Breast cancer, and seeking advice

[AlaskaAngel]

Hi All,

As someone who is 7 years out from treatment but admittedly just stage T1c to begin with -- and never having had trastuzumab -- I don't know for sure why, or what works. Most of the trials require on-site visits, and as an Alaskan that is very spendy for me to do. I have done 2 clinical trials and been considered for another. If I lived near some of these trials, I'd be banging at their door to join in so that there might be better proof one way or the other.

I do usually go to Seattle once a year to see specialists and have some testing done. Three or four years ago I saw a naturopath at a cancer center there, but the one I saw was NOT the primary one available and I thought he did a very poor job (I think SuzanW also may have seen the same guy...).

Last year instead my PCP here gave me a referral to an RD at the same cancer center, and I saw the RD because I wanted both nutritional advice and was deadlocked with losing weight despite exercise and dieting. His advice primarily was that I was eating the right things... but by limiting my diet to around 1,000 calories, I wasn't eating enough to burn, and also that adding more food might mean I would have to add more exercise than I was already doing. I honestly don't know if asking someone who has been through treatment and is 57 years old to exercise an hour a day 7 days a week is realistic even though physiologically that may be what it takes to achieve adequate weight loss. Anyway, I mention it because others may be interested in knowing that I have found it to be true that I do just as well exercising the same 1/2 hour a day and eating about 1200 calories a day as I did when I was torturing myself at 1,000 calories a day (and I sure am happier), whether or not I am losing weight.

Daily exercise is good for me mentally and makes me stronger, and I hope it helps to prevent recurrence. But I ain't no 36-26-36.....

I just returned recently from Seattle and seeing the same RD. During the dark and rainy winter last year I didn't exercise as consistently even though I did conscientiously diet. I had gained weight, and in addition, after exercising and dieting all summer that weight had not gone away. I continue to struggle with it.

Suggestions are welcome.

AlaskaAngel