The Breast Cancer Diet (with checklist)

[RhondaH]

http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-1-93-43-270-1,00.html

http://www.cancerrd.com/

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/10/health/webmd/main665856.shtml

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/04/000410084755.htm

http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=22386&highlight=Sichuan

I TRIED to do an attachment, but was unsuccessfull...sorry.

Breast Cancer Diet

[][](P[])([][][]) whole grain foods (brown rice, bulgur, wheat berries, whole grain bagels, breads, cereals, crackers, tortillas, pasta)

[]([]) beans (chickpeas)

[][][][][][](P[][][]) fruits and vegetables

*Cruciferous veggies (broccoli, broccoli sprouts, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower)[]

*Lycopene-rich produce (tomatoes, red grapefruit, watermelon, guava)[]

*Beta-carotene-rich produce (winter squash, carrots, sweet potatoes)P[]


*Citrus fruit (oranges (juice), grapefruit)P[]

*Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries)P[]

*Dark green, leafy veggies (spinach, romaine, kale, collards, Swiss chard)[]

P[]([]) low-fat dairy products (1%, organic dairy products)

P[]([]) soy products (tofu, soy milk)

P[]([]) tablespoons of ground flaxseed

[][][][]([][]) cups a day of green tea (hot or iced)

[] 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

M[]W[](F[]) fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, white tuna, sardines, herring) very lean red meat, size of a deck of playing cards)

M[]W[]F[] handful of nuts (Hazel nuts, also called Filberts, Almond slices)

M[]shiitake mushrooms

M[]fresh or water-packed artichokes

Garlic, herbs, spices- used liberally (Sichuan Pepper, Oregano, Turmeric)

M[]T[]W[]Th[]F[](Sa[]Su[])walk

EXTRAS: AM Detox, Desitin, Magnesium, Concord Grape Juice, A (10,000 IU) & D (400 IU), Extra D (400IU) during daylight savings, CoQ-10 (200mg), ([][] black tea)

I just check it off as I eat it, a lot easier than other food diaries. The P means that if you do the shake you can check it off. The boxes in parentheses mean that those are BEYOND the minimum serving.






Rhonda

[Andi]

Thanks, Rhonda, for bringing this forward again.

[Mary Jo]

Thank you Rhonda. I appreciate it immensely.

Mary Jo

[RhondaH]

BUMP. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

[Malena]

I don't know....I'm vegetarian, it's now 10 years.....
I normally eat the food Rhonda suggests!
A friend of mine to fight against the cancer is now having a only organic/wholegrain diet (no sugar at all!!!). Maybe it could help, sure now she is very slim!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MJo]

Thank you for that simple checklist that I could print out. I need to keep things simple. MMMmmm Artichokes. I didn't know they were good for anything except taste. I still feel nervous about soy, since I understand it has estrogen properties. But so do chick peas, and I eat a lot of hummus. I asked my oncologist about chick peas and he said to eat hummus if I want, but everything in moderation. I am giving my vegetable garden beds a rest this year, but my brother tells me that planting beans will enrich the soil instead of taking away nutrients. So I plan to eat a lot of green beans this summer.

[Karen Weixel]

Thanks Rhonda. That list is very helpful.

Karen

[Diane H]

Thank you Rhonda! Great info, appreciate it, Hugs, Diane

[hutchibk]

This is great as a reference! Thanks.

I have been advised by my onc, my nutritionist, and the staff at the Young Breast Cancer Survivor's Programs at MDAnderson to stay away from supplementing my diet with Flax and Soy while in chemo.

And I found this answer to the question (especially in conjunction with Tamoxifen) at this website, as well as on other websites:
http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/RS/CommunitiesOncologyNetwork/Educators/Pharmacists/faqs.htm

Q.
A few of my patients have asked me about flaxseed to prevent hot flushes while they are on tamoxifen. Should I recommend it?
A.
Flaxseed has multiple mechanisms of action, and may act as a phytoestrogen. It may antagonize tamoxifen or even stimulate breast cancer growth. Explain to your patients that this is a controversial area, with limited and conflicting evidence for both efficacy and safety. Because the safety is unknown, the current BC Cancer Agency recommendation is cautious. We advise against the use of any phytoestrogen supplements during chemotherapy or radiation treatments. This recommendation applies to flaxseed, as well as other supplements such as black cohosh, dong quai, evening primrose, red clover, soy and others.

