naturopathy

nyartist
nyartist Member Posts: 12
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Has anyone had any experience with adding elements of naturopathy their chemo program? Has it mitigated the side effects of chemo at all?

Comments

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #2
    Integrative/Adjunctive Therapies
    ny,
    Throughout chemo, I was receiving high dose vitamin C IVs, twice a week in between chemos, and once a week on chemo week. I also received nutritional IVs (to help boost my system and to add nutrients stripped out of my body by the IVC). Personally, I don't know if I would have survived the treatment without the IVs. At my last chemo session, the infusion nurse said she had been watching me looking better and better at each chemo session, and she said that is not typically the case with their patients, So, yes, I believe it helped immensely, with my treatments and with the way I felt. An added bonus is that the IVC augments the effectiveness of the chemotherapy. I also received vitamin B6 and B12 shots the day before chemo to help fight off neuropathy, and it appears to have worked. Near the end of chemo, I hooked up with a naturopath who has a whole treatment plan for cancer patients during and after chemo. I've incorporated her plan which involves many facets, but I credit my continued low CA-125 levels and continued improving health to what I am doing through her. I've told this story about her on this board before, but she is an ovarian cancer survivor of 20 years. She had no surgery or chemo for her disease, but treated herself and therefore still has tumors in her body. Yet she can keep them dormant with her lifestyle. I figure if it keeps her tumors under control, it should keep me in remission.
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #3
    I used more therapies
    I used more therapies than I can list (naturopathy, chiropractic, homeopathy, acupuncture, integrative medicine, etc).

    I have been doing high dose ascorbic acid (vitamin C) IVs twice/week since Oct 2010. My cancer was very aggressive & now it is quiet. I don't suffer from a lot of lingering after effects of chemo lIke the typical numb feet or body aches. Chemo brain seems to be a thing of the past--it was manifesting itself by the wrong words coming out of my mouth & forgetfulness.

    I had my hearing tested & have lost some high frequencies in my right ear. Hearing damage is an adverse effect from carboplatin that goes on x 6 months AFTER chemo ends. I am not aware of the hearing loss. It's something oncologists are more concerned about in children not old ladies like me who lucky to live 3 years after diagnosis.

    My tumors were so aggressive, they returned with a vengeance post-operatively. I consider my self lucky to be alive--a lot of prayers, money, & effort went along with that luck. I've spent thousands of dollars out of pocket because I believe in taking advantage of the best of both worlds. Not to mention the grocery bill for organic food, too. I have an extremely supportive family which I am eternally grateful for, too.

    I feel really well (almost one year from the diagnosis) & will admit to having decreased stamina compared to my old self.

    Carolen
  • nyartist
    nyartist Member Posts: 12
    #4
    carolenk said:

    I used more therapies
    I used more therapies than I can list (naturopathy, chiropractic, homeopathy, acupuncture, integrative medicine, etc).

    I have been doing high dose ascorbic acid (vitamin C) IVs twice/week since Oct 2010. My cancer was very aggressive & now it is quiet. I don't suffer from a lot of lingering after effects of chemo lIke the typical numb feet or body aches. Chemo brain seems to be a thing of the past--it was manifesting itself by the wrong words coming out of my mouth & forgetfulness.

    I had my hearing tested & have lost some high frequencies in my right ear. Hearing damage is an adverse effect from carboplatin that goes on x 6 months AFTER chemo ends. I am not aware of the hearing loss. It's something oncologists are more concerned about in children not old ladies like me who lucky to live 3 years after diagnosis.

    My tumors were so aggressive, they returned with a vengeance post-operatively. I consider my self lucky to be alive--a lot of prayers, money, & effort went along with that luck. I've spent thousands of dollars out of pocket because I believe in taking advantage of the best of both worlds. Not to mention the grocery bill for organic food, too. I have an extremely supportive family which I am eternally grateful for, too.

    I feel really well (almost one year from the diagnosis) & will admit to having decreased stamina compared to my old self.

    Carolen

    hearing loss
    Hi Carolen

    My partner had successful debulking and a complete hysterectomy and is getting ready to start chemo in a few weeks. We've been talking to a naturopath about some treatments to coincide with the chemo. But she also has had an acoustic neuroma and has no hearing at all in one ear. We've heard about possible hearing loss as a result of chemo. What else can you tell me about that? When you say that you lost some high frequency hearing in one ear is that permanent loss?
  • nyartist
    nyartist Member Posts: 12
    #5
    Tethys41 said:

    Integrative/Adjunctive Therapies
    ny,
    Throughout chemo, I was receiving high dose vitamin C IVs, twice a week in between chemos, and once a week on chemo week. I also received nutritional IVs (to help boost my system and to add nutrients stripped out of my body by the IVC). Personally, I don't know if I would have survived the treatment without the IVs. At my last chemo session, the infusion nurse said she had been watching me looking better and better at each chemo session, and she said that is not typically the case with their patients, So, yes, I believe it helped immensely, with my treatments and with the way I felt. An added bonus is that the IVC augments the effectiveness of the chemotherapy. I also received vitamin B6 and B12 shots the day before chemo to help fight off neuropathy, and it appears to have worked. Near the end of chemo, I hooked up with a naturopath who has a whole treatment plan for cancer patients during and after chemo. I've incorporated her plan which involves many facets, but I credit my continued low CA-125 levels and continued improving health to what I am doing through her. I've told this story about her on this board before, but she is an ovarian cancer survivor of 20 years. She had no surgery or chemo for her disease, but treated herself and therefore still has tumors in her body. Yet she can keep them dormant with her lifestyle. I figure if it keeps her tumors under control, it should keep me in remission.

