle of tablets back in 2006, two bottles were said to be needed; $10 total. No, I have not resorted to taking the chemical (yet). I am an advocate for Traditional Chinese Medicine, not chemicals. If/when TCM fails, I'll have the HS to resort to. But I seriously do not accept the use of chemicals to fight any disease. It would take a "last chance/do or die" situation for me to turn to any chemical resolve.
    _____

    Traditional Chinese Medicine has been studied and well doc umented for over three thousand years. Western Medicine has only been studied for a few hundred years (perhaps less than that). TCM is practiced in most all of the Asian hospitals, as an adjuvant to western medicine and as a "stand alone". Institutions - Johns Hopkins, Sloan Kettering, Mayo Clinic, etc presently have added some aspects of TCM treatment. TCM is presently considered a viable alternative to western medicine in many health facilities.

    Unlike many of the "alternatives" that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, TCM is quite inexpensive. And unlike most all of the so-called "alternatives", TCM has been studied, practiced, and the results well doc umented throughout history.

    I'm sure there are other viable modalities aside from Western Medicine and TCM, but my trust is with TCM, and my experience is limited to both these modalities.

    Never allow fear to steer your course. Listen to your inner instincts; your intuition. Your self-survival instincts are there for a reason.

    Be well,

    John

     

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    John23 said:

    Is it my time yet?

    Is it my time yet?

    When Oxford University formulated "Trovax" they tested it for years with various types of cancer. Very successful! It was immunotherapy and managed to get one's immune system to fight the cancer cells. Trovax had to be used alone, since a weakened immune system would have a tough time fighting the damaged, rogue cells.

    Merck (One of the largest chemotherapy suppliers in the world), bought into the license to do further testing for FDA approval. Merck insisted on Trovax be used as an adjuvant to their chemicals (chemotherapy), and they insisted on testing Trovax with cancer types that were never tested prior to their purchase. They spent hundreds of millions on their tests, and each and every test failed. The license was given back to Oxford Biomedical and Oxford could not get any other investor to invest into Trovax. for further testing necessary to market their product.

    All of the very inclusive doc umentation regarding Trovax is available on the web for reading. The Oxford/Trovax story is available at most all of the major investment websites. It was a very major investment by a very major leader in the industry, with results of the failure of the tests noted. Everything indicated that Trovax was totally useless as a cancer fighting tool. That had put an end to Oxford's Trovax; without investor support, Oxford had come to the end of it's road. (Conspiracy theories? haha.....  funny!)

    Years prior to Trovax, a chemical known as "Hydrazine Sulfate" was studied by  Dr. Gold (a member of the "The Syracuse Cancer Research Institute"). All tests indicated very successful results for those of late term stages of cancer. The chemical is a "jet fuel" byproduct. It was deemed as a carcinogenic chemical and denounced by the chemotherapy industry. The fact that every known chemical used in Chemotherapy are known to be carcinogenic, was not noted. (immunotherapy products are not classified as "chemotherapy").

    The physician and the entire non-profit Institute were denounced by the industry for promoting "Hydrazine Sulfate", in spite of the in-depth testing and record keeping that indicated the chemical's usefulness. "Hydrazine Sulfate" had been proven to stop (or slow) the liver from converting Lactic acid back into glucose. (Lactic acid is generated as waste by a cancer cell during it's use of glucose for it's survival). A cancer patient in the late stages of cancer looses weight and energy quickly, since the cancer cells are using glucose faster than "good cells"; HS breaks that cycle and provides the patient with a better chance for survival. The Syracuse Cancer Research Institute and Dr. Gold had absolutely nothing to gain financially for their work with Hydrazine Sulfate; HS is already marketed in other countries and is already licensed for use in those countries.
    _____
    Hydrazine Sulfate:
    http://scri.ngen.com/

    http://www.hydrazinesulfate.org/

    The cost for the amount needed for total HS treatment? I paid $5 per bottle of tablets back in 2006, two bottles were said to be needed; $10 total. No, I have not resorted to taking the chemical (yet). I am an advocate for Traditional Chinese Medicine, not chemicals. If/when TCM fails, I'll have the HS to resort to. But I seriously do not accept the use of chemicals to fight any disease. It would take a "last chance/do or die" situation for me to turn to any chemical resolve.
    _____

