Recurrence Rollercoaster – #1 – Why Tamoxifen didn’t work for me

So, for newcomers, a quick recap of the back story:  I had a mastectomy, and when I woke up from surgery, discovered my left arm was paralysed.  This had been caused by damage to the brachial plexus nerve that controls the arm.  I had to have further surgery to free the injured nerves.

It took about nine months before I was finally able to lift my left arm, and control it.  It was a dark time, and I remember being in a state of numbness most of the time.  I still look back on that period with a sense of incredulity, and amazement that I got through it.

In those nine months, to give my arm the best chance of healing, my surgeon and I took the decision not to have any active treatment in case they damaged the nerves.  I was also hoping that the treatments I’d had at Hallwang Private Oncology Clinic in Germany would help.

Fulda conference #9: Amygdalin (Vitamin B17/Laetrile) – advantages and risks (Dr Martin Stoppler)

The Christmas market at Fulda. image credit: http://www.germany.travel/

Updated March 2016 – For more information on GcMAF, please join the GcMAF and GcMAF Cancer forums on Facebook – they are closed groups, so you have to wait for your membership to be confirmed.  They contain up-to-date information on sources of GcMAF, and also feedback and contributions  by people who are using GcMAF.

Dr Martin Stoppler studied medicine from 1980-86, and specialised in general medicine in 1992 and naturopathic treatments in 1996.  He has been practising in his own complementary therapy clinic since 1992.  He is a founding member of the registered society Forum of Orthomolecular Medicine.

He talks about his experience with amygdalin together with other therapies, for example, GcMAF for 2 years in combination:  “From my experience GcMAF also has an excellent effect in depressed patients. However, since the possibly existing interference must be suppressed before. I use GcMAF in acute and chronic inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis successfully. In addition, I inject directly into GcMAF malignant tumors and involved lymph nodes.”

Also of interest is how he has used B17 in the face of opposition from the German authorities as B17 is on the list of dangerous substances in Germany.  His house has been broken into several times by the police, he has been threatened, and his dog almost killed.  He has persisted because he has seen B17 work for his patients.

He came across as very passionate and caring for his patients, and willing to go the extra mile for his patients.

Dr med. Martin Stoppler

http://www.aprikosenkerne-gegen-krebs.de/

practice- your-doctor-in-internet.de, praxisihr-arzt-im-internet.de

********

Brief background

Dr Stoppler was inspired by a book by Phillip Day “Cancer”.

Dr Hans Nieper was the pioneer of B17 use in Germany (1928-98)

Dr Kanematsu Sugiura

In Germany, B17 is on the list of dangerous substances.

In 2006, 2009 and 5 weeks’ pre-conference, the police visited Dr Stoppler.  Went to his practice and his home and threatened to kill his dog.

He went through 1.5 years of court proceedings, Euro8,000 fine.  He gets around it by ordering the drugs on behalf of the patient.

What is B17?

B17 is not really a vitamin.  It is a substance found in 1,200 plants.

LD50 Mouse 443mg/kg – lethal dose

LD50 Rat = 405mg/kg – lethal dose

Recommended 9g to 12-15g/kg – human dose

Side-effects of B17:

Results in high concentration of beta-glucosidase.

Oral version – diarrhoea, GI symptoms, constipation.

Herxeimher’s reaction – toxins or tumour cells degrading.  Chills, shaking and fever.  Ozone first – non-activated MMS – liver detox and support.  Bicarbonate – IV C 20-42g

Why has a patient become ill?

– Activation or excess of free radicals.  Toxins e.g. aluminium and lead, UV.

Main factors

Stress, that the patient sees as negative.  Psycho-oncology

Also – teeth – deficits in micro-nutrient field.

Digestive system.

Other treatments

102mg sodium selnite

Germanium sesquioxide – works through oxygen pathway

DCA – bodyweight dependent – IV 15mg/kg of bodyweight

DMSO – IV – saline – transports B17.  Not in a glucose solution.  5ml didn’t work – nausea and vomiting.  05-1ml/250ml.

Dr Pachmann’s lab in Bayreuth – Maintrac

Use of magnetic mats and cortisol for allergies

GcMAF protocol

GcMAF – injects into tumour and ascites.

uPAR – Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor – 400ng

Vitamin D level – 200-300 or 400-500 if using GcMAF.

3,000 IU orally

Decristol – 10 capsules 200,000/day [this is Vitamin D in Germany]

Doesn’t use nagalase test because of fluctuations during the day

GcMAF – IV twice weekly – 400ng

B17 protocol

B17 – phasing in 3g-6-9g.  1st week Monday, Wed, Fri.  2nd week, twice weekly.  6th week – oral administration

Dr Stoppler starts with 9g.  Causes Herxheimer’s depending on patient.

Kinofsky index of 60-70 drink a lot.

4 hours of treatment – exhausting for patient.

B17 supplier in Hamburg – 3g/5ml solution

Would like more research – is there an upper limit?

