Posts by Christian Wood63

Go ahead and look up interleukin-27 and its connection to asthma online; there is some actually interesting stuff out there.
You also need to factor in the role of the EBI-3 protein and how it regulates the immune response throughout this entire process.
The balance is already thrown off days before any of it even shows up.

Sarcomas are highly vascularized connective tissue tumors,
if garlic and chili peppers don't act as effective angiogenesis inhibitors, I honestly don't know what else will...
The root cause of a tumor lies elsewhere—they develop rapidly. Ask yourselves: have you dealt with extreme stress at any point over the last few months or even the last year?
Wishing you all the best...
The talk about radiation and cytostatics is frankly ridiculous, though they’ll likely recommend them anyway based on the histological subtype and location.

People aren't actually insane enough to grind through six years of medical school just to find themselves standing at the starting line
They still have to master actual clinical practice, and then there's the matter of the paycheck. As if anyone would even bother thinking about that.

Metabolism...
If you’ve been fasting for a few days, expect to see fat mobilization from your adipose tissue and acetone showing up in your urine.
Your triglycerides will likely be elevated too...
It isn't exactly groundbreaking science...
Given everything we consume, it's a relief we manage to stay healthy at all.
Since you carry a bit more extra weight, your body is going to prioritize mobilizing those fat stores first.
People think body fat is just some static, unmoving storage, but its metabolism is actually quite dynamic. What do you think?

Angela Wright said:We really need to refresh this page. Everyone, please jump in. We need all the help we can get for those suffering from Sickness and everyone who might suddenly find themselves backed into a corner—a situation we’ve all become far too familiar with here. I promised slyseal28 I would help out, but now that I'm back home, things have gotten so busy that I haven't been able to get active at all.😢

I once gave my mother maitake combined with temodal, and it was absolute chaos. First, she became incredibly lethargic; we couldn't wake her up for an entire day and a half. Then, suddenly, she'd snap wide awake...

Try that... but honestly, make sure your mom is stable before you even consider giving it to her.

Hannah Thomas28 said:Please help!
Does anyone have experience dealing with pancreatic tumors?
My mom was diagnosed with cancer in the head of the pancreas just a month ago. She was admitted to the hospital with "painless" jaundice; we originally thought it was just gallstones in the bile ducts. She’s had surgery now, and they removed the lymph nodes just to be safe. There are no metastases. Though, from what I can gather, it doesn't even matter if there aren't any—the fact that it's right there in the pancreas is bad enough.
The statistics are devastating. They told us she has maybe 2 to 6 months, even though she actually feels okay right now.
No chemotherapy, no radiation...
They even told us to let her eat whatever she wants! And not to tell her! Of course, we told her, but we didn't mention the statistics.
And I can't find a single person who recovered! Or at least someone who survived longer.
I'm hopeless... The Sickness is overwhelming.

Hmm, the pancreas... Since they operated, I assume she underwent some variation of a Whipple procedure to resect the head of the pancreas.
So, the surgery itself went fine...
Statistics say one thing, but every case is unique.
If those numbers come true, then things go exactly as predicted. But if there was no invasion of the lymphatic system or the nerves surrounding the pancreas, that is a positive sign.
Quite often, pathology can't perfectly distinguish between chronic pancreatitis and adenocarcinoma.
I've seen a few people who lived quite a while—after three years, they seemed to be in decent shape. I haven't seen them since.
Any talk of life and death based solely on statistics feels somewhat trivial.
When you have to tell someone they have a tumor that will kill them, yet they continue to live... what then?
It seems to me that tumor tissue behaves like its own separate organ. If it isn't allowed to isolate itself within normal tissue and develop however it wants, perhaps there is still a chance for survival.
Researchers are still trying to find ways at the histological level to curb tumor vascularization and things like that, but... well...
Let her eat normally. At the very least, she should avoid heavy fats and excessive sugar.
She should stick to chicken and fish.
Medical science hasn't put enough effort into studying the pancreas because it lacks a classic capsule, so they tend to view a poor prognosis as an inevitability.
I would advise her to stay as active as possible.

Nancy Hernandez43 said:Hi everyone... my mother's lab results came in this morning. Her white blood cell count, red blood cell count, and hemoglobin are all below the minimum threshold. What exactly are HCT and PLT? Those are also showing up below the minimum range.

