Horatio update: Post radiation results in

[avoncallingu]

Tara, I think of you often. Glad something has turned out well for you! Good luck with your continued journey!

[TaraF]

@Natalka I have a gyn (after a LONG battle with my old Dr to get one) he felt I didn't need one because I wasn't planning to have a baby. Seriously. So I finally did get one but I refuse to go to her. Her exam rooms are filthy, IE: bugs in the lights, bugs crawling on stuff she uses to send samples away with. She doesn't cut her nails, gross. And most importantly her accent clashes greatly with my comprehension issues, even my husband finds her hard to understand. I will be requesting a referral to a new one when I see my GP. His Father is a gyn so maybe I'll keep my Drs in the family. lol

Thank you avon. I will take whatever small advancement I can get. Ya know I'm a firm believer that natural medicines and vitamins and such can help/heal us, and I'd prefer to take that instead of pharmaceuticals if I can. I was recently reading some studies on the ability of frankincense to shut down cancer cells in the body, specifically in the brain so I had been thinking of exploring that somehow, in addition to getting some lavender oil to put on my pillow at night to help me sleep, well doesn't my g/f invite me to this essential oils party she was having today. I learned that if you vape these essential oils they reach your brain in just 22 seconds. I'm sold! That's the next natural avenue I am exploring.

[Mia001]

oh Tara, i really hope you find a good gyn, it'S so important to have one you can trust

[Lynn49]

Oh, heavens, Tara!! Your present Gyn sounds like an absolute maggot!! I wonder what she's spreading patient to patient! Your gp's Dad sounds like the solution you need; I hope you can get in quickly.

You've always stood by your own well-researched choices and look where you are now...!! Good for you for trying the VitC 'therapy' before launching yourself onto another surgical table. And the fact that you're finding improvements is a bonus, so once again: good for you, Girl!!!

I continue to wish you all the best, Tara; I've been so weight-obsessed that I haven't been visiting many threads other than the diet and chat rooms, but I'll keep a close eye on you again through this...take care, Sweetheart; we all care so much for you and your well-being.

[AddyB]

Oh goodness, thank you all for your kind thoughts/prayers/words, etc, but I must have forget that I didn't inform you all that I ended up cancelling my surgery. Long story short.........I did research and discovered what high doses of Vitamin C were supposed to do for my current situation, so I told my surgeon I wanted to give it a go. If I can avoid major surgery by using something as simple as a vitamin, I'm game. She said the ball was in my court and would accept me for surgery for up to a year without needing a new referral. I'm taking 1500mg daily of Vitamin C and the results are AMAZING!

Thank you for remembering though. You make me all warm & fuzzy inside.

Tara have you looked at Artemisinin? I had breast cancer and decided to follow the natural route as well and took Artemisinin twice a day with 1 iron tablet in the evening. I am happy to send you papers written by Professor Henry Lai & Prof Najendra Singh, Washington State University and Prof Lai's contact details, in case you want to talk it through with your Consultant. This is my 2nd year clear, will continue taking for the full 5 years.

[walkonby]

just caught up a bit here. Tara, good on you for deciding to switch gyn Dr's. That would give me the creepy crawlies for sure! The Vitamin C therapy sounds so easy and natural! I hope it produces positive results, avoiding another surgery would be wonderful! Thinking of you!!

[TaraF]

@AddyB I will read about about the Artemisinin and my specific brain tumour and see how/if it would work. The crappy thing with BT's is that there is very little that will penetrate the blood/brain barrier, hence the reason IV chemotherapy can't be used and many therapies are useless. But thank you so much for letting me know, and congratulations on 2 years clear!

When I first met with the Chemotherapy Dr back in 2014 he was pushing what I guess he thought was best for me even though I wasn’t compatible with the drug. There was so much happening at that time, so many papers to sign, so many people telling me so many different things and what the potential side effects were to treatments that I really didn’t process any of it. I just signed on the dotted lines and away I went into treatment. I do remember him vaguely asking if we wanted to have children, because if we did then we should freeze my eggs because of what the chemotherapy will do to me. I didn’t really think too much of it as my husband and I didn't want kids and I'm dealing with cancer. Do what you have to do. I really wasn't thinking "hrmm if the Dr is telling me that I should freeze my eggs because of what this drug will do to me, what else is it doing to my reproductive organs?"

