Jan's mammogram results were all clear today....so we presume that her skin reaction is an allergy to tamoxifen that will die down, or do we have bedbugs? It got as far as a consultant surgeon with scalpel ready to do a biopsy, but he felt the skin was too clear for it to be cancer so held off, and wants to see Jan in 6 months time.
So we are back on diet as our main tool to limit recurrence of cancer....
I read this Ohio State University research report with interest, published in August 2008. We eat the Indian curry spice, tuneric, whose active ingredient of curcumin. So far we are part way through our second jar, which as a food costs less than a £1! Contrast that with possibly the less effective Arimidex at over £1000 p.a
It seems that the scientists are modifying the curcumin molecule, maybe paving the way for a patented drug, and big pharma moving in with funded research on what has to date been a cheap potential cure. Is that good news or bad? It makes me more certain that curcumin could be a life saver. I bet big pharma will charge more than an Indian curry!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Where do cows get calcium from?
Jan now takes Arimidex, known to cause osteoporosis. So I looked at Professor Jane Plant's book on osteoporosis. I like the discussion here, where a vested interest from the dairy industry challenged her hatred of dairy products. I like her response .. " Where do cows or hippopotamus get their calcium from?"
The doctors assume that extra calcium intake is necessary, have put Jan on calcium supplements and many seem worried if one stops taking dairy products. It is interesting that cows are vegetarians, yet have adequate calcium!
Jan still has itchy skin eruptions at what seem to be random areas of her body. We wonder if it is an allergic reaction to Tamoxifen? In the meantime Jan had mammograms of both breasts to check for cancer......results expected tomorrow.....can it be that efficient?
I read three papers on how the body metabolises Tamoxifen, two of the three reckon it takes 10 or 14 days before blood concentrations drop to half after one stops taking it. Jan stopped 2 weeks ago, so maybe it is reasonable the Tamoxifen is still causing a skin rash. Odd that the consultant worried that Jan had stopped for just 4 days earlier, as though she was unaware of how slowly it was excreted from the body.
The doctors assume that extra calcium intake is necessary, have put Jan on calcium supplements and many seem worried if one stops taking dairy products. It is interesting that cows are vegetarians, yet have adequate calcium!
Jan still has itchy skin eruptions at what seem to be random areas of her body. We wonder if it is an allergic reaction to Tamoxifen? In the meantime Jan had mammograms of both breasts to check for cancer......results expected tomorrow.....can it be that efficient?
I read three papers on how the body metabolises Tamoxifen, two of the three reckon it takes 10 or 14 days before blood concentrations drop to half after one stops taking it. Jan stopped 2 weeks ago, so maybe it is reasonable the Tamoxifen is still causing a skin rash. Odd that the consultant worried that Jan had stopped for just 4 days earlier, as though she was unaware of how slowly it was excreted from the body.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Holiday plans / doctors appointments
Good news and bad news.
About a week ago Jan reckoned she had overcome the fatigue that started after radiotherapy. She gave me permission to book our first foreign holiday after her treatment. But her recent concerns over possible recurrence leaves us doubtful....so I will hang on whilst our pound devalues even further!
This is because the hospital wrote yesterday offering a bone density scan in 2 days time......such short notice, or is it speedy service? We will slip that back, as Jan has gone off to the Suffolk coast for a week, and we want to believe cancer cannot recur so fast and there is no need to panic. But yet again we plan our diary around doctor's consultations....the curse of cancer... the holiday will have to wait....
About a week ago Jan reckoned she had overcome the fatigue that started after radiotherapy. She gave me permission to book our first foreign holiday after her treatment. But her recent concerns over possible recurrence leaves us doubtful....so I will hang on whilst our pound devalues even further!
This is because the hospital wrote yesterday offering a bone density scan in 2 days time......such short notice, or is it speedy service? We will slip that back, as Jan has gone off to the Suffolk coast for a week, and we want to believe cancer cannot recur so fast and there is no need to panic. But yet again we plan our diary around doctor's consultations....the curse of cancer... the holiday will have to wait....
Cheap cancer cures in our diet
Thanks to Kelly's comments on my last post for two tips. I see she also had treatment in London....
1) We knew about resveratrol, but had been getting it from red wine at over £3 a bottle and red grapes at £5 a kilo. Seems the supplements are a far cheaper source. What a shame, we even visitited a vineyard last week and were getting into wine! This article claims the supplement may be not only cheaper but better
I know Nottingham University are looking at resveratrol as an arthritis and cancer cure, here is a UK based NHS trial of its use against cancer.
