Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

**TAMOXIFEN** 4th thread

951 replies

MaryAnnSingleton · 28/04/2010 07:24

here we go !

OP posts:
Genevieve123 · 15/05/2010 19:47

Just want to share some info with any cancer sufferenrs out there. Hope you will bear with me and find some of the information below of use.

I suffered breast cancer at the age of 46 four years ago. Knowing my diet had not been fantastic on the nutritional front and with a stressful relationship was drinking 2-3 glasses of wine an evening, I asked my consultant if he could direct me to a nutritionist. He said he couldn't, so did the nurse. No advice given as to how I could make a difference to my impending treatment.

Like most, I was in shock when I got the results of my biopsy saying I had malignant breast cancer. I waited 7 weeks before I had my mastectomy, because I opted to go to a hospital further afield, which did not automatically take away all the lymph nodes under my arm. I had four tumours, the largest being nearly 3cm. I had the surgery, followed by chemo, radiotherapy, herceptin and then tamoxifen.

After the initial diagnosis and lack of advice from the consultant, I immediately got onto the internet at home to find what I could do to help myself get through all the treatment. There were millions of results and I didn't know what to believe.

Thankfully, my sister had a friend whose husband was fighting aggressive prostate cancer. They had come across the book "Your life in your hands" by Prof. Jane Plant, who herself had breast cancer five times and was finally given a terminal diagnosis of 3-6 months to live. Being a high-flying Cambridge graduate she set her analytical mind to work as soon as she was diagnosed first time round and was desperate to discover why the Chinese have a 1 in 100,000 chance of suffering from breast or prostate cancer, whilst we in the West suffer 1 in every 9. She discovered just in time that the Chinese do not eat dairy, and cut that out immediately from her breast cancer diet. Apparently dairy has a natural growth hormone meant for their calves only, but with cancer, just promotes rapid growth of tumours. Jane Plant also wrote a book with the help of a top nutritionist full of cancer-fighting, delicious recipes. Both these books had a bearing on my positive outlook of my cancer.

This friend of my sister, also gave me the contact details of the Naturapath that they were convinced got them through all the treatment. I went to one session with her and paid £45. She went through my whole life situation, stresses, health, diet etc. She put me on mega supplements which helped boost my immune system and which also helped me fly through the chemo etc with no side-effects at all, apart from losing my hair, also specifying foods to eat and foods to avoid.

Maybe I am naughty, but I have also decided to give Tamoxifen a miss, after having found out all the side-effects it could cause. I read recently that extract of Rosemary does the same as Tamoxifen so am taking that instead. I wouldn't recommend anybody else do this, unless they did their own research. This was a personal decision and risk I shall take on my own. After taking Tamoxifen for five years, there is no guarantee that cancer will not return at any point after that. So I am risking two years of possible return, where the Tamoxifen would probably guarantee two years of worry free.

I am also taking Co-Enzyme 10 each day which is very good at repairing damage done by chemo to the DNA. CQ-10 is vital when undergoing chemo as it protects the heart from damage. I also found lots of articles about bitter apricot kernels. Bitter apricot kernels have a natural cyanide which kills cancer cells. If one is in remission one should take 16 per day. You cannot buy this on the high street, but you can get them from EdenTrust on the internet, which do organic ones. I bought 500 grms for £12.50 which seem to last for ever. A nutritional therapist who has dealt with cancer patients, who I met recently takes 10 per day himself, just to keep cancer at bay. Apparently one only needs to take seven per day to avoid all cancers. The Food Standards Agency recommends we take no more than two per day. Two per day has no preventative effect at all. In the States they are banning the growing of bitter apricot trees, which Ty Bollinger, an activist who is trying to get all the alternative cancer treatments to the masses, is up in arms about. We can send people to the moon, and have made great technological advances, but after having spent billions and billions on cancer treatments and research, they still have not found a cure, but there are 300 alternatives out there that do work. If used by the masses, the pharmaceutical giants would lose billions, so it is not in their interests to find a cure.

