antioxidants. Always read labels, however, and know what they mean. Then ask your
oncologist to make sure nothing you’re taking will interfere in any way with other
treatments. In addition, many survivors report using herbal teas and juices to help
them feel better. Be aware, however, that there is no FDA supervision of the produc-
tion, content, or safety of herbal remedies. For more on nutrition, see Chapter 23,
“Life Goes On: Physical and Emotional Changes.”
Tales from the Trenches
“I used an herbal tea, which I still drink,” reports Letta. “It has four herbs in it that are
also used in the making of Taxol, one of my chemo drugs. Everybody thought I went
through chemo just great, and I often think that the tea was part of that.”
Margie reports that she used fish oil capsules and flaxseed. “I grind the seed in a coffee
grinder and mix it with applesauce. And it’s great on ice cream!” But always check with
the doc about anything you ingest, even vitamins.
“I used an herbal tea, which I still drink,” reports Letta. “It has four herbs in it that are
also used in the making of Taxol, one of my chemo drugs. Everybody thought I went
through chemo just great, and I often think that the tea was part of that.”
Margie reports that she used fish oil capsules and flaxseed. “I grind the seed in a coffee
grinder and mix it with applesauce. And it’s great on ice cream!” But always check with
the doc about anything you ingest, even vitamins.
Oldest Medicine of All
Acupuncture (with laser acupuncture a recent innovation) and acupressure are main-
stays in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). These methods, thousands of years old,
now enhance many Western doctors’ traditional practices. Acupuncture involves in-
serting thin needles into special places to relieve pain and treat illnesses, and some
survivors have found it useful to relieve the side effects of chemo. Acupressure is a
kind of massage in which the practitioner adds pressure to identifiable body pressure
points. (Check the Yellow Pages under “Acupuncture.”) Just remember that while
TCM offers complimentary treatments for certain side effects resulting from medical
cancer treatments, under no circumstances should you feel that any TCM can replace
your medical regimen for cancer.
The Final Choice: Yours
By now you surely know that we’re not here to tell you what to do. We can tell you
about your options. We can tell you survivors’ stories. We can tell you what to watch
out for. We can suggest ways of thinking through your options. But the big decision,
of course, is strictly yours. As you make these big decisions, however, keep the lines of
communication open with your medical team. Consider the following suggestions.
The Question, Please
Ask good questions about your treatment, but
avoid the confrontational “you” and replace it
with the non-confrontational “I.” For instance,
replace “You said …” with “I understood that …”
Ask good questions about your options, but ask
parallel questions. For instance, if you ask, “What
are the advantages of Option A?” be sure to also
ask, “What are the advantages of Option B?” Same
with disadvantages, side effects, and so on. (And
remember to keep track of all the answers in your
notebook.)
Learn the Lingo
Learn the technical medical language of your con-
dition so you can communicate with your medical
team. If someone uses a technical word you’re not
familiar with, ask. It’s easy to say, “I don’t know
that word. What does it mean?” The technical
medical language of your condition also lets you
speak confidently and ask specific questions of in-
surance representatives. When you have questions
about coverage, using the technical language will
help your representative give a better answer.
The Envelope, Please
Don’t seal details of your condition in the mayonnaise jar. Keep your medical team
informed about what’s going on in your life: your emotional state, family crises, fi-
nancial stress, whatever. Since everything in your life affects your treatment, it’s part
of decision making. Your medical team can help. Likewise, keep your medical team
informed about any complementary therapies you are using. Ask your doctor or nurse
about any vitamins, herbs, teas, juices, or other oral complementary treatments you
want to try. Make sure these won’t interfere with your standard treatment.
As you struggle with the many decisions about treatments and get bleary-eyed from
reading the fine print in your insurance policy, we hope you’ve found some lifelines
here. And since this isn’t a television game show, you can use every lifeline we and
your fellow survivors have shared. After all, on the battlefield, every soldier looks out
for his buddies, and, dear buddy, we’re looking out for you.
Acupuncture (with laser acupuncture a recent innovation) and acupressure are main-
stays in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). These methods, thousands of years old,
now enhance many Western doctors’ traditional practices. Acupuncture involves in-
serting thin needles into special places to relieve pain and treat illnesses, and some
survivors have found it useful to relieve the side effects of chemo. Acupressure is a
kind of massage in which the practitioner adds pressure to identifiable body pressure
points. (Check the Yellow Pages under “Acupuncture.”) Just remember that while
TCM offers complimentary treatments for certain side effects resulting from medical
cancer treatments, under no circumstances should you feel that any TCM can replace
your medical regimen for cancer.
The Final Choice: Yours
By now you surely know that we’re not here to tell you what to do. We can tell you
about your options. We can tell you survivors’ stories. We can tell you what to watch
out for. We can suggest ways of thinking through your options. But the big decision,
of course, is strictly yours. As you make these big decisions, however, keep the lines of
communication open with your medical team. Consider the following suggestions.
The Question, Please
Ask good questions about your treatment, but
avoid the confrontational “you” and replace it
with the non-confrontational “I.” For instance,
replace “You said …” with “I understood that …”
Ask good questions about your options, but ask
parallel questions. For instance, if you ask, “What
are the advantages of Option A?” be sure to also
ask, “What are the advantages of Option B?” Same
with disadvantages, side effects, and so on. (And
remember to keep track of all the answers in your
notebook.)
Learn the Lingo
Learn the technical medical language of your con-
dition so you can communicate with your medical
team. If someone uses a technical word you’re not
familiar with, ask. It’s easy to say, “I don’t know
that word. What does it mean?” The technical
medical language of your condition also lets you
speak confidently and ask specific questions of in-
surance representatives. When you have questions
about coverage, using the technical language will
help your representative give a better answer.
The Envelope, Please
Don’t seal details of your condition in the mayonnaise jar. Keep your medical team
informed about what’s going on in your life: your emotional state, family crises, fi-
nancial stress, whatever. Since everything in your life affects your treatment, it’s part
of decision making. Your medical team can help. Likewise, keep your medical team
informed about any complementary therapies you are using. Ask your doctor or nurse
about any vitamins, herbs, teas, juices, or other oral complementary treatments you
want to try. Make sure these won’t interfere with your standard treatment.
As you struggle with the many decisions about treatments and get bleary-eyed from
reading the fine print in your insurance policy, we hope you’ve found some lifelines
here. And since this isn’t a television game show, you can use every lifeline we and
your fellow survivors have shared. After all, on the battlefield, every soldier looks out
for his buddies, and, dear buddy, we’re looking out for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment