Going Natural

After having been diagnosed with a breast cancer for a second time. I had to think long and hard about treatment options. Should I do chemo, should I not. What about radiation, can I do more? Should I do more? What about surgery options. Breast off, ovaries out?? Force full menopause in the blink of an eye? Tamoxifen or not?

I know I was lucky, I had good doctors and that I was diligent about checking my remaining breast for changes. I was able to have the tumor removed with clean margins, and no node involvement. Feel a bit like I won the human lottery, so now with my new found luck I had to review all the information and decide.

Chances of re occurrence was set at about 10%, but I chose to look at it as a 90% survival rate. So with that information I decided that doing chemo and having all the side effects of the drugs was out. Radiation, well could do it but, instead decided that I would opt for doing a mastectomy. I was choosing quality of life, go thru all the unpleasantness of harsh treatment or the short term uncomfortableness of a surgery.

With my first diagnosis I did not have a choice as I was at a 90% chance of not making it thru treatment, it was either do it or well the other choice was not something that I wanted, so I did full treatment with extreme determination that I was going to make it. (And I did – I remained cancer free for almost 10 years before my second diagnosis).

Remember, for my new diagnosis, I was looking at only a 10% chance of re-occurrence, doing chemo and radiation would decrease that to a 0%, but I was betting the odds that with some other choices that I could also decrease my chances of re-occurrence.  So I have my surgery for the mastectomy for the beginning of October, and have started to see a Naturopathic Physician and I am working with him and taking products that are cancer fighters as well as a product that works much like tamoxifen, but without all the side effects. I have been a vegetarian for over 10 years, so my diet and nutrition are good, but the doctor made suggestions and discussed ways in which I could make small changes to make that even better. I have always been very physically active, running, hiking, swimming, skiing and that will always remain a part of my routine as it is a very important part of being and living healthy.

I discussed my thoughts and feeling with my oncologist and shared with her the same information that I have posted here as well as information from the Naturopath. She was very receptive and interested – most oncologists will not always be so.  She supports me in my decision, based on my odds of re-occurrence and the decision to have the mastectomy.

I feel that I have made these decision to do what is best for me, both mentally and physically. Some may not agree, but I am being pro-active about my health and taking steps to take the odds that I have been given and improve them and ultimately beat them. Choosing to support my body to help itself to become stronger and healthier has been my choice.

Do all that you can each day to improve your health by making choices that work for you so that your body and mind can be stronger and healthy, not just now but always!

Here is an article about some of my approach:  http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/7/2470S