HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - New thinking on Vitamins and Late Stage Cancer

Andrea Barnett Budin · 01-16-2013, 05:47 PM

I just have to jump in here. This new thinking has been around decades. In '95 when I was first dx and still in '98 when I recurred throughout my liver. Only then did I/we discover that I was 80% HER2 +... No one knew to check before.

My integrative oncologist (NYC) gave me a long list of supplements to take. My other 2 very excellent oncs said -- wait, till after chemo. I called my nutritional expert (from Cornell Weill, blah, blah) and he said -- when you're on chemo is when you most need these supplements!

My Inner Voice told me to be brave and go with his advice. I'd read his book in the interim between '95 and '98.

I swear I believe all my many many supplements helped save my life. They kept my energy from utterly disappearing, my heart strong enough to stick with Herceptin for 10 yrs, my immune system fighting off my pleural effusion and my peri-cardial effusion and Heaven knows what else.

To this day I take my multiple supplements 2x a day, every single day without fail.

I am not a medical person. But I believe in supplements and have learned the conventional docs do not. They don't trust them. They in fact fear them. They don't know much about them. They're still waiting for STUDIES to make a definitive decision.

Meanwhile, we need to fight with every tool at our disposal, IMHO.

I meditate, BELIEVE in the power of my thoughts, troll my mind's dialogue and images all day and weed out all the negative toxicity I come across. Needless to say, it is there. Lurking.

You can read my tale below. 4th stage and ever grateful to be NED since '99. Back then I did every 2 mnth then ev 3 mnth scans. Finally I graduated to ev 6 mnths, but still did blood work ev 3 mnths. I get copies of ev report and dutifully and carefully compare line by line to the last.

I learned that my tumor markers can't be trusted. They register normal for a long while. But it was me who discovered my metastasis, noting that my liver enzymes were slightly, ever so slightly, yet a-typical, and I questioned it and then asked for a liver sono.

This is some job staying alive. But no one loves you more than you. I'm just saying...

01-16-2013, 05:47 PM	#6
Andrea Barnett Budin Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: LAND OF YES! w/home in Boca Raton, Florida Orig from L.I., N.Y. Ever hovering IN THE NOW... Posts: 1,904	New thinking on Vitamins and Late Stage Cancer I just have to jump in here. This new thinking has been around decades. In '95 when I was first dx and still in '98 when I recurred throughout my liver. Only then did I/we discover that I was 80% HER2 +... No one knew to check before. My integrative oncologist (NYC) gave me a long list of supplements to take. My other 2 very excellent oncs said -- wait, till after chemo. I called my nutritional expert (from Cornell Weill, blah, blah) and he said -- when you're on chemo is when you most need these supplements! My Inner Voice told me to be brave and go with his advice. I'd read his book in the interim between '95 and '98. I swear I believe all my many many supplements helped save my life. They kept my energy from utterly disappearing, my heart strong enough to stick with Herceptin for 10 yrs, my immune system fighting off my pleural effusion and my peri-cardial effusion and Heaven knows what else. To this day I take my multiple supplements 2x a day, every single day without fail. I am not a medical person. But I believe in supplements and have learned the conventional docs do not. They don't trust them. They in fact fear them. They don't know much about them. They're still waiting for STUDIES to make a definitive decision. Meanwhile, we need to fight with every tool at our disposal, IMHO. I meditate, BELIEVE in the power of my thoughts, troll my mind's dialogue and images all day and weed out all the negative toxicity I come across. Needless to say, it is there. Lurking. You can read my tale below. 4th stage and ever grateful to be NED since '99. Back then I did every 2 mnth then ev 3 mnth scans. Finally I graduated to ev 6 mnths, but still did blood work ev 3 mnths. I get copies of ev report and dutifully and carefully compare line by line to the last. I learned that my tumor markers can't be trusted. They register normal for a long while. But it was me who discovered my metastasis, noting that my liver enzymes were slightly, ever so slightly, yet a-typical, and I questioned it and then asked for a liver sono. This is some job staying alive. But no one loves you more than you. I'm just saying... __________________ Andi BB '95 post-meno dx Invasive LOBULAR w/9cm tumor! YIKES + 2/21 nodes. Clear mammo 10 mnths earlier. Mastec/tram flap reconst/PORT/8 mnths chemo (4Adria/8CMF). Borderline ER/PR. Tamoxifen 2 yrs. Felt BLESSED. I could walk and talk, feed and bathe myself! I KNEW I would survive... '98 -- multiple mets to liver. HER2+ 80%. ER/PR- Raging, highly aggressive tumors spreading fast. New PORT. 9 mnths Taxotere Fought fire w/fire! Pronounced in cautious remission 5/99. Taxotere weekly for 6 wks, 2 wks off -- for 9 mnths. TALK ABOUT GRUELING! (I believe they've altered that protocol since those days -- sure hope so!!) + good old Vit H wkly for 1st 3 yrs, then triple dosage ev 3 wks for 7 yrs more... The "easy" chemo, right?! Not a walk in the park, but not a freight train coming at 'ya either... Added Herceptin Nov '98 (6 wks after FDA fast-tracked it for met bc). Stayed w/Vit H till July '08! Now I AM FREE! Humbly and eternally grateful for this life-saving drug! NED since '99 and planning on keeping it that way. To hell w/poor prognosis and nasty stats! STOPPED VIT H JULY '08...! REMAIN STABLE... Eternally grateful...Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds ... (e e cummings) EVERY DAY I BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD FOR # OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS I'VE STAYED ALIVE. Smile KNOWING you too can be a miracle. Up to me and God now...