https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/01/junk-dna-may-help-yeast-survive-stress image by Steve Gschmeissner
If it wasn’t enough to endure yet another surgery, a month of antibiotics left my already radiated body with yet more yeast.
The good is I made several discoveries.
One, you ever hear of post nasal drip? Well I had this on and off for many years. It came back again during radiation. Little did I know, radiation wipes out your gut flora. Even if you only have radiation to one part of your body.
Killing yeast in your body is no easy task.
My yeast had gotten to the point where I was having night sweats and fevers. As soon as I started Candicin by Genestra my night sweats went away and fever never came back.
Unfortunately, this alone wasn’t strong enough. I then went on to try caprylic acid, MCT, olive leaf, Candibactin by Metagenics at night. After 3 months I had improved a lot but still it kept coming back.
Diet is also another important aspect but not entirely.
After 2 years of trying everything I could find, I received advice from a health food store, they recommended ParaGone instead of focusing on Candida related products, especially after having this issue for so long.
Guess what?! It worked.
For 6 weeks I didn’t change my diet drastically just maintained no gluten, no white processed foods (white rice), and no dairy. I still had honey and some other sweets in small amounts. I took a 2 week course of ParaGone and took a 5 day break before starting another 2 week course. I use garlic supplements and probiotics to maintain the balance now and feeling better than I have in 2 years.
It’s bitter sweet when what you have known for the last 2 years comes to an end. Your whole mind is involved and focused around being sick. Your daily life revolves around the next medical appointment.
Nothing in my mind existed outside of here and now. No future plans, travel, work/career, goals … nothing… just a focus to get better.
In this new chapter there will still be appointments, but the stress leading up to surgery, while praying for clear pathology, is over.
In the back of mind, there is the fear of going through this again. However, I am not the same person and I have learned a great deal. I know what I would and wouldn’t do if this were to happen again.
My number ONE challenge in this journey was: Wanting to be well informed!
I realized after my first surgery, that my medical team and I were driving blind together. No amount of imaging or prep work could compensate for clear hard facts: A Pathology Report.
Realizing the importance of facts while embracing the emotional challenges of facing cancer is a fine balance. Your primary medical team deals in facts, while you need to creatively tune into the right steps for you. This may be through faith, data, learning from others, tuning into your body, therapy or solely trusting in your health care providers.
I started this post the day after my last radiation treatment Feb. 15, 2020. Now over one year later I can say that getting through cancer treatments was easier than what comes next. Caring for your new body and keeping yourself a priority as life demands creep back in.
I wanted radiation. Even after my mastectomy, I wanted it.
After 2 weeks, I said to my radiation oncologist, can we cut down the number of days? She agreed and cut it down by 2 days.
It’s a strange thing radiation. You don’t really notice it at first.
Side effects
Then come the headaches, nausea, full body sweats, anxiety, thrush, and if you over do it, you are bed bound for at least a day after that.
A look inside, the radiation plates aligned to my left chest area
After 4 weeks of radiation 5 days a week, your skin becomes very itchy and starts to split. The 2 most sensitive spots are the inframammary fold and your under arm.
Mine split under my arm. To soothe and heal the area you need to start saline soaks. Soaked gauze in saline compresses on the area for about 30 mins, twice daily. After which you place a barrier cream.
Procedure
Prior to starting radiation therapy, they marked my skin with 4 tiny dot tattoos so they could line me up with the machine each session. Yes these tattoos are permanent. They started each session with a CT or X-Ray scan to insure the correct positioning.
In addition, for left sided breast cancer we do something called the breath hold. You have a snorkel placed in your mouth and nose plugged. You breath in and hold your breath for the duration of each burn so your lungs push the chest away from the heart to reduce the amount of exposure to the heart.
A boost is performed at the end of the full treatment. I reached day 24 today and it was the first day of my boost. With the boost, I didn’t need to continue with the breath hold. Only my left arm remained extended above my head. A very difficult thing to do after having gone through a mastectomy.
Emotions
They introduced music during my boost but somehow the music made the treatment all that more real.
I would say no matter how simple a procedure is, when you have cancer, your are always on high alert. As “Hello” performed by Adele played in the room while the machine rotated around me, the tears streaming from my eyes.