Just FYI, but I have chosen to defer to the advice I have been given.

[R.B.]

Here is Rhondah's post.

The link seems to work OK.

I am afraid that whilst there is some emerging consensus in odd corners of the benefits of diet, which and what diet are much debated and so the only solution is to read as widely as time permits etc. You do not need to understand all the technical stuff to start with ( I still don't) just skim through and get the drift. You can always print bits out and ask you advisor.

Please discuss any dietary changes with your advisor and even more so whilst in treatment.

RB

[Becky]

Bringing this to the top for Nancy d

[hutchibk]

That sounds like what I eat just about all of the time! I guess I have been more on target than I realized. I stay pretty well away from most sugar...
except for dark chocolate about 3 x a week. I use stevia instead to sweeten cereal, tea, etc...

[nancy d]

Thanks to everyone for all the info. Nancy

[Mary Jo]

Hi Rhonda,

I was reading through the links you posted. I was very interested in the one about olive oil. Do you take olive oil just on it's own? Just take a teaspoonful like I take my fish oil? Or how? Also, the Olive Oil I have - (extra virgin) I keep in my pantry. It doesn't need to be refrigerated, does it?

Thanks for your help.

Mary Jo

[RhondaH]

YEP...first thing in the morning I drink a TBS (just like medicine):), but I also cook with it (when baking I use canola oil) and use it for my salad dressing. I've read different opinions as to refrigerate or not, I keep mine next to my stove.

Rhonda

[Lien]

Dear all,
I don't want to spoil the fun, here, but I'm living proof that this diet doesn't guarantee anything.
Because of my severe food allergies, I can only eat the products on this list. No wheat, but brown rice, no nuts, no tuna, but everything else on the list I eat in copious quantities. I got Breastcancer anyway. I can't eat beef or pork, no coffee, tea, wine, sugar, beer, etc. A really healthy diet.

So don't blame yourself when you have a recurrance after you didn't stick to the above diet. I certainly helps to eat healthy, but I don't think it's as simple as that. If it were, I'd be very, very safe now.

Love
Jacqueline

[LindaC]

Thanks Rhonda for the info

[Mary Jo]

Hi Jacqueline,

I appreciate your post and understand how frustrating it must be to have done "all the right things" and still get breast cancer. It can happen - does happen - and none of us are to blame for the disease that we got. That being said, I think it's important to do everything we can to keep our bodies healthy. I don't think anyone here believes that a recurrence isn't possible BUT when studies do show benefits of doing certain things than it's definitely something we should be doing. It just makes sense to treat our bodies the way they were meant to be treated. It could only make our bodies healthier and stronger and that is always a good thing. No matter what. Along with that - I think living life with a positive, encouraging spirit to all we meet is also beneficial. We were put on this earth for a reason and encouraging and loving one another makes this life a special palce to be. I love life. Even having had breast cancer and all that went with that. It's taught me much and made me a better person.

Love your "sister" on this journey.

Mary Jo
"For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and were called according to His purpose" Romans 8:28

[momdeeco]

I was told at a breast cancer meeting that you shouldn't cook with Olive Oil. When it becomes hot it is carcinogen. The gal was a nutritionist from Mt. Zion Cancer Center. (Rachel Ray cooks with it all the time) Anyone else ever heard of this.

[RhondaH]

Bump up. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

[RhondaH]

http://www.dianadyer.blogspot.com/

Rhonda

[Odette]

Karla,

I have been wondering about this myself!
What I try to do: add the olive oil at the end to the steamed or cooked food.

Odette

[CLTann]

How confusing! Yesterday, we had a report from Japanese research people concluding that soy derivatives are safe. Now the MD Anderson people say avoid soy. Olive oil has been tauted as the good oil. Here, we just learned on heating it is a carcinogen. I have been a fatty acid chemist and I could not understand the heated olive oil can become carcinogen. It is not the chemistry I have learned.

