what can help reach and keep remission

BarryChen1010
BarryChen1010 Member Posts: 27
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I am almost 3 weeks after treatment and I am still struggling for the side effects, mainly on mouse soar, throat soar, etc. This is tough and the contents in the site helped a lot.

 

But I actually want to bring a topic on what we as a patient can do to reach or keep remission. I always curious about what others in this site have done which helped you to keep getting NEDs for many years.

 

I did get some info occasionally from some of the posts (or books) like list as below, but not sure whether and how much of them can really take effects. What's your option? Really appreciate if you can share your experiences!

- No sugar

- less white wheat and rice

- more vegetables and fruit

- less red meats and diary products

- keep exercising

- take care of the mind, like meditation

Comments

  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,034 Member
    #2
    Good Topic

    Barry,

    To try and answer your question as to what I have done differently to get clear scans would be nothing. I still eat sugar, but only if it is in something. I exercise by doing chores around the house. As far as changing my foods, it is more of what I am able to chew and swallow after having part of my tongue removed, no saliva. Red meats have been cut down some as I am unable to chew a steak, everything has to be ground up and in a sauce. Pasta is more to my liking now as it is easier to eat for me.

    Breakfast is a staple meal for me, I lean towards that mostly, so I do have a bowl of cereal each day with milk. Pancakes, French Toast, Waffles, very crisp beacon so it snaps.

    Taking care of the mind, well I visit this board daily and another one, share information with those that ask and hopefully I can give some insight as to what is ahead for them.

    I am now retired, so I do volunteer work as well. Keeping a positive attitude works for me. Yes, I have side effects, but I keep moving. I am sure I am not alone with some of this, each of us finds what works best for us. One size does not fit all, so we adjust our life style to meet our needs in hopes in getting back to as normal as we can, before cancer knocked on our door.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #3

    I don't think there is anything you can do.  It is all in the hands of the man upstairs.  My husband was NED for over a year and all of a sudden during an endoscope the head and neck specialist came out and told me that he found a second primary at the cervical of my husband's esophagus.  What a shock because he was doing so well.  Told surgery was out due to his previous radiation and surgery all in basically the same spot as this new cancer.  Needless to say the further treatment didn't help him and he elected to stop all treatment. 

    You can follow what everyone says but to me it still doesn't really matter.  Everyone is different.  This also goes for when a doctor says you only have so long and then you live way past that time.  Our doctors never gave my husband any time after he refused treatment but he lived another 3 year with 2 1/2 good years.  Many are NED after treatment and stay that way and then many don't because the cancer comes back more aggressive.  Case in point, one of my aunt's was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and she fought hard but it didn't matter because in the end she lost her battle.  One of her grandsons was diagnosed with lukemia at the age of 8 and beat it.  He is now 19 years old.  One of my sisters was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer and she is a 12 year survivor and my youngest son had a kidney removed due to cancer 6 years ago and is doing great.  The same goes for those that say smoking and drinking causes cancer -- if that is true why do those that never smoked or drank get cancer? 

    There are many who think that not eating certain foods help but then again many do eat the foods and never have another problem.  Many say that they take this supplement that helps and the list could go on and on.  In the end it still is in the hands of the man upstairs and I'm not that religious.  These are just my opinions for which many will disagree with me.

    Wishing you the best

  • BarryChen1010
    BarryChen1010 Member Posts: 27
    #4
    Ladylacy said:

    I don't think there is anything you can do.  It is all in the hands of the man upstairs.  My husband was NED for over a year and all of a sudden during an endoscope the head and neck specialist came out and told me that he found a second primary at the cervical of my husband's esophagus.  What a shock because he was doing so well.  Told surgery was out due to his previous radiation and surgery all in basically the same spot as this new cancer.  Needless to say the further treatment didn't help him and he elected to stop all treatment. 

    You can follow what everyone says but to me it still doesn't really matter.  Everyone is different.  This also goes for when a doctor says you only have so long and then you live way past that time.  Our doctors never gave my husband any time after he refused treatment but he lived another 3 year with 2 1/2 good years.  Many are NED after treatment and stay that way and then many don't because the cancer comes back more aggressive.  Case in point, one of my aunt's was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and she fought hard but it didn't matter because in the end she lost her battle.  One of her grandsons was diagnosed with lukemia at the age of 8 and beat it.  He is now 19 years old.  One of my sisters was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer and she is a 12 year survivor and my youngest son had a kidney removed due to cancer 6 years ago and is doing great.  The same goes for those that say smoking and drinking causes cancer -- if that is true why do those that never smoked or drank get cancer? 

    There are many who think that not eating certain foods help but then again many do eat the foods and never have another problem.  Many say that they take this supplement that helps and the list could go on and on.  In the end it still is in the hands of the man upstairs and I'm not that religious.  These are just my opinions for which many will disagree with me.

