Couple Of Questions

Hey there, I'm an ampullary cancer survivor of 9 months so far. I just completed chemo but was wondering for those of you "further along," have you changed your diet, been given any tips on diet, supplements or anything to try and prolong a reoccurrence? I mean I feel great but don't want to just wait for something to pop up if there's something I can do.

The other question I had was so far I have learned of one ampullary cancer patient that survived 9 years. I keep hearing about percentages but would like to hear some GOOD NEWS about survival. Do you all have any?

Thanks so much for being there to listen!

Mary

On 4/12/2008 TNmom3 wrote:

Hey there, I'm an ampullary cancer survivor of 9 months so far. I just completed chemo but was wondering for those of you "further along," have you changed your diet, been given any tips on diet, supplements or anything to try and prolong a reoccurrence? I mean I feel great but don't want to just wait for something to pop up if there's something I can do.

The other question I had was so far I have learned of one ampullary cancer patient that survived 9 years. I keep hearing about percentages but would like to hear some GOOD NEWS about survival. Do you all have any?

Thanks so much for being there to listen!

Mary

Hi,

I had a Whipple procedure in 1998 to remove an ampullary cancer tumor and am in reasonably good health. You don't say whether you had a Whipple. I have posted several messages since last year about my experiences, found under the common bile duct cancer heading. I did not have chemo or radiotherapy. It seems to have been caught before metastasis. About diet, I was told to abolish all artificial beverages, especially the cola type and maintain a balanced low-fat diet. I take thiamine (Vit. B1) supplement to compensate the lack of a duodenum, after having neurological problems in my legs about 3 yrs ago. After the Whipple I had constant bile refluxes and then bile deviation surgery also in 1998. This was not really successful and I'll have to have another type of deviation surgery. Bile enters my stomach and comes up the esophagus. Painful and does no good, causing bronchoaspiration and pneumonia. I take Sucralphate twice daily to alleviate and protect my stomach against bile. I hope this info is of help.

Annettejb

Cancer normally only gains a foothold in the presence of a less than optimum immune system, our body's natural first line of defense.  Then chemo, which may get rid of the symptoms of cancer (the cancerous cell masses) not only does little to address the underlying causes it also further impairs the immune system.

Rebuilding a strong immune system is imperative - and that may require a whole lifestyle change involving diet and nutrition, lifestyle, exercise, removal of toxins from your body and environment, removal of stress, pure water, sunshine, wise supplementation and more.

Based on my knowledge and experience with hundreds of cancer sufferers, people who have followed a natural protocol similar to this one have beaten their cancers over 90% of the time and almost never have them return (and one of them was my 85 year old uncle, whom mainstream medicine was unable to help):

http://www.tbyil.com/anticancer.htm

I wish you the very best in health and life.

I am also a 9 month survivor.  I have my story posted under "45 year old female . . ." on this website.  What stage cancer do you have?  I have stage IIA.  My doctors have told me that I have a 50-60% chance of beating this but with my perineural invasion, lymph node involvement, etc., I have read on the internet my chances could be as low as 30%.  My philosophy is that someone survives - so why can't it be me?

 Although no one has given me diet advice, I figure that diet is a factor in many other cancers so why not this one?  I have cut sugars and fats down and am trying to figure out ways to cut even further.  I have increased my vegetables making sure that I get one serving of cruciferous vegetables a day.  My goal is to load up on antioxidants.  Does that work?  Who knows but I know two people with different types of cancer who should both be dead now but aren't and they both used very similar diets.

Like you, I have been searching for long term survivors of this cancer.  Especially ones who have gone through chemo and radiation.  I took 5FU chemo with five weeks of radiation and now am doing gemzar.  I have had no side effects with any of it.  Which I think I deserve after the hell I went through after Whipple surgery.  I thank God that I am even here after that.

Hopefully you will have some long term survivors respond to your posting.  I have tried to find them through PANCAN and the Bloch Foundation pal programs where they hook you up with a cancer survivor.  They don't have anyone who has volunteered with ampullary cancer.  My goal is to survive this and volunteer to do this for PANCAN and Bloch.

Ellen

Ellen,

My husband is 48 and his story is also on here at the 48 year old husband.  He said he agrees with you 110%, he had Whipple in Jan. 08, and getting ready to start radiation and chemo on 4-25-08, using Gemzar as well.  He is Stage IV, with lymph nodes involvement.  I agree why can't it be you or my husband to be the survivor of many years to come.  God bless you and just know you have a friend to chat with.

Kristi

On 4/12/2008 TNmom3 wrote:

Hey there, I'm an ampullary cancer survivor of 9 months so far. I just completed chemo but was wondering for those of you "further along," have you changed your diet, been given any tips on diet, supplements or anything to try and prolong a reoccurrence? I mean I feel great but don't want to just wait for something to pop up if there's something I can do.

The other question I had was so far I have learned of one ampullary cancer patient that survived 9 years. I keep hearing about percentages but would like to hear some GOOD NEWS about survival. Do you all have any?

Thanks so much for being there to listen!

Mary

Hi Mary,

 After my Whipple in 1998 for ampullary cancer I only received rather generalized advice on nutrition. I did not have chemo or radiotherapy. The hospital nutrologist said no artificial beverages, specially cola drinks, fast food etc. I take thiamine (Vit B1) and multivitamins at intervals, try to take exercise when I can and must make more effort in that direction. Mostly I follow a balanced diet and have recently changed to gluten-free bread, etc. which seems to help my digestion. My main problem is bile refluxes. I had bile diversion surgery in 1998, but it doesn't seem to have worked. I had an X-ray in stages with contrast that showed a "bottleneck" in my upper abdomen. Any tips on how to deal with bile refluxes would be welcome. Unfortunately, my stomach takes up to 23 hours to empty, which doesn't help and in spite of medicine (Motilium). My GP is reluctant to operate again (another type of bile diversion with 70% chance of success) because of possible hospital infection.

 Annettejb