You never know how it feels to be in someone’s shoes until you are in them yourself. I never imaged I would be laying under a machine powerful enough to destroy to eliminate what was taking over my body.
Post Radiation
You have no idea the impact of radiation until after it’s complete. The appointments are quick and seamless, like going in for an X-Ray.
However, still after 6 months post radiation, my blood counts were very low. I started radiation with 1.8 lymphocytes and at 6 months post radiation they were at 0.6. Something that I had not been aware would happen.
It took me a year of supplementation to bring my lymphocytes to 1. Most notable IP6 helped improve my lymphocytes. With the drop in my immunity, I have struggle to control my gut flora, with constant bloating, fatigue, fevers and thrush.
I know I wanted radiation. I had never thought once that it would impact my body so greatly. Knowing what I know now, I am not sure I would accept it so eagerly. Although it was a key part of my treatment from the type and stage of my cancer if I could avoid it I would.
It’s shocking to be diagnosed with breast cancer, but it’s even more shocking to learn about the details of breast cancer.
When I first heard about my diagnosis I thought ok no problem I can deal with this.
Then I learn’t about how complex breast cancer is!
I will break it down as simple as possible.
A women with breast cancer could have any of the following 4 main types:
Ductual
Lobular
Combination of lobular and ductual
Inflammatory.
These basically are referring to which part of the anatomy of the breast the cancer has developed. Each type has a completely different DNA composition. The most common being ductual affecting 90% of women.
Some women may also have DCIS or LCIS and this is noted as breast cancer in its infancy:”in situ”.
On top of that there are 8 different possible combinations for each type of breast cancer.
This translates into 32 different breast cancers essentially, as all are not treated the same.
For example, someone with ductual cancer could have these 8 possible combinations:
Triple positive (ER+, PR+, HER+)
Triple negative (ER-, PR-, HER-)
Estrogen positive (ER+) only
Progesterone positive (PR+) only
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) only
Both ER+ and PR+
PR+ and HER2+
ER+ and HER2+
This is just a heads up! Next I will cover what each one means and how treatment differs.
Tamoxifen is a pharmaceutical drug (Novaldex) given to premenopausal women with estrogen positive breast cancer.
Tamoxifen can also be used in prevention for women at high-risk of developing breast cancer or used in fertility treatment.
It’s main task with breast cancer is to block estrogen receptors on tumour cells. This stops the growth of cancer, in the breast and in the body.
A less known fact among women with breast cancer, is that tamoxifen raises estrogen and progesterone levels in the body.
This seems counteractive to me.
In 2008, a collaborate paper between the top American cancer centres determined that increased estradiol (E2) is significantly associated with a risk of cancer recurrence.
As a side note, there are four main naturally occuring estrogens in women: Estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), and estetrol (E4).
Each estrogen hormone is most active during the following times:
E1 menopause
E2 reproductive years
E3 pregnancy
E4 pregnancy
On top of that, the increased levels is though to contribute to tamoxifen resistance.
So I would like to know why that when I asked my first oncologist if they would be testing my hormone levels… she answered: No.
For now, I will be testing my hormone levels with urine and serum.
I started testing my hormone levels after my initial diagnosis. I test my hormones after all major changes: My diet, after starting tamoxifen, and through changing different supplements.
My ultimate goal is to see my hormones become balanced.
I am not happy with the wait and see approach, this would mean that I would have to wait for recurrence to know if tamoxifen actually worked.
CYP2D6 gene mutation
There is also another aspect aside from hormones that causes tamoxifen resistance.
This can be tested by buccal swab (mouth swab) done by your physician. The companies name is Genelex located in the USA.
I have not yet done this testing but will be ordering it and will let you know the results!
I decided to avoid Tylenol post MR biopsy… in keeping with wanting to keep my body as clean as possible, I googled natural options to help with pain, but I also wanted to make sure it wouldn’t increase bleeding.
At the top of the charts were turmeric and cloves… so I decided on a turmeric chai latte!
After two latte’s (a total of two tablespoons of turmeric) I can successfully say it did the trick. My breast went from throbbing to just some slight twitches two hours after my last latte.
