Breast Cancer Now Forum

I remember reading your posts when I was going through treatment nearly 4 years ago and finding them helpful. Thank you for posting. Many congratulations on your 10 years and enjoy every minute of the Inca trail xx ... View more

Hi Karen, I too had neo-adjuvant chemo for stage 3 (although mine was ER/PR+, HER2-). Chemo didn't shrink my tumour much either and I still had 2 nodes positive after chemo. I was devastated at the time, but my surgery was 3 1/2 years ago and I am very well and free of recurrence so far. You have more treatment to come that can help you, so try not to worry too much (I know that's difficult!). I firmly believe that a lot of lifestyle changes are keeping me well, as well as Tamoxifen. Hugs xx ... View more

Hi Risal,   I know this thread is a few months old, but I wanted to find out how you have got on with Tamoxifen and ovarian cysts. I have been on Tamoxifen since December 2013 (dx May 2013) and had some period-like bleeding every other month from November 2014 to March 2015. Last month I received the results of an ultrasound which showed a large (8cm x 4cm - how did I not know?!) complex ovarian cyst on my left ovary. 2 weeks ago I had a repeat scan which showed the cyst on my left ovary is now smaller and simpler but there is now a small cyst on my right ovary too. i see the gynae consultant on Friday.   I am trying to see these cysts as a warning sign of how out of balance my body must be. I have read that the indicate high oestradiol (the bad oestrogen), which doesn't sound like great news. So I have started taking DIM along with Tamoxifen to try to convert the oestradiol into less harmful forms of oestrogen. I'm wondering whether there is anything else I can do to reduce the cysts without drugs or surgery (or the obvious - stopping Tamoxifen). If you found an oncologist willing to talk through it all, have you found out anything about treating these cysts a bit more holistically? Or is Tamoxifen so powerful at disrupting hormone balance that there is nothing else to be done?   Thanks in advance. ... View more

I hope so too Miss Piggy xx ... View more

Hi Miss Piggy, I haven't got there yet (dx May 2013), but if you haven't already read it, I would highly recommend reading "Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against the Odds" by Dr Kelly Turner. She interviewed lots of people who were still alive when their doctors hadn't expected them to be and asked them the same question you asked. She distilled their answers to 9 factors. It's an enormously inspiring book and gave me a lot of hope. I know that not everyone agrees that cancer is caused by lifestyle, but for me I think it was (mainly stress in my case). Rather than feeling "to blame" by identifying a cause, I think it helps me to feel empowered that I can help myself by changing. Best wishes to you, too xx ... View more

Wow Saffronseed, great news and very inspiring to those of us not so far on (1 yr 9 months from dx of large tumour with node involvement). Thank you for posting, and here's to the next 5 years! ... View more

Hi Lexilou, I'm no adrenaline junkie either but I did once ride the cable cars over the Thames (pre-dx). At the end of it I saw people being harnessed up to walk over the roof of the O2, and thought "I'd never do that", but now, 1 year 9 months post-dx, I'm planning on climbing over it in the summer (there, I've said it, I've got to do it now!) What I find more exciting is that I've just gone back to college to do a 3 year part-time diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition - an interest that has directly come from my cancer "experience". I hope that one day I'll be able to help other people with cancer. Scary and risky to plan ahead, but it feels so exciting and life affirming. Good luck realising your dreams! ... View more

Thank you Jo. ... View more

Thank you Jenny. May I ask why you were put on Tamoxifen and Zoladex together - was it to keep you in menopause for a minimum amount of time?   Jo, I did call the helpline yesterday and I have to say on this occasion I didn't find it very helpful! When I have called the helpline before I have found it to be informative, but this time the lady I spoke to seemed bemused by my concerns, suggested that Tamoxifen was just an "insurance" because surgery was the main treatment (I would suggest this isn't entirely true for Stage 3) and in the end suggested that I posted a question on the forum about it - which I have done! As I said, I have always found the helpline to be good before so I was very disappointed this time. ... View more

