Pdazzler

After 15 Years Cancer Free NHL Returns

Written and originally published in the spring of 2006.   Re-printed here to give an idea of the thought processes used building an alternative protocol to address a serious cancer challenge.   - Pdazzler

The summer of 2005 I noticed clear symptoms that non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma had returned.  My color was poor, energy levels were down and I had multiple nodules on my neck and face.  My lymph glands under my arms, in my groin and in my neck were noticeably swollen.  I had several bouts of web night sweats.

C.H.O.P. Chemotherapy Drugs

Remembering the terrible effects C.H.O.P. had on my body when I was 48 years old I decided to seek other options.  Using the Internet to investigate helped me locate numerous new pieces of information which might help me in managing this disease.

After a week of intensive research I decided to take 3 – 6 months trying a market basket of alternative methods.  If my symptoms take a marked turn for the worse I am prepared to immediately seek help using traditional medical means.

My first efforts involved looking again at my daily vitamin cocktail.  I had taken the same supplements religiously for more than 14 years and credited them with a significant part of my longevity to date.

Vitamin C was an important antioxidant in my original cocktail.  In recent years Vitamin C had been discredited by the N.I.H.  I had stuck with Vitamin C.  I was convinced Vitamin C was working for me, and never wavered on it’s use, taking 6,000 mg daily for 14 years with no adverse effects.

DR Linus Pauling

New research has re-confirmed Linus Pauling’s original work with Vitamin C and the H.I.H. is re-thinking its position.  I have recently increased my Vitamin C supplementation to 9,000 mg daily to raise my Vitamin C blood level.

A big surprise was the recent information on Vitamin D and cancer.  Since being diagnosed I had covered my skin during mid-day even using long sleeve t-shirts for my daily runs.  The standard thinking in 1990 was too much sunlight caused skin cancers.

Recent trials indicate this view is wrong and periods of strong sunlight (creating natural Vitamin D) is an important tool for fighting non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  My modified vitamin cocktail now includes Carlson’s Cod Liver Oil.  “Vitamin D is fat soluble and requires care in supplementing so as not to overdose”.

In my internet research I kept coming across serious athletes with cancers in long term remission.  Could there be a connection between high intensity athletic training and long term remissions?  In late 2000 I had ceased running marathons and cut my intensive training schedule back to 3 or 4 longer jogs a week.  Was my cancer’s reappearance a result of this change in athletic training intensity?

An article “Battling Lymphoma” by Jerry Brunetti was extremely helpful in possibly understanding of this athletic connection.  A reference to endorphins in Brunetti’s article opened a completely new line of investigation.

Could my success in keeping non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at bay for 14 years be due to my body’s creation of endorphins during strenuous exercise?  Had cancer returned because my recent reduced exercise schedule was not creating endorphins at the same high level?

In the belief endorphin generation may have been one of the keys to my long term remission I embarked on a more strenuous exercise schedule aimed at again becoming competitive in my age bracket in the marathon.

Running 40 miles per week and working hard to create natural endorphins sounds great but I’m 63 years old and to live many more good years cancer free.  Can I still exercise at the level necessary when I’m 70 or 80 years old?

Fortunately, I may not have to.  In Jerry Brunnetti’s  “Battling Lymphoma” article he discusses “Low Dose Naltrexone”.  Naltrexone is a drug originally aimed at blocking endorphins and useful in helping alcohol/drug addicts overcome addiction.  In what may have been a fluke researchers discovered that low doses of Naltrexone increased the body’s production of endorphins.

Low Dose Naltrexone

In trials by Dr. Bahari using low dose Naltrexone a significant number of cancer patients have showed marked improvement or movement towards remission.  My hope is “Low Dose Naltrexone” will replace some of the endorphin production my aging body use to create through exercise.  I began taking Low Dose Naltrexone on September 10, 2005.

Nurse Rene Caisse is a controversial figure from the last century that used a Ojibwa Indian herbal formula to treat numerous cancer patients that had been considered beyond help.  The resulting tea “Essiac” has been used for 85 years by thousands of cancer patients, many reporting complete remissions.

On the other side medical science takes a dim view of Essiac and finds it to be of little use.  Having spent many hours reviewing what is available on-line about this alternative cancer remedy I have decided to add it to my daily regimen.  Side effects seem minimal and the anecdotal evidence that Essiac helps many cancer suffers is quite strong.

The page following gives the Alternative Vitamin, Herb & Mineral Cocktail I built to address this 2005 relapse.  -  Pdazzler