Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’ • Hacker News Board

Re: Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’

#91

Post by rleigh » Sun, Sep 29, 2019, 1:00 PM UTC

7sigma wrote: post #80

rleigh wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It didn't have a source, but it's not pseudoscience. The switch to anaerobic glucose metabolism is part of the evolution of cancer as it progresses. This is because oxygen diffusion into a solid tumour is a limiting factor upon its growth. Cells which switch off aerobic metabolism will be selected for, since only they will survive and proliferate in an oxygen-free environment. You'll find this in most cancer textbook…

It's been debunked. See this post explaining why. https://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2017/05/15/sugar-an...

This post does not "debunk" what I said. In fact, it explicitly mentions the Warburg effect as something to target as a treatment possibility. And looking at two of the molecular cancer biology texts I have to hand (I did a PhD which involved vascularisation, angiogenesis and HIF-1α/VEGF/EGF), there are several examples of drugs which target the pathways related to this effect directly.

Also note that the link does not say, at all, that dietary restriction of simple carbohydrates is ineffective. What it does say, is that dietary restriction should be discouraged in case it causes malnutrition and/or weight loss, which can be counterproductive with effective treatment which itself can also cause weight loss. Which are completely fair points to make for safe general advice to the public; nothing here is black and white, and making definitive statements one way or the other would be both impossible and irresponsible.

So in some situations it may well be counterproductive. However, that is not saying that there are no situations in which it can be effective. Cancers are incredibly diverse, each type evolving in a unique way with different courses of progression. In some cases, it may well be the case that such restrictions can help.

Re: Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’

#92

Post by liveoneggs » Sun, Sep 29, 2019, 1:08 PM UTC

killjoywashere wrote: post #70

As someone doing cancer research and running a clinical lab, diagnosing cancer every day, I read the accounts of folks with cancer with a certain degree of lachesism. I want to know what this is. I know chickenpox and a broken leg and I know what it's like to have a loved one with cancer. But the thing itself, I do not know. I spend every waking moment thinking about how to hunt cancer. It used to be reflex, now it's…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugchasing

Re: Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’

#93

Post by liveoneggs » Sun, Sep 29, 2019, 1:09 PM UTC

mannanj wrote: post #61

I'm surprised no one has talked about diet here. Not a single one. There are many cases of cancers being completed reversed by change of diet, many cancers survive off of glucose and so switching to a fat based diet has helped many people go into remission as well as dull and intensify the effects of chemotherapy. Cancer is a living biological cell after all and will prefer certain sources of energy over others. Star…

worked great for Steve Jobs

Re: Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’

#94

Post by yread » Sun, Sep 29, 2019, 3:01 PM UTC

srik wrote: post #78

killjoywashere wrote: post #70

As someone doing cancer research and running a clinical lab, diagnosing cancer every day, I read the accounts of folks with cancer with a certain degree of lachesism. I want to know what this is. I know chickenpox and a broken leg and I know what it's like to have a loved one with cancer. But the thing itself, I do not know. I spend every waking moment thinking about how to hunt cancer. It used to be reflex, now it's…

I have a lot of admiration towards your “obsession”; it way more meaningful than any of mine, so respect! May I ask, in your opinion, what can I do to lower my chances of getting cancer. So far, I monitor grilled meat consumption, do yearly fasts and watch my carbs. I’d appreciate any advice :)

Try dying young? Otherwise, there are no guarantees

Re: Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’

#95

Post by jcims » Sun, Sep 29, 2019, 3:09 PM UTC

loopbit wrote: post #87

jcims wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trying to help my wife through chemo now, and the staying hydrated and eating something is kicking our butts. Her oncologist believes that her nausea is due to directly to disease progression and it's relentless. We're now on a regimen of phenergen every 6 hours but that just prevents cyclic nausea from occurring AND it knocks her out to where she's sleeping at least 20 hrs a day. Then when she wakes up she can only…

Leukaemia survivor here... It might be a stupid question and everyone is different, but have you tried fresh fruit and ginger ale? I went through six months where that was all I could eat/drink. Another patient in the ward suggested ginger ale and it was a surprise (had never drank it before... or since). Nausea got so bad that even thinking about it (for example when a doctor asked) would trigger throwing up so I ge…

Not stupid at all!! For a while apple slices and peanut butter were a staple but she throws that up regularly now. Blueberries are still good if mixed with something, a little watermelon.

Haven’t tried ginger ale, but will pick some up today. She says she doesn’t like it but we’ll give it a shot. Thanks for the suggestion!

