First review the good news - God's provision:
Jan had successful surgery to remove the visible cancer, that has moved her chances from almost certain death within 3 years to a 4 in 5 chance of healthy survival for at least 5 years. All we are doing with Tamoxifen and radiotherapy is to try to increase those odds to say 6 in 7.
Those are very good odds for cancer, it is far worse for most other cancers. But if those were odds of being killed in an old car or bus it would still be classed in the UK as an illegal deathtrap! Think of it, 1 in 7 could kill you in five years!
Conventional treatment has been delayed by the hospital losing test results for 68 days, and not having radiotherapy available for 10 weeks. I reckon this has had 3 benefits:
- We have been forced to look at nutrition, we had no other treatment option. I suspect food has more influence than drugs
- I believe the delayed radiotherapy gives Jan a better chance of long term survival, as reviewed by Harvard University research in the USA. Harvard at one of their top universities!
- Jan has had 68 days healthy life without any effect from cancer drugs. That is why she was the fittest person at the recent cancer clinic, the NHS didn't lose others' test results so they were on drugs!
Fear - the bad news:
For the last 2 days Jan has been losing fitness, and is now taking 2 pain killers each day to overcome what we guess are side effects of Tamoxifen. She is beginning to go down the road of worse health, and a greater dependence on a growing cocktail of drugs warned about in so many of the alternative cancer treatment guides. We had not been warned of these side effects, the oncologist stressed Tamoxifen is the safest anti cancer drug they have, which I believe.
So we don't know whether Jan is getting the side effects of Tamoxifen, or sickening for flu......When I look at Internet forums Jan's symptoms are common side effects. One describes Tamoxifen as making one feel like an 80 or 85 year old.
What I guess is going on:
I suspect we are losing the benefits Jan had from health foods and she is getting poisoned by Tamoxifen, a double whammy
Why? The test results tell us the cancer responds / grows more rapidly in the presence of estrogen, a female hormone. Jan had been taking "red clover"and vitamin E for the last ten years. Both are such powerful "health foods " that she has been told by doctors to stop taking them, as red clover interferes with Tamoxifen. At least it is not a placebo! Red clover was blocking the effect of estrogen on her body, this role is now taken over by Tamoxifen which in my opinion is a stronger anti cancer drug but not as effective in fighting other estrogen effects, hence Jan's side effects.
I suggest to Jan either skipping some doses of Tamoxifen, or resuming red clover. I suspect Jan will not go against medical advice. We check formal advice and I quote:
"Use this medicine only as directed by your doctor. The exact amount of medicine you need has been carefully worked out. Taking too much may increase the chance of side effects, while taking too little may not improve your condition.
Tamoxifen sometimes causes mild nausea and vomiting. However, it may have to be taken for several weeks or months to be effective. Even if you begin to feel ill, do not stop using this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Ask your health care professional for ways to lessen these effects."
This jars on me..... if the dose has been carefully worked out how come there are only two tablet sizes, 20mg and 40mg? If there is exageration and lying here, how can we trust info on side effects? I look deeper, and find the following side effects of Tamoxifen from a US site :
* Coughing up blood
* Leg swelling or tenderness
* New breast lumps
* Pelvic pain or pressure
* Sudden chest pain
* Unexplained shortness of breath
* Vaginal bleeding
* Anxiety
* Blistering, peeling, or loosening of skin and mucous membranes
* Blurred vision
* Chest pain
* Confusion
* Cough
* Dizziness
* Fainting
* Fast heartbeat
* Lightheadedness
** Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
* Weakness or sleepiness
* Yellow eyes or skin
* Change in vaginal discharge
* Chills
* Fever
* Hoarseness
* Lower back or side pain
* Pain or feeling of pressure in pelvis
* Pain, redness, or swelling in your arm or leg
* Painful or difficult urination
* Rapid shallow breathing
* Skin rash or itching over the entire body
* Sweating
* Vaginal bleeding
* Wheezing
* Bloating
* Constipation
* Darkened urine
* Diarrhea
* Difficult breathing
* Indigestion
* Itching
* Joint or muscle pain
* Large, hard skin blisters
* Large hive-like swelling on face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, and sex organs
* Loss of appetite
* Pain in stomach or side, possibly radiating to the back
* Red, irritated eyes
* Red skin lesions, often with a purple center
* Sore throat
* Sores, ulcers or white spots in mouth or on lips
* Unusual tiredness or weakness
* Vomiting
* Cataracts in the eyes or other eye problems
* Liver problems
* Bone pain
* Headache
* Skin rash or dryness
* Confusion
* Decrease in amount of urine
* Feeling of warmth redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally, upper chest
* Lower back or side pain
* Nausea
* Noisy, rattling breathing
* Painful or difficult urination
* Swelling of fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs
* Troubled breathing at rest
* Vaginal bleeding
* Weight gain
* Weight loss
* White or brownish vaginal discharge
* Abdominal cramps
* Black, tarry stools
* Bleeding gums
* Blood in urine or stools
* Bluish color changes in skin color
* Discouragement
* Feeling sad or empty
* Irritability
* Itching in genital area
* Lack of appetite
* Loss of interest or pleasure
* Pain
* Pinpoint red spots on skin
* Stomach or pelvic discomfort, aching or heaviness
* Swelling
* Trouble concentrating
* Trouble sleeping
* Unusual bleeding or bruising
Phew, would you take that drug described by the doctor as the safest anti cancer drug she has? It claims a 31% reduction is cancer recurrence, when aspirin has been documented as giving 20%. There are other proven side effects such ovarian, uterine and vaginal cancer, plus some that effect men only so I won't list those! The list finishes with:
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Food: With those side effects dare I tell Jan to stop taking the drug, and trust in prayer or nutrition?
Frustration: I want equally solid scientific data on health foods such as red clover. I need such info if Jan is to switch from Tamoxifen back to red clover.
Another I find is Avemar. This looks a seriously useful product by a reputable supplier, more effective than Tamoxifen in trials. Avemar inhibited human ER+ cancer cell growth (such as Jan's) by 49%, Tamoxifen 42%, Aromasin 25% and Arimidex 25%. Each agent was enhanced by 5 to 10% when combined with Avemar. Most effective was a combination of Aromasin and Avemar, inhibiting breast tumors by 60%. Maybe that is why they say it must be used as an adjunct to conventional therapy rather than as a replacement.
I want a complete replacement for Tamoxifen. Thinks, I read a report of an Irish investigation looking at whether prescription drugs could work just as well if left in a box as taking them. Only the Irish could need such research! Unfortunately they found conclusively that one had to take the drug to get any effect, shame!
Faith: Our bible reading today covered Psalm 119 verses 143 and 144:
"Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight. Your statutes are ever right, give me understanding that I may live"
I am taking it out of context, but wonder whether we need understanding of nutrition that Jan may live healthily. We await Jane Plant's book with expectancy.
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