New list of Supplements, Complementary, Alternative Meds

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

Since Tina brought this up in the General II forum and since my supplements have changed quite a bit, I thought I'd start a similar thread.

I also would like to discuss peoples' feelings on complementary clinics. I can't find any in town and have thought about checking out Oasis of Hope in Mexico and an immunotherapy clinic in Atlanta - Atlanta has already called me back.

Here's my current regimen (sp?)

Herbs & Vitamins (Daily)

Astragalus Root 1.41g

B-100 Complex

CoQ10 200mg (heart)

Dandelion Root 540 mg (liver)

Flaxseed Oil 1000 mg

Garlic Oil 0.2 mg

Glutathione with Vit. C (ascorbic acid) 200/200mg

Grape Seed Phytosome 50mg

Inositol Hexaphosphate 800 mg.

Magnesium Citrate 170 mg

Milk Thistle 80% Silymarin 180mg (Blessed Thistle) /175 mg Milk Thistle (liver)

Modified Citrus Pectin 5 mg

Myco Medicinals Host Defense (Mushroom Complex) - Immune System

N-Acetyl-L Cysteine 500 mg

Omega 3 700 mg

Probiotic E and Selenium 50 IU & 100 mcg

Turmeric/Bromelain/Boswellia 200/325/50 mg - anti-inflammation

Wobenzyme N Enzyme - digestion - (Pancreatin 300 mg, Papain 180mg, Bromelain 135 mg, Trypsin 32mg, Chymotrypsin 3 mg, Rutosoid (Rutin) 150 mg

Zinc Caps 50 mg

Calcium D-Glucarate 200 mg

Immortal Mushrooms - Immune System (Reishi, Maitake, Shitake, Coriolus, Vitamin C, Ginger)

Super K with K2 (9/1 mg)

Modified Citrus Pectin 5 mg

Zyflamend - Natural Cox 2 Inhibitors (Rosemary 150mg, Turmeric 100mg, Ginger 100mg, Holy Basil 100mg, Green Tea 100mg,

Hu Zhang 80 mg, Chinese Goldthread 40 mg, Barberry root 40 mg, Oregano leaf 40 mg, Scutellaria 40 mg)

Other Natural

Protein Soy Powder Drink with spirulina, multivitamin & minerals (daily)

Kyo-Green Drink - Antioxidants - Immune System Barley Grass, Brown Rice, Wheat Grass, Chlorella, Kelp (4/wk)

Acidophilus live culture (daily) (against chemo/rad induced candida)

Kombu/Dulce (2/week)

[Remembering Dave]

Cat - have you read any of the book the doctor from the Oasis clinic wrote? I think his father started the clinic and now he runs it. Can't think of his name right now. I read one of his books, very interesting stuff, some of it sounded a bit far fetched to me but I'd say most of what he said made alot of sense.

Darn it all, can't think of the book or his name, the book's at home and I"m at work.

Karen C.

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

Despite my skepticism, it does sound worth evaluating.

Dr. Contreras

Alternative Medicine, The Third Opinion

http://www.oasisofhope.com/ohh/alternat ... ssions.htm

[donaf]

When my brother was first diagnosed one of my other brothers tried to gather as much info on the clinics in Tijuana. We are very close to Mexico (3hrs) so we definitley thought we should check them out. After presenting all the info to my brother and his wife, she was afraid to try although he was willing. Our first choice was the Oasis of Hope that is the one that we had heard most about and they sent us an informational video. The cost was much higher than the other clinics so that was a no go.

My brother ended up going to two of the clinics but only on an outpatient basis. They confirmed the original diagnosis and made it clear that because he was stage IV that the herbs and vitamins would only help his quality of life. One of the doctors was a Dr. Rodriguez. My brother eventually stopped the treatments because he did not see any improvement and he did not like some of the herbs they made him nauseous although that could have been the chemo. The trips were hard on him driving 6 hours in one day exhausted him. Although after the first visit they ship the medication to your home and you only go for follow ups but still he tires so easily.

After the first visit he did feel so much stronger - they gave him vitamins in an iv and since he had not been eating well he had been very weak so the iv really boosted his energy. But that was really the only improvement they noticed. After those two clinics they really did not want to discuss any more alternative methods with the rest of the family and we of course respected their decision. They decided to just follow the traditional doctor prescribed method - chemo. His onc has recently brought up iressa because there has been progression of the disease although he just had chemo yesterday they are considering iressa but are afraid of the side effects.

One of my other brothers who drove him to the clinics in Tijuana said that while he was in the waiting room he talked to many people the majority were Americans from all over the U.S. and some of them had been going for quite a while for treatment. At that particular clinic the treatment was mostly i.v.'s and teas and vitamin shots.

I really cant recommend the clinics based on my brothers experiences but everyone is different and in different stages. It was a hard decision to make - going to the clinics. As a stage iv patient he is very frail and tired and although everyone wanted him to try anything and everything we were also scared that it would do more harm than good.

