[Gina]

Integrative Medicine for Myeloma Patients In Remission

by Gina on Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:53 pm

I am "progression free" now. Yay! Technically, I received the "very good partial response" outcome as many of you have.

Now that the "big fight" is over, the timebomb for the next relapse is loudly ticking in my head. I keep wondering, is there more that I can do to keep from relapsing? I am taking Revlimid as a maintenance therapy. I exercise, mainly walking, some aquatic therapy, and a little weight lifting. My eating habits have fallen back to the way they were before the mouthsores and nausea. But, I still feel "off." I definitely don't have the energy and stamina I had before and I just feel in my gut that I should do something else to get back "in balance." Anyone else feel this way?

I read a lot about diet changes (e.g. becoming vegan or gluten-free diets, etc.). I love a good hamburger, so this would be a big shift for me. Has anyone done this? If so, do you have more energy/vitality? What were your biggest hurdles and how did you get over them? For that matter, how does an admitted omnivore get started in the vegetarian arena?

Has anyone seen an integrative medicine doctor? Ayurvedic medicine? Holistic specialist? If so, what were your outcomes, thoughts, etc? Do you have anyone that you would recommend. My worries with this one are the supplements they want you to take. Yikes! I'm doing good to take what my traditional doctor orders. Taking something that is not FDA regulated is a little scary for me.

I would love to hear what others are doing above and beyond traditional medicine to stay relapse-free and what your results have been thus far.

Thanks!