When I was going through radiotherapy, I was advised by www.goodhealthnaturally.com to take Curcumin98 at six per day to protect me from getting sore or burnt. This worked for me and I only went brown as one would from the sun. The only problem I did have was that I did start taking them whilst I was on chemo and felt that I was truly filled with poison. I checked on google "curcumin + cancer" and found loads of scientific studies on it. What they did say was that if taken whilst on chemo there would be adverse side-effects. As soon as I read that I stopped taking them and I was fine. I left it until three weeks after my last chemo before taking it again, to prevent me burning whilst on radiotherapy.

Curcumin and green tea were found in the scientifc papers to cure malignant melanoma. You can bet the doctors are not going to recommend that to a skin cancer patient. My niece's mother-in-law died last year at 58 after her malignant melanoma spread. She had gone to her doctor many times over a period of two years only to be told her suspicious mole was nothing to worry about. She finally got an expert opinion only to be told she was terminal. A few months later, after radical chemo, it spread to her brain and she died.

Today I received an e-mail newsletter from a website called cancerdefeated.com where they list six of the best alternative cancer clinics which are based in Germany. The German doctors do not stand by and let their patients go through all the gruelling treatment that we have to go through over here, they put their patients to sleep and cook the cancer out of them. They found years ago that very high fevers in people actually managed to cure their cancer. And that is any cancer. They use no surgery, no chemo and no radiation. Ronald Reagan went to Germany for this type of cancer treatment for his cancer, but although it was known he was undergoing treatment, it was hushed up as to where he went to get it.

This rings true with me as my cousin in Australia recently mentioned that a good friend of hers was cured of terminal cancer in Germany.

Just thought I would share this info with everybody. So many people are affected in some way by cancer or have loved ones or aquaintances that do - it would be great to spread a bit of good news to them that there are places that can cure them.

wubblybubbly · 15/05/2010 20:00

Kurri, I'm so jealous of your sewing skills . I've never been able to get my head around sewing. I'm sure I've got a mandarin collar shirt from 5th year waiting to be finished 25 years on!

A nurse at the chemo unit was telling me about a woman who made all of her own head scarves from T shirts with no needlework skill at all. I'm wondering if I should take to DH's wardrobe with a big pair of kitchen scissors?

zapostrophe · 15/05/2010 20:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

KurriKurri · 15/05/2010 20:22

Thank you Zapostrophe, - its always a bit upsetting on this thread, and leaves us all rather gobsmacked I think.

sandripples · 15/05/2010 20:22

Wubbly - well done on your first chemo - you sound as thought you're doing pretty well.

Kk - yes I enjoy cooking but am hopeless at sewing. Can only manage curtains. I hope your dress comes out well.

Genevieve - am glad all the treatment worked for you. I am keeping to the traditional routes for the time being though. Will keep your suggestions in mind for later on.

KurriKurri · 15/05/2010 20:24

Wubbly - it really is a very simple pattern, - no great skill required. My only doubt is how I (a very short person) will look in a maxi dress - I will have to buy some killer heels!

wubblybubbly · 15/05/2010 20:33

Thanks SR, I'm feeling a whole lot better today, just normal tired rather than totally washed out. It's just taking it day by day to get an idea of how I'll go through the cycle.

Kurri, ooh defo killer heels! I've lost my ability to walk in heels ever since having DS 3 years ago. My BF is 5'2" and always looks so lovely and feminine in whatever she wears, including maxi dresses, so I'm sure you'll look devine

smee · 15/05/2010 21:14

RWU, 22 is so young. How cruel life can be. Have to say it, but you need more fun - going to friend's house to dispose of ex-husband (so to speak!) sounds a bit on the grim side too. Hope it's not, but am wishing you something a bit brighter for next week.

SR thanks for worrying you'll worry me (blame a glass of wine for poor syntax!), but my veins will do whatever and you must never not post for fear of upsetting - very much against the spirit of the thread I think. It's useful to hear it all, including the icky bits. Glad to hear you're up and baking!

Hi wubbly - glad the first chemo went well, though hope the mood's lifted. Maybe it was the drugs, but I've noticed a low after every new bit of all this. We psyc ourselves up for the actual appointment/ treatment and then hit a low as we get past it - or at least I do. Always surprises me, which is a bit dim of me seeing as I've spotted it's something I tend to do. Comfort food sounds essential.

kurri I'm another who's mighty impressed by the sewing. I still haven't finished the jumper I was knitting for DS when he was born. He's going to be six soon.

