Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Suzanne, I had 6 FEC-D which ended April last year. The Docetaxel knocked me around no end and I have the very worst joint pain imaginable still now. Some days are worst than others but even the good days are terrible. If I sit for too long I literally can't walk. It's hard because sometimes I need to rest so can be a catch 22. I find when moving around more the pain is generally a little better. I started taking 4 x high dose Curcumin (with pepper) and 6-8 fish oil capsules when my chemo ended and they helped a lot. If I ever neglect to take them for a day or so I can feel it. Drinking lots of water also helps. Again, I feel the difference when I dont. Tiffany xx ... View more

Hi Jrip. I am glad you are feeling well considering your treatment. The thing to remember about TN is that although it is more aggressive than other forms of breast cancer it also tends to respond better to treatment. With each year cancer free our chances of recurrence minimise greatly and after 5 years we have as much chance of it reoccurring as someone who has never had breast cancer being diagnosed. I am stage 4. I have been in remission since April 2015. I don't think about it. I'm lucky to be here. There are still people worse off than myself. What will be will be and I'll tackle that if and when. I can't live worrying about things that have not happened. I find meditation helps. I wish you all the very best. Hugs, Tiffany xx ... View more

Hi Marina. Oncologists won't be helpful in recommending or helping with diet / alternative therapies etc. I read it is actually against the law to recommend anything but chemotherapy and radiation. It's not in the medical professions interest as cancer is a billion dollar industry. Do your own research, eat loads of healthy foods and veges, take your vitamins and supplements, exercise and use your intuition to do what you feel is right for you. Don't let them put you off changes and asking questions. I even changed oncologists. This is your life and your right. I have chronic joint pain - shocking. My supplements help. xx ... View more

Hi AnnDaw, you need a Masticating Cold Press juicer . I have a Champion brand which is just anazing and super easy to clean and reassemble. Tiffany x ... View more

To all the ladies craving sweet treats but still wanting to be healthy try this recipe. All natural / organic with no refined sugar. SUPER yummy!!! 😊 Organicsisters.com.au - Raw Caramel Slice Love and hugs to you all Tiffany x ... View more

Amanda, I take large quantities of fish oil ( 6/day), high dose Curcumin (the active ingredient in tumeric - 4/day - need one with pepper for absorption into the system). Both these are powerful anti-inflammatory. Curcumin has very strong evidence of anti-cancer properties, google it. I have chronic joint pain still as residual side effects from my chemo and these help tremendously. I also take high dose vitamin c daily - more than recommended dose, and 6 x vitamin D (one because I tend towards deficiencies and secondly because very important for us). I also take a good multivitamin, a vitamin B12 spray and Iodine drops. My prognosis was bad so I just decided to go all out. My oncologist /s were extremely unhelpful whenever I asked about vitamins or supplements ( one even laughed and rolled her eyes at me - really?? This is my life you're laughing about!! - so I did all my own research. Curcumin has no adverse effects at all and doesn't affect any meds etc so quite safe. You must tell your Oncologist before taking anything especially if you are currently undergoing treatment. Vitamin C apparently can effect certain treatments. I hope all goes well for you, Tiffany x ... View more

Har21 hi ☺ I have had three surgeries - a failed lumpectomy and a double mastectomy. I took some loose, comfy pajama bottoms and a loose button up shirt for the hospital although I found it easier to just leave the hospital gown on. Take a wrap if you have one for your shoulders if you are chilly, otherwise something light. Coming home normal trousers or skirt and something button up for the top. After the surgery I felt quite self-conscious when I was leaving. I was flat as a pancake and surprised at how noticable it was. I had my breasts removed on different occasions - one prior to my chemo and the other after - and I was very large so it looked even more noticable being lopsided at first. I popped a cardigan on as I was leaving and found this camouflaged it more. You'll be sore so anything loose and button front is good. I used bio oil when my dressings came off on the scars. All the best Tiffany x ... View more

Suzanne look online at some Indian dishes. Many are vegetarian or vegan, chicken if you wish and are very healthy with lots of vegetables. The spices they use are bc fighters also - use termeric or better still curcumin. One of the simplest and best cancer fighters (proven) is broccoli. I have a bowl lightly steamed every day. Good luck x ... View more

The thought of not having the chemo honestly never occurred to me. I just did what my oncologist told me. It was all so sudden and a whirlwind of surgeries and appointments. Subsequent to my treatment I read more about the adverse affects of the chemo and made the decision to go all out with diet and lifestyle changes to help with that. It's a hard choice but worse when you feel you don't really have one. In my case the chemo was necessary and the lung and liver lesions are gone so I think it was the right thing x ... View more

Hi Pam, If you are eating dairy anything organic is always best ☺. Tiffany x ... View more

