The Verdict

[PinkTissue]

I am mentally prepared but it still comes as a shock when the doctor pronounced my mum to be Stage 4 cancer. The PAP smear is clear, the lungs are clear.  2 lumps covered the left ovary. The right ovary is clear. There are 3 lumps behind the uterus. Unfortunately there seemed to be 2 small lumps seen at the liver but as it is inside the liver, it cannot be biopsied but the oncologist is pretty sure that it is cancerous because the 2 small dots 'glowed' in the CT scan. There is also some cancer on the surface of the intestine. The lungs is fortunately not affected and there is no abdominal fluid.

After discussion with the oncologist, there would be no immediate surgery. He wanted to give chemotherapy a shot first to see whether the tumours could be smaller so that they are easier to remove. With luck, even those small 'dots' at the liver could disappear. The chemo would start on Friday using taxol and carboplatin for 3 sessions before the surgery.

My mum has taken the news calmly enough. To tell the truth, she looked even healthier than most people - no pain (except for those 3 holes) and she certainly could eat. I think her friends had a harder time to accept the news.

In some way, I am glad that the 'uncertainty' is over although the battle ahead is going to be tough.

Anyway....there is now a burnt smell in my house as I managed to burn the stove boiling the Chinese herbs. Sigh....need to get a new stove tomorrow.

I am so glad of insurance when I see the estimated medical bill. Wince.....the treatment is not cheap. Chinese medication is not cheap too as some of the 'material' is rare and even more expensive than gold. My mum is taking bezoar (trust me, you would not want to know what that is)  twice  a day - I think the cost if taken over the entire chemo period is almost equivalent to the chemo treatment.

[Brownie3321]

I'm sorry about your mom, but feel like she has a great support system and has the right attitude. Thank you for the info on the herbs, I am also very interested and will read the sites. Keep in touch and your mom will be in my prayers. With love, Deandra

[PinkTissue]

I am from Singapore and not from China. SimplyStar is right - you cannot use traditional medicine without a prescription from a reliable Chinese physician. Some of the material use....to put it bluntly....is toxic and if you have overtaken them, could cause a lot of undesired consequences. We are quite comfortable using Chinese herbs....partly we grew up in a culture where the herbs are used extensively in all sort of ailments.

Unfortunately, the testing of the effectiveness of the herbs under controlled environment only started recently. Maybe in 20-30 yrs time, perhaps a wider audience could be convinced of their effectiveness. There is no such thing like a miracle cure so one has to careful of any claims of the 'effectiveness' of those over-the-counter herbs. I know in China, there are ongoing tests of using only Chinese herbs to 'cure' cancer but I don't think they have started on ovarian cancer yet.

Even in Singapore there are a lot of practicioners of western medicine who advice against the use of Chinese herbs during chemo and cancer treatment. During one of the exchange-of-knowledge-between-medical-practioners - my Chinese physician tells me his favorite retort to shut people 'if you tell cancer patient they could eat anything, why can't they take Chinese medicinal herbs? So you are telling me that your cancer patient can eat anything other than Chinese medicnal herbs'.

If you are interested, pls read the following
http://www.cancerstory.com/servlets/tcm.jsp

And the controversy
http://www.cancerstory.com/servlets/setback_tcm_controversy.jsp

[SimplyStar]

I also believe in the use of natural suppliments, but I only advise Leslee on those that I see have been tested with good results,  found with proof from well documented cases. I know the Asians have been users of herbs for centuries,  but what I would like, is to see that proof , verified by researchers and actual cases. I believe that for every disease there is a natural "cure", but to find it and adopt it for  the worlds population is another story. We have too many "false" remedies out there being pushed for the wealth it brings in.  We know about Ginger, Cranberries, Green tea, COQ10, Tumeric, Sage and many more, but these have all been lab tested and supported by some in the Medical field and come to us from many different countries.  I do not mean to suggest that your use of this Bezoar is or could be harmful,  but  I will continue to only suggest to my daughter,  that she use the tried and true things.

[freshair]

Very interesting on the chinese herbs.  I have always had a fascination in nature's remedies also. Are you living in China?  And also is one of the herbs baical skullcap?  Or any ginsengs.  Very strange on the powder from gallstones.  I guess with a burnt smell from that you would think you'd need a new stove.  :)  :)

So great you have an herbalist working with an oncologist. A lot of these herbs have angiogenic qualities. Such as artemesia, green tea, turmeric, ........

[FunkyMonkey]

I am so sorry to hear the results about your mom, but she sounds like a very strong person who will really fight this.

I am very fascinated by Chinese herbs....so I looked bezoar up...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bezoar

Is this pretty accurate as far as what you use it for?  

[PinkTissue]

The Chinese physician is working in conjunction with the oncologist so there is no fear of conflict. It would be worrying if you take over the counter herbs/supplements. To put it bluntly in the words of the Chinese physician - 'no guarantee it would heal you but it would not do any harm to you'. In my country, quite a number of hospitals also have a department with Chinese physicians - they are to work hand-in-hand with the doctors who practice western medication. So my Chinese physician would be communicating with the oncologist.

Bezoar -- cough, cough, powder derived from gallstones of cows. There are even more.....disgusting things in that bag of herbs.

[freshair]

Sorry to hear about your Mom but also like you remember that it is good to move forward and treat this insidious disease. That carbo/taxol can work wonders and I hope it does with your mother. I had my debulking first then chemo but I have heard that some women do chemo first.

What are the chinese herbs? I looked up bezoar and couldn't find chinese herbs. I am curious. Did a good chinese herbalist that deals with cancer recommend this. I know such herbs as Essiac are very liver cleansing. I have done that. But not while doing chemo. Some have very blood thinning properties that are dangerous with chemo. You are not even supposed to take aspirin with chemo for instance, only tylenol.

Also Sloan Kettering has a good site on herbs when you want to research pros and cons.

But I don't recommend them while doing chemo unless you get the OK. Mushrooms are good with chemo. CoQ10. Milk thistle for the liver also. Higher B vitamins, sublingual B12. I have a good nutritionist at the hospital. Lots of green tea and most of all NO STRESS and sweet binging.

Best wishes. Helen