Off to refill my glass and prod DS to start cooking the meal he promised. Happy weekend to you all. Apparently the sun might shine..

MaryAnnSingleton · 16/05/2010 08:50

well done on first chemo wubbly - hope you're feeling ok today - the weather is nice here,hope you have sun and warmth.
Poor ds not feeling well- kept his jacket on all day and sat under a blanket - he is so seldom poorly that I never know what to do with him.

OP posts:
sandripples · 16/05/2010 08:56

Hope DS feels better soon MAS.

Wubbly - are you keeping a diary? It can help as you might find each cycle has a similar pattern so you can refer back which can be reassuring. I've done this and my first 2 cycels were similar then the latter 2 varied a bit. But I also note my activity levels as I find that helpful in knowing what I can expect of myself. This last time I had a longer period of low energy and sure enough my blood counts have not bounced back this last time, as well as before.

Hope everyone is OK.

One of you had exactly same meal as me yesterday - it was the only thing I fancies! Cheicken mash and peas. I sent my veggie husband out to buy the chick and it was delicious!

MaryAnnSingleton · 16/05/2010 11:03

thanks SR
Diary sounds a good idea..my bcn suggested the same thing (but with regard to my dealing with OCD with self help cbt) so that i can see if things are different from week to week- it's hard to remember things and if it's written down then there's a record. She said she suggested this for a patient who was suffering pain - to record how it was day to day,then she could see if it was improving.
Mash is the ultimate comfort food I think - dh makes nice mash,almost as good as his dad's which was sublime !

OP posts:
wubblybubbly · 16/05/2010 11:16

Sorry to hear about your DS MaryAnn. I hope he's feeling better again soon.

I was talking a one of the ladies from a playgroup I used to go to who has just come through the other side of her treatment. She also said she hit a real low after she finished her rads. She said she found it hard after being so busy fighting this all the way through that at the end it sort of all hit home a bit.

RWU, I really am so sorry to hear about your friend. .

SR that's great advice about a diary. I think I'll sort that out, the hardest bit definitely seems to be not knowing what's coming next.

Smee, I'm blaming the steriods! I'm blaming them for everything Struggled to get off to sleep last night but feel pretty good this morning.

I'm eating like a horse at the minute, I guess that's the steroids but couldn't for the life of me persuade DH to go for Sausage McMuffins this morning. He's craftily using the excuse of my good health to strengthen his argument, so I've had to settle for all bran .

KurriKurri · 16/05/2010 11:26

SR's diary idea a very good one think Wubbly for noting the effects of treatment, and also when your treatment finishes it is good for seeing how much progress you have made.

I'm Sorry DS is ill MAS, hope he feels better soon. Does he worry about missing school if he's poorly? My DD used to get in a flap because she thought she'd have so much catching up to do.

I've done quite a lot of the dress, enough to try it on and know it fits.

It is windy here. We have a lovely flowering cherry which overhangs the back of the garden and is out now, but every year when it blossoms we seem to instantly get windy days which blows it all off

MaryAnnSingleton · 16/05/2010 12:15

now cloudy and cool here :-(
Ds will be fine for school I think - he seems to have perked up - he seldom misses school but I guess it would bother him - I used to flap like mad about catching up.

OP posts:
wubblybubbly · 16/05/2010 15:46

It was lovely here first thing, but the heavens opened and it's been chucking it down for hours. Seems to have stopped at last, but not much chance of getting my washing dried.

Glad to hear your DS is feeling a little better now MAS.

MaryAnnSingleton · 16/05/2010 16:57

had a rainy walk on some lovely chalk hills near here - saw orchids and cowslips and speedwell...had to turn back though as it was too drizzly...ds much better -he recovers pretty quickly !

OP posts:
wubblybubbly · 17/05/2010 09:27

MAS you have such a lovely outlook on life. I need to take more time to appreciate the little things. I was sat out in the garden this morning trying to enjoy the birdsong but as usual found myself drowned in thoughts of 'must do' rather than just appreciating the moment.

I hope your DS is feeling better today.

Kurri, well done on your dress. How is it looking?

