Thyroid cancer

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone. I am seeking information/help about thyroid cancer

alternative treatments.

I have a 2cm nodule on the right side of my thyroid. (You can't even

tell it is there - the only reason it was discovered was during a

routine doctor's appointment when the doctor was feeling my glands and

said it seemed enlarged.) My thyroid hormone levels are apparently

normal, although personally I do think I may have a slightly low

thyroid (ie. my hands and feet are always cold, I am sluggish in the

morning, etc)

Anyway, after 2 ultrasound biopsies I've been told there is 90% chance

it is papillary thyroid cancer. However it seems to be contained on

the one side only.

The surgeon I am seeing recommended that he do a partial

thyroidectomy. He said there is only a 5% chance that the other side

has cancer...but that he won't be able to tell for sure until after

the surgery when they analyze the pathology reports. And worst case

scenario I'd have to have a 2nd surgery to remove the whole thing 3

months later. He does not at this point recommend any radioactive

iodine treatments for me.

However, my endocrinologist is recommending a total thyroidectomy up

front. She said there is a 30% chance I have smaller, microscopic

cancers growing on the other side independently of the bigger nodule.

That means I would be on synthetic thyroid hormones for the rest of my

life. (she said if I get the partial thyroidectomy, since my thyroid

is working well right now, there is a good chance the half would

function fine, but the problem with that is she wouldn't be able to

monitor it as well if I did develop cancer on the other side in the

future)

So now I don't know what to do since they are not really in agreement!

I am also wondering if there is any other way. So many people have

told me that thyroid cancer is the " good cancer " and why don't I just

get out the whole thing and be done with it. Yet something inside me

says well do I really want to get rid of an entire organ in my body?

Might that not have a worse effect on my health?

I am wondering if there is anyone here who can point me to any

resources or share their personal experience. I am open to changing my

lifestyle/diet - in fact i am seeing a naturopathic doctor who has me

on a special diet right now. But can diet alone reverse cancer cells???

Any help you can give would be much appreciated.

CG

[Guest guest]

Hi CG,

I have no opinion on what you should do. However, I wanted to show you

" the other side " so to speak. For those of us who are on thyroid

meds, most are doing great. It really isn't that big of a deal.

Personally, I would take that consideration out of the mix while trying

to decide what to do.

There is a thyca (thyroid cancer) group online where you can get more

info about what it is like to have thyroid cancer.

Whether you decide to treat this conventionally or alternatively, I wish

you luck.

ar

On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:53:21 -0000, " coppertone.girl "

<coppertone.girl@...> said:

> Hi everyone. I am seeking information/help about thyroid cancer

> alternative treatments.

>

> I have a 2cm nodule on the right side of my thyroid. (You can't even

> tell it is there - the only reason it was discovered was during a

> routine doctor's appointment when the doctor was feeling my glands and

> said it seemed enlarged.) My thyroid hormone levels are apparently

> normal, although personally I do think I may have a slightly low

> thyroid (ie. my hands and feet are always cold, I am sluggish in the

> morning, etc)

>

> Anyway, after 2 ultrasound biopsies I've been told there is 90% chance

> it is papillary thyroid cancer. However it seems to be contained on

> the one side only.

>

> The surgeon I am seeing recommended that he do a partial

> thyroidectomy. He said there is only a 5% chance that the other side

> has cancer...but that he won't be able to tell for sure until after

> the surgery when they analyze the pathology reports. And worst case

> scenario I'd have to have a 2nd surgery to remove the whole thing 3

> months later. He does not at this point recommend any radioactive

> iodine treatments for me.

>

> However, my endocrinologist is recommending a total thyroidectomy up

> front. She said there is a 30% chance I have smaller, microscopic

> cancers growing on the other side independently of the bigger nodule.

> That means I would be on synthetic thyroid hormones for the rest of my

> life. (she said if I get the partial thyroidectomy, since my thyroid

> is working well right now, there is a good chance the half would

> function fine, but the problem with that is she wouldn't be able to

> monitor it as well if I did develop cancer on the other side in the

> future)

>

> So now I don't know what to do since they are not really in agreement!