[hutchibk]

HI CL - I have learned over the years that heating almost anything with a high heat and or direct heat can cause carcinogens that shouldn't be ingested. Acrylamide to be specific. I have learned that even burned toast is a bad idea. All meats and fish if heated with a direct high heat cause carcinogens, so grilling or blackening is not healthy...

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/acrylamideinfoods

From what I have learned from dietary folks is that no oil should be heated to smoking, even if the recipe tells you to. EVOO is too fragile to use as a primary cooking oil. Use other oil (canola perhaps) for higher heat sauteing and cooking. I use some olive oil for cooking, but I also take 3 tbl spoons of it a day, as it is suspected to be active against Her2neu, and it can't possibly hurt me!
http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20050219/food.asp

and

<li class="body">Health Canada scientists say they have found that adding rosemary can reduce acrylamide levels in both home fries and commercial potato chips by about 25 per cent, while other anti-oxidants had little to no impact. The research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, also found that potato slices that were fried with olive oil had 50 per cent higher acrylamide levels than those fried with corn oil, although there appears to be little difference between frying in cheap processed olive oil and more expensive virgin olive oil, in terms of acrylamide levels. <li class="body">"Acrylamide Advice: Don’t Burn Your Toast" (http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1446_A_707472_1_A,00.html) includes audio of an expert explaining how the risk of acrylamide can be reduced by using different cooking methods.
from http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/health/acrylamide/can_do.html

[Lauriesh]

bump

Laurie

[RhondaH]

bump:) Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

[RhondaH]

bump.

Rhonda

[RhondaH]

AND I'm attaching Diana's blog. Of particular interest to me as I'm a BIGGER advocate of the "balance" theory and have either organic beef or pork once or twice a week (usually 2 fish, 2 vegetarian and 2 beef/pork a week and leftovers thereafter) and she is NOW advocating organic beef due to the high amount of Omega 3 (See Oct. 18th entry). I'm a true blue Flexitarian who happens to eat a LOT of whole fruits and veggies and tends to believe that it's the "processing" of food (all the prepak food isn't even what is SAYS), our HUGE caloric intake (super size this, that and the other) AND our sedentary lifestyle (I think of BOTH my grandmothers who lived to be 91 and while neither one was particulary "svelt"...actually the one was a LARGE burly German woman...they both were born in a time (1892 and 1902) where you COOKED your food, CLEANED your house (sorry, but I can't help believing that all the "conveniences" to make our life easier has come with a price) and worked outside (i.e gardening, farming, building etc.). Also, another thought provoking book is the Omnivores Dilema...heavy, but interesting reading. Take care.

Rhonda

http://dianadyer.blogspot.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexitarianism

http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php

[Mary Jo]

Thanks Rhonda. Those bumps are always beneficial as they are gentle reminders to us to pay attention to what we do for good health. So important.

I agree with what you said. I, too, believe that all our modern conveniences come with a price. A huge one. I believe all the pre-packaged foods, preservatives, dyes etc. are killing us. That being said, I will admit, I don't "cook" like it sounds you do but I do eat way less - hungry eat - eat veggies - grains - try to stay away from trans fat - fast food and exercise. It just feels better.

Thanks again for the gentle reminder Rhonda.

Blessings of Peace for your Sunday,

Mary Jo

[RhondaH]

for a BUMP.

Rhonda

[RhondaH]

BUMP this up...

[Alaska Laura]

The olive oil thing is news to me; I heard a naturopath doctor speak a few weeks ago, and acceptable oils were olive oil (in the can not bottle), and I can't remember the other oils, but I think there was canola was one of them.

A good site with nutrition info and recipes is at www.aicr.org (http://www.aicr.org)

[R.B.]

Hi Alaska Laura,

This thread look at Omega 3s and Sixes.

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=24410&highlight=greek+diet

Canola is quite nigh in Omega 3 which may have been why it was suggested at the lecture you attended.

RB

[Alaska Laura]

Well thank you RB, I'll check it out! It is that dang chemo brain, if I don't write things down, it goes right out my head I swear!

Omega 3's were strongly recommended (I remember, I remember LOL) and we were told to freeze our fish oil pills, that way we wouldn't burp them, and that the fish oil caplets had to be made out of anchovies, sardines or other wild small fish to get the best quality.

