Any Stage IV Esophageal cancer survivors from ireland

Hi All, My 60 year old father has been diagnosed with stage IV Esophageal cancer and is starting chemotherapy on Tuesday. He was diagnosed on the 5th September and since then he is drinking 250/500ml of carrot, Beetroot, apple and turmeric juice a day with vitamin C powder and wheatgrass powder added, all organic. He is also eating some cottage cheese with flaxseed oil every day. I am making smoothies with almond butter, almond milk, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, banana, coconut oil, probiotic organic yogurt, sun warrior vanilla protein powder, milk thistle and Essex capsules added in which he drinks every day. Is is also eating bone broth chicken vegetable soup daily. He can eat solids like eggs, avocado, salmon, nuts, etc which we have added to his diet. I am also burning frankincense oil every evening in his room. He is also on Salvestoral Premium now 3 capsules a day. And I get him to drink lemon, echinecea and backing soda in water every evening, I have just recently ordered curcumin capsules to add to his supplements and have a rebounder being delivered soon. We do not know what chemo will bring but we are ready for a fight-- it would be really great if there was anyone in Ireland who has survived stage IV that we could talk to in person?? Also I would be really grateful for all other surviviors to provide me with advice on other supplement ideas to help our journey. We are devastated but grateful for all our blessings thus far and trust in the lord and the universe to guide us though this chapter of our live. Dee

On Oct 22, 2017 11:05 PM DeeHour wrote:

Hi All, My 60 year old father has been diagnosed with stage IV Esophageal cancer and is starting chemotherapy on Tuesday. He was diagnosed on the 5th September and since then he is drinking 250/500ml of carrot, Beetroot, apple and turmeric juice a day with vitamin C powder and wheatgrass powder added, all organic. He is also eating some cottage cheese with flaxseed oil every day. I am making smoothies with almond butter, almond milk, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, banana, coconut oil, probiotic organic yogurt, sun warrior vanilla protein powder, milk thistle and Essex capsules added in which he drinks every day. Is is also eating bone broth chicken vegetable soup daily. He can eat solids like eggs, avocado, salmon, nuts, etc which we have added to his diet. I am also burning frankincense oil every evening in his room. He is also on Salvestoral Premium now 3 capsules a day. And I get him to drink lemon, echinecea and backing soda in water every evening, I have just recently ordered curcumin capsules to add to his supplements and have a rebounder being delivered soon. We do not know what chemo will bring but we are ready for a fight-- it would be really great if there was anyone in Ireland who has survived stage IV that we could talk to in person?? Also I would be really grateful for all other surviviors to provide me with advice on other supplement ideas to help our journey. We are devastated but grateful for all our blessings thus far and trust in the lord and the universe to guide us though this chapter of our live. Dee

Hello DeeHour, I'm sorry to hear about your father's diagnosis but I'm glad that you're clearly doing a lot of research and reaching out to others for help and support during this trying time. The people on this site as far, as the esophageal cancer members are concerned anyways, are not very active. I personally really love www.smartpatients.com because they have a very active esophageal cancer community that has been an invaluable source of support and information for me as I've been helping my older brother battle this beast. I would also suggest www.whatnext.com because again there are some very active members there to help you and on both of those sites you will find long term stage IV survivors who can help guide you and give you hope and advice. Oh and one more forum I've found very helpful is csn.cancer.org because they also have some very helpful active survivors. Good luck to you and your father on this rough journey and I hope I've helped you at least a bit (:

Hi Dee Hour & Terrified Sister, I’ve just joined this site as my sister who is 53 has just been diagnosed with stage 4 Esophasgus & liver cancer. The stats are not good and there’s a lot more negative than positive reports out there so it is heartening to find others determined to help fight this. We are in Dublin. Chemo just started & although the doctor told her between 2 & 4 months, I want to find out as much as I can to help defy these odds. Thanks for sharing and for mentioning other good sites.

Hi DeeHour, Also from Cork and was diagnosed stage 4 in mid August. Surgery and radiation not an option so started chemo (FLOT) in early Sept. Was also advised against/to be cautious about supplements etc and to concentrate on a balanced diet. Reason given was that certain vitamins/herbs/supplements can interfere/or if taken in too big quantities- how the chemo drugs work....hope i’m explaining this correctly. Could have a chat with the hospital dietician where your Dad is being treated - good website to check stuff also is https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs

Agree 100% with KPCCC just above.  Forget all the juices, any suppliments/vitamins, etc., they will do nothing now to help the stage 4 cancer.  Stay on just a normal healthy diet.  Make sure the oncologist specializes in esophageal cancer and has access to the latest drugs.

All the best  

Sorry Chucksan, but I will strongly disagree. Exercise, juices, a healthy no sugar diet, supplements and vitamins do help with stage IV cancer treatment. I was diagnosed stage IV GE junction cancer with mets to liver on June 15th, 2016, took 6 chemo (5FU) treatments with a lot of holistic supplementary care with multiple consulting doctors (MD and DC). After the three months the esophageal tumor was gone and the liver mets were shrunk 70%. Took six more chemos with even more intense holistic care and as of Jan 30th, 2017 I was diagnosed fully No Evidence of Disease, I have had multiple PET/CT/MRI and endoscopes since and I’m still cancer free. Also have had my Natural Killer cell counts checked and they are off the charts high, which is a good thing. Holistic treatments are not stand alone, but they help build your immune system and help the traditional treatments work much better. Every person has to live their own life, but I would rather throw everything at my cancer than just try one thing. I don’t love my beat, carrot, apple, ginger, lemon juice or wheetgrass every day, but I do love being called “Slim” by my friends when I grew up a “Husky” kid and not having to take two blood pressure pills every day anymore because I am in great health for the first time in my life.