    C IV's
    Hi Tethys41

    Mind if I ask who set up the vitamin C IV's? Was it the medical oncologists or naturopaths working with the oncologists? We've been hearing about a program that's supposed to support Nancy's GI system and liver while going through chemo but vitamin C was not mentioned. Is that something to ask about?
  • dreamer007
    dreamer007 Member Posts: 61
    #6
    nyartist said:

    hearing loss
    Hi Carolen

    My partner had successful debulking and a complete hysterectomy and is getting ready to start chemo in a few weeks. We've been talking to a naturopath about some treatments to coincide with the chemo. But she also has had an acoustic neuroma and has no hearing at all in one ear. We've heard about possible hearing loss as a result of chemo. What else can you tell me about that? When you say that you lost some high frequency hearing in one ear is that permanent loss?

    naturopathy
    i have been gong to acupuncture for years, mostly for chronic problems with
    allergies, and my bad intestinal fortitude

    have not talked to a Naturopath person, and am wondering how much difference
    between naturopathy and acu/herbal remedies for cancer
    its something i am now considering


    dreamer
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #7
    dreamer007 said:

    naturopathy
    i have been gong to acupuncture for years, mostly for chronic problems with
    allergies, and my bad intestinal fortitude

    have not talked to a Naturopath person, and am wondering how much difference
    between naturopathy and acu/herbal remedies for cancer
    its something i am now considering


    dreamer

    Both
    Dreamer,
    I do both. My naturopath has an accupunturist in her office who also recommends specific Chinese herbs. Both approaches compliment eachother quite well, but there are very few overlaps. So, I believe that doing both is much more comprehensive.
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #8
    nyartist said:

    C IV's
    Hi Tethys41

    Mind if I ask who set up the vitamin C IV's? Was it the medical oncologists or naturopaths working with the oncologists? We've been hearing about a program that's supposed to support Nancy's GI system and liver while going through chemo but vitamin C was not mentioned. Is that something to ask about?

    Naturopath
    I initially worked with a naturopath in California, where I had my debulking surgery, who set up the IVs. I still follow her protocol, but they are administered by a local nurse practitioner who has not only a family practice but also does integrative therapies for various conditions and is perfectly capable of prescribing a specific formula for IVC. Depending on your partner's medical oncologist, you may or may not receive support from her doctor. Some oncologists recognize the benefits of high dose, IV vitamin C and will even incorporate it into chemo treatments. Others, like my local one, will fight you tooth and nail not to do it. Overall, it is your partner's decision and not the oncologist's. It would be interesting to hear what the program is that is aimed at supporting her GI system and liver. If you find out the details, will you post it here?
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #9
    nyartist said:

    hearing loss
    Hi Carolen

    My partner had successful debulking and a complete hysterectomy and is getting ready to start chemo in a few weeks. We've been talking to a naturopath about some treatments to coincide with the chemo. But she also has had an acoustic neuroma and has no hearing at all in one ear. We've heard about possible hearing loss as a result of chemo. What else can you tell me about that? When you say that you lost some high frequency hearing in one ear is that permanent loss?

    Yep, permanent hearing loss for me
    Unfortunately, my hearing loss is permanant (according to the ENT specialist). That doesn't mean that I am not going to try and regenerate my hearing. I think taking alpha lipoic acid 300mg twice/day during chemo and as ongoing maintenance thereafter may have helped prevent hearing loss in both ears. Maybe I should have been taking it THREE times/day--no one has any good guidance on this subject.

    I had acupuncture treatments that stopped the ringing in the ear but the ENT said that the ringing was secondary to the hearing loss--that if the ringing went away the hearing loss was still there.

    About getting those IV vitamin C treatments: every state is different. In Ohio, I don't know if you can find a nurse practitioner to prescribe these treatments...naturopath's aren't licensed to prescribe in Ohio or New York. The MD/DOs have the "keys to the kingdom" around here. I am sure you will be able to find a physician who will help you get the best that the alternative therapy world can offer.

    By the way, Nicholas Gonzales, MD is an alternative cancer doctor in in New York City that uses Dr. Kelly's enzyme therapy to treat cancer. Here's a link to one of Dr. Mercola's YouTube video interviews of Dr. Gonzalez: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWTHbGu8JSY

    Dr. Gonzalez tried to take Kelly's treatment method through clinical trials and ended up totally disillusioned and bitter about the process. He's currently being label a fraud on the QuackWatch site. Aha! He must be onto something!

    While Dr. Gonzalez truly believes he offers the best cancer therapy for patients, I believe that his enzyme approach is incomplete for ovarian cancer patients. My current opinion is that the answer to long-term survival for OVCA survivors is ultimately in cancer stem cell therapy...good luck getting that treatment in the US unless you have kidney cancer or malignant melanoma.

    Chemo seems to be a necessary evil for most of us with ovarian cancer although there is a low-dose chemo regimine where chemo is given with IV dextrose/water following a low-dose of insulin. Google "insulin potentiated chemo." Less carbo, less hearing loss (in my opinion). Of course, I'm not an oncologist, only a humble survivor whose opinions are subject to change.

    best wishes to both of you,

    Carolen

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