There are many natural health products out there to fight cancer anyone using any of them?
For example, does anyone take pancreatic enzymes and, if so what brand and do they find them helpful?
I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in February 2012 but have refused chemo up until now and am keeping myself relatively stable with a complete change of lifestyle.
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Faye - Name: Faye
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: February 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 57
Re: Anyone refusing chemo?
Faye, I'm not sure what a pancreatic enzyme is but the enzyme I'm taking is from Medizym and they are systemic enzyme used to boost the immune system. They were recommended by Life Extension for multiple myeloma patients. I get them from Swanson Vitamins.
I also am using a supplement called artemisinin which they give people who are fighting malaria.
I have been on both of these for 7 months and had hoped my M spike would go down, but it has not.
I have no other symptoms of multiple myeloma although my oncologist diagnosed me with it. I am a bit scared of the chemo drugs since I am 76 and have such bad side effects from strong meds. I will probably give them a try if I have to later but in the meantime, I am going to continue to give these 2 a try.
I also am using a supplement called artemisinin which they give people who are fighting malaria.
I have been on both of these for 7 months and had hoped my M spike would go down, but it has not.
I have no other symptoms of multiple myeloma although my oncologist diagnosed me with it. I am a bit scared of the chemo drugs since I am 76 and have such bad side effects from strong meds. I will probably give them a try if I have to later but in the meantime, I am going to continue to give these 2 a try.
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barbara1200 - Name: barb
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 75
Re: Anyone refusing chemo?
Barbara1200, the multiple myeloma drugs are not chemo and don't have the side affects associated with chemo.
I took a full Velcade regimen at 70, a stem cell transplant [SCT] at 71, and I'm now on Revlimid at 75.The Velcade was non eventful, the SCT hard, and the Revlimid has some unpleasant side effects, but nothing earth shaking.
Multiple myeloma is what it is and, after watching my sister suffer, trust me, the meds are not the worst side of it.
I took a full Velcade regimen at 70, a stem cell transplant [SCT] at 71, and I'm now on Revlimid at 75.The Velcade was non eventful, the SCT hard, and the Revlimid has some unpleasant side effects, but nothing earth shaking.
Multiple myeloma is what it is and, after watching my sister suffer, trust me, the meds are not the worst side of it.
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Wayne K - Name: Wayne
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself, my sister who passed in '95
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 03/09
- Age at diagnosis: 70
Re: Anyone refusing chemo?
Wayne What about Melaphan -- that is the drug my oncologist has ordered for me. Isn't that an older chemo drug? I know multiple myeloma can be really bad -- except for my M spike, I am symptom free but I know that won't last forever.
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barbara1200 - Name: barb
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 75
Re: Anyone refusing chemo?
Melphalan is a chemo, but doesn't seem to be very popular. Perhaps you can get your doctor to do something like Velcade/Dex? Someone else will have to enlighten you on the effects of Melphalan.
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Wayne K - Name: Wayne
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself, my sister who passed in '95
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 03/09
- Age at diagnosis: 70
Re: Anyone refusing chemo?
Hi Barbara, Melphalan is indeed an older chemo drug, an alkylating agent. It is the high dose chemo that is used for stem cell transplants, but in lower doses it is also used for chemotherapy (similar to cytoxan being used in higher doses for stem cell harvest and in lower doses for chemo). There are other categories of myeloma treatments -- for example, proteasome inhibitors (Velcade and Kyprolis) or immunomodulatory agents (thalidomide, Revlimid, and Pomalyst/Imnovid). Where do you live and are you being seen by a myeloma specialist? Maybe others can comment if you put that into context here.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Anyone refusing chemo?
One thing that you might try is curcumin. It's my impression that a good number of people on this forum take curcumin, at least as a supplement.
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dnalex - Name: Alex N.
- Who do you know with myeloma?: mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2007
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Anyone refusing chemo?
When I think of chemo, I think of un-targeted drug therapy that goes after all fast growing cells (which affects cancer cells, but fast growing normal cells are affected too.)
The newer drugs for multiple myeloma treatment are targeted towards multiple myeloma cells. The drugs can differentiate (more or less) cancer cells from normal cells.