My wife was dignosed in Aug 2012 with stage 4 NSCLC and given 8 months.  After 2 chemo regimens she was in bad shape.  That is when our top lung cancer oncologist recommended a new clinical trial drug that only two clinics in our large city had access to, that defeats the cancer's defensive cells and then allows the body's immune system to kill the cancer.  Opdivo (Nivolumab) and Keytruda and Tecentriq are three of the most successful of these drugs so far, now FDA apporved for melanoma, lung cancers and now more cancers.  She now has been in complete remission for one year after 3.5 years on Opdivo.  Many others are experiencing positive results from these drugs that allow the immune system to get by the cancer checkpoints to kill the cancer.  Many good foods and juices are healthy, but in no way help cure cancer.  Healthy diets and no smoking, etc., can help avoid cancer in the first place, but once the cancer is present it is way too late.  Holistic/homeopathic medicine and treatments are fine for healthy living but in no way are effective in improving or curing those with cancer or other serious illnesses. 

More of the ubiqirous push for phony cancer cures with suppliments, juices, holistic care, DC doctors (doctor of chiropractic), natural killer cell counts, and other voodoo medicine are useless but make lots of money.  What will you push next, the miracle coffee enema or Xango juice?

You're recomending chiropractors for stage 4 cancer, good grief!          

     

On Nov 17, 2017 5:55 AM Chucksan wrote:

My wife was dignosed in Aug 2012 with stage 4 NSCLC and given 8 months.  After 2 chemo regimens she was in bad shape.  That is when our top lung cancer oncologist recommended a new clinical trial drug that only two clinics in our large city had access to, that defeats the cancer's defensive cells and then allows the body's immune system to kill the cancer.  Opdivo (Nivolumab) and Keytruda and Tecentriq are three of the most successful of these drugs so far, now FDA apporved for melanoma, lung cancers and now more cancers.  She now has been in complete remission for one year after 3.5 years on Opdivo.  Many others are experiencing positive results from these drugs that allow the immune system to get by the cancer checkpoints to kill the cancer.  Many good foods and juices are healthy, but in no way help cure cancer.  Healthy diets and no smoking, etc., can help avoid cancer in the first place, but once the cancer is present it is way too late.  Holistic/homeopathic medicine and treatments are fine for healthy living but in no way are effective in improving or curing those with cancer or other serious illnesses. 

More of the ubiqirous push for phony cancer cures with suppliments, juices, holistic care, DC doctors (doctor of chiropractic), natural killer cell counts, and other voodoo medicine are useless but make lots of money.  What will you push next, the miracle coffee enema or Xango juice?

You're recomending chiropractors for stage 4 cancer, good grief!          

     

Well that was just rude and uncalled for Chucksan. Also you're incorrect about juicing and holistic care along side of traditional treatment improving chances of success, however everyone is entitled to their own opinion so have a nice day :).

Hi All,

Thank you all for you comments - it is great to see that freedom of speech is alive and kicking but really think we need to be open to the individual journey each of us are on.

So an update from my end:

Dad had his second round of chemo on the 15th November, first was the 24th October. He is getting Cisplatin and HER2 in the hospital and then he is given a bag that is attached to him that pumps the 5FU for roughly 6 days after, or until it empties. 

So far the side effects have been minimal. The first 5/6 days, appetitie  is slightly off and bowel motions are slightly off but nothing major. He also has gotten a few sores on his mouth but we have managed that and a slight rash on his calves, again which we have amanged. After that, thus far  life is going on as normal. He has not missed a day of work!!! (he owns his own business). 

He was able to put on 5 pounds follwing the last round of chemo, so we took that as a little win/positive.

His oncologist here in Cork also approved him to continue taking Wheatgrass shots, Salvestoral and Curcumin Capsules. So we are back on those.

I continue to make fresh juices with Organic Beetroot, Carrots, Apple, Turneric, Pomogrante & Wheatgrass powder daily.

I also continue to give him cottage cheese with Flaxseed oil & blueberries daily.

He is also drinking Water with lemon & backing soda at night.

And I am still burning franckincese oil & sometimes lavender at night while he watches TV.

This weekend we went for an hour walk on both (Saturday & Sunday) with the chemo bag to get excercise & try to maintain muscle mass & get oxygen into the body. And I am trying to get him to increase this to at least 3 walks a week - weather isnt the best in Ireland!!

The next meeting with the oncologist is the 12th December & there is a CT scan planned for the 11th Jan.... So fingers crossed we are on a positive road...

I am thinking about purchasing a Infrared belt - any thoughts anyone - recommended brands..

Thank you all for all your support, it means the world to me and any other recommendations are really welcomed.

Dee

Sounds like someone is is very defensive about people realizing there are actual benefits to healthy living and it can indeed cure cancer. If it is something you do not believe in than I suggest you don’t partake. Feel free to feed your wife whatever you like maybe cake everyday. I’m just wondering why everything on your page is about pushing the drugs only and the doctors that push them. Do you work for a pharma company by any chance? I do not like a bully. People on this site are sharing their experiences. That is what it is intended for. Everyone here has a journey of their own. Please stop harassing people and being so incredibly rude. I in fact believe the body is an incredible machine and can heal when given what it needs. My husband is a stage 4 cancer survivor thanks to a good combination of holistic and western medicine. Good luck on your journey.