CancerCompass message board discussion started by Ella E. on 7/3/2004 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,1209,0.htm Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ 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 Ella E. Sat, 03 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT 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 Beatrice P. Fri, 23 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT 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. Rafi 1 Fri, 23 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT 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 Ella E. Tue, 27 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT 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 Ella E. Tue, 27 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT 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 Kauaileslie Tue, 12 Apr 2005 00:00:00 GMT 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? Philly Wed, 05 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT 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 Goldpan Mon, 21 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT 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. Inthebarn Sat, 11 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT 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. If you have any specfic question e-mail at --- Message edited by CancerCompass staff: for personal protection, email address removed. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html ---- God bless and keep you Marie Ella E. Wed, 15 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT Dear Marie in NC, Thank you for your encouraging message. I am currently a patient at CTCA in Zion Illinois. I have been undergoing treatment there for a little over a year now. I agree with you about the care and treatment they provide. I will keep a positive attitude and continue to press on with the help of Prayers and Gods Grace. I pray you will do the same. God Bless, Inthebarn Inthebarn Wed, 15 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT hi Ella,I recently found about this message board.any how I read your message bout CTCA and very interested. I'm currently on chemotherapy taxol and it has metsaized to my bone almost 2years age started chemo has gone to sloan katerine in NEW YORK CITY to confirm my doctors finding in NEW JERSEY and see that the course of treatment i'm getting is same with Sloan katerin since they are the best . But do you think I still should go and try CTCA, and to see if I can try anything else.By the way I just started accupunture and try to do all natural way of eating.I've two kids 11 and 13 and want to see them grow and a wonderfull and caring husband without whom I do not think I could take this rough road. so I will welcome and thank you any help or info. thank you so much Nazanin Mon, 08 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT Dear Farah, I can't advise you to go to cancer TX centers it's something you must do on your own. The center does have naturopathic physicians whom worked with me to get the right supplements. As far as medical treatments its about the same as other places. they do offer a lot of hope. MD Anderson in texas is probably one of the best reasearch hosptipal in the county. You can live a long time with bone mets. so don't give up. I have been in some type of continous trement for the last five years. Last year I had some complications with a lung and now hve a chest tube in and recently had pneumonia. It is easy to get down. But keep praying trusting and taking up for your self with the doctors, I took Xeloda and Femerma for two years and had great results. So YOu might ask about the xelolda. It is an oral chemo that converts to 5-fu at the cellullar level. Hope that you contine to enjoy life. and espically your kids. I just got to see my two "kids", 26 & 29 graduate from college. GOd bless, Marie Ella E. Sat, 20 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT Hi Alicia - Sounds like my story - in 2000, age 35, i was diagnosed w/ Stage II, no nodes involved. Fast forward to 2006 age 40, wasdiagnozed with Breast Mets to bone and liver. I'm having a hard time coping, because when I feel good, I think i over do it and pay the next couple of days. It's very frustrating and like you, want my life to return to normal or at least know when that might happen. I guess we have to remember that the treatment is brutal and that is what makes life difficult. Once treatment has put cancer in remission, we can hope that we'll start healing and feeling better each day....keep the faith and stay informed, everyone has something to share and it may or may not work for you. Whatever oncologist you see, I recommend a good nutritionalist. What you eat, how you eat can make a difference. All my best to you.. Beth Beth29 Sat, 03 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT Dear Beth, When I read your response, you and I sound alot alike. I to find myself doing alot one day and flat on my back the next day. Oddly enough, I had an extremely good week this past week. I was able to get up early and be productive the entire day all week long. So keep up a positive attitude and good nutrition. I pray that you will be able to experience a week like I had. Mets is an ongoing battle. I myself am only 42 and I want to get this portion of treatment overwith so I can get fully back into the stream of life. I have always been very active, and to have to sit and watch life go by sometimes is very difficult, as well as having to learn to ask for help. I prefer to help others. Take care of yourself. God Bless, Alicia, (inthebarn) Inthebarn Sun, 04 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT Hi Ella, thanks for your message of encouragement. I just started on the oral Xeloda a week ago. So far i seem to be tolerating them well. Could you tell me as you get farther into the cycles if the side effects start up? I am wanting to go visit my daughter in a month or so. That means flying accross country. I would hate to get out there and not feel well, but i really want to.......... need to go. I have stage 4 Breast cancer with mets to the bones but still have good quality of life. I was on femara for a year and then my oncologist switched me to Aromasin. My blood work shows my tumor markers are up and i am anemic so hes trying the Xeloda. Sounds like you have been on it for a year, so thought i would see how you feel on it. thanks for any help ........ Nancy Thywordhaveihid Tue, 01 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT I was diagnosed with bone mets December 2001.I was in remission for 3 years and have been on some kind of chemo since. I was just diagnosed with liver mets. Just wanted to know if this is something that can be managed like bone mets. Dogmom Sun, 29 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT What types of treatments have you had for your liver mets? I am investigating options for my mother right now? Maryjo Tue, 10 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT