Maitake mushroom with chemo?

Anybody has taken Maitake mushroom pills while on chemo? Does it have a negative affect on chemo. I am going to take xeloda and herceptin for my adjuvant treatment. Just wondering taking Maitake pills will be OK during this time.

Thanks

Speak to your doctor first! Depending on the meds you get, he may not want you to take it. I did take it (with my oncs blessings) the first time around in conjunction with chemo and had a great response. I started taking it again when I had a relapse (again with chemo and with my oncs permission), and again I have had a great response. I do not know whether the Mitaki had anything to do with it, but hey it works for me. I did not experience any side effects from the Mitaki, but I have heard of some people being allergic. So be careful. I recently read Sloane is doing a trial with the Mitaki. Maybe the Japanese are on to something and we are just catching up now...Maryann

Julie
I don't think anyone has an answer to your question re mushrooms with
chemo yet. Research is just starting on mushrooms and cancer,
no human trials, just in vitro and mice I believe.

Sloan Kettering has the most info:
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/11571.cfm?...rdID=417&tab=HC

I did ask my oncologist and he wasn't sure about supplements, hesitated because of possible contaminants,poor quality, the ole' no standards on supplements. Then in the same conversation I asked about Inositol/ IP6 with Navelbine/Herceptin and he said OK. ??? Didn't ask me about the brand of either product. He also says no to high doses of vitamins, more than you would find in a basic multi.

Against my onco's orders, I'm taking just one Maitake D daily as I really feel it helps my immunity. An infectious disease/alternative doc sold me Davinci Labs Maitake Gold 404 when between chemos. I switched to the D-Fraction as I believe this is what is studied. I have had excellent blood counts for a change, and no serious colds even with lung mets. I'm coming into my sixth week of chemo, we have lots of people in my community ill with the flu. So far I'm doing OK.

I'm not sure if the Navelbine/Herceptin is working on the lung mets though. I do get side effects.

So maybe copy off the Sloan info and ask your onco.

Susan M

A lot of us take many supplements while on chemo and I personally feel that the research has shown much of it is complimentary. However, it doesn't make sense to take anti-oxident vitamins or supplements concurrently with chemo. (Chemo = oxident) That is why there are very clear warnings about curcumin (tumeric) use and chemo. The one exception we made was CoQ10. There is so much in the chemos that are hard on the heart we considered it a calculated risk.
Al