Hi Suzanne, I cut out everything but as I mentioned was given a very poor prognosis so... I eat vegan - no animal products or products containing any animal bi-products. I keep my carbs down. I juice a couple of times a day, usually breakfast and lunch. I eat nuts and legumes, heaps of veges (especially broccoli, red cabbage, leafy greens etc), avocado and olive oil for healthy fats. No refined sugar (nothing with Sugar listed in the product ingredients list) and only foods with low sugar content in the nutritional tables. There are lots of great vegan products here like crackers etc. I mainly try to eat as much fresh, non-processed foods as possible. Tiffany x ... View more

PS an easy Cancer fighting juice (as per the Gerson Therapy ) is one apple per 3 large carrots. Core the apple but do not peel. Nutrients in the apple work to release certain nutrients in the carrots. Easy, quick and tasty 🙂 Tiffany ... View more

Hi Pam, I agree with what Bel has said. From my research I've read there are links between dairy, red meat, alcohol and cancer. My medical team concur though there are indeed mixed views on this. From my perspective, having been staged as terminal, I have elected to cut out all dairy, meat and sugar. I never drank anyway. I'm not leaving anything to chance. Use your gut feeling here. It's all a personal choice and you'll know what feels right for you. The occasional eggs, organic chicken or fish (fresh salmon etc) should be fine. I believe it is though important to get yourself sugar free. Try green tea with a slice of lemon. Tiffany ... View more

Bel that is wonderful. This is true that we don't know if it's the diet and lifestyle changes that are doing it but what if it is? There seem too many "coincidences". I am on the list to have the test early this year so we'll see. Whitfield, the whole organic thing does cost. Some foods are more important to buy organic than others - i.e. leafy produce yes, bananas no. I do not eat meat now but if you do this is a must. If you cannot purchase organic soak all leafy produce in water with a splash of vinegar to remove residual chemicals. In fact we wash all our produce this way. All the best xxx Tiffany ... View more

Bernadetteh thank you for sharing. Your story is inspiring to those who believe a TN advanced diagnosis is the end and you are so right - the medical professionals are not always correct. I've found in my own experience with different oncologists that they really do not know much about cancer. Marina, masticating cold press juicers are best. Nutribullets (I have one of those also) wizz all the nutrients from the juice. Masticating juicers press the produce and the cold press is important to keep the temps down thus not killing off the goodness. These juicers are expensive but I view it as a good investment. I started my 'lifestyle change' immediately after finishing my chemo. My first check scan was 3 months later. I would have started earlier had I read all the information I had earlier. There's no proof it works but there are many thousands of people with the very worst inoperable terminal cancers who were told they had days or weeks whose cancers miraculously disappeared and never returned with diet changes. So I figured it is certainly worth a try - nothing to lose! I have now a 19 month old baby boy and little girl whose just turned 6 at Christmas. I'm only 44. Giving up those things was never hard for me. All I can say is research, research, research. Know all you can about everything and then take away from it the parts that are useful or feel right. I believe strongly in the power of the mind. In intuition and in the body's ability to self heal when given the opportunity. My first oncologist persisted in telling me I was basically going to die. I never felt this was the case and quite honestly felt and still do that it wasn't as big a problem as she was telling me. She was one of those that told me she'd "not seen this before and didn't really know what to do with me but watch with interest". Never be afraid to ask questions and to question your team's decisions or information. They see thousands of people and we are all numbers. To us this is our life. Read about 'Radical Remission' there's a great book by a lady author all about it. Research vitamins and cancer fighting foods (broccoli, red cabage etc), exercise and take up some form of meditation. I don't intend to die from my diagnosis of terminal cancer. But I realise I have to be proactive in this. Fingers crossed lol. I wish you all the very best xxx Tiffany. ... View more

Bernadetteh my previous message was for you. But I would like to wish all you brave ladies a safe and 'better' 2016. I was diagnosed Stage 4 TN in October 2014 - 3 months after my baby boy was born. I was told the average for me was 1-2 years survival. My tumour was 3.4cm but during my subsequent lumpectomy they found it had grown to 8cm! It had also spread to nearly all of my lymph nodes. With bad margins I had a full mastectomy one week later where they also removed all lymph nodes from that side. My surgeon told me my entire breast was riddled with cancer. Scans had also shown small lesions on my lung and liver hence the stage 4. I underwent 6 cycles of very aggressive chemo - FEC-D which knocked me around no end and completed the treatment last April (2015). My follow up scan showed no evidence of disease as have all my 3 monthly scans since. All clear. Three oncologists have told me I should not be in remission and that they have not seen this before. I have cut out dairy, sugar, meat and keep my carbs to 50g or under each day. I eat vegan, take loads of vitamins and am heavily into juicing (cold press Champion juicer ). High dose Curcumin, vitamin C and fish oil are my new best friends - I swear I rattle. But I feel amazing. I lost 30kg and never feel hungry. I eat only organic where possible. I recommend reading up on The Gerson Therapy (youtube has good docos by Charlotte Gerson) I found it helped me in many ways. I 'm sending huge hugs to everyone. Much love and best wishes for a happier new year Tiffany Xxx ... View more

You have made my day with your story. Thank you. May you have just as many more wonderful years ahead. Tiffany xxx ... View more