    Traditional Chinese Medicine has been studied and well doc umented for over three thousand years. Western Medicine has only been studied for a few hundred years (perhaps less than that). TCM is practiced in most all of the Asian hospitals, as an adjuvant to western medicine and as a "stand alone". Institutions - Johns Hopkins, Sloan Kettering, Mayo Clinic, etc presently have added some aspects of TCM treatment. TCM is presently considered a viable alternative to western medicine in many health facilities.

    Unlike many of the "alternatives" that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, TCM is quite inexpensive. And unlike most all of the so-called "alternatives", TCM has been studied, practiced, and the results well doc umented throughout history.

    I'm sure there are other viable modalities aside from Western Medicine and TCM, but my trust is with TCM, and my experience is limited to both these modalities.

    Never allow fear to steer your course. Listen to your inner instincts; your intuition. Your self-survival instincts are there for a reason.

    Be well,

    John

     

    John, you constantly amaze me

    John, you constantly amaze me with your vast knowledge and research. I am not good at finding information that I want and I'm really impressed when someone else is able to get the answers they're looking for. And I so appreciate you taking the time to share it with me and all of us here.

    My problem with TCM is that for thousands of years they didn't know exactly what was wrong with a person. There were no tests to tell them it was cancer or whatever it was. And, of course, people had a much shorter life span so cancer wasn't as common. I just don't trust that they work.

    I watched a documentary last year about a treatment people with cancer were going for in another country, I forget where, and the people were convinced that it had worked. But they'd been tested before and after they went and their cancer level hadn't changed at all, some were even worse. But the people were so convinced by it that they thought they were better and were more active and felt much better emotionally. The conclusion was that it might extend their life by a short period merely due to their positive attitude or make their time left a more positive experience nut the treatment itself had changed nothing as far as their cancer was concerned.

    John, you've probably seen me post about my grandmother who was in her fifties in the 1950s and had 'bowel' cancer and only had surgery to remove it and give her a colostomy, no other treatments and passed away in her early eighties and had never had cancer again, her kidneys had failed. The doctors said she was so healthy they wanted to give her a transplant but she refused. What that tells me is that if she'd taken somethng whether it was traditional treatments or TCM or whatever it was, she and we would think that was what kept it at bay. I just can't see how anyone can say that a certain thing has helped them.

    Like my friend who keeps touting Essiac tea. She had a small bump on her lip that was cancerous and had it removed. She had a larger area removed and had to have someplastic surgery and has it in her head that it indicates how bad the cancer was, how big it was. She doesn't understand margines. So she drinks Essiac tea and is convinced that that's what has kept it from coming back. Yet her nice had cancer as a child and had courses of radiation and chemo and has had nothing since, no treatments or alternative options, is now 25 years old and has never had a reccurence. I think everyone takes from what they know or have read a different point of view. If she'd convinced me to drink the tea and I don't have cancer now she's be saying 'see!' and think the tea had done it.  

    I'm just going to stick to the treatemtns they choose for me and question it if it sound sketchy or there is a better option I've heard of and stay away from any sort of alternative ideas. I've never smoked or done drugs, I rarely drank and I eat pretty well and I've always been active enough and I got cancer. I rarely eat processed food or fast food and do not eat a lot of meat. I'll stick with that way of living and hope that it doesn't come back. I guess I'm a little fatalistic. I feel like I could be killed in some other way any time so why sweat it too much trying to prevent it. The blood clot that almost killed me gave me a little bit of a different perspective on the cancer thing. Looking back the cancer seems minor compared to that. The cancer is something that I could go along with slowly and get the treatments and over time see if it's worked. The blood clot killed me on the spot. I got up and made a cup of coffee and within five minutes my husband was holding me on the floor and I'd taken my last breath. It was so fast and totally unexpected. The only reason I'm here now is because he called 911 and they got here in time to give me CPR before the 4 minutes were up where brain damage starts. I had to be revived at least five times. I've been told as many as eight times but I'll stick with five. I was told after that my survival rate and odds of going back to normal were something like 3 in a thousand. The survival rate for just the blood clot was less than 6% but I was never expected to be back to normal. My family was warned that I'd likely be a vegetable or barely able to function and likely wouldn't know them or interact the same way. And I'd be in a care home for the rest of my life. But here I am. So I feel like we can all go at any moment and while I won't risk doing activities that will endanger my health I also won't go too much out of my way to try unproven ways of preventing a recurrence of my cancer.

