Jump to content

Breast Cancer Members?


Recommended Posts

Hello.

I am starting my Whole30 on Saturday May 21.

I wonder if there are any other breast cancer members here.

I have some digestive/weight issues from my cancer medications and, also, ptsd.

Hopefully, this program will be helpful for its anti-inflammatory benefits and for me/us to become stronger in the battle.

:)

OncoWarrior

fighting cancer one day at a time

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

To my fellow cancer people:

I have post-op PTSD and I am back here on Day 31, to report that this program has been good for me in that my PTSD/anxiety episodes are fewer, of shorter duration, and farther in between since following this eating plan. 

Also, I lost 4 pounds.

 

I see that as of today my original writing has received 110 views with no comments.

Interesting.

I wonder if people are just curious or maybe some are afraid of "catching something" :) .

 

natasha OncoWarrior

 

fighting cancer one day at a time

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi.

I had breast cancer in 2009, luckily my op removed it totally and 2 clear lymph nodes. Deciding not to do the doctor recommended radiation and medication, I totally changed my diet, lifestyle and self-care attitude and am still here today! The cancer made me stronger and I encourage you to be totally positive in your life. 

 

Well done on the weight loss as this is something I struggle with. 

 

Now 56, I am on western medication for High Blood Pressure (Karvea), and Diabetes (Janumet), together with naturals for Keeping Cancer at bay (Meta I-3-C), Hormone Balancing (Femme Oestroplex), Calcium/Magnesium and Zinc as I do not take these up well, Activate Vitamin B (keeping my energy levels up), Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics. Dont think I have missed anything. 

 

Unfortunately, I do not squeeze walking, riding or swimming into my schedule and would love your thoughts on staying motivated here. Full time work, daughter living away from me has anxiety disorder and unable to work, husband, community activities seem to get prioritised before exercise. I gladly meditate daily though. :-) 

 

I now do annual Thermal Image testing which is not popular or recommended here. However I have total confidence in the system. Each time I have had mammogram, it leads to ultrasound, biopsy, with no sign of cancer. I have had scars from the first surgery biopsy!. 

 

Being new to this forum, I will continue with my research. I am considering doing the Auto-immune protocol plan. My target is to get off the western medication asap. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear ejjetta, Trying to write within yours with a different font and different color.

Hi. Hello ejjetta :)

I had breast cancer in 2009, luckily my op removed it totally and 2 clear lymph nodes.

Mine was in 2012, BMX, 2 nodes, 1 positive.

Deciding not to do the doctor recommended radiation and medication,

I had no chemo and no rads, but started on anastrazole for only 5 weeks with disastrous results from which I am still recovering

I totally changed my diet, lifestyle and self-care attitude and am still here today!

Congratulations on your being 7 years out!

The cancer made me stronger and I encourage you to be totally positive in your life. 

I have made a lot of changes, too. and have developed my own F.I.G.H.T. plan that I try to follow.

Well done on the weight loss as this is something I struggle with. 

 

Now 56, I am on western medication for High Blood Pressure (Karvea), and Diabetes (Janumet), together with naturals for Keeping Cancer at bay (Meta I-3-C), Hormone Balancing (Femme Oestroplex), Calcium/Magnesium and Zinc as I do not take these up well, Activate Vitamin B (keeping my energy levels up), Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics. Dont think I have missed anything. I have digestive issues, too and take Betaine HCl, which is helpful. I was taking a few other things, but while on this Whole30 program I find that the tummy is definitely better. What a relief!

 

Unfortunately, I do not squeeze walking, riding or swimming into my schedule and would love your thoughts on staying motivated here.  Full time work, daughter living away from me has anxiety disorder and unable to work, husband, community activities seem to get prioritised before exercise. I gladly meditate daily though. :-)  You have a lot on your plate, sister. Wow! I believe that daily meditation is very important and do that, too. My exercise is not going well because I have an injury to deal with. However, I try to do a little something every day.  5 minutes is better than nothing!

 

I now do annual Thermal Image testing which is not popular or recommended here. However I have total confidence in the system. Each time I have had mammogram, it leads to ultrasound, biopsy, with no sign of cancer. I have had scars from the first surgery biopsy!. I have heard very good things about thermography and have recommended it over mammograms to my daughter who still has breasts.

