Mom may have cancer recurrence, wants to experiment with homeopathy

[ShawnD1]

Ask your mom to do both, at the same time.

I don't think that would work because the two are polar opposites. Traditional medicine is done by giving you something that does the opposite of what your problem is (give you caffeine to make you wake up). Homeopathic medicine is when you give someone something that would make the problem worse but diluted down to the point that it does nothing (give you 0.000001M diluted caffeine to make you sleep).

You can't have it both ways. You can't take caffeine to make you both wake up and sleep at the same time. Sleep walking doesn't count.

 

[BoomerD]

Having lived through parents/in-laws with cancer, I understand that she's grasping at anything that offers even a glimmer of hope...unfortunately, in my experience, homeopathic cures only cure the patient's wallet of that nasty cash.

IAMAD, but while some MAY help relieve the symptoms, from what I've seen over the past 25 or so years, most won't actually help with the disease.

I don't have much confidence in the medical professionals in cancer treatments either. In most cases, the treatments make the patient feel like shit, drain their bank accounts, and the patient still dies from cancer. Once that nasty shit gets a hold, it's insidious. The doctors can cut and cut and cut...and it comes back, often worse than it was before.

Good luck to your mom. I suspect she's in for a rough time.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Although our current medicinal system is not perfect, it works most of the time. And sometimes the medical treatments are heavy, but for most people they work even with side effects.

I looked up some homeopathy sites , and when i am being told that a given chemical that causes me to get ill also can cure me, i feel very uncomfortable. Therefore, i too doubt homeopathy very much. Unbalance of the body is when you have a lack of nutrients or vitamins or minerals. Getting sick is something else. Go for the medical treatment i would say but the choice is really to be made by your mother. Convince her by letting her show you care. Good luck.

 

[busydude]

They could try psychic surgery, I hear it worked for Andy Kaufman.

The reason I ask.. is due to the fact that Homeopathy in India is seen as a viable alternative. In the past 10 years.. homeopathic clinics have increased exponentially.

Clinics like these. They put on an extremely professional facade to lure in people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_and_prevalence_of_homeopathy#India

I can empathize with OP.. as my GF also thinks homeopathy is "better than" western medicine.

<sigh>

 

[Gibson486]

Best thing to do is to do what she is comfy with. I see your concern, but ultimately, it is her decision.

 

[FleshLight]

My mom was diagnosed with cancer 6 years ago. During the last 2 or 3 years of her life, my dad convinced her to visit some "psychic energy healer" who charged $200 a session. From what I heard, the healer goes to some other dimension or something and brings back energy to this dimension. They visited the healer weekly. I immediately thought this was a huge waste of money and thought of telling them my thoughts but I realized that it gave both of them hope. The cancer metastised to the bone and finally the liver and she passed away earlier this year.

Although you may have your doubts, I'd just let them try it if they can afford it and the homeopathic healer isn't using something that is harmful like diluted arsenic or whatever.

 

[Gooberlx2]

He promised her she will be cancer-free, with ZERO probability of recurrence and made some bogus claims.

Anybody who ever "promises" anything regarding cancer is pretty much full of shit....much less promising something as audacious as the above.


You're being absolutely reasonable, and you did the right thing OP. All the while urging you mother to seek actual treatment, the best thing you can do remains being supportive. Your mother may be thinking more about her remaining quality of life vs the longevity of it.

It should actually be illegal to sell somebody on an unproven cure to a fatal condition, luring them in with marketing.

I have to wonder if the kind of absolute promises the OP mentioned are actually legal.

 

[ichy]

If I got cancer, I doubt I'd get treatment of any kind unless it had an almost flawless record of recovery. You gotta die some time, and an extra year or something isn't worth the sickness of being pumped full of chemicals, or radiation. Life isn't living if you're miserable.

There are a lot of cancer treatments that have a far from flawless record, but add years to life even in the case of incurable cancers. Hell, look at Steve Jobs. He had pancreatic cancer which is pretty much the worst kind there is, but treatment still gave him several good years.

 

[dud]

OP,

I feel your pain. I lost my mother to brain cancer and my father to the after-effects of multiple myeloma. Cancer is a bitch.

