Discouraged

Scambuster said:

Naturopathy
HI Kent, I feel your frustration with the lack of answers from the Doctors. I have been using Conventional Medicine AND Naturopathy since I was 20 (So 26 years) and my brother is a Naturopath. What I find is Doctors rely on their same old pattern of diagnosis and prescribe a drug. This is not always the best way around things as 1. They often don't know why or what and 2. they only have prescription medicines as a solution. The medicines usually have side effects which they will again treat with another prescription.

I would strongly recommend you find a good Naturopath and use them along with your regular Doctors. Naturopaths recognize they are often a 'last resort' and they get a myriad of 'Too Hard Basket' cases that conventional medicine cannot help. They are aware also that their treatment must not interfere with what ever you may be doing with your main Oncologist. The irony of all is crazy but most Naturopaths will accommodate your need to stay with conventional meds. Try to find one that has dealt with post RT/ Chemo people.

I have found mine immediately recognized my problems and they also explained why i.e. my mucosa was fried by radiation hence I was given Glutamine Powder which also has help save my muscle tissue from wasting away (I lost ~20kgs = 44lbs). They also helped with some emotional issues as well as giving me a host of supplements including Omega 3.6.9 Complexes, Vit B Complex, Zinc, Vitamin C, Cordyceps, Shitake, Q10 CoEnzymes, Acidophilus, Selenium, vital greens, pro-biotics +++++++ all stuff the Oncologists have never mentioned or dismiss as witchcraft.

These are all essential supplements to aid healing and recovery by giving the body what it really needs. THe only thing the Oncologist ever told me to eat was Icecream !! Your body has had the living crap beaten out of it, and all the Doctors can do is give you medication to treat the 'Symptom' NOT the cause. Naturopathy will find the 'cause' and treat you that way.

Your Naturopath will almost definitely also use Homeopathic remedies which can do wonders so be open to all this if and I hope when you start down this path. These are usually tiny pills or drops you take that work at a molecular level. I have used them for years with great results and will shortly start some to try and revitalize my damaged Salivary Glands as I am suffering badly now from the Dry Mouth.

Another thing I did was a week long course of Vitamin B Complex and Vitamin C IM Injections. While immediate effects were hard to gauge, everyone around me commented that I looked much better. I will start another round soon.

Read ANY 'good' book on diet and nutrition and you will see that nutrition is essential for a proper recovery and that is also the angle your Naturopath will take regarding diet, nutrition and supplements and thus helping you to get out of the Pharmaceutical merry go round.

You obviously need the Glutamine Powder and possibly a host of other vitamins and minerals that will remedy your loss of tissue and mouth sores. I have a friend now 2 years out and having similar issues as you. I found her a Naturopath, she was booked in and then her Surgeon talked her out of the appointment ! She still suffers and they still have no answers. That is the mind set of conventional Doctors.

I really hope you give this a go Kent and manage to find a good Naturopath and start down the road of 'Complimentary Medicine'. I am still suffering lots of effects from the treatment and will continue to do so for however long but I believe I am far better off having used Naturopaths to help my recovery.

Best Regds
Scambuster

supplements

All along I have been gleaning supplement info from one source and another, and I was so excited to see your list! Although we have not visited a naturopath doc, I have been giving my husband many from your supplements list, so feels great that I have been doing it right! He takes Glutamine Powder, Omega 3.6.9 Complexes, a multi-vitamin, Zinc, Vitamin C powder, a 5 mushroom complex, Acidophilus, vital greens, black raspberry powder, tumeric powder, and pro-biotics. I add all these to a super shake that I put through his peg tube.

Something to note for new comers who are in treatment, my husband's doc said that during chemo and radiation, DO NOT take anti-oxidents, as they will nourish the struggling cancer cells too much. Two weeks after treatment is over, then add the anti-oxidents back into the patient, as then they will have the anti-cancer fighting ability that they are known for. I asked about whether we should drop blueberries and other anti-oxident foods out of his diet during treatment, and they said as long as it is a real food, then it is ok to eat, but supplements provide higher levels of anti-oxident, and those were to be put on hold instead.

Karen