[karen z]

Alaska Laura,
Thanks for posting the www.aicr.org site. Also, I visited your laurasjourney site and just wanted to tell you that it is wonderful. Your writing will not only help you, but many others as well.
karen z

[Alaska Laura]

You're welcome, and thank you :D

[R.B.]

You are welcome Alaska Laura.

Re repeating; the best quality oils are better refined these days, almost tasteless and do not tend to repeat.

Omega 3s are essential to brain structure and function.


RB

[R.B.]

You are welcome Alaska Laura.

I found your site too. Great graphics and well laid out with a twist of irony. Thank you for reminding me of the value of images as a basis fro communication.

Re repeating; the best quality oils are better refined these days, almost tasteless and do not tend to repeat.

Omega 3s are essential to brain structure and function.


RB

[ElaineM]

Hi,
Thanks. I am always trying to improve my diet. I appreciate your contribution very much.

[Becky]

Bumping up

[RhondaH]

time for a bump. Take care and God bless.

[RobinP]

...for reminding us of the cancer fighting foods/supplements and alternatives and additives to drug therapy to fight the robust her2 pathway.

[RhondaH]

for a healthier 2009. Take care and God bless.

[miss di]

I was told the only thing I should stay away from was soy. Soy contains estrogens, I'm estrogen positive.
I agree with Marejo, this is my second time around with this disease. I was healthy, as a matter of fact my Onc actually said," "you are very healthy, except for your cancer."
I believe you can eat, exercise, and live healthy, and it will still get you for other reasons, such as big family history.
We should never feel we could blame ourselves for not eating properly.

[RhondaH]

thought I would bump it up;) Take care and God bless.

[Ellie F]

My understanding about cooking with olive oil is that ,as with any oil, it only becomes carcinogenic when heated to high temperatures and starts to burn which changes it's molecular composition.
Ellie

[Shobha]

Thanks Rhonda! This is simple and easy to follow.

hugs,
shobha

[RhondaH]

Time for a bump

[RobinP]

Bounce to top.

Nice list and I encourage black tea, green tea and lots of sunshine to add to your list.

[Unregistered]

Flax seed oil and fish oils are very good, unheated. Olive oil, when heated can become carcinogenic.

[Lucy]

I was doing a search on phytoestrogen before I posted any stupid questions about it. It seems that the more I read the more confused I get. I adopted a vegan diet roughly 5 years ago and depending on what you read, soy is the greatest or the worst thing you can eat. Ditto for flaxseed, beans and nuts. Some say moderation is the key. So what is it? It doesn't seem like the experts really know themselves. I know nothing you do guarantees you won't get breast cancer but it would be nice if there was some consistency in the reporting.

[sarah]

I've always heard to stay away from grapefruit.

[Lucy]

I think the grapefruit restriction has to do with particular hormone blockers for ER+ cancers. I wasn't advised to stay away from it but since I've never been a fan of grapefruits (so it wouldn't really impact my diet plan), I didn't ask if it was something I should stay away from.

[annettchen]

Not sure how much there is to it, but I have read that you should not have grapefruit while on Herceptin:

- "Grapefruit should be avoided during Herceptin and chemotherapy treatment because of potential grapefruit-drug interactions."
Source: http://foodforbreastcancer.com/articles/what-should-breast-cancer-patients-and-survivors-eat-during-herceptin-treatment%3F
- "There are some concerns about consuming grapefruit (as a fruit or juice) whilst taking the drug. Best to avoid."
Source: http://www.canceractive.com/cancer-active-page-link.aspx?n=2588

I don't particularly like Grapefruit, so no problem for me...

[SpitFire]

This was taught to me at my "cancer center" in chemo class.

"There are no foods that will make your cancer worse or make your tumor grow - despite what you may have read or heard from other sources. Exception: Breast cancer patients should avoid or limit foods containing phytoestrogens (plant estrogens). These include soy products such as soy protein powder, soymilk and tofu. (Soybean oil and soy sauce are allowed - they do not contain a significant amount soy product). Flaxseed is also a plant estrogen. Other herbal products such as dong quai and black cohosh may also contain some plant estrogens. These recommendations apply to all breast cancer patients regardless of whether they are ER PR positive or negative."

