[Phantom0730]

Supplements & treating (not curing) multiple myeloma

by Phantom0730 on Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:37 am

My experience with treating multiple myeloma with supplements over a 6 year period is beware of claims that there is a CURE if you take a certain supplement. Let me expand on that and share my own scientific data regarding my warning.

I don’t personally believe in conspiracy theories of our government to hide real cures for cancer from the public. Some of these people who do also believe UFO’s are spaceships from extraterrestrial visitors, from my experience.

I bought into Dr. Simoncini’s (an Italian oncologist) claim that all cancers are caused by fungus. He lost his license to practice medicine from wrongful deaths caused by treating cancer with sodium bicarbonate IV injections.

I personally called him long distance on the phone and asked him how I could do the injections myself at home. He had no answers.

Next I tried for a year taking fungicides that kill fungus systemically. It’s virtually the same medicine vets give dogs and cats to kill fleas and is manufactured in Thailand. It costs a fortune. I saw no improvement in my blood test results while trying this treatment.

I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in December 2008. I had a pulmonary embolism (caused by taking mega-doses of ibupofen) and terrible back pain due to a plasmacytoma in L2 of my spine.

I was prescribed Coumadin (warfarin) for the blood clot. Immediately I experienced purple toes and skin ulcers. Although Coumadin was obviously the wrong medicine for me for treating DVT, they continued prescribing it for me. This ultimately cost me gangrene of the toes, requiring amputation and skin grafting for skin ulcers in my legs.

The only blood thinning medicine that works safely for me is Arixtra, a subcutaneous needle injection (fondaparinux is the generic version). It’s expensive, but it works.

But I also take any supplements that help thin the blood, avoid dairy products, do not eat green leafy vegetables and am careful taking probiotics. All of these cause inflammation or produce vitamin K in the intestines, which increases blood clot risks.

If you have any issues with PVD or DVT, do not take Thalomid or Revlimid until you talk to your oncologist and review the benefits and risks of these chemotherapies. On Revlimid, I almost lost my life from massive acute and chronic blood clots from my toes to the filter in my vena cava. The only thing that saved me was a thrombectomy, quite a painful procedure. Without the filter, I would now be worm meal.

The Chinese believe that inflammation causes cancer. So do I. So virtually any supplement that reduces inflammation will help ‘fight’ cancer. Will it cure it? NO! The most you can do is slow down tumor growth and extend partial remission periods after chemotherapy treatments.

I’ve done my homework correlating various supplements that claim to cure cancer with my blood test results, namely IgG, which is both a monoclonal and normal blood marker, and MSPEP which is for monoclonal proteins. The most I achieved was slowing down the cancer growth in my bone marrow and extending the period of partial remission.

The only supplement I could find that has been scientifically tested is fucoidan, an extract of brown seaweed. I get the product from Swanson and take 5 grams (10 capsules) on an empty stomach before breakfast and at night. I read literature about how fucoidan fights cancer three ways.

1. Induces apoptosis (kills the buggers)
2. Boosts killer cell production, and
3. Stops angiogenesis.

The literature is from notable medical facilities in Japan and gets the support of Dr. Daisuke Tachikawa, a Japanese oncologist.

Does fucoidan cure multiple myeloma? No it does not. Dr. Tachikawa claims it can be taken with chemotherapy safely because it is a food product. I seriously doubt any American oncologist will allow you to take it while undergoing chemo. Except for vitamin D3 and liquid food supplements, they advise stopping ALL supplements because of research that proves vitamin supplements interfere with the chemo’s ability to kill cancer cells. In fact, the vitamins will nourish the cancer buggers and make them resistant to chemo.

Cancer is a very difficult disease to treat. Although a stem cell transplant may seem like rocket science, it is a long way from Star Trek.

In 2009 I opted not to have a stem cell transplant after completing eight months of Velcade and dexamethasone chemotherapy. I began taking supplements, including fucoidan, and prayed a lot. My IgG went up, so did my MSPEP, but then after three months it leveled off at a safe level and did this for 4 years.

After the first year after completing chemotherapy, my oncologist did a bone marrow biopsy and found less than 2% cancer cells in my bone marrow. Afterward, there were spikes here and there, some dips, but during the fourth year I saw a gradual trend that the cancer was coming back. I developed pain and swelling in my feet (maybe due to being immobile from an injury), and my platelet count dropped dramatically and dangerously low. Another bone marrow biopsy revealed 30 to 40% cancer cells, a dramatic increase from 2009.

I began chemotherapy again, which led to the blood clots.. Two weeks in the hospital where a thrombectomy was performed to save my life, two in the nursing rehab facility to learn to walk again, another week for treatment of pneumonia (dexamethasone lowers resistance to infection, even with a pneumococcal vaccine), and finally I was discharged. At the moment, I am resting at home, have gangrene on my toes, and taking supplements again. My podiatrist is treating the gangrene. I also have a new oncologist who will at least discuss the benefits and risks of chemo drugs instead of denying they can cause blood clots.

My advice is stick to oncology, ask your oncologist lots of questions about benefits and risks of the chemo drugs, do your homework online and research for yourself these chemo drugs, and take supplements that fight inflammation after you complete your chemo sessions to boost your immune system.

[sue in ohio]

Re: Supplements & treating (not curing) multiple myeloma

by sue in ohio on Sun Jan 11, 2015 6:48 pm

In addition to an oncologist, I also go to a naturopath whom I trust and who is highly trained. He keeps a close watch on my herbs and supplements to make sure there is no reaction between my Velcade and my supplements. I take large doses of turmeric and resveratrol, as they are powerful anti-inflammatory herbs. I also take some traditional Chinese medicine herbs to build up my immune system. You do have to be careful, as there are a lot of quacks out there, but I personally do believe in the integrative approach, where the best of conven­tion­al and alternative meds are used together to help the body heal.

I do disagree with you on some things you stated, in that I do believe the powerful pharma­ceut­i­cal companies dictate health care in this country, and not to our benefit. All they care about is the bottom line and how much money they can make. They do not care about you or me.

I am going to be starting 4.5 mg of low dose naltrexone prescribed by my fibro doctor for pain and inflammation as well as it builds up the immune system. I have also read a lot of good research by doctors who have used this dosage of low dose naltrexone to treat cancer very successfully. Not cure cancer, but to make it more of a chronic illness that can be controlled.

I am refusing to add any more chemo to my treatment other than my Velcade and prednisone for now. I firmly believe that many cancer treatments of today can cause other cancers in the body years down the road. I have made my decision to try some other things along with my current chemo and I have a lot of confidence in my decision. I have had no problems with my Velcade and have felt very good which I think is due to my herbs that I started before my chemo.

I feel the only reason there are no large clinical trials being done on low dose naltrexone for cancer is because it is a cheap drug, so no drug company will touch it. I am sorry, but I have absolutely no faith in the big pharmaceutical companies, as I have known people who had relatives who used to work for one of them and was appalled at the info kept from the public that brought much harm to people.

sue in ohio

[Huey1947]

Re: Supplements & treating (not curing) multiple myeloma

by Huey1947 on Sun Jan 25, 2015 11:15 pm

Phantom0730,

Could you tell me how long you are using fucoidan and when you stop using it?

Thanks.