Re: Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’

#96

Post by refurb » Sun, Sep 29, 2019, 3:17 PM UTC

chii wrote: post #68

refurb wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless you live in a world where money grows on trees, that happens in public systems too. There are finite amount of resources and keeping a patient overnight, when it could be out-patient, means another patient, who needs that bed more, has to go without. It’s not due to profit. And actually, the hospital would likely make more profit if they could keep you overnight.

> has to go without. if the current patient is only considered as an out-patient because their bed is needed, then i say the hospital doesn't have enough beds, and should either charge more per bed, or invest in more beds.

Sure, but there is always a need for more beds. It doesn’t end. At some point, the money runs out.

That’s what countries like the UK do with QUALY measurements. You have X billions of Euros to spend, so you spend it on the most effective measures and say “no” to everything else.

Re: Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’

#97

Post by ddingus » Sun, Sep 29, 2019, 4:11 PM UTC

jcims wrote: post #66

ddingus wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My wife suffers nausea. It is pretty extreme. There are different forms of marijuana. We tried a few. It took a few attempts to get one that worked. If she is able, try the different forms. Edible, topical, etc... One that worked early on was simple. Heat it for a half hour at 235 degrees F. This converts the THC to its active form. That raw plant material, ground fine and put into empty capsules worked and was easy…

This is great thank you! Do you recall how you managed dosage with the capsules? Also with vaporizing does she use a dry herb vape or concentrate/oil/pen? I’m nervous about giving her a coughing fit.

Dosing is a mess. Here is my advice:

Start from good bud. Highest strength / weight ratio.

You can get different sized capsules from GNC or similar stores.

A given raw plant will be similar by weight, but does vary some.

When you bake it, go until it is crunchy dry. Can be an hour, but watch temp. At 250, THC boils off into the air. I used an oven thermometer. Preheat, until you see 235, then put your stuff in there.

I used foil in a shallow pan, and foil to cover it.

Then fine grind when done. I used a good coffee grinder.

You can test what you did by literally dipping your finger into the powder and licking it off. You will get a noticable buzz. That means it will work.

Get one of those little scales. And weigh what you have and make portions.

Re: Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’

#98

Post by copperx » Sun, Sep 29, 2019, 4:27 PM UTC

odiroot wrote: post #71

geofffox wrote: post #29

I am a pancreatic cancer survivor. It is considered incurable in 2019 and I'm here because of a 1930s era surgery called a Whipple procedure. Around 9% survive five years or more -- a number that hasn't really changed. In a belt plus suspenders move I underwent 2 rounds (six infusions per round) of chemo plus 28 consecutive weekdays of radiation after surgery. All my doctors are amazed at my recovery, a few saying th…

Congratulations! My father unfortunately passed away from the same cancer. 6 months after the diagnosis, having already done 6/8 chemo infusions. His liver was giving up by then. He also went from nearly 90kg to around 42kg in the end. It is really a terrible cancer. He didn't have any symptoms until the year before his death. By then it was stage 4 already. I'm abstaining from alcohol since then.

Does alcohol intake increase pancreatic cancer risk?

Re: Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’

#99

Post by markbnj » Sun, Sep 29, 2019, 4:40 PM UTC

refurb wrote: post #96

chii wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> has to go without. if the current patient is only considered as an out-patient because their bed is needed, then i say the hospital doesn't have enough beds, and should either charge more per bed, or invest in more beds.

Sure, but there is always a need for more beds. It doesn’t end. At some point, the money runs out. That’s what countries like the UK do with QUALY measurements. You have X billions of Euros to spend, so you spend it on the most effective measures and say “no” to everything else.

> Sure, but there is always a need for more beds.

That doesn't make any sense. Basically you're saying the more beds there are the more sick people appear to occupy them.

Re: Life as a cancer patient: ‘it feels like dying from the drugs meant to save me’

#100

Post by markbnj » Sun, Sep 29, 2019, 4:42 PM UTC

refurb wrote: post #60

markbnj wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you read this part? > In the capitalist medical universe in which all bodies must orbit around profit at all times, even a double mastectomy is considered an outpatient procedure. After my mastectomy, the eviction from the recovery ward came aggressively and early. The nurse woke me up from anaesthesia and attempted to incorrectly fill out all the questions on the exit questionnaire for me while I failed in an at…

Unless you live in a world where money grows on trees, that happens in public systems too. There are finite amount of resources and keeping a patient overnight, when it could be out-patient, means another patient, who needs that bed more, has to go without. It’s not due to profit. And actually, the hospital would likely make more profit if they could keep you overnight.

> It’s not due to profit. And actually, the hospital would likely make more profit if they could keep you overnight.

It has nothing to do with the hospital's profit, and everything to do with the insurance provider's costs. What makes you think the hospital is calling the shots in this case? The people who write the checks call the shots.