Lung Cancer

My Mom was diagnosed last May with stage 3b lung cancer. She has been taking Traceva for about 5 months now, has lost 70 pounds. At her recent appt with cancer Dr. he told her the Traveva was helping, as the cancer had not grown any. However, she has lost 70 pounds, and he told her she is "wasting away" he said he'd like to reduce the dosage, and try & get her to gain some weight. She thinks by reducing the dosage she is comprmising her attempts to kill the cancer, and refuses to let him reduce the dosage. Can Traceva kill this cancer, or hold back it growth for very long? She eats so very little, about a cup of food a day (at best), and she drinks 2-3 ensure drinks a day.Will she wasteaway? I am affaid for her, as she also has bone cancer, the side effects from the Traceva seem like they are killing her. She lives 120 miles from me, and being my husband also has cancer, I get there to see her as often as I can, but not often enough, and I can't get her to move to the cities where I live. She just refuses to leave her home, and she is all alone. I woulkd appreciate any comments from anyone who has had or does have a simular situation.

My breast cancer metastasized to my bones and then to my lungs.  I had been through a lot of therapies, surgery, radiation, chemotherapies (numerous different drugs trying to find one that would work for me).  I was wasting away from all the treatments.  My oncologist even told me that more people die from cancer treatments than from cancer.  My daughter called to tell me that her husband had three members of his extended family that each got a different type of cancer. All three tried the same alternative therapy and each got rid of their cancer without any bad side  effects.  I figured, "What have I got to lose?"  I took all the supplements on the list she gave me.  The purpose was to change my body's chemistry from an acid state to an alkaline state.  To achieve this, I also changed my diet, eating lots of broccoli, spinach, and fresh fruits and eliminating foods containing a lot of sugar. I tested my body's ph level with litmus paper each day.  It worked!!  The cancer disappeared from my lungs.  I eventually got the cancer out of my body (bones and liver were affected too).  My cancer was so advanced that if I ever don't keep up the alkalinity, it comes back.  Others using this method have had no recurrence.  Google "acidity vs. alkalinity" on the internet.  There is a lot of information.  The body is healthiest when in an alkaline state but Americans eat so poorly (soda pop is especially acidic). that our bodies are usually very acidic. An acidic body is prone to many diseases.  The alkaline program can help your relative without causing painful and sickening side effects.  Oncologists cannot, by law, tell you about alternative therapies.  I let my oncologist know what I was trying on my own.  She respected my choices.  I was expected to live only 2-3 years when I was diagnosed.  That was nine years ago!  Here's hoping everyone the best of success in your cancer battle.

 

On 1/26/2009 Worriedbecky wrote:

My Mom was diagnosed last May with stage 3b lung cancer. She has been taking Traceva for about 5 months now, has lost 70 pounds. At her recent appt with cancer Dr. he told her the Traveva was helping, as the cancer had not grown any. However, she has lost 70 pounds, and he told her she is "wasting away" he said he'd like to reduce the dosage, and try & get her to gain some weight. She thinks by reducing the dosage she is comprmising her attempts to kill the cancer, and refuses to let him reduce the dosage. Can Traceva kill this cancer, or hold back it growth for very long? She eats so very little, about a cup of food a day (at best), and she drinks 2-3 ensure drinks a day.Will she wasteaway? I am affaid for her, as she also has bone cancer, the side effects from the Traceva seem like they are killing her. She lives 120 miles from me, and being my husband also has cancer, I get there to see her as often as I can, but not often enough, and I can't get her to move to the cities where I live. She just refuses to leave her home, and she is all alone. I woulkd appreciate any comments from anyone who has had or does have a simular situation.

Your mom needs to lower the tarceva dose temporarily and get her eating under control to gain back some weight.  It is not the tarceva causing this.  I've been on it 2 years.  And reducing the dose will not hurt her; I've done it several times and then gone back up to the 150 dose.  As long as she keeps some tarceva in her body, it will continue to work.  She needs to eat, not just drink ensure.  That won't do it.  She needs protein and vegetables.  I don't know anything about this alternative treatment response you got in reply but I know I wouldn't trust it as the only treatment.  That's dangerous and gives the cancer an opportunity to spread. 

Do whatever you can to get her to eat, anything.  If she has nausea, get a prescription from the doctor to get it in check so she can eat. 

Talk to your mom and convince her that lowering the dose temporarily will NOT hurt her and the tarceva will continue to work.  Take it from someone who's been there. 

Good luck and God Bless and if I can help, let me know.

 

On 3/7/2009 Chessie wrote:

 

On 1/26/2009 Worriedbecky wrote:

My Mom was diagnosed last May with stage 3b lung cancer. She has been taking Traceva for about 5 months now, has lost 70 pounds. At her recent appt with cancer Dr. he told her the Traveva was helping, as the cancer had not grown any. However, she has lost 70 pounds, and he told her she is "wasting away" he said he'd like to reduce the dosage, and try & get her to gain some weight. She thinks by reducing the dosage she is comprmising her attempts to kill the cancer, and refuses to let him reduce the dosage. Can Traceva kill this cancer, or hold back it growth for very long? She eats so very little, about a cup of food a day (at best), and she drinks 2-3 ensure drinks a day.Will she wasteaway? I am affaid for her, as she also has bone cancer, the side effects from the Traceva seem like they are killing her. She lives 120 miles from me, and being my husband also has cancer, I get there to see her as often as I can, but not often enough, and I can't get her to move to the cities where I live. She just refuses to leave her home, and she is all alone. I woulkd appreciate any comments from anyone who has had or does have a simular situation.

Your mom needs to lower the tarceva dose temporarily and get her eating under control to gain back some weight.  It is not the tarceva causing this.  I've been on it 2 years.  And reducing the dose will not hurt her; I've done it several times and then gone back up to the 150 dose.  As long as she keeps some tarceva in her body, it will continue to work.  She needs to eat, not just drink ensure.  That won't do it.  She needs protein and vegetables.  I don't know anything about this alternative treatment response you got in reply but I know I wouldn't trust it as the only treatment.  That's dangerous and gives the cancer an opportunity to spread. 

Do whatever you can to get her to eat, anything.  If she has nausea, get a prescription from the doctor to get it in check so she can eat. 

Talk to your mom and convince her that lowering the dose temporarily will NOT hurt her and the tarceva will continue to work.  Take it from someone who's been there. 

Good luck and God Bless and if I can help, let me know.

We have tried everything to get her to eat. She can be so very hungry for something, we get it for her, and she says the smell of it makes her sick. She has had chronic diarrhea ever since she went on Traceva. She goes to the Dr. this week, so we'll see what he says. Are you on Traceva to treat lung cancer? Do you think this Traceva will prolong her life? I know for a fact my Mom eats less then 700 calories a day. She lives 120 miles from me, I get to see her just about every weekend, and if not on the w/e, I get up to see her during the week. It is so hard, as my husband has cancer also, and I still have a 15 year old at home. I talk to her several times a day, and she really does have a spirit to fight this cancer, the way I see it, the cancer won't claim her life, starvation probably will. She said if the Dr. tells her she has to go off the Traceva, she will switch Dr. She is very stuburn, and strong willed. She is so cold all the time, she keeps her heat at 80, has a warming mattress pad, and blanket. She has now gone from 213 pounds to 130 pounds. I just worry about her so much. Thanks for your response, I appreciate it. Her name is Georgia, please keep her in your prayers.