Finished Cyberknife Treatment today

[okiesandy]

Hi All,

I am either on a prednisone high from the Autoimmune treatment. or so elated to have the treatment part behind me I feel like I am 20 years younger. Just have a little sunburn feeling on the left side and a very sore scalp. Nausea only one evening and some slight increase in tinnitus and imbalance. So far, so good. All I want is for "Ivan The Terrible Tumor" to be a good boy and leave me alone. I am going to take the positive and believe that I will only continue to improve.

Last week I was the one that was freaking out and my family was calm and reasuring. After many changes of procedure and treatment times and mask problems they started freaking this week end.

Hubby and daughter met up early this morning and surprised the doctor with a list of questions of their own. Give the poor man credit, he calmed some of their fear answered most of their questions and then they convinced him I was not usually a crazy woman (I hope).They did get the point across that I had just been told that I will more than likely lose all hearing in both ears sooner or later because of the AIED and that stress from the surgeons scaring the hell out of me about CK along with the treatment changes and time changes was one of the reasons for the flair up with the autoimmune thing. I wondered why my husband was leaving the house 3 hours before my treatment time and asking me if I could drive myself to the treatment center.  They were a little unorthodox, but you gotta love them for trying. It really was kind of funny walking into the treatment center and seeing them sitting there wit all of their notes and a smug grin on their faces.

For the record, they were told no antioxidents, not even vit C. Nothing, zip, zero, nada. Forget the cancer information about antioxidents, this is not a cancer, the reaction is not the same. Nothing to thin the blood. It is looking for a blood source to grow. Now I can stay up nights reasearching this bit of information. I have probably been feeding "Ivan" for a long time and thinking I was supplementing my way to good health.

Sandy

[jamie]

Sandy,

I'm glad your treatment is finished, probably not as much as you though. It's strange your family was told that about the antioxidants, I took a one a day and whey protein, and my tumor was showing positive reaction and increased necrosis at my 3 month MRI. Also, I asked Dr. Medbery on the CK support board about antioxidant use, and here's what he said:

me
I am scheduled very soon (Aug. 29,30,31) for CyberKnife on a lower cranial nerve schwannoma, I lift weights regularly and take multivitamins as well as L-glutamine and whey protein everyday. I have found very little information on the effects antioxidants might have on my treatment, however I understand that the point of radiation is to create oxidation and free radicals to "kill" the tumor. I have also read that there is a possibility vitamins may even accelerate tumor growth, but I'm not sure if that is true being as I have only read it in one place. My question is, should I discontinue use of any or all of these supplements prior to treatment? If so, how long in general (if this question is even answerable), should I wait before starting to take them again? I just want to make sure I do everything I can as a patient to ensure the success of my treatment. Thanks, Jamie

Dr. Medbery
There is very little information on this entire subject. Your comments on antioxidants are well taken, and we are always a little concerned about these issues, but there is no real information and I personally think it is doubtful that the doses of antioxidants you are talking about are sufficient to overcome the large local effects of radiation. However, there is also insufficient information as to the actual health benefits of these things. One of the reasons that we are so cautious in recommending antioxidants is the study showing that smokers taking vitamin E actually had a higher risk of lung cancer than those not taking it. Follow your instinct.
http://www.cyberknifesupport.org/forum/default.aspx?f=16&m=2717

[okiesandy]

Mark,

I have always been a heavy user of anti-oxidents. I haven't had a cold or flu in many years. From what I have been reading about the way radiation works and what it is trying to accomplish I have stopped taking them. I do use Joe Robbs Whey Protien in a fruit smoothie every morning.

Have you done much research on this? With the autoimmune thing going on with me the antioxidents seem to help. I don't want to do anything to impede the shrinkage of the tumor though. In fact I want the danged thing gone. My PCP is opposed to any supplements and I don't think Dr. Medbery is to choked up about them.

Sandy

[okiesandy]

Jamie,

Sorry I called you Mark. My cousin was IM me and talking about her husband Mark. I just typed it in. After all I have a brain tumor, I can't be expected to pay attention to what I am doing can I. Hey, this works for a lot of my short comings.

Sandy

[jamie]

Hi Sandy

No problem about the name mix-up. To answer your question, I have done some research, but like Dr. Medbery said, there's not alot of info, surprisingly. The debate stems from some oncologists who believe mega doses of ontioxidants protect healthy tissues from damage during chemo or radiation but wouldn't protect abnormal tissue, and others who believe the antioxidants could also protect the abnormal tissues from the oxidizing effects of the radiation. But they are both referring to mega dosing, those who take several thousand percent of they're daily allowances, also they are mainly referring to vit E, and to a lesser extent vit C. I only take a 1 a day multivitamin with just the recommended daily allowance, along with whey protein. Even if you mega dose, you can go back to doing so after treatment, but maybe wait a few months just to be completely safe. After the oxidizing damage is done to the DNA, it's done. After that, the tumor responds by dying off as it tries to grow. The cell tries to divide, it fails and it dies. Also, to clarify about the difference between benign and cancerous tumors, they are both made of abnormal cells that are not subject to the same regulations as normal cells, the difference is in their aggressiveness and ability to invade and spread. Pretty much any benign tumor (AN's, warts, moles, etc.) has the ability to become more aggressive, some kinds just do so more than others. The same nutrition guidelines during treatments can be applied to both. Hope you continue to do well!

Jamie

[marystro]

Hi Jamie,

I have been reading your and other stories in the forum in preparation for my AN CK treatment early August.  So, whey protein is something that can help before, during and after treatment in combating the tumor cells?  Also, should I stop taking multivitamins before and shortly after CK?

Just want to clarify.

Thanks,
Mary

[jamie]

Hello Mary,

Here are a few googled articles on th subject of whey and radiation....

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=whey+protein+radiation+

Here's an article on vitamins as well...

Vitamins to Avoid
Your radiation oncologist may tell you to avoid taking supplemental vitamins that are known to be "anti–oxidants" (such as vitamins C, A, D, and E) while you are undergoing radiation therapy. This is because these vitamins can interfere with radiation's ability to destroy tumor cells.

Here's why: Radiation works in part by creating "free radicals"—highly energized molecules that damage the cancer cells. But anti-oxidant vitamins PREVENT free radicals from forming, or neutralize them if they do form.

Because of this conflict between the goal of radiation therapy and the goal of anti–oxidants, it makes sense to stop any anti–oxidant supplements you are taking during radiation therapy. When radiation is finished, you can resume your supplements.

http://www.breastcancer.org/tre_rad_vitAvoid.html

I take whey protein anyway because I'm a bodybuilder, and I have had a very good outcome thus far from my CK, as for the multi-vitamins, just to be safe I stopped them about a week before and resumed about a week after...

[ppearl214]

Hi Mary,

Saw the thread on the CK support board as well on this issue... very interesting reply as I had no idea about this. I'm a multi vitamin/calcium type of person and very interesting read.. thanks for sharing this (you too Jamie!)

Phyl