Additional advice/comments sort

Hi My name is Tarsh and i'm 37 years old, i was diagnosed with stage 3A non small cell lung cancer with secondaries in my bronch tube in December 08. Started treatment in Late January with 3 cycles of chemo and 6 weeks of Radiotherapy, which over lapped the chemo.

I have waited 10 weeks and had follow-up my scan which showed that my Lung cancer has shrunk about 1/4 of it size also the tumor in my bronch tube has shrunk about the same. All good news, but they have also said that they have now found a 0.9cm growth in my Liver and I now have to wait 2 more months too see where things are at.

 In the mean time i have started a vegan diet and dropped all sugar from my diet. This is ok but i'm unsure it will help.

 My Question is has anyone out there had any success with Diet changing and is there some other treatment options i should try as it seems like the Dopctors are not going to provide me with any treatment unless palitive. I don't agree as I plan to beat this and live a lot longer :), but need additional help doing so.

 

On 7/12/2009 tarsh wrote:

Hi My name is Tarsh and i'm 37 years old, i was diagnosed with stage 3A non small cell lung cancer with secondaries in my bronch tube in December 08. Started treatment in Late January with 3 cycles of chemo and 6 weeks of Radiotherapy, which over lapped the chemo.

I have waited 10 weeks and had follow-up my scan which showed that my Lung cancer has shrunk about 1/4 of it size also the tumor in my bronch tube has shrunk about the same. All good news, but they have also said that they have now found a 0.9cm growth in my Liver and I now have to wait 2 more months too see where things are at.

 In the mean time i have started a vegan diet and dropped all sugar from my diet. This is ok but i'm unsure it will help.

 My Question is has anyone out there had any success with Diet changing and is there some other treatment options i should try as it seems like the Dopctors are not going to provide me with any treatment unless palitive. I don't agree as I plan to beat this and live a lot longer :), but need additional help doing so.

Hi Tarsh, 

Don't give up.  There is always hope, especially when you are prepared to fight this.  I am stage IV, diagnosed Oct 2006 and still going strong.  And I'm 62 years old.  So you have a better chance since you are younger and stronger and a lower stage.

The diet changes will help.  Eliminating the sugar alone will make a tremendoug difference since refined sugar feeds cancer.  Some don't believe it, but I am a firm believer that that is one thing that has helped the most diet wise.  I also eat plenty of vegetables.

Some of the things I also take are:  pomagranate juice mixed with orange juice every day.  Pomagranate helps fight cancer.  I also drink a mixture of black/green iced tea (the caffeine gives you some energy against the fatigue), flaxseed oil 1200 mg twice a day.  Grape seed capsules.  Vitamin D once a day.  Vitamin C tablets 500 mg twice a day.  And Mucinex DM 1200/60 recommended by my primary care doctor to help keep the mucous out of my chest and diminish the cough.  It works great.

Protein is also important.  I eat steak and tuna salad mostly.  I don't eat a lot of fried foods to avoid indigestion. 

But above all of this, I would seek another opinion.  If the doctor you have is not going to fight for and with you to beat this, get another doctor.  There are many that will help you.  Also, ask about Tarceva.  It has worked wonders for me for over 2 years now.  It comes in pill form and you take it once a day.  There are minimal side effects but very manageable.  It also crosses the blood/brain barrier to help prevent brain mets.

Please don't give up.  Continue to maintain your positive attitude.  Only God knows when your time is up.  Ask Him for strength and guidance.  I put everything in His hands when I was diagnosed and He has blessed me with a medical team that is  excellent.  I am still working full time and doing everything I have always done, maybe a little slower, but still going.

If I can help, please let me know.  God Bless

Hi Chassie

 thanks for your message and very good advice i will add those things to my diet

i don't know if we can get this drug Tarceva  in New Zealand how much does it cost etc??

 

thanks Tarsh

 

On 7/13/2009 tarsh wrote:

Hi Chassie

 thanks for your message and very good advice i will add those things to my diet

i don't know if we can get this drug Tarceva  in New Zealand how much does it cost etc??

 

thanks Tarsh

Hi Tarsh,

I'm in the US so I don't know much about things in New Zealand.  But the tarceva here in the US runs about $3,500 a month without insurance.

With insurance, of  course it is whatever your co-pay calls for. 

If it is out of reach financially, there is help out there.  You can contact someone from the manufacturer for assistance to see if you qualify.

God to the website  www.tarceva.com and you can get all the info there.

Good luck and God Bless

I agree with others.   Do not give up.   Seek 2nd opinions.  Your insurance may even pay and get it done at a major cancer care place like SCCA in Seattle Washington, or there are many others.    These places have all the latest care and specialists who can keep up with it and clinical trials for even newer care that might work.   If your oncologist has not suggested Tarceva, then you definitely need a 2nd opinion.  Tarceva is working wonders for many with advanced lung cancer.  It had minimal side effects for me and took my tumors down to about nothing in 4 weeks.   It should definitely be in the plan.    Just start asking around about how to get it.     Definitely agree that a 2nd opinion could be very valuable.   My encologist heartily agrees with 2nd opinions, even it's just to help you feel confident that the treatment is right.   God bless you.