I asked my oncologist, he scoffed and told me that he was my doctor and to come to him (which I did) and asked me why I would "take advice from just a nurse." (He sent me to that class) He then told me I could eat anything in moderation. He told me he didn't believe that I needed to avoid anything because I was hormone negative, which he told me multiple times during the next year. He told me I only needed to avoid supplements during the bad chemo, after, he continued to tell me I didn't need to avoid "estrogenic" things because I was hormone negative. My last appointment 15 months later was with a "nurse" and she looked at my supplement list and told me that I needed to avoid "estrogenic" things because I have breast cancer and it didn't matter if I was hormone positive or negative. That was exactly opposite to what my oncologist repeated told me! I never went back to them. I fired them all! The oncologist also told me "there was a nothing I could do after chemo, surgery and radiation to reduce my risk of recurrence. He also never talked to me about not getting pregnant for 5 years after being diagnosed! He just told me to use the "barrier method" during chemo! He did tell me I could become infertile from chemo, but Wow! I didn't learn about not getting pregnant until 11 months later at my first OB/GYN appointment! I kept asking him what do I need to know? He would get mad and tell me I was scared and just wanted a sure thing. Sorry about my rant.

I found this old post about flaxseeds and flaxseed oil:

http://www2.mdanderson.org/WB2/default.asp?action=9&boardid=4&read=2071&fid=150

Now it seems that flaxseeds (up to 3 TBSP/day) are healthy. I avoided them during chemo, but I also ate what I could to get through chemo which was a lot of unhealthy junk food. Now I eat pretty healthy (Low fat).

[JessicaV]

Hi, I find this discussion very interesting and also very important.
I have been trying to understand the new information coming in from research about Cancer Stem Cells(CSCs), their role in building tumors and in metastasizing, and the place these anti-cancer food substances can play in disabling and destroying CSCs.
There is a new strong interest in various food plant compounds that runs parallel to the discovery/exploration of the role of Cancer Stem Cells play in building tumors and in seeding and growing metastases.
Drugs like Herceptin block the intracellular pathways through which important signalling and change processes happen. These are the processes by which cells turn into cancers and organise themselves a supporting structure/"skeleton" and develop blood vessels to feed themselves, and prevent their own cell death. So Herceptin blocks off access to important sites and interferes with the pathways the cancer cells need to use to transform themselves and build themselves into a tumor or to metastasise. This leads to a lot of cancer cells dying But the cancer stem cells can then get around this, and can choose to mutate so that their new cell lines use different pathways, eg HER3 or 4 instead of HER2. They then produce new cancer cells that use the new pathway that gets around the blockage created by herceptin or whatever drug it was.This is how the tumors become resistant to the anticancer drugs. (This is a bit similar to the way flu viruses mutate to get around our resistance to flu, becoming different so the antibodies and antigens we have formed will no longer affect them).

However, the foods that are anticancer foods like broccoli, soy, green tea, curcumin etc actually interfere simultaneously with a number of different pathways the cancer stem cells use for different processes. So if the cancer mutates so it does not use one particular pathway, the food still has other points at which to attack it.
There seem to be many things that damage our cells enough to make us at risk of cancer, and also many things that knock our general health and the health of our immune system. Like Lien, many of us have eaten well all our lives yet still got cancer. So how do we understand this?

It seems to me that maintaining good cancer-free health by preventing, primary and metastatic cancer, and then destroying cancer if it does form is a bit like trying to have a good crop of tomatoes where I live in PerthAustralia : I have to contend with parrots, rats, possums, bandicoots, mice, caterpillars, slugs, snails, slaters, plant viruses, heat, frosts, spray drift from my neighbours. I have to grow my plants well at the right time, choose the best variety, water it, feed it, stake it.
However well I do my bit, there is still a risk I will not get a crop at all, or it will be eaten or made inedible by some pest.
If something starts to be a problem, I have to be vigilant and take effective action. If I have several different varieties in several different parts of the garden, there is a higher chance of success. And if I only have one treatment I can offer my tomatoes start to wilt and die, or get nibbled around the edges, I am likely to lose the battle. But if I have a range of treatments, I have a better chance.
And these anti-cancer foods are part of the process of growing and maintaining a healthy cancer-free me. They increase the ways any cancer stem cells in my body are getting knocked down and knocked out of my system. And they also increase my general health, my immune system health.