I'm feeling almost normal again now although my arm is sore and aching a bit. I'm hoping that's just par for the course and not some kind of rubbishy vein thing going on.

Hope everyone is well this morning.

sandripples · 17/05/2010 09:36

Hi everyone,
I have felt a bit more whacked than usual this time after chemo - just slept all afternoon yesterday but then went out with DH as I'd spotted mention in a paper of 'one of the best places to see bluebells' being a little woody valley about 5 miles from us - had never been or even heard of it before!

It was a lovely walk - just about half an hour with bluebells all the way under late afternoon sunshine. We were lucky in the NW and it was dry all day - that makes a change!

Another thing I've been doing is watching a star outside the bedroom window - it cought my eye on the night after chemo and gave me a little lift!

Glad yr DS is OK now MAS.
And the dress sounds good KK!
Wubbly - my arm (round the wrist ) is swollen and tender too. I don't like it

But tendon under arm still improving Smee so although still not 100% I think its getting there! How's your's? The pain has gone now - just a question of getting full movement when arm vertical and loosening up the tendon.

Having quiet day today but just bumped into a mum I used to know at primary school who also has BC (and secondaries from initial diagnosis as he only sym[ptom was swollen arm) - we had a good chat and she looked well - we'll have a tea toegether soon.

Bit grey here but I'll potter about. DH cut the grass yesterday - just wish the gardener I contacted would confirm a date to do the work he spec'ed out. I've chased again but am getting a bit frustrated.

Cakesandale · 17/05/2010 09:41

Hi all

Sorry about your fried, RWU, only 22. That's awful.

Well done to wubbly on first chemo! Hope you are still feeling OK. It's amazing how quickly you get through them all really.

I am wildly impressed by the sewing and the cooking, the walking and the just getting on with things. I seem to have spent the last 10 days just wafting around. And I have revised my diet - I was doing the Hop and Thigh Low GI thing but there is just not enough food on it. I am still trying to be careful and lose a bit lot but have resigned myself to the fact that it is going to be a long old haul.

Hope ds is better and safely off to school, MAS.

smee · 17/05/2010 09:43

wubbly that's cheering, that you're feeling almost normal. If it continues like that you'll zip through treatment. Must be a huge relief to be feeling even vaguely okay. Go stroll back out to the garden and make yourself sit. Sounds like a useful new skill. Though if you find a way of doing it, you'll have to pass it on. DH has ordered me a recliner on-line so that I can relax in style and thinks it should have a straight jacket attachment..

MAS you do sound very chilled. Glad DS is better. Bet he was annoyed to feel ropey at a weekend.

Here's to a sunny week ahead for us all.

Cakesandale · 17/05/2010 11:12

DD to cakes in multi storey car park on Saturday:

"mummy mind the pillock behind you"

Me:

"Who? where? Oh. You mean pillar"

wubblybubbly · 17/05/2010 11:58
Grin
MaryAnnSingleton · 17/05/2010 11:58

@ Cakes dd !!
Wubbly -glad you're feeling a bit more normal and sorry to hear that you are a bit wiped out SR - take it easy now.
Ds is fine and at school - he is remarkably resilient,bless him.
Went to opticians for contact lens check and eye test - no new lenses required for either contacts or specs -hooray -though was slightly disappointed that I can't indulge in new spectacle frames (which is madness as my specs are v nice Lulu guinness ones and cost me several arms and legs- but a girl likes some choice in eyewear !)
Anyway, he did caution me to take my lenses out a bit more often as tamoxifen will cause dryness.
Oh and guess what, dh has broken off a bit of tooth now !

OP posts:
Cakesandale · 17/05/2010 12:56

What a shame no new specs are to be had! I'm finding my lenses almost impossible to wear at the mo - I thought it was hay fever starting, but maybe it's Tamoxifen, or both combined. Bugger!

maybe you can get a discount for bulk ordering at the dentists

sandripples · 17/05/2010 13:07

Hope you keep enjoying the current frames MAS and remember how much you've saved! I lost my last specs while body-boarding at Borth last summer - expensive time as had no spares and had to get emenregncy set etc!

Cakes - hope car is OK! And pillar!!

Going for a nap now.

Swipe left for the next trending thread