2) We were unaware of DCA. Seems it could be another wonder drug, but lacking big pharma support as it cannot be patented. It has a whole discussion forum here.
Its sale as a cancer cure was banned in the US by the FDA, but is now available again. I do note that it may cause liver cancers, so take care!
It is interesting that DCA may be only slowly developed as big pharma has no interest in a drug that cannot be patented. Rings true to me, which is also why we have taken so much info from University Professors, who do not have such a profit motive in their work and research.
1) We knew about resveratrol, but had been getting it from red wine at over £3 a bottle and red grapes at £5 a kilo. Seems the supplements are a far cheaper source. What a shame, we even visitited a vineyard last week and were getting into wine! This article claims the supplement may be not only cheaper but better
I know Nottingham University are looking at resveratrol as an arthritis and cancer cure, here is a UK based NHS trial of its use against cancer.
2) We were unaware of DCA. Seems it could be another wonder drug, but lacking big pharma support as it cannot be patented. It has a whole discussion forum here.
Its sale as a cancer cure was banned in the US by the FDA, but is now available again. I do note that it may cause liver cancers, so take care!
It is interesting that DCA may be only slowly developed as big pharma has no interest in a drug that cannot be patented. Rings true to me, which is also why we have taken so much info from University Professors, who do not have such a profit motive in their work and research.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Arimidex started
Not such good news.
It seems two cancer specialist doctors are mystified by Jan's symptoms. She has a rash and discharge that appears in parts of her face, arms and leg. Hopefully it is just an allergic reaction to Tamoxifen, so that was stopped and Jan started Arimedex yesterday. But it took 5 hours in the hospital, seeing two specialists, two visits to the pharmacy, and they want to see her again in 2 weeks time, plus take a mammogram, a bone scan and possibly a biopsy. This fills us with horror.
It seems one is walking on thin ice. OK so far but so easily on can see cancer recur, or fall through the ice.....
We have looked at the side effects of Arimidex, none too serious...The original plan had been to switch to a similar drug after 2 years of Tamoxifen, this just brings that date forward. But it means Jan has lost the use of a proven effective drug in the total armoury, and lives in fear of what is happening. The second doctor was none too re-assuring, and the talk of a possible biopsy means she is looking for a possible recurrence.
On a positive note we get away from the dangers of DVT and uterine cancer caused by Tamoxifen, instead we get the increased risk of osteoporosis. Time to order Professor Jane Plant's book on bone strength, she reckons the excretion of calcium is more important the the intake.
I read "research with 77,000 women found that those who got most of their calcium from cow’s milk had significantly more fractures than those who drank little or no cow ’s milk. The main cause of osteoporosis in Western countries is not lack of calcium - it is loss of calcium. Vegetarians have less than half the calcium losses than meat-eaters".
Our bible reading this morning was on perseverance........ so relevant
It seems two cancer specialist doctors are mystified by Jan's symptoms. She has a rash and discharge that appears in parts of her face, arms and leg. Hopefully it is just an allergic reaction to Tamoxifen, so that was stopped and Jan started Arimedex yesterday. But it took 5 hours in the hospital, seeing two specialists, two visits to the pharmacy, and they want to see her again in 2 weeks time, plus take a mammogram, a bone scan and possibly a biopsy. This fills us with horror.
It seems one is walking on thin ice. OK so far but so easily on can see cancer recur, or fall through the ice.....
We have looked at the side effects of Arimidex, none too serious...The original plan had been to switch to a similar drug after 2 years of Tamoxifen, this just brings that date forward. But it means Jan has lost the use of a proven effective drug in the total armoury, and lives in fear of what is happening. The second doctor was none too re-assuring, and the talk of a possible biopsy means she is looking for a possible recurrence.
On a positive note we get away from the dangers of DVT and uterine cancer caused by Tamoxifen, instead we get the increased risk of osteoporosis. Time to order Professor Jane Plant's book on bone strength, she reckons the excretion of calcium is more important the the intake.
I read "research with 77,000 women found that those who got most of their calcium from cow’s milk had significantly more fractures than those who drank little or no cow ’s milk. The main cause of osteoporosis in Western countries is not lack of calcium - it is loss of calcium. Vegetarians have less than half the calcium losses than meat-eaters".
Our bible reading this morning was on perseverance........ so relevant
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