400ml/kg (bei 70kg = 31.5g)

B17 is not a monotherapy

uses DMSO as a transport molecule = 0.5ml

Access to Medical Innovation Bill about to become law in UK

The Access to Medical Innovation Bill will set up a database to collect the methods and results of all medical innovations by individual doctors across England and Wales so that successes and failures can be seen and shared by other doctors, scientists and researchers.

Lord Maurice Saatchi who sits in the House of Lords and his team have been working to get a Medical Innovations Bill approved.  It’s only taken them 4 years.  The final step is for the Queen to formally sign it.

Apparently, this database will drive forward evidence-based, medical science.

Many doctors innovate today, in their clinics, trying new techniques and drugs – but if no one knows about these innovations, other doctors cannot adopt and perfect them.

Lord Saatchi was motivated to create the Bill after the death of his wife, from peritoneal cancer.  She was a novelist, a scholar and promoter of poetry, a publisher and a theatre producer.

I’d be interested to see how this Bill will be implemented.

I think this is supposed to be a step towards openness about cancer treatments, in particular, non-allopathic treatments.  And hopefully it will encourage doctors who have tried non-allopathic treatments to share their successes.

Whether this will protect them from the long-arm of the law who is still on the side of allopathic medicine, I have serious doubts.  Why share if all you’re going to get is a jail sentence for using B17?

I am still not clear how this will work.  Is it just a database of information?  Is it compulsory?  If it is not made compulsory, why would doctors bother with the red tape of sending in their results?  Who is going to enforce this Bill and make sure doctors toe the line?

There’s also the problem that for many non-allopathic doctors who treat cancer, there is no one set protocol.  Let me clarify:  an oncologist would have a set protocol for treating cancer, which is determined by trials and statistics.  Every oncologist would follow the same set protocol.  For a non-allopathic doctor, treatments vary according to the patient.  So there is one-size-fits-all approach.  How then to replicate any success if it’s dependent on so many variables?

And there’s the issue of the Cancer Act 1939 which persecutes any treatment (mainly non-allopathic is my understanding) that purports to be a cancer cure.  I can understand why it was put in place because cancer patients are vulnerable and desperate for cures, and there are a lot of quacks and con-men out there.

I cannot see non-allopathic doctors risking their livelihood by sending in their results.  Also, all the non-allopathic doctors I’ve come across are far too busy trying to save the lives of their patients to bother with more red tape.  And justifiably so.  I would rather a doctor be focused on me than paperwork.

What I’d like to see is the government supporting innovation, the way they do in Germany where off-label treatments are permitted, and incredible success stories exist, and doctors and clinics are willing to take risks because they are NOT persecuted for innovation.  This Medical Innovations Bill doesn’t go far enough and may in effect open a can of worms by exposing well-meaning doctors who are stepping off-piste to persecution.

God bless Donna

Donna loved sailing in Nova Scotia, Canada. Image credit: sailboats.wordpress.com

I don’t normally write obituaries, because since I’ve been on this journey, I’ve had so many friends pass away, the blog would be full of good-byes.

But I wanted to make an exception for my friend, Donna Lockyer.

Hallwang Clinic #16 – Update and good news

I received this comment from a reader who has recently come back from Hallwang.  Thank you for posting the comment, A.S. and for giving me permission to republish it as a post!  It is great news that Hallwang seems to have improved its performance and services, and this reader had a positive experience there, with fantastic results.  I hope this helps other readers who are searching for viable alternatives to treatments:

“Hello there! I also found your blog and read it with great interest! You have really been around and your infos are very helpful for lost ones likes us searching for help-anywhere. I am also reading with great interest your bisforbananas..blog, especially on the Hallwang Clinic.

Interestingly, after a long online search on clinics in Germany, I decided to visit that clinic and just came back two weeks ago, and I think it is important to know that many things have changed since your last post.

I have to admit I was really insecure an6.d nervous before going there because of so many ambivalent posts, but after talking to the doctors there I decided to give it a try-and I feel so blessed and happy I did.

Right now there are 3 oncologists working on alternating shifts, and the medical director is a very innovative and caring doctor-I actually never met someone like him.

As I understand, staff has changed and the doctors from two years ago are gone, but this new team offers a wide range of treatments I have never seen anywhere else-that is the first time I actually have hope and my tumor markers are gone down-according to my previous doctors I should be dead by now!

I also met many very lovely fighters like us, and am touched by their success they achieved due to the treatment here, in my case immunotherapy in form vaccines and antibodies.

My friend Steve that I met here with mets pancreatic cancer is now in complete remission. You should see him!

Having said that, I also have to agree that everybody needs to find his or her right treatment and what is good for me, might not benefit someone else. And no one knows how long the success lasts.

But I am grateful for every month more with my family and seeing my lab results today and feeling the first time alive again I wanted to share this info with you in case you are considering Hallwang as an option.