Love those that you love with a passion for soon they will be gone. If life were kinder we would leave this life before those that we loved.

 

[IronWing]

The underlying decision has nothing to do with the homeopathic crap. It is "does your mom want to make another run through the medical industrial gauntlet?" She knows firsthand what that entails and can make a reasoned decision to proceed knowing that it will hurt but that it might extend her life or to just go on living her life without seking medical solutions accepting that her life will be shorter.

 

[RbSX]

I did. But she doesn't want to. The homeopathy guy convinced her that she doesn't need 'conventional medicine' and it fits right in with her fear of surgery/chemo. I would be fine if she was taking some homeopathic magic potion in addition to regular treatment, if it helped ease her emotional state.

If I'm unable to convince her otherwise, I can only hope delaying treatment by a month doesn't aggravate things any worse.

This is why women shouldn't be allowed to make decisions.

Wow. Mr Sensitivity. Please refrain from posting any more in this thread.
admin allisolm

 

[amdhunter]

There are a lot of cancer treatments that have a far from flawless record, but add years to life even in the case of incurable cancers. Hell, look at Steve Jobs. He had pancreatic cancer which is pretty much the worst kind there is, but treatment still gave him several good years.

The best cancer treatment Steve Jobs had was money.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I keep reading the thread title as, wants to experiment with homosexuality.

 

[DrPizza]

Prove he's a fraud. He's making a promise - ask for that promise in a contract - one legally enforceable. If her condition gets better, he gets paid double his asking price. If her condition worsens - then he owes the estate double what he's charging. (He'll balk.) Ask for references, with medical records that would verify that the patient was cured of cancer by him using homeopathic medicine. (He'll be able to produce none.)

Hopefully, your mother is smart enough to recognize that these two things are enough for more than reasonable doubt. She needs to see an oncologist. Cancer isn't necessarily a death sentence. Your mom has already been doing it correctly - checkups every couple of months. Why would she abandon that process?

 

[911paramedic]

When dealing with cancer it's not the time to experiment with much of anything, go with proven treatment plans. As much as I want to believe some "natural/holistic" cure would do the trick because it may be less invasive or less toxic, I'm not going to gamble a loved ones life on it.

I hope whatever you choose works.

 

[tynopik]

Get her to at least see the oncologist. She doesn't have to agree to any treatment, but at least see him and hear what he has to say.

It may be nothing, in which case everyone's mind can be put at ease and you avoid wasting money on this quackery.

Is this the same oncologist she's used before? If so, it might be time for a new one. However competent they may be, she apparently has a trust issue with them and maybe someone else would make your mom feel more comfortable.

 

[slayer202]

Your only option is to NOT let her go the alternative route. Your mom isn't capable of making the right decision in her state. Unless she is giving up and wants to die, you need to put your foot down any way possible.

 

[artvscommerce]

Prove he's a fraud. He's making a promise - ask for that promise in a contract - one legally enforceable. If her condition gets better, he gets paid double his asking price. If her condition worsens - then he owes the estate double what he's charging. (He'll balk.) Ask for references, with medical records that would verify that the patient was cured of cancer by him using homeopathic medicine. (He'll be able to produce none.)

Hopefully, your mother is smart enough to recognize that these two things are enough for more than reasonable doubt. She needs to see an oncologist. Cancer isn't necessarily a death sentence. Your mom has already been doing it correctly - checkups every couple of months. Why would she abandon that process?

I really like this idea. If he's 100% certain his treatment will cure cancer, then why wouldn't he agree? Although i'm sure he will make up some excuse or move the goal post somehow. I also think it would be good to attempt to expose him as a fraud. Would you be willing to post any information on this guy? Maybe us anandtech'ers can help you gather some background information on this guy. If he's been responsible for causing people to die by giving up on REAL treatment, perhaps its been documented somewhere..

I would also look to Dr.Steven Novella and/or other members of the Skeptics Guide to the Universe for advice. They have a lot of experience with this stuff and perhaps they would have some good insight into how to go about handling this.

http://www.theskepticsguide.org/

Anyway, I can't imagine how tough this is for you. I wish the best of luck to you and your family.

