What do doctors really know and how much of what we read do you believe? ( a rant )

Sometimes I think it's just better to bury your head in the sand and not listen to anyone or anything out there on breast cancer. First let me say I am one of those people that rely (too much) on just what the doctor tells me - and you know if you don't ask the right questions, you may not even know about something. I recently visited the website for breast cancer and in all that information see that everyday products (soap, shampoo, lotion, face creams, makeup, etc.) we use can/do have hormones in them that we absorb through our skin. My oncologist says that what ends up being absorbed is so so small, that it isn't anything to worry about. True? Since my cancer is hormone positive this seemed important to me. So I asked her if there was anything I needed to be concerned about? Her answer was Soy products, why she never told me this before I don't know - not that I use any soy stuff, but shouldn't she have told me that up front - why wait for me to ask? Where is the happy medium between the doctors telling us what we need to know and us finding out for ourselves? UGH

I guess we just need to be as informed as possible and then ask the questions, but it can be so confusing at times.

Sorry for my rant, I just needed to get that off my chest. As for me, day 16 of radiation, 17 left to go (halfway there!!!) and no fatigue yet, basically except for a really really sore nipple and a pink itchy breast I feel normal. I have been blessed with little to no side effects from Tamoxifen too, I've been on that about 36 days. My oncologist said they would've showed up by now. So I am blessed and thankful someone is watching over me.

Thanks for listening. Prayers and hugs to all my pink sisters.

Comments

  • sunshine.dance
    sunshine.dance Member Posts: 21
    I have to agree with you
    I have to agree with you regarding this. I think it's up to us as much as possible to educate ourselves regarding our conditions but there are some things we just are not going to be able to know about and have to trust our Dr's to give us pertinent info that we need. I recently asked my Dr about the calcium supplement I have been taking, I wanted to know the correlation between that and an increased risk of heart disease in women taking these supplements, as I have, along with cancer, a huge family hx of cardiac issues. (I had been given a heads up about this from someone else and wanted to verify with my Dr.) She told me that yes they have been doing studies that show an increased risk, for those already at risk for cardiac issues, between calcium supplements and cardiac disease. She then advised me to stop taking the supplements and suggested I try to increase my dietary intake of calcium. My point is, if I hadn't asked her about this, would she have thought to tell me?? I don't know. Sometimes I think they are so overloaded, and especially primary care physicians, that they don't remember to relay all the info they should to us. It makes me wonder what else I haven't been informed about.
  • Lynn Smith
    Lynn Smith Member Posts: 1,264 Member
    It is amazing
    It is amazing what we aren't told.I asked my own question.I used to make Soy candles(husband does now).I told my doctor about this.She said that was OK but don't eat soy.That is how I found out.Just a coincidence.Never would have known.Alot of things we eat has some soy.She said that is OK but ENSURE isn't good for you.I was drinking that to gain a few pounds and hopefully be healtier.I was wrong.

    Soon after my dx a young lady who was 25 was dx with BC.She lived on soy products.She was a vegetarian.She still is.She is Very adamant about that.They wanted her to have a masectomy.She refused.I hope all turns out for her but she is so young.

    Lynn Smith
  • sunshine.dance
    sunshine.dance Member Posts: 21

    It is amazing
    It is amazing what we aren't told.I asked my own question.I used to make Soy candles(husband does now).I told my doctor about this.She said that was OK but don't eat soy.That is how I found out.Just a coincidence.Never would have known.Alot of things we eat has some soy.She said that is OK but ENSURE isn't good for you.I was drinking that to gain a few pounds and hopefully be healtier.I was wrong.

    Soon after my dx a young lady who was 25 was dx with BC.She lived on soy products.She was a vegetarian.She still is.She is Very adamant about that.They wanted her to have a masectomy.She refused.I hope all turns out for her but she is so young.