[JessicaV]

I read that as well as garlic, other Allium plants like leeks and onions have anticancer properties. And that ginger can help too.

So I have just started to make the yummiest mild veg curry that incorporates a lot of these foods:
Dice up your preferred combination of winter squash, sweet potato, eggplant, carrots, green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower, add cooked chickpeas, and cook together in a wok with tight-fitting lid till just tender.
Meanwhile, with a stick blender in a tall thin jar blend till smooth 3 chopped garlic cloves, half a thumb of ginger, a handful of coriander leaves and 1-2 cups of diced tomatoes. (If you like some heat, also add and blend between half and three chillis that you know will create the desired heat) Put this aside.
Then grind together 2tsp cumin seeds, 2tsp coriander seeds, 1tsp cardamon seeds. Heat up a frying pan, add 1tsp black mustard seeds and dry-cook till they start to pop. Add the ground spices. Add 2+tsp ground tumeric, 5 whole cloves, 2inches of cassia or cinnamon quill. Turn down the heat. Cook together till aromatic. Put into a dish and put aside.
Finely chop a large onion. Heat pan. Cook slowly till soft. Add the spices and stir through. Add the tomato mix and stir through, heat slowly till cooked. Add fresh low-fat yoghurt to taste. Add water if it gets too thick. Add 2 kafir lime leaves. Stir together with the cooked vegetables and simmer together for 10-15 min till flavour is through it all. Remove cinnamon/cassia bark, and also lime leaves.
Serve with wholemeal bread or flatbread or juinoa, or brown rice, or eat on its own. Hot, or cold as a salad.
You can also add raw fish to the sauce before or instead of the vegetables, and simmer till cooked.
You can add diced low-fat paneer cheese and simmer through for the last 10 min of cooking.
You can add meat, first marinating diced meat raw in the tomato mix for several hours before starting to cook the curry. Again, it is your choice whether and what vegs you include with the meat.
You can blend a cup of cooked squeezed spinach into the tomato blend.
You can add any other spices or vegetables or herbs that appeal, or take out any you don't like. You can add 100-300ml coconut cream.
But for best anti-cancer content, keep the tumeric, ginger, garlic, tomato, onion, coriander and yoghurt and pref the broccoli too.
I also make coldpressed juice with carrots, an orange, an apple and fresh/frozen berries.
And salad with lots of freshly picked spinachy green, kale, plus lightly browned chopped nuts, avocado, tomatoes, olives, low-fat fetta balls rolled in dakah, etc. dressed with garlic, olive oil, flaxseed oil, and a fresh lemon or lime squeezed over it.

[Lucy]

I asked my oncologist today about turmeric and grapefruit. Both her and her nurse said turmeric is good, even with ER+ cancers (provided you're not on chemo . . . it's considered an antioxidant and you're supposed to avoid antioxidants in powdered form while on chemo). The nurse said grapefruit can cause reactions with medications - not just limited to herceptin or chemo or hormone blockers - any medications. The doctor's response wasn't clear on the grapefruit but it may have been the way I presented it (she said it was delicious . . .). So there may be a different answer for every "expert" asked the question but that's what my particular "experts" said.

I wish I'd thought to ask about tofu since I don't eat meat and tofu has been a protein staple in my diet for the last 5 years. :-/

[RhondaH]

10 years later and going strong!!!! Time for a bump and thoughts and prayers to you all!!!!

Rhonda

[StephN]

Gee, Rhonda! What a nice surprise to see your name and good news. Very appropriate you chose an old thread of yours to announce your presence.

So, I am curious as to how you have done keeping to the diet suggestions mentioned in this thread?

[JessicaV]

Hi Rhonda!!! How is your cognitive fatigues going? Mine has largely gone away, and doing a hypnotherapy-based trauma treatment helped a lot. I tend to think my fatigue was strongly augmented by the cancer trauma resonating with my old traumas of rape, child sexual abuse, abusive mother etc. Without all the baggage coming along for the ride, I am doing a lot better.

Do you have any info about post-chemo bone health, esp where there are no Estrogen issues to complicate things?
best wishes
Jessica