 

[tynopik]

this isn't about the homeopath, this is about your mom being scared.

going on a scorched earth campaign isn't going to address her fear and make her willing to submit to real treatment.

my only advice is to take baby steps and slowly get her to accept the idea of treatment

that's why i said start with just getting her to go see the oncologist. Stress that she doesn't have to commit to anything beyond that, that she has nothing to lose by going, that the oncologist may in fact give her a clean bill of health. Also you need to find an oncologist that she can feel comfortable with and develop a bond with, someone who can calm her fears and make the treatment seem bearable.

This isn't a rational problem, so attacking the homeopath with logic will accomplish nothing

 

[disappoint]

Would your mother prefer to be chauffeured around by a driver without a license too? Ask her. Right now.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Prove he's a fraud. He's making a promise - ask for that promise in a contract - one legally enforceable. If her condition gets better, he gets paid double his asking price. If her condition worsens - then he owes the estate double what he's charging. (He'll balk.) Ask for references, with medical records that would verify that the patient was cured of cancer by him using homeopathic medicine. (He'll be able to produce none.)

Hopefully, your mother is smart enough to recognize that these two things are enough for more than reasonable doubt. She needs to see an oncologist. Cancer isn't necessarily a death sentence. Your mom has already been doing it correctly - checkups every couple of months. Why would she abandon that process?

This reminds me, a famous television star called Sylvia Millecam in the Netherlands had a very aggressive form of breast cancer that spread out through her upper body. She had a small lump in her breast at first. She refused chemotherapy treatments and went for alternative treatments. Scary thing is that she convinced herself (or let herself be convinced by others) it was just a simple bacterial infection. Little did she know that even if this was the case, that bacterial infections can be deadly for many reasons. She went to frauds such as a fake paranormal healer called Jomanda. Silvia Millecam died soon after because her upper torso was infested with cancerous tissue.

Only integer science heals. That is how it is meant to be.

 

[Kadarin]

Someone (I can't remember who) came up with a quote that states the situation succinctly: If "alternative medicine" actually worked, it would simply be called "medicine".

 

[zinfamous]

I can empathize with OP.. as my GF also thinks homeopathy is "better than" western medicine.

<sigh>

That kind of craziness will only frustrate you more. You'll probably have to watch her die from pneumonia b/c she will insist on drinking a vial of water to cure herself.

dump her.

 

[zinfamous]

The underlying decision has nothing to do with the homeopathic crap. It is "does your mom want to make another run through the medical industrial gauntlet?" She knows firsthand what that entails and can make a reasoned decision to proceed knowing that it will hurt but that it might extend her life or to just go on living her life without seking medical solutions accepting that her life will be shorter.

this.

It's why I mentioned earlier to consider the various cancer diets. In some cases, these can actually help tremendously.

 

[William Gaatjes]

this.

It's why I mentioned earlier to consider the various cancer diets. In some cases, these can actually help tremendously.

It seems to be the case that when low on nutrients but healthy, the body enters a certain state of preservation. This could slow down the formation of blood vessels to cancerous tissue but i doubt it will prevent it.
On a side note, it is even mentioned that consuming a low amount of calories can prevent a woman from getting pregnant. Although not relevant it is certainly interesting. I personally would not bet on it. Evolution makes people a bit different. And this is great for survival. What works for one person may not work for another.

To return to the subject, it is his mothers choice and hers alone. But it depends on the situation , by giving this real life example : Recently the stepmother of a very nice person was diagnosed with cancer. The chances of survival even with chemotherapy and radiation therapy and surgery were extremely slim given the age and the progress of the tumor. The stepmother opted for the decision to be with family for the weeks she had until she would pass on. I can not give all information of course because of privacy reasons. Needless to sat that this is an understandable situation.
But refusing a sure chance of survival and going for homeopathy. I find that difficult. I myself constantly try to point out in my virus thread that the cause of cancer and other diseases is not as clear and easy as some doctors point it out to be. But there is hope for the future as we make technological progress.