    Lynn Smith

    I think between what we eat
    I think between what we eat and the products we come in contact with every day we are being overwhelmed with things that our bodies cannot or were not made to handle. Think of all the things we eat, meat that has been loaded with antibiotics,etc., everyday products that have been irradiated, all the additives out there. It's no coincidence, in my mind anyway, that the incidence of cancers and other diseases has increased dramatically. I know that some of that is due to better detection and screenings but seriously.....how many of us know someone who has been touched by cancer or some other disease that had no family history of it?
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    Congratulations on being half way done with rads,
    As for what the doctors tell us? Sometimes I get frustrated but then ask so many questions and he answers as much as he can. It seems to be getting harder to find foods that are not affected by pesticides, hormones, or the packaging that foods come in that are not affected.

    Even organic produce, how do we know that is really organic? Most of it is coming from other countries and do we know the organic guidelines for these countries? You should not microwave foods in plastic, yet frozen foods come in plastic steamer packaging.

    Which leaves me to wonder what do we eat that is healthy? Shy of moving to the middle of nowhere how do we get away from the bad air? So I eat as much washed produce, try to buy free range beef and chicken if I can afford it, and make sure all my meats are well cooked in stainless steel pans or on the grill, and try to enjoy my life!

    I have quit reading most articles on Breast Cancer, unless it comes from a reputable source. So much of what I feel I need to do is common sense: eat healthy, laugh a lot, sleep, have fun.

    I have the biggest problem seeing all the bill boards stating cancer is now 99% curable. Reality: 200,000 + new diagnosis's in the United States in 2011, and 39,000+ who will die from breast cancer in 2011. These are real numbers that are on the ACS website.

    If you have a chance, look through some of the references and sites that Cypress Cynthia lists, as these are reputable sites and give accurate information. I have used them so often when I have questions on something bc related.
  • mamolady
    mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
    Soy
    My little sister sees and oncologist because she has 2 sisters with BC at a young age. He told her to eat more soy as a way to reduce her risk. I think the jury is still out on that one. Becareful though soy can be in places you don't expect.
    Doctors aren't always right either. I asked my gyn about what to do for hotflashes, I figured she would have more info than the oncologist. She suggested black cohash. I read up on it. It does not increase your risk of BC but, if you have BC it increases your risk of lung mets!
    I am changing docs!

    Cindy
  • Lynn Smith
    Lynn Smith Member Posts: 1,264 Member
    mamolady said:

    Soy
    My little sister sees and oncologist because she has 2 sisters with BC at a young age. He told her to eat more soy as a way to reduce her risk. I think the jury is still out on that one. Becareful though soy can be in places you don't expect.
    Doctors aren't always right either. I asked my gyn about what to do for hotflashes, I figured she would have more info than the oncologist. She suggested black cohash. I read up on it. It does not increase your risk of BC but, if you have BC it increases your risk of lung mets!
    I am changing docs!

    Cindy

    Camul
    Like you I read about statistics.When I was dx in 2009 the first thing I did was read up on my cancer.Then I read that 192,000 new cases would diagnosed that year.Unbelievable.Now that count is over 200,000 in just 2 years.Breast cancer has to be the one cancer that so many are dx every year.What I read with other cancer it is nothing like the stats for breast cancer.I know lung cancer is up there with so many people who smoke but the breast cancer dx are unreal if we think about it.Way to many dx with this disease. I sometimes wonder if they know what is causing this.I have a family history but so many women don't. Some eat good but get it. I keep playing over and over in my mind "everyone is different".I hear my surgeon tell me that all the time. There are times when I hear of a young lady only in her 20's dx with bc.I think OMG that is unreal.Then I have to think,my mom was dx at 21.Why am I so shocked???

    Cindy, I am puzzled a doctor said that.Eat soy??? I read soy shouldn't be eaten with bc patients.One of the other things I read looking up my type of cancer and other things to do and not do.Stress I beleive is a BIG factor. 10 months before I was dx was my most stressful year. I actually felt my body going downhill.At that time I didn't think about possibly getting cancer until all my doctors told me over and over stress is a major factor. So now we get the disease and have more to worry about.

    Lynn Smith
  • mom62
    mom62 Member Posts: 604 Member
    What I learned
    I learned you have to be your own advocate and educate yourself. They have a lot of patients and not everyone is concerned with the same things. I am hormone receptor positive too. It's all in what you believe and are comfortable with as far as the products go. Good luck with the rest of your radiation.

    Hugs,
    Terry