>

> I am also wondering if there is any other way. So many people have

> told me that thyroid cancer is the " good cancer " and why don't I just

> get out the whole thing and be done with it. Yet something inside me

> says well do I really want to get rid of an entire organ in my body?

> Might that not have a worse effect on my health?

>

> I am wondering if there is anyone here who can point me to any

> resources or share their personal experience. I am open to changing my

> lifestyle/diet - in fact i am seeing a naturopathic doctor who has me

> on a special diet right now. But can diet alone reverse cancer cells???

>

> Any help you can give would be much appreciated.

>

> CG

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

" coppertone.girl " said:

>I am seeking information/help about thyroid cancer, But can diet alone reverse

cancer cells???

>

Johanna Budwig says it can, or at least she says it can in 90% of cases.

xxoo

[Guest guest]

Thanks Carol for your message.

I am not exactly sure what the 90% figure is, I guess based on the

surgeon's experience from these biopsies where they come out

suspicious for papillary thyroid cancer, 90% of the time it is accurate.

I believe he is considered " conservative " in the field though, not

only because he only wants to take out 1/2 of it (for now), but also

because he doesn't usually recommend the radioactive iodine. I believe

that is because the nodule is isolated just on one side and in the

very early stages.

I have read that the radioactive iodine is linked with breast cancer

later on in life so I REALLY don't want to do that...

As for my thyroid levels, I did get blood tests done and my endo went

through them with me and said everything was completely normal - not

even " low " just normal. Now I am not sure if I totally trust her

(after she recommended getting out the whole thing) so I'm going to

run them past my naturopath, who seems more open to this sort of

thing... only problem is I can't get in to see her for another 2 weeks

as she's on vacation.

What is the Budwig protocol??

I don't know why my doc says he would wait 3 months after the partial

thyroidectomy before a 2nd surgery, I guess that's how long he would

need it to heal before going in again? I'm not really sure.

My endo says if nodules are cancerous but microscopic they can go

undetected but somehow influence your thyroid hormone levels in blood

tests...which makes it all a bit hard to monitor. I guess the fear is

that they are growing and possibly spreading and I would not know.

I agree with you too, I have read so much about nutrition that I am

wary of the whole surgery/radiation approach, it seems just so drastic

and permanent. In my heart I believe the body can cure itself but of

course I don't say this to anyone otherwise I'd come across like a

wacko. My compromise I guess between western and alternative is to

just have the half of my thyroid out and see if I can prevent any

recurrence through good health/nutrition.

>Hi CG )

> I have a question or two for you. Regarding your biopsies, how

do they come to 90%? Are they telling you that radiation is not in the

picture because of the size of your nodules? If you feel you have

thyroid problems, you probably do, I would take your temperature in

the morning before you rise for about a week. I would also check your

adrenal, vitamin D, and hormone levels, as well as, any other blood

tests that show any deficiences. I was told that thyroid symptoms

can look like cancer and not be cancer.

> I have 2 nodules (one on each side) and over the years they shrink

some and grow some and stay the same for very long periods. I am doing

the Budwig Protcol in part and have noticed a change in a few areas of

my health. I choose not to lose my thyroid at this point in my life

and will try different things before surgery. I am wondering why your

surgeon will wait 3 months before he goes in again? My surgeon said he

would take biopsies from both nodules and send them off and if

cancerous go back within 3 days or so when they get the results back,

therefore better healing is attained. My Endo reccommended a total

thyroidectomy too, and I didn't like that idea. Why will your Endo

have problems monitering the other nodule?

> My Endo said nutrition alone doesn't work and got somewhat excited

about it, I believe differently in my heart and I believe in jumping

outside of the box and that is how I have walked. Fear probably is a

companion of yours at this point but you have time to decide and make

good choices, be informed first. Warm regards, Carol

[Guest guest]

Thanks Alea. I too am on a special diet right now, it's something my

naturopath put me on to strengthen my immune system.

