Living With Breast Cancer

Just a word of encouragment to people with mets. I found out I had mets to liver and bones in June 2001. I went to CTCA and they gave me an
attitude of hope. Keep looking and trying different treatments. I also developed a lung mets in 2002. I have been on some type of chemo for 4 years. I do believe the help that the
naturopathic doctors gave me through supplements has help my body stay stronger to fight this diease. But hope is necessry and I must deal all the times with that negative thought pattern. I have been taking oral Xeloda and Femara since Aug 2003 and I saw my tumor mark drop and liver tumors shrink. In march 2003 I was so sick I came home on oxygen. Now I can volunteer some hours at a free health clinic. So don't give up--just give trying and searching for what is the right treatment for you. I praise CTCA for their approach, that you treat the whole person. Nutrition is important despite what local physicians say. If you can go to CTCA I believe it would be worth you time. I haven't bee back since Jan 2003 but I will always be thankful I went. Life is good so enjoy whatever days that God has granted. Love and laugh. Marie In NC

Dear Maria,
I read with interest and hope your message posted 7/3/04. I had breast cancer in 2002 with lymph node involvement and had mastectomy and reconstruction. Two weeks ago I was diagnosed with metastesis of the liver and am starting on Taxotere and oral Xeloda. I am exhausted, tired all the time and pray that this treatment will help. I am only 57 years old. You mentioned CTCA - can you tell me what that is? Any information will be greatly appreciated.
God Bless,
Betty

HTTP://WWW.CANCERCENTER.COM OR 1-888-816-5122. CTCA=CANCER TREATMENT CENTER AMERICA.GOOD INFORMATION AN HELP.GOOD WEBSITE.MAY THE LORD JESUSCHRIST BE WITH YOU.PRAYERS ON THE WAY TO JESUSCHRIST FROM ME.RAFI. MY DAD JUST GOT PROSTATE CANCER.

Hi Beatrice, I am 56 and understand tired. Learn to do things when you feel better. I will pray for you that this treatment works. CTCA stands for Cancer Treatment Centers of america. They treat all kinds of cancer. In 2001 when I found out I had mets to the liver and bone, I deceided to check them out because they offer the tradiation treatments of chemo and radation but they also offer complementary therapies.

These include nutritional therapy, naturopathic medicine, mind-body-medicine and very strong spiritual support, exercise and pain management.

Naturopathic medicine uses botanical medicines, vitamins supplements, acupressure and other therapies. I feel that the nutritional support and the naturopathic support keep me stronger through all the chemo treatments. they have so many other programs that help. The one I went to is in Zion, IL there is one in Tulsa, OK.

You can check out more by going to www.cancercenter.com.

Let me know how this goes, God strengthen you, Marie

Thanks for the prayers, its what keeps me going.
My small churck is going to close and we will be searching for the place that God wants us to be part of. Say an extra pray for that, I will add you dad to my prayer list. "By His stripes we are healed" Marie

Hi Marie,

I too went to CTCA. I live in Hawaii on the island of Kauai, and it was a 9 hour flight each way for me, but it was worth it. They were great almost to the end. I had some problems with them not pre-medicating me for my second type of chemo, taxotere, and I had a horrible reaction. When I asked why they didn't, I was told that they like to see what happens first. What??? All my research after that told me that you have to have the pre-meds for this drug or else..... My general doctor here was appalled, and pre-medded me from then on and I changed to a wonderful doctor in Honolulu. I would recommend them still, even with the problem that I had. I believe in the way that they give the chemo - 18 hours of it instead of 1.5-2 hours like all other oncologists in the country give it. I never got sick, just the reaction to the taxotere as I said and that went away after the proper pre-meds. I was in Zion too.
I am anxious about it returning like we all are most the time, but feel that I have done the best thing by going to CTCA and also following the diet of Dr. Joanna Budwig with the flax and cottage cheese regiment - do it daily. Get the book "How to cure and prevent cancer" or the other way around. Great book and her regiment is in there. Get it and do it... you can read about her theory and results with it when you do a search on her name. Stay healthy. Leslie on Kauai

Leslie, just now saw your message. You mention you are on a flax and cottage cheese regiment--what type of cancer did you have? The reason I am questioning this is that breast and ovarian cancers are estrogen sensitive. Which means you wouldn't want to eat flax seed or flax seed oil, soy, fennel, etc.--anything that is estrogen-like. Was your treatment at CTCA covered by your insurance?

Kauaileslie
since you live in hawaii start using cocnut oil for cooking and eat a lot of fresh coconut just read a book about "coconut cures " i am using that for my renal cancer

Dear Ella,

It is good to hear your attitude of hope. I had Breast Cancer in 2000, Mastectomy and chemo. At the end of 2004 it was discovered that my cancer had returned. It metastisized to my liver, lungs, and bones. I just turned 42 this week. I have been looking for more information and experiences from people about living with Mets. I do have hope and continue to keep on kicking. I have been in treatment at CTCA for just over a year now. The treatment does get old and I want a normal life back. Would like to hear more about how other patients deal with Mets.

God Bless,
In the barn.

Dear Alicia
Life on Chemo does get tedious. I have been on something continuous for almost 5 years. Day to day is how most of us do it. I just had a month of really being down. So i had the dr. up my antidepressant. When I feel good I do something to have fun and I also find something to do to be useful
I don't know if you still work . Work can help but it can be stressful too. So rethink what you want in life.
Each time my chemo is changes I have a new set of sytoms. So i learn how to deal with them and then life is better. Prayer and time with God helps. but sometimes He seems far away. but I remember feelings are not all there is to our relationship with Him. He is there wither we feel it are not.
Get you rest and know its okay to say I can't do it. Enjoy nature and the life that is all around you. Never stop questioning you doctors. I had a large lump growing in my rt breast and I didn't want to go throuh surgery again. So i asked for radation. Never the radiaologist or the oncologist felt it would work but they okayed it and it worked. You know your body listen to it. Research new options for treatment. My goal is to kept having treatments until new treatments are developed that work better. Take care of want you have. Eat, rest, use your supplements and wake up thankful to see a new day .
I have had some real challenges in the pass few months. I had major lung surgery in Nov and have a chest tube that may or may not come out someday. I how have an ulcer in my mouth that will be biospied.So say a little pray for me. I feel over whlemed sometimes. but life goes on and it better to live each day then give in to being overwheled.
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God bless and keep you Marie