Cancer patients should beware supplement use

nudgie
nudgie Member Posts: 1,478 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Short, but interesting article:

http://my.earthlink.net/article/hea?guid=20090608/4a2c8cc0_3421_1334520090608-296030919

Comments

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #2
    All drugs
    Herbs are drugs too. That's why it's important I think to have someone who knows about this type of stuff guide you. People can OD on things like OJ even. Uranium-235 is natural too, so it tobacco. I think it's common sense. Chemo can also kill you that's why we let people who know what they are doing administer it. I guess it shows that a little information can be harmful.
    Thanks for posting though Nudgie. Some people think it's all or nothing, I think the two can possibly help each other. My Onc warned me about supplements, I think they do not know all of the potential side effects or interactions in the drugs.
    -phil
  • elizabethgd
    elizabethgd Member Posts: 145
    #3
    PhillieG said:

    All drugs
    Herbs are drugs too. That's why it's important I think to have someone who knows about this type of stuff guide you. People can OD on things like OJ even. Uranium-235 is natural too, so it tobacco. I think it's common sense. Chemo can also kill you that's why we let people who know what they are doing administer it. I guess it shows that a little information can be harmful.
    Thanks for posting though Nudgie. Some people think it's all or nothing, I think the two can possibly help each other. My Onc warned me about supplements, I think they do not know all of the potential side effects or interactions in the drugs.
    -phil

    herbs /vitamins
    sloan kettering has info on herbs and vitamins..

    http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/11570.cfm
  • rustypipes12
    rustypipes12 Member Posts: 9
    #4
    elizabethgd said:

    herbs /vitamins
    sloan kettering has info on herbs and vitamins..

    http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/11570.cfm

    supplements
    Thank you Elizabeth!
    The Link To Sloan Kettering was the only real useful information I've seen! I've read some horror stories about people who tried alternate cures instead of chemo and about people that nearly poisoned themselves by taking massive quantities of various supplements. I think if you look in the right places, you'll find scary stuff about anything! I actually feel better about what I'm taking now because I'm not affected by the possible negatives and there are some very good positives that came out from the studies listed! I still wouldn't take anything without clearing it with the doc first but I feel better knowing that there's been some research on the subject.
    Thanks again,
    Paul
  • pascale
    pascale Member Posts: 17
    #5
    rustypipes12 said:

    supplements
    Thank you Elizabeth!
    The Link To Sloan Kettering was the only real useful information I've seen! I've read some horror stories about people who tried alternate cures instead of chemo and about people that nearly poisoned themselves by taking massive quantities of various supplements. I think if you look in the right places, you'll find scary stuff about anything! I actually feel better about what I'm taking now because I'm not affected by the possible negatives and there are some very good positives that came out from the studies listed! I still wouldn't take anything without clearing it with the doc first but I feel better knowing that there's been some research on the subject.
    Thanks again,
    Paul

    supplements
    The Sloan Kettering site is very useful -- thank you. Two months ago I consulted a naturopath in the US and she prescribed a regimen for my mom (CRC with mets to liver, lung, peritoneum) that I checked with a surgical oncologist who was following her case. It includes Wobenzym, Coriolus Versicolor, L-glutamine, acetyl-l carnitine, grape pip extract, turmeric extract, resveratrol, alpha-lipoic acid, fish oil, vitamin D, magnesium citrate, and white tea. All of these appear to be helpful, not harmful, and my mother was feeling better than she had in months (she was drained by her last round of chemo, platelets down, etc.). Then she was hospitalized with a sub-acute bowel obstruction and I'm now very worried the supplements contributed to this, even though they were approved by the oncologist. I'm so confused: should I just stick with a couple, even though they might not help her as much? Or should I risk putting her back on them?
    Pascale
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #6
    pascale said:

    supplements
    The Sloan Kettering site is very useful -- thank you. Two months ago I consulted a naturopath in the US and she prescribed a regimen for my mom (CRC with mets to liver, lung, peritoneum) that I checked with a surgical oncologist who was following her case. It includes Wobenzym, Coriolus Versicolor, L-glutamine, acetyl-l carnitine, grape pip extract, turmeric extract, resveratrol, alpha-lipoic acid, fish oil, vitamin D, magnesium citrate, and white tea. All of these appear to be helpful, not harmful, and my mother was feeling better than she had in months (she was drained by her last round of chemo, platelets down, etc.). Then she was hospitalized with a sub-acute bowel obstruction and I'm now very worried the supplements contributed to this, even though they were approved by the oncologist. I'm so confused: should I just stick with a couple, even though they might not help her as much? Or should I risk putting her back on them?
    Pascale

    My Onc...
    ...didn't want me on many supplements, she wanted nothing to compromise the chemo, or make it not work like she wants it too, the only things she has told me to what would be good is Vitamin D (Milk for the protein), Iron pill if you are anemic, a multi-vitamin like Women's One A Day, and Vitamin B complex, it has all the B vitamins in it.