    Wishing you the best

    Thanks for the reply

    Thanks for the reply ladylacy. I am sorry for your aunt and husband and glad for others who fight successfully.Good luck every day.

    I do believe God in the upstair controls everything and pray for good everyday.

    I also think HE is helping/guiding us through something and we need some wisdom to identify them, like good doctor, diet change, etc. I am not a long time Christian and not sure what other thinks, but want to try my best to do something which I hope can help.

  • BarryChen1010
    BarryChen1010 Member Posts: 27
    #5
    MarineE5 said:

    Good Topic

    Barry,

    To try and answer your question as to what I have done differently to get clear scans would be nothing. I still eat sugar, but only if it is in something. I exercise by doing chores around the house. As far as changing my foods, it is more of what I am able to chew and swallow after having part of my tongue removed, no saliva. Red meats have been cut down some as I am unable to chew a steak, everything has to be ground up and in a sauce. Pasta is more to my liking now as it is easier to eat for me.

    Breakfast is a staple meal for me, I lean towards that mostly, so I do have a bowl of cereal each day with milk. Pancakes, French Toast, Waffles, very crisp beacon so it snaps.

    Taking care of the mind, well I visit this board daily and another one, share information with those that ask and hopefully I can give some insight as to what is ahead for them.

    I am now retired, so I do volunteer work as well. Keeping a positive attitude works for me. Yes, I have side effects, but I keep moving. I am sure I am not alone with some of this, each of us finds what works best for us. One size does not fit all, so we adjust our life style to meet our needs in hopes in getting back to as normal as we can, before cancer knocked on our door.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

    Thanks for sharing! Yes it's

    Thanks for sharing! Yes it's really tough for us to choose every food by ourselves after the tough treatments:(

  • Barbaraek
    Barbaraek Member Posts: 626
    #6
    Cancer doesn't care

    who you are...so yes, sometimes it does seem random regarding who gets it and who doesn't, who beats the odds and who doesn't. I watched a great series called Cancer, the Emperor of all Maladies - based on the book by the same name. For a while researchers argues about the cause - was it viral, environmental or genetic? Well guess what...it can be any one of the three.

    That said...I do think there are things you can do to have better health in general, and as far as cancer goes...I think the better you keep your immune system in shape, the better it will be. So for my husband and I that means eating less processed foods and more raw, organic foods that are immune system boosters, and exercising to maintain a good weight. Does it mean we'll never have a piece of cake and sit and watch a movie? No, of course not...we want to enjoy life, but I think incorporating healthier eating and activities into a daily routine is a good place to start.

     

    Barbara

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #7
    Hi Barry

     

    Really and truly the only thing I found to help me with no recurring is to pray daily and put my life into Gods hands. Then as you listed below treat your body like you would if you just purchase a new Two Hundred thousand dollar car, put only the best in it. The best oil and the best gas will keep it running for a long time with no problems.

    God Bless

    Tim    

  • BarryChen1010
    BarryChen1010 Member Posts: 27
    #8
    Hondo said:

    Hi Barry

     

    Really and truly the only thing I found to help me with no recurring is to pray daily and put my life into Gods hands. Then as you listed below treat your body like you would if you just purchase a new Two Hundred thousand dollar car, put only the best in it. The best oil and the best gas will keep it running for a long time with no problems.

    God Bless

    Tim    

    Thanks for sharing Tim and

    Thanks for sharing Tim and Barbara

    . What the patient can really do is very limited.

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #9
    Nothing really proven, but..........

    I have read many thoughts and it comes to that there is no scientific proof that anythind will. What you have listed Berry, I do see mention quite often. When you have the PET/CT they inject you with small amounts of radioactive materials. I was told that the cancer seens to be drawen to sugar/glucose and that is where is shows where the cancer is. I have also read many reports that cancer likes or is drawer to sugar and acid, but can't servive in an alkaline environment. Just resently they say eating alkaline based food will not change the blood PH to more alkaline side os it won't matter. So they can't seem to agree but it has been proven that it is drawn to glucose. I still use sugar.  I don't think you can really do much to stop cancer or a reoccerence except for H&N don't smoke or use tobacco. I was told if I continued to smoke the likelyhood of getting it again went up from 25% to 90%. It is just a cell that gets out of control and multiplies to fast and over and over out of control. You can also get throat cancer from acid reflex.               #1 tobacco/ smoking, #2 Heavy Drinking, #3HPV+, #4 acid Reflux, #5 You just did.

    I got emphysema becaused I smoked, but that is not all of the reason. I had it passed in my genes from both of my parents. I have Alpha-1 antitrypsin dificiency which means I would get emphtsema if I never smoked.

    Bill

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