Good luck to you all, and don´t give up, sometimes you find help where you least expect it.”

Posts like that make my heart glow.  Congratulations, Andrew!  So happy for you!  I pray that you get lasting healing and have a happy and healthy 2016 and for many years to come.

Brachial plexus injury #11 – treatments and supplements for nerve injury

After my left arm was paralysed from nerve damage caused by the mastectomy, I went into over-drive on the research front on treatments and supplements that could help.  Here are some I tried.

My nerve surgeon didn’t quite sneer, but he raised eloquent eyebrows and told me in his beautiful Italian accent that in his experience, the only thing that would restore nerve function in my case was surgery.  I thought it was a pity that he wasn’t more open to supplements that could improve the rate of healing in his patients, but there you go.

SUPPLEMENTS

Lion’s Mane Mushroom. Image credit: “Igelstachelbart Nov 06” by Lebrac – eigene arbeit von Lebrac. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons – from Wikipaedia

1.  Hericium Erinaceus or Lion’s Mane Mushroom

I’ve already covered this in my post MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS #3 – LION’S MANE (HERICIUM ERINACEUS) FOR NERVE REPAIR but I thought I’d briefly mention this again.  This mushroom has been scientifically-tested and in laboratory tests, shown to help stimulate nerve regeneration, including nerves in brains.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2016!

Updated March 2016 – For more information on GcMAF, please join the GcMAF and GcMAF Cancer forums on Facebook – they are closed groups, so you have to wait for your membership to be confirmed.  They contain up-to-date information on sources of GcMAF, and also feedback and contributions  by people who are using GcMAF.

(Updated 3 Jan 2016 re. GcMAF)

I used to pray for strength to get through the year.  And the Universe heard me and sent me challenging life experiences (like a divorce, house sale, cancer treatments, the death of two of my beloved cats) to build up my character and strength.

Thanks, Universe!

So this year, my prayer for myself and all of you, is to be happy and healthy.  Let’s see what Mr Universe makes of that!

Brachial plexus injury #10 – the Frankenstein chronicles

When I woke up from surgery I could feel this huge bandage, like a pillow, on my neck.  I felt like Frankenstein.

I didn’t dare move my neck because I had visions of my head falling off.

But the bandage had to be changed, and that’s when I plucked up my courage to look in the mirror.  What I saw was surprisingly innocuous. Instead of a huge wound, there were a few stitches, and some long but shallow cuts, spanning one side of the collarbone.

Brachial plexus injury #9 – Back on the roller coaster

It was 5 days before surgery.  Two months after the mastectomy.

My left arm was still paralysed.

I’d thought I could sort out the brachial plexus nerve compression damage with osteopathy, chiropractic treatments, hands-on healing and acupuncture.  Everyone was praying for me.  But while the treatments helped ease the area and calmed me down, they did not resolve the issue.

I was in denial up to the moment the nerve surgeon delivered the ultimatum, hoping that a miracle would happen, that my prayers would be answered and I would miraculously wake up with my arm back again, without having to go through surgery.

In the surgeon’s many many years of experience, the only thing that would work to relieve the nerve compression, was surgery.

And there was a sense of urgency:  a narrow window of time in which surgery had to be carried out, otherwise there was a chance the nerve damage could become permanent.

I had no choice really.  My arm still hung limp and useless.  I had to go back to work and needed my arm.  The nerve surgeon assured me that some function would return after the surgery.

But …

… what if it doesn’t work?

… what if I die?

… what if it gets worse?

… what if I get lymphoedema?

There were the usual pre-surgical tests which involved blood tests.  When I gave the doctor my medical history, she said:  “yes, the world is full of suffering”.  When I pointed out that a lot of people didn’t have to go through what I had, she said:  “don’t worry, something bad will happen to them”, as though there was some sort of karmic steam iron going around putting new creases of fate in the bedsheet of people’s lives.  Or that life was a mix of good experiences counterbalanced by bad.

I had no answers.  Only fears and doubts and worries at the moment.  I couldn’t believe that in 5 days’ time I would be having surgery for the second time in 2 months.

That sinking feeling I’d had when I was first diagnosed, of having my breath punched out of me, just as the roller-coaster plunged down a fall, had returned.

Brachial Plexus injury #8 – books I read when my arm was paralysed

Needless to say, after the mastectomy left me with a paralysed arm, the only self-help books I could bear to read were those of people who had been through shittier situations and come through smelling of roses (or in the case of positive thinkers, thinking and affirming they smelled of roses).

The first book I will recommend is “The Impossible just takes a little longer” by Art Berg.  I actually read the book years ago, before the brachial plexus disaster – how prescient of me!

The author, Art Berg, was a young man, a star athelete, on the verge of getting married to a beauty queen and sweetheart, when his car got totalled.  The accident left him totally paralysed from the neck down. (Just like Christopher Reeves, except he pre-dated Christopher Reeves).