    Hope that helps you alittle!

    Donna
  • rustypipes12
    rustypipes12 Member Posts: 9
    #7
    pascale said:

    supplements
    The Sloan Kettering site is very useful -- thank you. Two months ago I consulted a naturopath in the US and she prescribed a regimen for my mom (CRC with mets to liver, lung, peritoneum) that I checked with a surgical oncologist who was following her case. It includes Wobenzym, Coriolus Versicolor, L-glutamine, acetyl-l carnitine, grape pip extract, turmeric extract, resveratrol, alpha-lipoic acid, fish oil, vitamin D, magnesium citrate, and white tea. All of these appear to be helpful, not harmful, and my mother was feeling better than she had in months (she was drained by her last round of chemo, platelets down, etc.). Then she was hospitalized with a sub-acute bowel obstruction and I'm now very worried the supplements contributed to this, even though they were approved by the oncologist. I'm so confused: should I just stick with a couple, even though they might not help her as much? Or should I risk putting her back on them?
    Pascale

    supplements
    Hi Pascale,
    That sounds like an awful lot of supplements, I'd talk to the Oncologist again and find out what his/her thoughts are on whether they might of contributed. I'm no doctor but Magnesium citrate is a laxative, and fish oil can act as a mild one. It sounds like your Mom might of been having some problems before the supplements. I'd probably want a second opinion from another doctor at this point too (but that's just me). Good luck and I hope she feels better soon!
    Paul
  • pascale
    pascale Member Posts: 17
    #8
    rustypipes12 said:

    supplements
    Hi Pascale,
    That sounds like an awful lot of supplements, I'd talk to the Oncologist again and find out what his/her thoughts are on whether they might of contributed. I'm no doctor but Magnesium citrate is a laxative, and fish oil can act as a mild one. It sounds like your Mom might of been having some problems before the supplements. I'd probably want a second opinion from another doctor at this point too (but that's just me). Good luck and I hope she feels better soon!
    Paul

    supplements
    Hi Paul,
    Yes, I agree, it is an awful lot! She was taking them in between and during meals. But it's true that she was having problems before, and I suppose it's unlikely that pills, even many of them, could cause an intestinal obstruction. I was just worried the supplements precipitated something, but I guess this is an unpredictable disease to some extent and I am just looking for something that gives me a feeling of control! I can't ask her oncologist here in Egypt because he's not really into the whole alternative medicine scene; he has just said that vitamin D was a good idea (although I would imagine that we get so much sun here it's not as important as it would be, say, in Iceland...). It's very good to know that anti-oxidants can interfere with chemo, though, and I'll definitely cut those out when she starts the Vectibix-Irinotecan. It's probably best to err on the side of caution and stick with the vitamin D + calcium.
    Good luck to you too!
    Pascale
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #9
    pascale said:

    supplements
    Hi Paul,
    Yes, I agree, it is an awful lot! She was taking them in between and during meals. But it's true that she was having problems before, and I suppose it's unlikely that pills, even many of them, could cause an intestinal obstruction. I was just worried the supplements precipitated something, but I guess this is an unpredictable disease to some extent and I am just looking for something that gives me a feeling of control! I can't ask her oncologist here in Egypt because he's not really into the whole alternative medicine scene; he has just said that vitamin D was a good idea (although I would imagine that we get so much sun here it's not as important as it would be, say, in Iceland...). It's very good to know that anti-oxidants can interfere with chemo, though, and I'll definitely cut those out when she starts the Vectibix-Irinotecan. It's probably best to err on the side of caution and stick with the vitamin D + calcium.
    Good luck to you too!
    Pascale

    Are they???
    I thought anti-oxidants like what was in pomegranite juices and teas were good for you? I drink herbal teas alot, especially green tea..is this bad for me?

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