Hi, I know this is an old thread but I thought I'd resurrect it as I have exactly the same query. Brief history - dx with Stage 3 ER/PR+ve (8/8) IDC in May 2013. My last period was halfway through neoadjuvant chemo (Aug 2013) and I've been on Tamoxifen since Dec 2013, and feeling really well. Hot flushes stopped about 6 weeks ago and I've just started a period. I'm worried because my original onc told me that if I had a period he would switch me to Zoladex and an AI, because it would indicate Tamoxifen wasn't working, a risk he wouldn't take. But I changed oncs because the original one was very negative, and my current onc's view is that Tamoxifen is still the best treatment for pre-menopausal women, period or not. So I'm wondering if there's anyone out there like me (Stage 3, minimal response to chemo) whose periods have returned on Tamoxifen and have still done ok? Being 8/8 Er+ve I was really hoping it would work well for me. Jane, I hope you are well at the moment too. Thanks. ... View more

Hi Testrix, I haven't got any personal experience of this, but I have come across a website called Yes to Life which gives information on integrated therapies to cancer patients. I think they list doctors who offer intravenous vit C. There is also a service called Cancer Options (you can google it) who provide information/advice on integrated therapies who may be able to point you in the right direction. As I said, I haven't used this myself so I hope I haven't sent you on a wild goose chase! Just sharing some info I've come across. I'd be really interested to hear how you get on. ... View more

Hi everyone,   I hope you are all doing well and enjoying any dietary changes! Last week I went on the 2 day "Living Well With the Impact of Cancer" course at the Penny Brohn Centre in Bristol. For anyone on this thread who is interested in making lifestyle changes and helping themselves to live a better life after cancer, I cannot recommend it highly enough. In terms of the information presented, I felt there was not so much new stuff as I have read fairly widely and been on a 1 day course at the Haven, but in terms of relaxation and getting connected with your inner spirit again, it was amazing. I came home feeling as if I had been on a retreat. The course is free (donations welcomed!) including fantastic healthy food and beautiful accommodation in the countryside just outside Bristol (and no they aren't paying me to advertise it!) If you can get to Bristol (it's about 140 miles away from me) it's well worth it, and you can go at any stage of treatment or, like me, after treatment is over.   Their approach to healthy eating "has at its core the belief that people are healthiest when they follow a diet composed of foods in their most natural state....The Bristol Approach to healthy eating aims to encourage people to eat a whole food diet that is based on fresh, unprocessed foods." Much of the advice was very much like what has been discussed on this thread. I can't copy all their recommendations her but in summary of food groups, they recommend;   Foods to eat in abundance vegetables and fruit, whole grains, pulses, protein foods, healthy fats, herbs and spices, water   Foods to eat in moderate amounts read meat, dairy products, caffeine, soya products   Foods to eat in minimal amounts refined grains and sugars, damaged fats, processed meats, barbequed or griddled foods, salt, alcohol   For me, one of the key benefits of having been on the course is that now I can have a one-to-one appointment with a nutritionalist and with a holistic doctor. I really want to talk through all the diet changes I have made with a professional, and I want some advice on supplements before spending a fortune on tablets I may not need.   Best wishes to everyone. ... View more

Thanks Mel. I was told by a nutritionist at the Haven that although seed oils (hemp, flax, sesame, sunflower) may have a good mix of omega 3 to omega 6 when at room temperature, it's not good to cook with them because they break down when heated. She suggested that the best oils to cook with are olive, avocado and coconut (or butter if you are still eating dairy), saving the seed oils for salad dressings etc as Mel has suggested. ... View more

