Tamoxifen

I agree with all of the above...it's funny how suppose friends who send me links or know this one person..are so full of advice that I didn't ask for...but haven't personally been affected by cancer either. I know they mean well but they need to think before they open their mouths lol 

I'm with @melclarity, @Zoffiel and @Romla - I have a naturopath (who was a pharmacist in an earlier part of his life), breast surgeon, oncologist, GP, plastic surgeon (geez, 18 months ago I just had my GP and naturopath!) .....I see them as the team I have assembled to help me get better and stay better. They don't always all agree, but I listen to why, and use my own discernment to navigate my way through this, with their expert advice on hand always.

I worry about these overnight cures and purely natural responses - and the effect they can have on vulnerable people. 

Nx

You are right melclarity but would like to add the need to check with physicians that alternative therapies used in conjunction do not conflict with medical treatment. eg Had heard of the help curcumin a derivative of turmeric is for those suffering arthritic conditions so thought I'd purchase some if my AI presented joint difficulties but read on this site that there might be a contraindication if undergoing chemo so will chat to my medical onc before taking it. I am taking in all that I take  into the consult today also just to be sure.

I guess  the point is rejection of conventional oncological medicine and reliance solely on alternative therapies from our combined experiences has not been successful but that alternative therapies can be useful supporting medical treatment and recovery. Just check they don't conflict with each other.

I just wanted to jump in and say, I did do all treatment recommended in 2011 at first diagnosis and I STILL had a recurrence, why?? they don't know. 2nd diagnosis 2015 I STILL chose more aggressive treatment, even 2yrs on Im just recovering from a revision surgery that ended up bigger than anticipated OUCH! I ALSO AM a Reiki Master of 17yrs, I love alternative therapies but AT NO POINT have I or would I say there are alternative things to do. People really don't understand alot about it, alternative therapies are USED in conjunction with medicine, what they do is help the symptoms or side effects and especially in the recovery mode and moving on. 

We all got cancer so we must have been eating, created, lived in something wrong in the first place. Most of us just have the treatment including hormone treatment and go on to live a happy life. Those ideas on healthy eating of this and that go hand in hand with staying healthy.
I think a bit of a danger is the steady weight gain while on the Tamoxifen and it is hard to get that off. Inside of us even as we age there can be clotting issues, eye troubles etc but I don't believe the Tamoxifen "causes" the issues, it just speeds things up more likely. I take a tiny 50mg low lose of aspirin with my Tamoxifen to help offset those dangers with clots. So far it's working well and the one behind my eye is resolving itself. I am not sure what I am going to do about the steady weight gain though. It's not so much the food going in, its the lack of energy to get the weight off.

Observation can be instructive. I now know personally about 12 women who have been treated for breast cancer, chemo, rads, hormonal therapy etc, some nearly 30 years ago. One is dead. The rest are all active, getting on with their lives even though two have had recurrences. I know of one woman who had surgery but refused any other treatment. She is dead. And I had three friends who got cancer (not breast) who were first diagnosed too late to do much other than palliative care. They would have given a lot to have some better options, no matter how unpleasant. Every year we get better at treating cancer and we will get to understand the reasons that cause it. Through scientific medical research, more research and a bit of luck. I am grateful for what has been learned to date, because that's where the real magic is. 

The eye specialist's caution opens a line of enquiry for discussion with the medical oncologist. Knowledge of potential side effects enable thought to be given to their mitigation  and takes away some fear.They were the sole reasons behind my initial comment . I sincerely apologise if my comment was poorly put and caused worry Hendrix - no I do not advocate alternative therapies and prefer to place my faith in science.

There are those who have done much "research". (that is...I googled it), who have chosen not to join the, quote, "bald, shuffling" women seen partaking of recommended chemo regimes, and instead to rely on the so called natural route. They were convinced that their good nutrition and boosting of their own "natural" immune systems would be the way to go. Some of them now regret their decisions. Unfortunately, most of us only get one bite of the apple, before things progress to beyond stage 3, and after that a complete cure is off the table and control of symptoms and extension of life is left. Yes....side effects are real and scary....but I certainly wouldn't put my shot at life into the hands of some dingbat theory found on the internet.

I prefer to listen to my oncologist. Cancer council, BCNA and so on.They have a proven track record.Dont believe what you read on dr.Google.

To be fair young women with breast cancer often, not always, have more aggressive disease thus poorer outcomes.

There is little or no research into what happens to those who go down the alternative route. My knowledge is only from my own observations. It's anecdotal. But I trust science rather than woo hoo. Maybe that will be to my detriment.