Of the treatment we are on, CyBorD (Cytoxan, Velcade, Dex), I believe Cytoxan acts more like traditional chemo (un-targeted), and Velcade is more targeted at multiple myeloma. Dex is a steroid and appears to be a facilitator to help Cytoxan and Velcade.
Are multiple myeloma treatments chemo? It's hard to say, because part of it is, and part of it isn't. However, it's not the same as traditional chemo for other cancers.
The newer drugs for multiple myeloma treatment are targeted towards multiple myeloma cells. The drugs can differentiate (more or less) cancer cells from normal cells.
Of the treatment we are on, CyBorD (Cytoxan, Velcade, Dex), I believe Cytoxan acts more like traditional chemo (un-targeted), and Velcade is more targeted at multiple myeloma. Dex is a steroid and appears to be a facilitator to help Cytoxan and Velcade.
Are multiple myeloma treatments chemo? It's hard to say, because part of it is, and part of it isn't. However, it's not the same as traditional chemo for other cancers.
Re: Anyone refusing chemo?
Nancy & group,
I live in Dayton, OH and am seeing an oncologist. He has many multiple myeloma patients but treats all kinds of cancer. I am going to ask him about the more targeted drugs when I feel I have to go on chemo. I guess that is what I don't like about melphalan. Since I do have an M spike but no "crab" symptoms, I feel I still have some time before I pull the chemo cord.
Thanks for all the replies -- I love this Board -- you are all so knowledgeable.
I live in Dayton, OH and am seeing an oncologist. He has many multiple myeloma patients but treats all kinds of cancer. I am going to ask him about the more targeted drugs when I feel I have to go on chemo. I guess that is what I don't like about melphalan. Since I do have an M spike but no "crab" symptoms, I feel I still have some time before I pull the chemo cord.
Thanks for all the replies -- I love this Board -- you are all so knowledgeable.
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barbara1200 - Name: barb
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 75
Re: Anyone refusing chemo?
Hi Faye,
Which of the CRAB symptoms do you have that resulted in your multiple myeloma diagnosis, where are you with those symptoms right now and what stage are you?
I agree with the others that calling many of the newer multiple myeloma drugs "chemo" agents isn't really a good characterization of them, as they are nothing like the chemo agents that many of us have seen patients with other cancers use over the years.
I also worry when I hear folks talk about relying on pancreatic enzymes for treating symptomatic multiple myeloma, as that idea immediately brings Dr. Gonzalez' treatment protocol to my mind.
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/gonzalez-therapy-protocol-multiple-myeloma-experiences-t3137.html
Don't get me wrong. I believe in and use natural efforts and lifestyle changes to combat this disease (I am at the SMM stage and holding my own). But I also believe that if one is symptomatic, one really needs to at least thoroughly investigate some of the "traditional" drugs (IMIDs, proteasome inhibitors, etc) for treating multiple myeloma and not just rely purely on "natural" efforts.
Again, I'm not trying to shoot down any ideas here, especially if you are holding your own...just suggesting you really do your homework.
Best of luck to you.
Which of the CRAB symptoms do you have that resulted in your multiple myeloma diagnosis, where are you with those symptoms right now and what stage are you?
I agree with the others that calling many of the newer multiple myeloma drugs "chemo" agents isn't really a good characterization of them, as they are nothing like the chemo agents that many of us have seen patients with other cancers use over the years.
I also worry when I hear folks talk about relying on pancreatic enzymes for treating symptomatic multiple myeloma, as that idea immediately brings Dr. Gonzalez' treatment protocol to my mind.
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/gonzalez-therapy-protocol-multiple-myeloma-experiences-t3137.html
Don't get me wrong. I believe in and use natural efforts and lifestyle changes to combat this disease (I am at the SMM stage and holding my own). But I also believe that if one is symptomatic, one really needs to at least thoroughly investigate some of the "traditional" drugs (IMIDs, proteasome inhibitors, etc) for treating multiple myeloma and not just rely purely on "natural" efforts.
Again, I'm not trying to shoot down any ideas here, especially if you are holding your own...just suggesting you really do your homework.
Best of luck to you.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
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