    Jan   

  • marbleotis
    marbleotis Member Posts: 720 Member
    Sorry about the waiting

    Jan,

    The waiting is horrible.  You are not being cranky,,,,, you are being human.  I never really understood about "waiting" for results until I went through all this cancer mess.  I used to try to fill the waiting time with things I really enjoyed.  It helped a bit to divert the brain.

    I send all good thoughts your way!

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited September 2016 #37

    Sorry about the waiting

    Jan,

    The waiting is horrible.  You are not being cranky,,,,, you are being human.  I never really understood about "waiting" for results until I went through all this cancer mess.  I used to try to fill the waiting time with things I really enjoyed.  It helped a bit to divert the brain.

    I send all good thoughts your way!

    Thank you! I checked my

    Thank you! I checked my calendar today and it's not this coming Tuesday when I get my results, it's the Tuesday after. My family doctor hasn't give me the results so, of course, I start thinking it's because they're bad and he doesn't want to be the one to share them. But it's probably more like he isn't going to do it every time or it got missed or he's not able to interpret them this time or something like that.

    Jan 

  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    edited September 2016 #38
    JanJan63 said:

    John, you constantly amaze me

    John, you constantly amaze me with your vast knowledge and research. I am not good at finding information that I want and I'm really impressed when someone else is able to get the answers they're looking for. And I so appreciate you taking the time to share it with me and all of us here.

    My problem with TCM is that for thousands of years they didn't know exactly what was wrong with a person. There were no tests to tell them it was cancer or whatever it was. And, of course, people had a much shorter life span so cancer wasn't as common. I just don't trust that they work.

    I watched a documentary last year about a treatment people with cancer were going for in another country, I forget where, and the people were convinced that it had worked. But they'd been tested before and after they went and their cancer level hadn't changed at all, some were even worse. But the people were so convinced by it that they thought they were better and were more active and felt much better emotionally. The conclusion was that it might extend their life by a short period merely due to their positive attitude or make their time left a more positive experience nut the treatment itself had changed nothing as far as their cancer was concerned.

    John, you've probably seen me post about my grandmother who was in her fifties in the 1950s and had 'bowel' cancer and only had surgery to remove it and give her a colostomy, no other treatments and passed away in her early eighties and had never had cancer again, her kidneys had failed. The doctors said she was so healthy they wanted to give her a transplant but she refused. What that tells me is that if she'd taken somethng whether it was traditional treatments or TCM or whatever it was, she and we would think that was what kept it at bay. I just can't see how anyone can say that a certain thing has helped them.

    Like my friend who keeps touting Essiac tea. She had a small bump on her lip that was cancerous and had it removed. She had a larger area removed and had to have someplastic surgery and has it in her head that it indicates how bad the cancer was, how big it was. She doesn't understand margines. So she drinks Essiac tea and is convinced that that's what has kept it from coming back. Yet her nice had cancer as a child and had courses of radiation and chemo and has had nothing since, no treatments or alternative options, is now 25 years old and has never had a reccurence. I think everyone takes from what they know or have read a different point of view. If she'd convinced me to drink the tea and I don't have cancer now she's be saying 'see!' and think the tea had done it.  