Basically it is:

no sugar

no dairy

no alcohol

no wheat/spelt

no processed anything

no corn

no citrus fruits

no beef/pork

I am also taking supplements - vitamin D3, something called Moducare

(another immune system strengthener), fish oil, selenium, and this

thing called Ultra Clear - it's a powder you mix into a drink that is

supposed to be for " metabolic detoxification " . My naturopath says it's

almost like a multivitamin as it has everything you need in it, but it

gently detoxifies the liver.

Anyway I've been on it 2 weeks now and I am feeling good, although

it's too early to see some of my symptoms go away. (Right now I " m not

even sure if the sluggishness is me all the time or just right now

because I'm so preoccupied/depressed by this whole thyroid cancer thing)

It's interesting that a few of you guys have had the same experience

with your endo pushing for surgery... that's how I feel too, sort of

like I'm being rushed into this.

And of course from a work perspective I feel like I have to make a

decision about when it's all happening. My gut says I need to take

some time off not only after surgery but also before - to rest,

de-stress and mentally prepare myself.... meanwhile my job is so

stressful that doesn't seem possible without quitting altogether. And

of course I need the health insurance so I carry on. Not a very good

situation!

>

> I'd like to start by saying a big " THANK YOU!!! " to everybody for

all the information provided and please keep it coming.

>

> CG,

> We're in the same boat, I'm trying to avoid total thyroidectomy as

well because my biopsy was inconclusive and I think it's common

practice for the endo to recommend that (my personal take on that is

to cover their own butts).

> My ayurveda herbalist recommended to start with a liver cleanse

and a change of diet. Cancer cells feed on sugar, so I eliminated

anything that has sugar or could convert into sugar in the digestion

process. That means I completely eliminated sugar, dairy, starches

(potato and the like), gluten (any flours and white rice) and

processed foods from my diet. I eat only limited amounts of sweet

fruit, lots of veggies and greens, eggs (free range), fish (only

couple of times/week because of the mercury content), some nuts, and

also free range meats (chicken or lamb are my personal preferences).

This diet is called the paleolitic diet. All food has to be as clean

and organic as possible. Some people do not agree with the meat

consumption, I was vegetarian for many years and I was reluctant to

putting meat into my body, but maybe it's not the meat itself, but the

hormones, antibiotics, unhappiness of the animal that is toxic.

That's my take on that one.

> Before I changed my diet I had the same symptoms you describe,

cold hands and feet, felt sluggish, found it impossible to lose

weight, found it hard to tolerate cold. After 3 months on it though,

my weight is back to normal (I only had 10-15 lbs extra that really

bothered me because I wasn't used to carrying that much weight

around), my energy level has gone up, I can finally enjoy a day

snowshoeing because I can tolerate cold and my feet and hands don't

feel cold anymore.

> My concern right now is that my nodules have slightly increased in

size since my last ultrasound, and I don't know if that happened

before I did the lifestyle changes and hopefully that stopped them, or

kept growing the whole time. I guess for me it's wait and see what

the next ultrasound shows... I'm sure the endo at my next visit will

try to persuade me (again) to have a thyroidectomy, but I think there

has to be a better way, especially when the diagnostic isn't clear.

> Good luck Alea

[Guest guest]

Yes I know of someone who had 3 forms of thyroid cancer and was given 4 mos to

live. She used the protocol that my group recommends and is listed on my

website along with some other detoxing and nutrient balancing and she completely

cured herself of it w/o surgery or RAI.

Re: [ ] thyroid cancer

,

I began to read your story and plan to read the whole thing. So are you saying

the cancer can be cured by iodine and selenium and other things of this

nature.

If this is true I would be thrilled. I no way want to take out my thyroid, but

I also do not want the cancer to spread to other areas. What was it like after

the surgery if you do not mind me asking and what sort of other issues did you

have taking the thyroid hormone? I am sorry that you had to experience this.

But, I really have to make some quick decisions and get as much information as

possible. Did you experience other complications when you took out your

thyroid?

a

[Guest guest]

Yes I know of someone who had 3 forms of thyroid cancer and was given 4 mos to

live. She used the protocol that my group recommends and is listed on my website

along with some other detoxing and nutrient balancing and she completely cured

herself of it w/o surgery or RAI.

"

Love to know more details especially about the detox and nutrient balancing.

mei