Prayers and best wishes for all,

Donaf

[Karel]

bean_si,

Quite an impressive array of supplements. An important point I feel I must make is that IP6 works much better with 200mgm of Inositol added. If you do not have a combined capsule, please consider adding the Inositol. According to Dr. Sxxxxxx (can't remember the whole name) the main researcher of this supplement, the combination is important.

Best wishes. Karel.

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

So much for my knowledge. I thought Inositol hexaphosphate and Inositol were one and the same. I'll be adding the 200mg Inositol.

I know it's only 'anecdotal' and no scientific proof but I've noticed that since I've been taking the Turmeric/Bromelain/Boswellia 200/325/50 mg mix, I no longer have the almost unbearable pain in my shoulder and back.

Also, after chemo and radiation, I developed terrible breath. I'd brush my teeth a dozen times a day and still have problems. Then I read that candida sometimes occurs because of chemo & rad and started taking live acidophilus - mega doses. I no longer have that problem which plagued me for months.

Cat

[Karel]

bean_si,

None of us know everything there is to know; isn't that why these forums are so useful, with everyone adding their knowledge and experience? And you have ceratainly contributed a lot yourself.

Here is Rachel's menu:

Wobenzym

Transfer Factor Plus

alpha-lipoic acid

Selenium

Melatonin

Celebrex

IP6 with Inositol

N-Acetyl Choline

Grape Seed Extract

Zinc.

Vit E and C

For a person who used to take several minutes to swallow the smallest of pills that is quite an achievement.

[Karel]

bean_si,

There is 45 mgms of bromelaine in each Wobenzym Tablet, and the active portion of Turmeric is Curcumin. According to "lef" it is poorly absorbed unless some piperine is added. I do not know what the third component of your pill does.

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

Karel, is the ratio of IP6 to Inositol important? I'm taking 800 mg IP6 and everywhere I look I can only find Inositol in 500mg/capsule unless I go for Insoitol/Choline 250mg each.

I do get 50 mg of Insoitol in my morning protein drink.

I look into the piperine

Cat

[Karel]

bean_si or should I call you Cat?

The approved ratio appears to be 800/220 or so. www.seacoastvitamins.com has that combination per serve of 2 capsules in lots of 240 for $27.95. If you already have your IP6, check whether this is per 1 or 2 capsules. www.zooscape.com have Inositol 250 mgm tablets. www.vitanetonline.com is another source.

Please check that your supply does not say 800 mgm per serve of 2 capsules. For cancer patients Dr Shamsuddin suggests a daily dose of 4800-7200 mg of IP6 with 1200-1800 mg of Inositol.

Good luck with all that, Karel.

[Karel]

bean_si,

a good summary of IP6 and Inositol is on www.doctormurray.com/articles/old/ip6.htm .

[tnmynatt]

Thanks for all the good information. I will be talking with Charlie's doctor tomorrow about adding some of these. Charlie is getting pretty discouraged. He is very weak from all he has been through the last 3 weeks. Take care.

Tina

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

Tina, I'm sorry to hear Charlie is having such a very rough go of it. I'll send prayers and good energy for you both.

Karel, I ordered IP6 800 with 220 Inositol. I found out that piperine is marketed in the States under the name bioperine. I also found out that it increases the bioavailability of CoQ10.

And, heck, when I checked the Wobenzyme label, I found a serving size is 3 a day. I'm only taking one. They have such an unpleasant odor.

Cat

[Karel]

bean_si,

I was introduced to Wobenzym by a cousin who is a surgeon in the Czech Republic. The dose they use for cancer patients is 3 tablets 3 times a day and that is what Rachel has been taking for 1 year now.

lef have curcumin with bioprene added.

Cheers, Karel.

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

I've increased my Wobenzym to 6 a day. I'll try to increase it to 9. I now have IP6/Inositol 800/220 which I take 6 times a day. I started Paw Paw last week, 4 a day. I switched tumeric for Curcumin with bioperine.

Phew. I'm going to be a pill factory!

I'm also trying to switch to macrobiotic diet. The thing is they recommend not taking supplements. I don't think I can go along with that thinking. Still, that diet seems to work for people.

Cat

[Karel]

That's just what Rachel says.(But she swallows them anyway).

Karel.

[Karel]

Just a comment on the macrobiotic diet. The diet itself is probably OK though in my opinion not as good as a relatively raw veg and fruit diet. There is a belief that there are phytochemicals in veg and fruit that cannot be compensated for by supplements. I do think that added supplements provide a far better level of these active compounds than can be had in the diet alone. So, happy pill-swallowing.

Cheers, Karel.

[Guest denafern]

Ck out beta1,3-d glucan, it helps target cancer cells so that the body can fight them, shark liver oil & chloryfresh will keep your blood counts up.