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Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

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Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#121
I had stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma when I was 25, did chemo for 4 months (ABVD) and radiotherapy afterward. Healthy ever since (I'm 30 now).

One problem you might be having is dealing with an avalanche of advices, so I'll keep mine short.

Mainstream treatments (chemo+radio) are very effective against lymphoma. From my research the 5yr survival rate is over 80 if not in the 90s, and that's not even the latest stats. I wouldn't replace chemo with other alternative treatment, despite the damage chemo could potentially bring. I did take herbal medicine during treatment, but that's just to alleviate the side effects of chemo, not replacing it.

Everyone is different, but base on my personal experience and people who have gone through similar situations, you should still be able to work and live normally, except on the days you have chemo and possibly a day of two afterward.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#122
post #42

The fact that this thread exists makes me want to move back to Europe. It's really hard, for someone who grew up with state-provided healthcare, to understand how dealing with an illness involves decisions about employment. To the OP: the system is deeply unfair, and you shouldn't feel bad for obtaining what in the rest of the civilized world is an unalienable right.

American in Norway here. I have been struggling with immigrant life the last year or so and recently started thinking seriously about moving home.

The existence of this thread reminds me that I absolutely should just suck it up do what it takes to stay.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#123
The existing top comments (tptacek and calcsam) have already covered the useful practical advice for your situation.

So, I just wanted to say that I really feel for you. Cancer sucks. A stranger across the ocean is tearing up just reading about your situation and wish I could help in some way. So, I am sure there are a lot of real friends and family in your life who care about you and will help you get through this. Don't be afraid to ask them for help when you need it. You aren't alone.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#124

Don't worry. There is a cure. This might sound awkward at first. But you can completely cure yourself of cancer(and any other ailments), by drinking your urine. Urine therapy is an age old practice dating back thousands of years. Note: I am a urine therapy practitioner, and have had wonderful results. My wife was cured of Thyroid in just 2 months. Several friends and family have benefited as well. So, am spreading th…

Oh, I thought I'd never encounter this on HN. But since I did, here's the story:

Somewhere in late 80s my mother started to have pain in the abdomen. She went here, then there, then she finally did something like CAT scan or whatever, I don't remember, I just remember is was difficult to get this scan because there was just so few such devices in my home country (friendly advice for those who dream about state-provided health service: you don't take into account that you literally can die while sitting in line for months)

Well, it appears that she got gallstones and quite sizeable ones. Traditional conservative medicine (pills) didn't help much and she was recommended to take the surgical route. She declined because someone told her about urinotherapy. And she did that shit (well, piss) for the next 10+ years. The pains never completely went away, so she used some over the counter painkillers and was getting by so-so. Then one day she felt acute pain again, she was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer, and died in agony in 6 months. She was always dreamed about having grandchildren and my wife gave birth to our daughter the same day my mother went to (totally useless and just an act of despair) surgery to remove the metastasis. Which failed (well, stage 4 and pancreatic - it sounds worse than death penalty conviction). She lived just enough to see my daughter once when she was 3 months old or something. The hospital literally threw her away to die at home (remember, my friends, you want state-controlled health service. The hospital was free. Free comes at a price) and I drove my wife and child to her. She died a few weeks later. In pain and agony.

(did I tell you about the state-controlled health service? I don't remember, but just in case if I didn't - strong painkillers are controlled like weapon grade plutonium. So the doctor decides how many pills you deserve and even if the doctor is good person, the state mandates the limit. And it's a serious felony for a doctor to break this mandate. Painkillers are not technically free, but cost peanuts. You can buy them on the black market though and get 8 years if caught)

An autopsy showed that her gallbladder was full with stones. Doctors said that with a VERY high probability this is a sole cause of cancer. If she haven't listened to the idiot who advised her to take urine instead of the knife or ultrasonic she probably have survived until now (her birthday was 10 days ago and she would have been 75) and was able to see her granddaugther grow in front of her. She died at 61.

You can probably figure out from this rant what do I think about you and your religion. Drink this stuff alone.

I'd probably be downvoted to hell for this, but fuck it.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#125
Could you clarify that you have had this biopsied? It doesn't sound like you have, particularly on the current timescale you intimated.

That is the only way to know for sure if it's cancerous (I've got first hand experience).

I'm not saying don't worry about it, but 'probably cancerous' doesn't sound like a biopsy report and that is needed first as that's the only way to tell.

Keep a cool head, take the precautions the others are recommending here regarding your medical cover (God bless the USA) and get some confirmation of what the lump is before you move on.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#126
post #30
post #29

My uncle had stage 3 colon cancer and beat it using a mixture of both traditional and alternative medicine (such as a raw food diet and some other treatment which wasn't available in the US). I strongly recommend looking outside the mainstream. I recommend watching the Burzynski documentary and checking out the Burzynski clinic.

Or you could stick with evidence and science based medicine. For another perspective on Burzynski you can read SBM: https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/tag/stanislaw-burzynski...

You should consider that the 'evidence' based medicine you speak of is largely based on 53 studies, of which 47 could not be reproduced. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/28/us-science-cancer-...

Which is probably why cancer survival when it can be surgically removed is fairly good, but incredibly poor in general when it can't and must be treated by medicine.

I don't know if Burzynski has something better, but I have seen the documentary and researched the background. It is clearly not a case of the FDA trying to stop bad medicine. He has been in trouble mostly due to protocol and a clandestine attempt to take his patents. He has been in court many times, and won every case, and never was he in court due to damage to clients, it was always about some break of protocol, such as how medicine is delivered across state lines etc.

Anyway, in general you aren't allowed to even try Burzynski's medicine until all FDA approved medicines have already been tried. Only then can you apply to be part of the FDA trial for his medicine.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#127
Even if this is a small hope, I would suggest to take a look at these papers:

Fruit, vegetables, and cancer prevention: A review of the epidemiological evidence

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01635589209514201

Vegetables, Fruit, and Cancer Prevention

http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S0002-8223%2896%2900273-8/abs...

As far as I understood, this is already almost established that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables helps somehow.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#128
I am sorry to hear, This is my 2 cents from a person who has seen atleast 5 of my family members fight cancer. First thing the only thing that kills cancer cells is Oxygen its the live giver, take in loads of oxygen, food that gives the maximum oxygen is Wheat grass juice ( you can get a shot at jamba juice) take it daily you will see phenomenal difference, remember Neil Armstrong has lung capacity twice that of normal people and he is completely cured of cancer naturally . Try pranayam its the best way to take maximum oxygen and increase your lung capacity and most important be positive !!!

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#129
post #76

Stop sugar. Cancer feeds on sugar. Stop sugar for win the fight man. Good luck.

There is research indicating this. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3871217/

However, it would be foolish to just stop sugar without seeing a doctor and assume all is going to be well.

Re: Ask HN: I Have Cancer. What Should I Do?

#130
Hi

That's rough and I'm sorry you have to face it.

1 - Try to think positive, I know it sounds hard but it actually helps a lot.

2 - Keep working as much as you can, it will help you not to think about the negative stuff

3 - If your employer doesn't understand the problem then the job's not worth it.

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