Everything else in the analysis seems to be within a satisfactory middle range. Except for one thing labeled with the abbreviation ALP-s. What is that? It says her value was determined to be 62 U/L, which is considered low since the expected range for women over 50 is 64-153?

Thanks for any answers you can provide..

Best,

HCT stands for hematocrit—it's the ratio of red blood cells in the blood.
PLT refers to platelets.
ALP-s would be serum alkaline phosphatase.

Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:Hello to all the brave souls on this forum.

My partner is only 24, and he’s been battling melanoma for five years now. We truly believed surgery had solved everything; we had so many plans for our future. Then, two weeks ago, a PET/CT scan showed metastasis in the lymph nodes.
Even though I've lived in fear of this exact result for years—knowing deep down this scenario was possible—I still can't wrap my head around it. My entire world flipped upside down in an instant. Nothing feels the same anymore. Not the colors, not the sounds. Nothing.
The only thing keeping me going, the only reason I get out of bed every morning, is a sliver of hope. I hold onto the belief that he might be the one to defy those grim statistics and land in the positive column. I will do absolutely everything in my power to make that happen. That is why I am here. I need to hear about your experiences, your advice, any useful information at all. Anything that might help, especially regarding malignant melanoma.

Starting today, I’m going back to the very first post in this thread. I suspect a lot of vital information has already been shared.

Look, go find some birch bark—specifically its metabolite, betulinic acid. According to certain principles, they are starting to use it to treat melanoma... look up betulinic acid and betulin.
I think they've actually started trials. It might be worth a shot. Best,

We’ve been dealing with a massive headache regarding my mom for about two weeks now—brain edema, a fever hovering around 100.4, and everything else that points toward a tumor.
She’s on Mannitol every single day, and it looks like I might actually manage to get her off the Dex.
Right now, she’s down to 1 mg daily.
But the fever just won't quit...

It’s pure chaos, honestly. They took her in for a CT scan... and naturally, the results showed signs of necrosis. According to those findings, things have progressed to an advanced, inoperable stage.
I know things hit a low point back in May... so now we wait and see. Best to everyone.

The fact remains: there isn't just one single reason why someone ends up having their spleen removed. The medical indications vary wildly depending on the situation.

It’s listed right there. One of those factors causes certain cells to break down and then pile up in the spleen, which ultimately prevents the body from functioning the way it's supposed to.
I don't know the surgical team personally.
When it comes to the actual surgery, you're looking at two main options: either they go in laparoscopically or they make a classic incision under the left rib cage.
Surgery itself shouldn't be the part that gives you any real trouble.
If you actually look at the literature, there are about 18 different complications already documented. Why aren't more people talking about this?
As far as I'm concerned, the procedure mentioned here is nothing more than a routine operation.
Since we’re dealing with a young man here, extra caution regarding infections is non-negotiable. Why? Because the incidence of pneumococcal sepsis in this specific patient demographic is significantly higher. It's a risk that simply cannot be ignored.
Since we aren't discussing bowel movements here, they should probably be discharged soon. It really all comes down to how their other vitals look over the next eight days.☕
Before surgery, it would be ideal if they could administer a platelet concentrate transfusion. I mean, this needs to be properly coordinated. You can't just wing it when it comes to an operation like this.
Of course, hematologists should be able to state with absolute certainty whether this will actually provide any real benefit.
And most of the time, it actually works.
Unfortunately, it all boils down to the statistics. For the majority, things work out just fine. For the minority? Not so much.🤷

I want to touch upon how Chemotherapy actually functions
regarding its ability to kill tumor cells. Even though this entire thread focuses on malignant diseases, please excuse me for stepping away from the specific glioblastoma discussions for a moment.
Chemotherapy is typically administered in five-day cycles.
During that window, it destroys a specific number of malignant cells.
Ideally, this should result in a reduction of the tumor size proportional to the volume of dead cells.
However, there is a catch. Because the tumor releases TNF (tumor necrosis factor) and various inflammatory mediators during necrosis, it essentially creates a fertile breeding ground for any remaining resistant malignant cells to regrow.
Once the effects of the Chemotherapy wear off, we really ought to focus on reducing edema and inhibiting both the production and impact of those inflammatory factors. We also need to improve circulation to flush out the debris surrounding the tumor that triggers non-specific inflammation.
Dead tumor cells serve as the perfect fuel and an ideal stimulus for the growth of a newly emerged, resistant strain of the tumor.
I am going to try to find out—if anyone here knows—exactly how much time passes before Chemotherapy reaches its peak cell-killing capacity against GBM. Does this happen while the tumor is actively growing and dividing, or when it is dormant? And specifically, how many hours after the dose does this occur?
Regarding certain supplements, some claim they stimulate the macrophage system, which is already struggling to digest tumor cells, but you would need a massive response at the tumor site to make a real difference.