 

Being new to this forum, I will continue with my research. I am considering doing the Auto-immune protocol plan. I don't know what that is.  My target is to get off the western medication asap. Wonderful. I have a new primo-doc who is Integrative Medicine and uses both traditional and western approaches with a preference for things natural. Nice to fill the prescription at the health food store!

I believe some of my comments may be a bit away from the Whole30 plan, and I am not sure about the rules and regulations for the postings on this forum, so I shall send you a private message with more things about our bc business. :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi there!  I'm a BC survivor as well - grade 3 mass, stage 3, lymph nodes involved, ER/PR positive, HER2-, chemo, radiation (which I seriously regret), currently taking Arimidex (until 2023), chemo induced fibromyalgia, fried nerve receptors, osteopenia in my spine, 70lb weight gain, PTSD, anxiety and depression.  I popped positive on my very first mammogram.

 

I'm doing this program to gain control over my body, to heal the damage from my cancer treatment and to conquer my sugar addiction.  Very little exercise as I'm awaiting foot surgery but we're installing a pool and (hopefully) it will be completed by mid August.

 

On top of that...I'm asthmatic, allergic to plants/flowers/trees/etc, and shortly after I finished treatment, I developed chronic bronchitis.

 

I'm looking forward to meeting others like us that have had a positive impact with this program.

 

PS - I loved your comment about people fearing catching something!  hahahaha  I had people act like that towards me while I was bald and going through treatment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey there, Sister Firestorm! I like your handle.

I shall try to write within yours like this.

Hi there!  I'm a BC survivor as well - grade 3 mass, stage 3, lymph nodes involved, ER/PR positive, HER2-, chemo, radiation (which I seriously regret), currently taking Arimidex (until 2023), chemo induced fibromyalgia, fried nerve receptors, osteopenia in my spine, 70lb weight gain, PTSD, anxiety and depression.  I popped positive on my very first mammogram. Did you have surgery? I had BMX, no recon.  So sorry about all the damage from treatment. This cancer is a scary business and sometimes it seems that treatment is so aggressive. But, hey, what do we know?!?  I have PTSD, too. 

 

I'm doing this program to gain control over my body, to heal the damage from my cancer treatment and to conquer my sugar addiction.  I hear you. It is not as difficult as you might think. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Seriously.  I can honestly say that given the choice between having a burger (no bun) and apple pie, I would prefer the burger. I never thought I would feel this way. I am so Thankful.

Very little exercise as I'm awaiting foot surgery but we're installing a pool and (hopefully) it will be completed by mid August.

Something else we have in common, sort of. I am currently recovering from PRP to my Achilles tendon, so am in a restraining boot for the next 6 weeks. and then more therapy.  However, there is no pool in my future. (ha-ha) :) .

 

On top of that...I'm asthmatic, allergic to plants/flowers/trees/etc, and shortly after I finished treatment, I developed chronic bronchitis. Cancer . . . the gift that keeps on giving!  Hopefully, the gluten-free aspect of Whole30 will be helpful in those allergies and respiratory things, though I think sometimes it takes longer than that to notice. But I'm no doctor.

 

I'm looking forward to meeting others like us that have had a positive impact with this program. I must say that my PTSD/anxiety is much improved with this. I have been in counseling and art therapy and had medication for it with good results, but being on this program has brought about a big improvement.

 

PS - I loved your comment about people fearing catching something!  hahahaha  I had people act like that towards me while I was bald and going through treatment.  Yes, and we really find out who our friends are when we get on this journey, don't we? I have dropped some toxic people out of my life, including some family members.

I wish you the very best on this program and on the whole journey, sister.

Shall send you a private message.

natasha OncoWarrior

fighting cancer one day at a time

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Natasha,

 

My breast surgeon was overly confident that I wouldn't need more than a lumpectomy and radiation...I went to sleep with that knowledge but woke up to the bigger nightmare; node involvement, my mass (which had built its own, dedicated, blood supply had evolved into a much more aggressive tumor.  So me and my dented right side went home to my mother's to get ready for what was to come.  I was in treatment for a year.  20/20 being what it is, I would've preferred a BMX with small reconstruction.