My latte entailed of turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, nutmeg, and ginger. I heated some coconut oil and mixed in these dry ingredients, then added coconut milk and a little honey. Simple, yummy and effective!
And I should not forget to highlight so much better for my body (mainly my liver)!
Turmeric Chai Latte Recipe:
3 cups organic unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1/2 tablespoon of equal parts of (cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, nutmeg) powder
pinch ground cloves powder
Heat oil, mix in powders, add milk, bring to a boil and add honey to taste.
Understanding the limitations of a treatment based medical system and the responsibility of the ‘government’ and ultimately what we need to do in order to keep healthy can only be accomplished if we understand the limitations we are working with.
Allopathic medicine or Medical Doctors (MDs) are not in a position to prevent disease when incentivized to care for only the sick. Furthermore, a portion of the responsibility falls on the ‘state’ to keep their citizens healthy and safe through regulatory measures from banning smoking in restaurants to providing food labelling on menus and grocery store products.
For so long, I assumed it was my family doctor that was suppose to keep me healthy, but in reality family doctors are the gateway into the medical system that only want to see you if there is something medically wrong with you.
If you want to stay out of the system, then the government needs to promote health seeking behaviours, which is a blanket to the general public but definitely doesn’t include the outliers.
This realization has made me think about my own disease and how it could be prevented in others and essentially have people be the healthiest versions of themselves. I had come across the video below by Matthias Mullenbeck who really hits the nail on the head…. our current system is a Sick Care System…his thoughts on changing the mindset to only pay physicians to keep people healthy is brilliant.
Beyond just changing the mindset within modern medicine, I would add that integration of natural medicines that seem to understand the body in ways outside of medications and surgeries sound also be integrated.
If I were to ask someone in Traditional Chinese Medicine or Ayurvedic Medicine they would describe being healthy as having balance in the body through the flow of chi or in the balance of the doshas.
Naturopathic medicine works to combine all forms of natural medicine and if integrated into our medical system would provide the perfect base to provide primary prevention: that is making sure people never get sick. I also feel that because men and women are so different, it doesn’t make sense to have one provider for both. There is already a lot to know, why complicate things even more.
Specializing primary health care by age and sex would help make sure patients are getting the best possible care and allow the provider to be able to stay up to date on the latest and greatest. It’s a win win!
So in the meantime, until we get there as a system, you can choose to learn more about your body and it’s limitations through DNA testing, hair analysis and hormone testing for starters and find yourself a good naturopathic doctor and a family doctor that is responsive to your needs. Build your health care team to work for you, to keep you healthy and if your like me, never get sick again.
There are 4 basic aspects to epidemiology: figuring out the cause of the disease of concern, the incidence or frequency (how often it occurs), distribution (who it affects and where), and ways to control or treat the disease.
Of anything I have ever studied, breast cancer seems to be the most vaguely touched on when it comes the “cause”. As far as my physicians are concerned the cause is not important, it’s getting rid of it that is.
However, if we are truly offering individualized care, as it so clearly says on the side of the hospital I have been attending, then as an epidemiologist, in order to prevent a disease we must know the cause for each person in order to prevent recurrence. Even more importantly what we learn from these individuals we can extrapolate to family practice to prevent our society from ever getting cancer. This to me, is what continues to attract me to epidemiology and what I feel is my responsibility to others.
As a side note, one huge missing link is getting this information back to primary care providers… so that we can prevent the disease from occurring. In my opinion, family medicine should require more years of training and also should be defined or sub-specialised in terms of male or female, and age. With the amount of information that is out there it is virtually impossible for a family doctor to be able to help keep society healthy with so many differing variables.
I do not see individualized care when it comes to breast cancer and I don’t see anything being done in regards to prevention.
There are many such “approved” tests available, that still at the doctors discretion are employed; as OnchoType Dx, a test that examines a sample of your tumour post surgically to assess whether the risks of chemotherapy out weight the benefits.
For me it was crucial to understand the cause of my disease. This is truly the only way to prevent it.
Cancer is not simple and there is definitely more than one contributing factor in order to develop this disease, but knowing the triggers can help you take control from ever being sick again.