brightgardener8 said:This happened nearly two months ago. One day she was perfectly fine, and the next, she could barely stay upright—she could hardly sit, let alone keep her eyes open or speak. She slept almost the entire day. After we bumped up the dexamethasone dose, she bounced back the very next day as if nothing had even happened. We had a similar episode this month, though it was milder. It all lasted about 8 or 9 hours. By evening, she was energetic again, even without increasing the dexamethasone.
We were at a checkup today; she was supposed to start her third cycle of Temodar tomorrow, but they can't proceed because of her blood work. Her blood counts are way too low...😢
Could something be causing this?

Come on, please try to remember: did this happen before starting Temodar or while she was already on it?
Also, did she have any unusual fevers, or were you giving her any new foods that weren't part of her usual diet?
I need to compare notes because my mother has been lethargic for the last few days. Thankfully, thanks to a mannitol IV, she’s coming around. She's still a bit drowsy, but more alert. I started giving her some new mushrooms, Vitamin C, and so on...

Elizabeth Collins60 said:Mannitol definitely didn't cause pulmonary edema because it's a powerful diuretic used right here in the States during major open-heart surgeries. I don't see why you're linking mannitol to edema; if anything, it completely drains the system. And what exactly is this Boswellia stuff?

Every medication has side effects, and mannitol is known to trigger pulmonary edema.
It’s not up for debate that it's a diuretic. But when it hits the lungs via venous circulation, it can pull fluid there, leaving the lungs congested. That fluid is supposed to be cleared through respiration or heart pumping, but if the heart is even slightly weak, you end up with severe pulmonary edema.
Boswellia works by containing 5-LO (5-lipoxygenase) inhibitors. In other words, it reduces the activity of enzymes that produce inflammatory mediators and brain edema.
Leukotrienes... 🙂

brightgardener8 said:This happened nearly two months ago. One day she was perfectly fine, and the next, she could barely stay on her feet. She could hardly sit up, let alone keep her eyes open or speak. She slept almost the entire day. After we bumped up the dexamethasone dose, she suddenly snapped out of it the very next day, acting as if nothing had ever happened. We dealt with a similar, though milder, episode this month. It all unfolded within about eight or nine hours. By evening, she was back to herself again—and we didn't even increase the dexamethasone that time.
We had a follow-up appointment today. She was supposed to start her third cycle of Temodal tomorrow, but because of her blood work, that’s off the table. Her blood counts are way too low...😢
Can anything influence those numbers?

My mother's lymphocyte count has been hovering right at the bottom limit of 1.0 since her first checkup.
And we are administering the chemo at home every morning. My mom gets sick with a cold every two months—don't act surprised.
Regarding your mother, she had similar symptoms. However, my mom hasn't stopped talking since then; you can tell she's conscious and thinking clearly, even though the right side of her body is paralyzed. A few days after the initial onset, she just stopped speaking in coherent syllables and started making "la-la-la" sounds. Then the dog caught a cold a month later, and her speech faltered again. Now, she tends to mash everything into one single word, but we understand her perfectly—it's like we just intuitively know what she means.
I noticed this happening with my mother around the time she finished her first cycle, or shortly after. In her case, it actually happened before we even started the Temodal, so we took the risk and began the Temodal treatment anyway.

For the past month, we've been giving her immune stimulants. We need to source more, naturally, specifically plant-based ones, but the lymphocyte count won't budge (we're using ginseng, cat's claw, reishi, astragalus, and dong quai). Because of that, we always keep parenteral antibiotics on hand just in case, along with oral options.
Her hemoglobin is around 140, I believe, thanks to those aloe vera ampoules.