 

Crazy how much we have in common!  Its a sign ;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They always want to save the tatas. Even if disfigured from lumpectomies.

Even if we're not going to suckle any more little lambs!

And if we have them off, they want to recon; they PUSH for recon.

Some will send their patients to a shrink if they do not want to recon.

OK. done ranting.

Now for the hard question: How many lymph nodes did they take?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hahahahaha. You crack me up Onco!!  But its true!  My one side is nearly 2 cups smaller than the other because of how big of a chunk the surgeon took out.  Had I known before I went to sleep that I was going to have to have chemo, I would've told him to take them off.  And because I had radiation to my naughty side, no decent plastic surgeon would touch me.  In their eyes, the skin was too damaged and it wasn't worth completely destroying it to make me feel normal again.  So I'm going to have the scars tattooed with something really awesome LOL

 

Only 3 nodes, that all I had in my armpit, thank goodness!

 

You must have a high node count, given that you had a BMX.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

firestorm, When the surgeon said that they would take the Sentinel node(s), and then depending upon the result may take Axillary nodes, I did not think to ask what that meant. My mind was out of joint at the time. But after going home I looked up those two terms online and found out. There were two articles from JAMA about studies that showed there is a very small difference in results for recurrence and life expectancy between those with axillary node dissection and and those with no axillary node dissection, and the risk of lymphedema associated with even one node, so I decided that I was not going to allow for any Axillaries.  I told my surgeon that was the rule; no axillaries for me, even if the sentinel was positive. And she abided by my choice. I had two at the sentinel position; one was positive.

 

I think I wrote to you about the BMX choice in our personal messages. If not, ask me there and I'll tell you why we did that.

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Any breast cancer warriors still out there? I am starting Whole30 tomorrow. I had BC about two and a half years ago, with lumpectomy and radiation and two clear lymph nodes removed. Very scary...PTSD from childhood trauma and then that unwelcome health scare. Just wanted to let everyone know I am here.

Any BC folks here, did you try to avoid red meat and stick mainly to poultry and fish? I remember getting this advice post treatment. Thanks a lot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On May 19, 2016 at 12:07 PM, OncoWarrior said:

Hello.

I am starting my Whole30 on Saturday May 21.

I wonder if there are any other breast cancer members here.

I have some digestive/weight issues from my cancer medications and, also, ptsd.

Hopefully, this program will be helpful for its anti-inflammatory benefits and for me/us to become stronger in the battle.

:)

OncoWarrior

fighting cancer one day at a time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello, 

I am having a hard time navigating through the forum site. I am in Day 15 of Whole30.

I was feeling on top of the world the first two weeks. Yesterday and today I am feeling very tired again and a little depressed. My mood has changed. Is this normal? I was so tired from the after effects of chemo and radiation. When I started W30 it seemed to be better. What's going on? Has this happened to anyone else?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

Hi, @Erica1657, I'm sorry you're not feeling so great. You just recently finished your chemo and radiation, right? I went through both of those about 11 years ago for uterine cancer, and I can say that it took a lot longer to really get back to normal than I expected, especially when there are good days when you feel like your old self and think everything is getting back to normal, and then suddenly, wham, it hits you again. So, in that sense, it's not totally unexpected that you have some good days and bad days. 

Whole30 related stuff that can affect mood would include not eating enough, and not eating enough starchy vegetables in particular. We usually recommend people start with about a fist-sized serving of some kind of starchy vegetable each day, but people who are prone to depression or anxiety often find they need more than that, so you might look at having a serving at each meal for a few days and see if that helps. When you're feeling better, you can play with having them at every other meal or once a day and see what works for you, but for now, just see if adding them helps. You might also try having salmon and other oily fish, turkey, walnuts, or other foods high in tryptophan, which helps your body produce serotonin, which helps you feel better.