    I'm just going to stick to the treatemtns they choose for me and question it if it sound sketchy or there is a better option I've heard of and stay away from any sort of alternative ideas. I've never smoked or done drugs, I rarely drank and I eat pretty well and I've always been active enough and I got cancer. I rarely eat processed food or fast food and do not eat a lot of meat. I'll stick with that way of living and hope that it doesn't come back. I guess I'm a little fatalistic. I feel like I could be killed in some other way any time so why sweat it too much trying to prevent it. The blood clot that almost killed me gave me a little bit of a different perspective on the cancer thing. Looking back the cancer seems minor compared to that. The cancer is something that I could go along with slowly and get the treatments and over time see if it's worked. The blood clot killed me on the spot. I got up and made a cup of coffee and within five minutes my husband was holding me on the floor and I'd taken my last breath. It was so fast and totally unexpected. The only reason I'm here now is because he called 911 and they got here in time to give me CPR before the 4 minutes were up where brain damage starts. I had to be revived at least five times. I've been told as many as eight times but I'll stick with five. I was told after that my survival rate and odds of going back to normal were something like 3 in a thousand. The survival rate for just the blood clot was less than 6% but I was never expected to be back to normal. My family was warned that I'd likely be a vegetable or barely able to function and likely wouldn't know them or interact the same way. And I'd be in a care home for the rest of my life. But here I am. So I feel like we can all go at any moment and while I won't risk doing activities that will endanger my health I also won't go too much out of my way to try unproven ways of preventing a recurrence of my cancer.

    Jan   

    JanJan...

    JanJan...

    Re:
    "My problem with TCM is that for thousands of years they didn't know exactly what was wrong with a person. There were no tests to tell them it was cancer or whatever it was. And, of course, people had a much shorter life span so cancer wasn't as common. I just don't trust that they work."

    I'm going to make this short..

    In TCM, no "label" is applied to a symptom. You have pains in your abdomen, it isn't labeled "Crohn's disease" or "UC" or any other label after which specific pharmaceutical products will be prescribed with western medicine's approach to healing.

    With TCM, the underlying cause of the symptom you are displaying is treated; the treatment is designed and formulated for you, not for the generic symptom that is being displayed.

    When the problem is resolved, the symptom goes away; TCM takes time. In TCM, your body does the repair. The herbs or other treatments only encourage specific organs to do the job they were intended to do.

    A "tumor" is not designated as "cancer" or otherwise; a tumor is a tumor. A normal working body does not allow a tumor of any type to form. Most people do not have tumors. If one's body can be brought back to do what it was intended to do, you will never find a tumor within that body.

    Some of the oldest individuals in the entire world are of Asian descent. I'm curious to the "shorter lifespan" you referred to, but it's not to be argumentative, and more rhetorical..... No need to drag it out...

    We all make our choices to do what we feel is best for us. It's the only correct way to go through life. No one knows our life better than we do. We all have that inner voice; an intuition, that self survival instinct that we should to listen to if we intend to survive in the manner best suited for us.

    Some do well using the remedies of one modality, while other do better using other than that modality. There are options available to try, no one should feel limited to any specific modality if they find it's failing them, or causing more problems.

    That's really all my comments were and are concerning, and certainly not directed to any individual.

    Be well Jan, my best wishes always your way.....

    John

     

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave Member Posts: 1,280 Member
    edited September 2016 #39
    Took me an hour to read

    Took me an hour to read through all that, I just wish it was Tuesday and Jan had an answer. Getting older, I've learned to hate suspense, just frigging tell me already..............................................Dave

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member

    Took me an hour to read

    Took me an hour to read through all that, I just wish it was Tuesday and Jan had an answer. Getting older, I've learned to hate suspense, just frigging tell me already..............................................Dave

    Yeah, even if it's bad news I

    Yeah, even if it's bad news I'd rather know.

  • mokomapa
    mokomapa Member Posts: 24
    JanJan63 said:

    Yeah, even if it's bad news I

    Yeah, even if it's bad news I'd rather know.

    Thinking

    jan,

    kept think about how your results were yesterday.  I was traveling and didn't have access to a computer.  Guess we get to wait another week.  Here's to wishing you good results.  I'll keep checking in.

    Tom