From my research there where several tests that led me to understand how I developed breast cancer including emotional manifestations that impact these ‘weaknesses in my DNA’, when I didn’t have any of the ‘so called’ associated risks: smoking, drinking, BRCA1/2 gene mutation, and family history.
So then how did I get this? A relatively young 40 year old women. I would have also included healthy, but for me there were so many warning signs from the age of 20 that to me I didn’t feel healthy, even though doctors would have described me as healthy.
At first glance I thought the best place to first look was at my hormones,
considering I was diagnosed with estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) positive cancer. The dutch test, is the only test I would recommend for hormone investigation. This test on me clearly showed that my hormones had taken a walk down a dangerous path that would make them carcinogenic. However, they also showed that my testosterone was low which is caused by increased cortisol levels. Combined with my years of insomnia, I knew this was correct and one very crucial piece of the puzzle in learning about my risk factors in developing breast cancer.
Second, was understanding my body’s genetic capabilities.
This can be done though DNA testing from 23andMe or Ancestry.com and then requesting the raw data and sending it to your naturopath to analyse in PureGenome free software.
After learning that I am unable to methylate estrogen, it become clear to me that my cancer could be prevented through B vitamins, magnesium and other supplements that encourage detoxification of hormones as Indole 3 Carbinol, Calcium D Glucarate, glutathione, and a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables.
Knowing all this, I feel it is important to educate other women in hopes they can avoid ever having to walk this path…
So as this journey began for me, I first wasn’t surprised, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, as I was symptomatic for years… it was just that no one knew what was causing my symptoms.
To this point, there are two main tests that were eye opening to me:
Your doctor may say they don’t know what caused your disease, or give a blanket term by saying that it is environmental. I agree, environment has something to do with it and that there are many factors that needed to happen in order for the disease to express itself.
What I am not comfortable with, is the lack of investigation around what may have caused a persons disease. Fair enough the health system has so many things to deal with, but I feel if a patient wants this information the option should be made available even at a cost. Since my diagnosis I have spent well over $15,000, to investigate and heal every aspect of my disease outside the conventional healthcare system.
Many supportive and investigative aspects could be integrated into they system in such a way that it would give patients an option to a clear structured pathway would cost a fraction of what it has cost me.
These tests I had done with my naturopathic doctors. Yes more than one. It has taken me meeting many different providers to learn about different tests as there is just so much out there that not one provider alone could provide me with everything I needed.
The Dutch Test
I feel if there is only one test to look at your hormone levels it should be this one. It tells you the exact state of your hormones and especially if they are travelling down a dangerous pathway.
The pathway that led to my breast cancer
When I saw what was happening with my hormones I immediately thought, why didn’t anyone look at these years earlier? Why isn’t this part of regular practice?
You always wish you could turn back time, I mean no one wants to make it to the point of having cancer. I would like to see in the future however, if doing these tests at pivotal ages, as 20 and 30 would help prevent future breast cancer? Is anyone up for this challenge?
Write me, I would love to hear from you, especially if you are a Naturopathic Doctor or Family Doctor lindsay@diagnosed.ca
PureGenomics & DNA sample
To top it off, once I had given my raw data from 23andMe to my naturopath, he found that my methylation pathway was out of whack and that my body is not able to detoxify estrogen!!! Additionally, after learning about this, research I read several research papers that include that homocysteine (Hcy) an sulfur amino acid and precursor to demethylation of methionine, Vitamins B6 , B12 and folate are important cofactors that participate in the metabolism of Hcy, which all play a role in oncogenesis. http://exp-oncology.com.ua/article/11320/increased-homocysteine-plasma-levels-in-breast-cancer-patients-of-a-mexican-population
For me in this moment, I wished that these tests could become a standard of practice.
I feel this is something worth investigating. As a public health researcher I look for gaps in the system and practical ways we can address them. If you are interesting in participating in an ad-hock study, I would love to hear from you.
The criteria for participation is that you are diagnosed with a hormone sensitive cancer of the breast. I am interested to see study the cause of your cancer by looking your methylation pathway. To participate you should have already done either 23andMe or Ancestry.com testing. You will just need to request the raw data. In return for your participation, you will receive a full report on the variations in your DNA by looking at your single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs).
To participate please email and indicate Methylation Study in subject line. study@diagnosed.ca