I managed to track down Boswellia in pharmacies around the Midwest; I picked some up in Chicago at places like Walmart or Target, and it didn't cause any issues.
I haven't been giving her much of it lately, mostly because my mother's condition has stabilized somewhat over the last two months.
As for mannitol—it can be dangerous. I think back in May, my mother ended up in pulmonary edema, which was a nightmare to resolve. It looks like it was actually a combination of edema and pneumonia, especially since one bottle caused total chaos after about five or six days.
In those cases, you obviously have to use a Braun line, like an IV, as a solution for long-term administration.
I’m aware that dexamethasone solves certain problems, but it’s incredibly potent and notoriously difficult to taper off. I refused to give it to my mother, even though I have some sitting right here at home.
It isn't easy dealing with a situation where there is no good prognosis... even from a doctor's perspective.
It’s no trouble for us to drive up to Chicago if they don't have it in Washington, D.C.; I'll check first thing tomorrow morning to see if they have it in stock nearby.
Brufen is honestly too weak for all of this, even if it helps occasionally.
I've read plenty online regarding Boswellia, so I administered it cautiously. You shouldn't give it in small doses because of its strange effect on tumors.
It's only effective in higher doses, specifically more than two grams. I'll find a few websites for you.

brightgardener8 said:What exactly are these "standard anti-inflammatory drugs"? And why doesn't an oncologist just prescribe them immediately instead of dexamethasone? On one hand, dexamethasone works against edema, but on the other, it's incredibly hard on the liver and everything else. 🤷
In our house, things went south fast when we tried tapering Mom down to 2 mg; she's at 8 mg now, so we're just taking it day by day...

Care to elaborate on what you mean by "went south fast"? How bad was it actually?

Both Diclofenac and Ibuprofen work fine as anti-inflammatories. Of course, mannitol is also an option.
There is also Boswellia extract, which can be administered in doses of at least 1-2 grams to rapidly reduce brain edema.
As for dexamethasone... well, when you lower the dose, you often trigger a rebound effect where symptoms flare back up. Unfortunately, that's a common, expected reaction during a taper.
If you decide to go with one of these options, the method of administration can help minimize side effects.
..
There are definitely others, I just can't recall every single one right this second.

Angela Wright said:Who can actually say how air pressure affects things? For all we know, even high pressure might be an issue.
We spoke with my mother's oncologist today. It looks like her liver is failing.😢 Her liver enzymes are off the charts—absolutely criminal levels—and everything points to that. Between this and the brain tumor, it seems like liver failure will ultimately be what takes her.

Regarding the liver, she should try Vitamin C paired with Reishi mushrooms.
And if she's taking noni, she might want to scale that back...
I've heard those are great for liver support. As for the corticosteroids? If I were in her shoes, I’d phase them out in favor of standard anti-inflammatories. You have to taper off the dexamethasone gradually, obviously. Makes sense, doesn't it?

jadepuma662. said:

I am truly sorry for your loss, jadepuma662..

Following the surgery, the biliary anastomosis failed along with the intestinal loops. Bile leaked into the abdominal cavity, triggering biliary peritonitis... which leads directly to multi-organ failure.
Since they didn't handle that first reintervention properly, there was really nothing left to be done. It was a lost cause.
It’s devastating when things turn out this way. Just horrific.
While Cholangitis is dangerous enough on its own, it’s the peritonitis that actually kills you.

Please accept my sincerest condolences.

The explanation is that the surgical anastomosis
between the bile ducts and the intestine, which they performed,
has failed. As a result, bile is leaking into the abdomen, causing biliary peritonitis—basically, inflammation of the peritoneum.
To make matters worse, there is widespread organ failure. In short, ---
they didn't fix the issue during the reintervention, and unfortunately, the outlook is grim.

Olivia Ramos66 said:Unfortunately, we don't have any high-quality Maitake mushroom supplements available here in the States. While Maitake shows slightly better efficacy when taken orally compared to Shiitake, most of the heavy-duty research actually focuses on two specific 1,3 beta-glucans—lentinan and schizophyllan. In Japan, these are used exclusively via IV as an adjuvant therapy for tumors.
If you're looking at oral options, Coriolus versicolor seems to be the most effective. There is plenty of data on it on PubMed, so go ahead and do some digging.
I know most people around here tend to buy products from Myko san (some studies have even been conducted on their specific preparations at the Isaac Newton Institute), but those are mostly just blends of various mushroom extracts.

Yeah, I'm aware of Coriolus. I'll probably end up importing it from abroad.
The situation isn't any better in Canada or Mexico for finding this stuff either.
For now, we're having to source everything from overseas.