Health and Cancer decisions- what options?
There is often tremendous pressure to go down the conventional health treatment route too quickly after a cancer diagnosis; but you should not be rushed into making a decision. A cancer diagnosis is a very frightening experience, but the first thing to remember is – don’t panic!
That is not to say that you should delay any treatment - whether it is conventional or alternative health - for too long however, as it is always best to start treatment fairly quickly after diagnosis.
Obviously If the cancer is so large it is threatening a major organ or it is particularly fast growing or there is not enough time left for an alternative health treatment to have a chance to work, then immediate surgery, or other conventional methods may be used to one's advantage.
However, this is often simply short term damage control. When it comes to long term recovery the success of toxic conventional treatments is a different story.
In many cases, by the time a tumour is big enough to be detected, it has probably been in place for years so there is a time frame to make a considered choice and consider the options that feel right for you. Following my diagnosis, it was six weeks before I started treatment.
This is also a time to ask plenty of questions of your doctors, nurses and health consultants involved. Asking questions makes you feel more empowered rather than a passive receiver of treatment – or feel that the "doctor knows best" and be afraid to ask. Some of the questions can be:
• What type of treatment options are the most successful in treating the type of cancer that has been diagnosed? • What does the doctor treating you or your loved one consider a cure? A shrinking of the tumour or a five year survival time? • What are the statistics of success of that kind of treatment? • What are the dangers and side effects associated with the treatment – what will be the quality of life and long term cure be if the recommended treatment is followed? • How accurate and safe is the diagnosis associated with the screening of the cancer? • How common is misdiagnosis? • How impartial is the health advice from the cancer doctor? • How was the cancer caused and how likely is it to return?
Do not be afraid to ask these questions - you have a right to know. Depending on your type of cancer, you may be making a decision that your life depends on.
If you are not satisfied with the answers to these questions, begin a search of your own for alternatives. At the end of this page are a number of good websites and books where I began to research my own healthy treatment options.
Make up your own mindWhen I was confronted with this choice I was amazed to discover how little the treatment options had changed over the years. Judging by the number of announcements there have been over the years from the media claiming “wonder cures” for cancer I imagined there were plenty of healthier options available.
However, when I went to see the consultant, I was given only one choice – a complete mastectomy of my left breast, with possible radiotherapy or drugs afterwards incase they had not “got it all”.
I was diagnosed as stage 1-2 ductal carcinoma. This means that the cancer cells had spread outwards from where it had started in the ducts and they were unsure how far the cancer cells had spread.
I was told I could have the mastectomy within a few weeks, and a nurse would visit to go through it with me. When she arrived, I expressed my doubts that nothing other than this could be done, (which seemed too drastic) but she just repeated what the specialist had said about the risk of it spreading.
I was shown photographs of what the operation site would look like, (which shocked me) but was told I could have reconstruction surgery if I wanted. I was told that time was of the essence and the operation should be carried out as soon as possible. When she left I had agreed to the operation in a few weeks.
However I still felt uneasy about this decision, and couldn’t work up any conviction that I was doing the right thing for my long term health. I spent many sleepless nights mulling it over in my mind and all the time I was having negative thoughts about the whole thing.
Why did I change my mind?Maybe the fact that I used to be a nurse in the National Health Service made me feel more able to question the doctors more. However, I believe most people are in such a state of shock at the time that they agree to all the treatment options they are told they need by the experts.
I asked for a second opinion but was told that it was unlikely to make much difference to the original opinion as every case was discussed by a group of consultants and a decision reached as to what treatment was needed.
I felt trapped and in a corner, frightened, angry and helpless, but then a few days later I sat in front of the computer, typed in “alternative cancer therapies” in Google and started with my own health research. The rest, as they say, is history.
There are hundreds of health sites out there and it can be a bit daunting but I managed to find a few that answered all the questions that I had, plus a few more I hadn’t yet thought of. I also consulted a nutritionist who specialized in treating cancer, and had a lot more health advice –and hope.
At the end of the day, it is what you have faith in that really counts. The most successful cancer treatments are those where the patient works with the doctor, oncologist or alternative practitioner, and who is involved and informed of progress. This is a far better scenario than someone who has fears and doubts but is afraid to question anything.
I have been told I am brave. But was I really? I think I would have been brave had I undergone exactly the same treatment as my daughter and sister had, but with no faith in it. The fact is I was more terrified of this treatment than I was of the disease!
Alternative treatmentI found that it is also very important to talk things over honestly with your family. Firstly I had to convince my husband and daughter to have faith in alternative health treatments as well as me, rather than what was offered by the doctors.
Once they had understood the difference between what conventional treatment means as a "cure" (alive 5 years after diagnosis) instead of being cancer-free, they too had more faith in the treatment I had chosen. And so I had their vital support whenever I felt a bit down.
The nutritional treatment I found a bit hard to begin with, especially if you have a sweet tooth like I did and there are many things you can’t eat in the beginning! I also had to remember to take the supplements regularly, and take vegetable juices three times a day as my “medicine”, as well as apricot kernels and tablets, and which quite frankly I didn’t like very much at first, but soon got used to it.
However, I persevered and now would never dream of going back to my old diet – or the way I used to feel. The diet was changed as I started getting good blood results. I no longer take all the supplements I used to and the diet regime is more relaxed – but no sugar or dairy, with alcohol and meat in moderation and plentiful fruit and vegetables is still the mainstay.
I also recommend having thermographs or ultrasound rather than mammography. They are far more sensitive, non invasive and safer ways of monitoring progress and screening. Certain blood test assays are also accurate ways of finding out how treatment is progressing by analysing the compounds circulating in the blood
Finally, understand that YOU must be happy with any health treatment options that are suggested. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. And if you are not satisfied with the answers, search for them. Don’t allow yourself to be browbeaten or pressured - It’s YOUR body and you have the right to go with any treatment that you feel is right for you.
Further reading
Some useful sites
Alternative natural health cancer treatments
Good anti cancer info here
What Doctors Don’t tell you Some different types of alternative cancer treatments are described here
Effective natural strategies that can kill your cancer
Nutritional and alternative therapy explained for cancer treatment What you need to know once you decide on alternative therapy to treat cancer.
What are the financial costs involved with alternative treatment? - find out here
Books:
Cancer – why we are still dying to know the Truth – Phillip Day B17 Metabolic Therapy and Control of Cancer – Philip Day Great News on Cancer in the 21st Century – Steve Ransom Health Wars – Phillip Day The Essiac Handbook – James Percival Food for Thought – Phillip Day The ABCs of disease – Phillip Day
All the above books are available from Credence: Credencegroup online store The following books are available from Amazon:
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