Therapies
I have no personal experience with this therapy-
I underwent a liver cleansing program in 2004. While I think that liver cleansing is an extremely important component of detoxifying my body, I could not find any sites on the web that didn't talk about the benefits of liver cleansing and then try and sell a product. Therefore, like colon therapy, all I can say is that I have done these therapies and will continue to do these therapies.
Taking a sauna 5-6 days each week is the single most important component of my detoxifying efforts.
After my cancer diagnosis in 1994, I was slow to change my diet. Looking back (if I knew then what I know now), I would have helped my recovery tremendously by focusing on what I put in my body.
While I don't follow any specific diet, I do follow some basic rules:
I consider my state-of-mind critical to my success in managing my multiple myeloma. Positive Psychology has been a key therapy to manage my health the same way antineoplastons, nutrition, cancer supplements, etc. have been.
The mind's ability to heal the body is debated by health professionals but most people believe that the mind can influence the body's immune system.
I supplement with grape seed extract daily. The anti-myeloma properties of this supplement are now well documented in addition to it's anti-inflammatory properties and it's ability to treat heart diseases such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
I supplement daily with green tea/ECGC capsules- 1 x daily with Life Extension Foundation 725 mg. There are currently many published studies verifying green tea's anti-cancer properties.
I have no personal experience with low dose naltrexone. I am writing this subject page because there have been many references to LDN over the years on the b-m.org forum and others.
This is the kind of therapy that myeloma and cancer survivors should consider when other conventional therapies have not worked.
I sauna almost every day. I believe that the process helps me to detoxify (after years of chemo and radiation) and it relaxes me. I have read that raising one's body tempurature may make one's chemotherapy more effective.
I have no personal experience with NPI-0052. I have read a few posts on mmsupport, acor and this forum about the trials but I have no specific information.
Wikipedia had no page for CC-4047- the page for lenalidomide referred to CC-4047 which is why I am including the wiki article in this subject page.
Like other aspects of the Gerson protocol I have had a coffee enema. I have undergone colon cleansing therapy however and can recommend it for general detoxification.
Though I juice regularly, I don't follow the Gerson therapy. I juice for general nutrition. The Gerson therapy is controversial and rigorous but many who have tried the therapy swear by it.
I take a long list of supplements many of which are antioxidants. Most of us mmers have heard that stimulating one's immune system is bad for myeloma as mm is a cancer of the immune system. However, I believe that my antioxidant supplementation helps me stay in complete remission. I have not had a cold for years. There is specific info on the beating-myeloma.org website about supplements as well as papers about antioxidant supplementation during chemotherapy and radiation.
While I have no personal experience with dex specifically, I have undergone high dose steroid therapy in the form of doxorubicin, the D in VAD- doxorubicin therapy really threw me for a loop when I was on this therapy- not only did I feel UP when I began the therapy and DOWN when i came off the therapy, I gained almost 50 pounds during the 4 months while I was on VAD and developed cataracts in both eyes- a common side effect of high dose steroid use.
I have no personal experience with artemisinin. This therapy has been discussed sparingly on the acor and mmsupport listservs but is still being studied at this point- 8/29/08.
I have been supplementing with both fish and cod liver oil in either soft gel or liquid form for more than 10 years now. I have always sought out and taken pharmaceutical grade fish oil. I do this for two main reasons -
1) fish oil has documented benefits for the brain, heart and blood all which were damaged by my toxic chemotherapy in the form of V.A.D., cytoxan and periphal blood stem cell transplant.
2) fish oil has documented antiinflammatory properties. Inflammation, I believe, is one of the causes of cancer.
Vitamin D is one of a number of supplements that I take daily. It is vitamin D 3 not D 2 that is reported to have numerous health benefits. Though I can't say that vitamin D in particular has benefitted me any more or less than my other supplements, it is probably the most positively posted supplement on the forum/listerv.
I underwent two rounds of cytoxan in September of 1995 after five rounds of VAD failed to put me into complete remission. The main side effect that I developed was irritable bladder syndrome. Urgency to urinate, waking up twice or three times at night to urinate, etc. There is a long term risk of developing bladder cancer.