Hi Mini,   What a great idea! When I was diagnosed (Stage 3 ER+ IDC, May 2013, aged 40, with 3 young children) none of my medical team gave me any hope. When I tried to get them to say anything positive they just shrugged or said "take one day at a time." This made me more scared than anything else, as I felt that if they didn't see any hope then there was none. I searched hard for hope and inspiration, finding it on this site and in books. However, it took me months to fully feel in my heart that there was any hope, and during this time I was incredibly anxious and I imagine that as a result it was hard for my body to heal. Since finding hope I have worked hard, through diet, exercise and meditation, to regain my health and at the moment I feel really well. If I had been given a book at the start like you are suggesting it would have helped me enormously and saved a lot of time!   I don't think I'm far enough on from dx to give hope to others yet - when I was diagnosed I wanted to hear from people a lot further on than me  . Have you thought of pm-ing any of the women who have posted their stories in this section of the forum (5 years on etc)? They might be willing to help.   On a personal level, if you find reading inspirational stories helpful I would recommend a book called "Radical Remissions: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds" by Dr Kelly Turner. I have recommended it elsewhere on this section of the forum - it really does give hope for healing with cancer at any stage.   Wishing you all the very best in your mission to spread hope!   Jx ... View more

It's great to learn of so many of us trying to take control of improving our health! Mel and PaulS, both your stories are inspirational! Whilst not wanting to introduce a negative note, I would like to ask Mel if you feel that you need to make any changes to your diet now given that (I assume) you were diagnosed with BC while following it?   One thing which has not been mentioned much is the power of the mind to influence the immune system. This used to be thought a lot of old hocus pocus, yet the placebo effect is accepted without question now. I read a book called "Getting Well Again" by Dr O Carl Simonton, Stephanie Matthews-Simonton and James L Creighton. Dr Simonton was an American oncologist and his wife Stephanie was a psychologist. In the 60s they started to look at how the mind could effect cancer. They used visualisation and a number of other techniques and had some really remarkable results. There is a lot of information in the book about creating helpful mental imagery to visualise cancer being healed. With regard to the immune system, they say that it is really important to visualise your white blood cells as much more clever, organised and prolific than the cancer. For myself, now that my active treatment is finished, I try to imagine the Tamoxifen circulating in my blood and wrapping a film like clingfilm around any tiny cancer cells that might be lurking. Then I imagine some "lookout" immune system cells noticing what is happening and calling for reinforcements...a huge army of white blood cells arrive, surround the cancer cells, eat them up and take them out of my body via the liver or kidneys. I then picture my blood, lymph, bones and organs as being healthy and clear. I'm not sure how biologically accurate this is and you might think it's a load of mumbo jumbo but I do find it helpful.   I was diagnosed in May 2013 and have made quite a few changes to my diet since then. I'll try to list them in case anyone else finds it useful. I have based my changes on the books I have read, the canceractive website, and a introductory course I went on at the Haven which included a session on nutrition. I found all the information overwhelming but made changes in small steps.   Some principles I try to stick to: little or no sugar, no white refined carbohydrates, no processed foods, no dairy, no red meat (although in the winter I did have some venison but if it's farmed I'm not sure it's any better for you than beef or lamb), no alcohol except red wine. Eat as many vegetables as possible(!), especially raw, juiced or lightly steamed. Eat as many colours of vegeatbles as possible. Try to eat no more than 2-3 pieces of fruit per day (to limit sugar intake). i only juice vegetables, not fruit, as the fructose is absorbed too quickly when the fibre is removed from fruit. Eat whole grains (brown rice, bulgar wheat, quinoa, oats etc). I try to eat less wheat than before just to make sure I eat different grains and don't rely on wheat. At each meal, try to make 50% of the plate vegetables, 20% protein, 20% carbohydrates and 10% fat. Make sure every meal includes protein as this slows down the rise in blood sugar you would get if you only ate carbs. Eat organic produce as much as possible (but it's SOOO expensive!).   Foods I make a special effort to include are: berries, nuts (walnuts and almonds), seeds, pulses, garlic, onions, spring onions, oyster mushrooms, flaxseed, sprouted seeds and beans, green tea (at least 4 cups of Japanese Sencha per day). At least one helping of cruciferous vegetables per day. I think it is important to keep your gut healthy by taking a probiotic but I haven't quite worked out what to take yet! I do have home fermented almond milk kefir on my muesli in the morning and I'm hoping the cultures in the kefir are doing something for the good bacteria in my gut, but I think I need to research this further. Oh, and I eat some Green & Blacks organic 80% dark chocolate every day as my treat. My tastebuds have really changed and now I would find milk chocolate or processed sugary products too sickly.   This all sounds difficult but I have made the changes really gradually and I have never enjoyed what I eat more than I am doing now. And I feel really well  . Obviously I don't know if it's working or not, but my onc thinks I look well and is supportive. I have a husband and 3 young sons and they go along with some of this. They know I really want to be well, and they want me to be well, so by and large they humour me, with only a few complaints! I sometimes don't cook exactly what I'd like to because I know the boys wouldn't eat it, and I am the only one who drinks the green tea or green juice!   The next area I want to work on is supplements. I currently take a multivitamin with selenium, vitamin D3, fish oil, brewers yeast and modified citrus pectin, but it feels a bit ad hoc and I'd like to get some advice on it. I'm going on a course at the Penny Brohn Centre next week and I'm going to ask there. I'll let you know if they have any further useful tips. Does anyone here know where you can get reputable advice on supplementation?   It's great to hear everyone's information! xx ... View more

Hi Michele, I felt a lump towards the back of my neck just after I finished chemo. It doesn't sound like it was in exactly the same place as yours; mine was further up the neck and slightly round to one side. However, the reason I'm mentioning it is that my horrible onc (I've since changed him!) actually tutted when I asked him about it (in a "why does she have to bother me with this?" sort of way) and said that in his 20+ years of oncology he had never come across anyone with a cancerous lump on the back of their neck when there were no lumps further towards the front/side of the neck or around the clavicle area. Unreassured, I asked for a scan anyway. I was terrified and had convinced myself that if this had popped up right after chemo then my cancer was spreading and resistant to treatment etc. It turned out to be a lymph node but not cancerous - phew! They reckoned it had always felt slightly bumpy but I had not noticed it before in my pre-BC innocence. I'm waffling a bit but I was trying to say that I was told that it would be unusual for a lump at the back of the neck to be BC related. I hope you don't have to wait too long for your scan and results xx ... View more

Other books worth a read on this subject are "Anticancer" by David Servan-Schreiber and "Radical Remissions: Surviving Cancer Against the Odds" by Dr Kelly Turner. Plus the canceractive website has a lot of advice. The view that a predominantly plant based diet is the way to go is becoming more widespread, although not all oncologists would go out on a limb to give you that advice, because it is very difficult to conduct large studies on the impact of diet on cancer. However, like PaulS's friend, there are a lot of stories of people who think that what they have eaten has influenced their healing. The book "Radical Remissions" is full of them. I found that researching diet helped me get some sense of control and a positive focus at a time when I was incredibly scared and anxious. I thought my diet was reasonably healthy before dx but have changed it in small steps until now it is radically different from before. My taste buds have changed as a result, I have a huge enthusiasm for food and I am convinced that I recovered from treatment faster than I would otherwise have done. I just wished I'd started the process sooner (didn't start until about halfway through chemo, and not in earnest until after chemo). ... View more

Hi Elinda, Congratulations on reaching 5 years and thank you for telling us about it. I too had a large lump and lymph node involvement when I was diagnosed just over a year ago. I searched this site for inspiration from other ladies who had been in a similar situation, and I remember seeing your name on threads about diet. I just wanted to say hi and let you know how much you had helped me without knowing it. Here's to the next 5 years! Jxx ... View more

Interestingly, I was reading only yesterday that regular meditation results in increased melatonin levels. One reason why meditation may be important in an anti-cancer lifestyle. Jx ... View more