If you find the depression is happening often, you might talk to your doctor about other options, whether that's therapy of some kind or an antidepressant or both, or something else. At the very least, checking in with a doctor or therapist on a regular basis about what's going on, with the tiredness, the depression, and any fear or anxiety you might have, will give you another set of eyes and a more neutral point of view that can help you figure out whether you're dealing with things in the best way or whether you might need a little help to find a better way. There are all kinds of things you can do that may help, like light exercise, getting out into the sunshine, working on things you enjoy, spending time with people who care about you -- but those things are not always a cure-all, and sometimes if you are feeling tired and depressed you can't figure out how to make yourself do those things anyway, so sometimes it really does help to let your doctor know what's going on. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you @ShannonM816. I don't think I'm eating enough. I will add the starchy veg like you said, among the other foods. I'm so glad you're feeling well! I was in therapy but I reduced my visits because I was feeling so good. I think it's just part of the process of recovery. I would prefer not to take meds so I am trying to exercise more and find some hobbies as well as spend time with my son. Thanks again! Are you currently on the Whole30 program?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators
6 hours ago, Erica1657 said:

Are you currently on the Whole30 program?

I've done a few Whole30s and am currently trying to figure out my food freedom/riding my own bike right now. For me, this part is definitely harder than just following the rules of Whole30. 

I hope you start feeling better soon. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I started whole30 about a month before having an abnormal mammogram and ultrasound.  My original thought was to start re-introducing the food groups to see what my triggers were.  Interestingly, I had no sugar withdrawal and have energy to work out (due to eating allowed carbs)!  Since everything was starting to go wrong in my life (diagnosed on 7/23), I decided to just stay on the whole30 since it was something I already knew how to do.  My only concern is that I like red meat!  I did find grass fed, pre-cooked burgers at Costco.  Anyone on this forum think it is OK to just continue whole30 (with virtually no "cheats")?

 

Thanks!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators
34 minutes ago, sksalamon said:

I started whole30 about a month before having an abnormal mammogram and ultrasound.  My original thought was to start re-introducing the food groups to see what my triggers were.  Interestingly, I had no sugar withdrawal and have energy to work out (due to eating allowed carbs)!  Since everything was starting to go wrong in my life (diagnosed on 7/23), I decided to just stay on the whole30 since it was something I already knew how to do.  My only concern is that I like red meat!  I did find grass fed, pre-cooked burgers at Costco.  Anyone on this forum think it is OK to just continue whole30 (with virtually no "cheats")?

 

Thanks!!

So, if you have any "cheats," you're not doing a Whole30 anymore, you're riding your own bike or finding your food freedom -- and that is a good thing, it's the ultimate goal of Whole30, to be able to set your own rules about what you eat rather than following someone else's. We would recommend doing reintroductions before you start that, just so you know if there are foods that are definitely not ever worth it to you, or only worth it on really rare occasions, based on immediate reactions to them. However, lots of people don't do reintroductions, so you wouldn't be the first to skip them -- we just think you can get information from them that may be beneficial to you. 

I understand wanting to stick to what you're familiar with and what you feel in control of, especially if other parts of your life are feeling out of control. It makes sense to stay with Whole30, at least for a while, if you're feeling good about it. I guess what I'd caution is to pay attention to how you're feeling and if at some point you feel like trying to stay Whole30-ish is starting to feel like more work than it's worth, then you'd need to re-evaluate and see what needs to change. Physically, there's no reason you couldn't keep eating Whole30 forever -- lots of vegetables, adequate protein, healthy fats, and occasional fruit is always going to be good for you. Where the problems come in is usually more with emotional or psychological issues. If you get really caught up in the rules of Whole30, to the point where you no longer socialize because going out for dinner or drinks with friends and family sounds overwhelming or you can't relax the rules (once your Whole30 is done -- it's one thing to follow very strict rules for 30 days, and something completely different to try to follow them forever), that could be something you'd need to address. Or if you find yourself resentful of the rules, it might be good to step back and think about what is important to you and set your own rules, which might look a lot like Whole30, but somehow actively deciding for yourself and prioritizing based on your own goals feels different than just following what someone else said you ought to do.

If you want to read more about what life after Whole30 may look like, you can start here:  https://whole30.com/step-four-finished, or if you prefer a book rather than a computer screen, Food Freedom Forever is all about figuring out how to eat for the rest of your life, in a way that's right for you. 

I do hope everything is going well for you and that you continue to feel good. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...