While laying in bed last night, phone in hand, I think the answer may have come to me via the American Cancer Society. There I read regarding chemotherapy:

Most chemotherapy (or chemo) drugs can damage a woman’s eggs and/or affect fertility. (Remember a woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have and they’re stored in her ovaries.) The effect will depend on the woman’s age, the types of drugs she gets, and the drug doses. This makes it hard to predict if a woman is likely to be fertile after chemo. The chemo drugs most likely to cause egg damage and infertility are:

· Busulfan
· Carboplatin
· Carmustine (BCNU)
· Chlorambucil
· Cisplatin
· Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan®)
· Dacarbazine
· Doxorubicin (Adriamycin®)
· Ifosfamide
· Lomustine (CCNU)
· Mechlorethamine
· Melphalan
· Procarbazine
· Temozolomide

After chemo, fertility may not last as long: Girls who had chemo before puberty (the time when periods begin) or young women whose menstrual periods start back after chemo are at risk for early (premature) menopause. When a woman stops having periods long before the average age (about 51), it’s considered premature menopause. She becomes infertile because her ovaries stop releasing eggs. Early menopause also means that the ovaries stop making the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.

AHA! Now isn’t that interesting. What “young women” is classified as, I don’t know. I was 34 when I went through cancer treatment, and although I “only” did 2 weeks of chemotherapy, at which point I decided to stop that portion of treatment, I still did partial chemo. I still had Temozolomide in my body on a daily basis for 2 weeks and I also had it in my body while not being compatible to it. I don’t know if this is the source of my problems, but I think I may be on to something. I have printed the information out from the American Cancer Society and I am taking it to my GP on the 28^th so we can discuss my current situation and see if we can piece this puzzle together once and for all.

[MortgageQueen]

Tara, am so happy the Vit.C is working so well. I hope the aromatherapy helps too. WHile aromatherapy won't cure anything it can provide immense support to various systems in your body. . . and it smells good!!

[Skippy]

Hope and pray you are further ahead after seeing your GP yesterday.Have a great weekend!

[AddyB]

Tara I see you have access to the cyberknife system in Canada see link:
http://www.cyberknife.com/CyberKnifeLocations.aspx a friend of mine in our cancer friends club here in the UK had his brain tumour zapped and we are hoping he will be one year cancer free. I'm sure your Consultant will be well aware of it. I had the bog standard radiotherapy and the only side effect was partially fried hair but all back to normal now.

Love your cartoon and it is so right. We have the NHS in the UK and our doctors are definitely NOT UP TO DATE nor are they interested in being told about new possibilities, that is why in our group we share information. Would it be possible for you to point me to relevant papers re Vit C? Thanks in advance and be strong.

[TaraF]

AddyB, yes we have Cyberknife at the cancer centre that my oncology team is at. If my tumour were to progress that would be the option I would ask for next, but I'm hoping that it doesn't. I did craniotomy the first time around, chemo and radiation 2nd time around, and I'm really hoping there is no 3rd time. lol But this beast is unpredictable, and if my Dr were to discuss a radiation/surgical option to me, my choice would be the Cyberknife. Were you looking at sources for vitamin C regarding my bleeding issues? Because I don't have any regarding my tumour. I'd love to be able to solve THAT issue with vitamin C!

Also congratulations to your friend! My condition remains "stable" because I have remaining tumour. I don't have enough tumour to open my head up for surgery though, so I wonder if they could do the cyberknife? I should ask them when I see them in May.

[AddyB]

Hi TaraF

Great to hear cyberknife would be available to you should you require it.
I love your positive attitude. I am many miles away but I think of you every night and send you my positive vibes also.

My friend's tumour was less than 2" and like you he has a very positive attitude and is also a fighter.

I would like to understand how the vit C works for you. Can you send me a link that I can read please? As you know I am an Artemisinin believer coupled with iron tablets and drinking home grown artemisia annua tea. I did not want to take the recommended Letrozole because of all the side effects. Out of the 15 of us I was the only one to opt out and the only one so far who has 2 clear years, all the other ladies have had to go back for either chemo or radiotherapy and if that doesn't kill the cancer they will have to undergo surgery. I really feel for all of them but unfortunately the Consultants here are very "close minded". TIA and keep on fighting.

[Skippy]

Hi There! Long time no hear.Hope and pray all is well for you,your spouse and your Mom.
Take care of yourself

[TaraF]

AddyB I'll pm you when I get the time to sit and compose a long message about the Vitamin C and my current issue. But it's working so I'm not complaining.

Thank you Skippy, all is well here. I have my MRI in April so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and spirits up for some good results.

[AddyB]

AddyB I'll pm you when I get the time to sit and compose a long message about the Vitamin C and my current issue. But it's working so I'm not complaining.

Whenever it fits in with your life Tara. My positive vibes are with you all the way, as are everyone else on this thread. Keep strong.