Saturday, August 19, 2006
High Dose Vitamin C IV Infusions
I am fortunate to have access to an integrative medicine physician, Connie Ross, MD and an expert in nutritional supplementation for cancer patients, Jeanne Wallace, PhD, CNC. They form the three legs of the stool, along with my gyn/oncologist as far as the phyical management of my health and cancer.
Dr. Ross specializes in high dose IV vitamin C, a treatment that has generated much controversy over the past years. Champions of the approach include Mark Levine, MD, with the National Institutes of Health and Jeanne Drisko, MD, who just completed a National Cancer Institute study for ovarian Cancer.
There is quite a bit of in vitro (lab) information showing effectiveness of IV vitamin C in killing cancer cells. Human controlled studies are just beginning. In the meantime, there is well-supported theory and many case studies for guidance. Ralph Moss, PhD, a researcher in antioxidants and cancer provides a very good overview of this use of Vitamin C at his website.
There is also contact information for Jeanne Drisko there, and her office is very happy to send out a packet of materials to any patient who requests it, at no charge.
At present, I am able to receive 50 grams of Vitamin C IV only twice a week because of my travel to Charleston. If I were not doing that trial, I would opt for 3 times a week High C IV. I notice an imediate improvement in the way I feel the same day and for several days after, in addition to the previously noted effect of lowering my CA 125.
Dr. Ross specializes in high dose IV vitamin C, a treatment that has generated much controversy over the past years. Champions of the approach include Mark Levine, MD, with the National Institutes of Health and Jeanne Drisko, MD, who just completed a National Cancer Institute study for ovarian Cancer.
There is quite a bit of in vitro (lab) information showing effectiveness of IV vitamin C in killing cancer cells. Human controlled studies are just beginning. In the meantime, there is well-supported theory and many case studies for guidance. Ralph Moss, PhD, a researcher in antioxidants and cancer provides a very good overview of this use of Vitamin C at his website.
There is also contact information for Jeanne Drisko there, and her office is very happy to send out a packet of materials to any patient who requests it, at no charge.
At present, I am able to receive 50 grams of Vitamin C IV only twice a week because of my travel to Charleston. If I were not doing that trial, I would opt for 3 times a week High C IV. I notice an imediate improvement in the way I feel the same day and for several days after, in addition to the previously noted effect of lowering my CA 125.
Angel Flights to the Rescue
This was my second cycle of treatment in the clinical trial with Velcade and Celebrex. Compared to my previous treatments with standard chemotherapy, it has been pretty easy up until now. More on that later.
Angel Flights took me to Charleston and back both Tuesday and Friday, and it was far superior to driving 500 miles roundtrip 2 days in one week. I had 3 different pilots and 2 co-pilots. They are all very committed, caring and fun-loving individuals who went out of their way to make sure I was comfortable and even to help me with ground transportation to the cancer center, although not a part of their job. The weather was pretty good for flying this week, which made it easier to travel with a little bit of queasiness.
Although I have to say I am a seasoned traveler - mostly on commercial flights - I still have to contend with occasional moments of claustrophobia and "oh-my-gosh-we're 10,000 feet up in a small piece of flying metal"! But the headphones with the air traffic control patter and talking to the pilots provided the needed distraction. I rode in the co-pilot seat on my last flight, with a Delta pilot in his Cessna 172, and he likes to fly high, so we were at the ceiling for flying without oxygen, 12,000 feet. What an incredible view from up there!!
Thank God for Angel Flights and these people, both pilots and other volunteers, who are so willing to give of their time, effort and money. They truly are angels....
Now about the treatment. It began Tuesday, abated a little by Thursday, and then came back full force Friday night after I got home - horrible cramps and gas pains. I had noticed it with previous treatments, beginning within about 12 hours of my treatment and lasting about 4 hours. But this time it began sooner, and is still going on the next day, accompanied by some nausea. I've decided to limit my intake to liquids today to see if that helps.
My CA125 went up from 341 to 533 in the last couple of weeks, so my study MD and I will have to decide if I should have a CT scan done after next week's treatment or wait until after the third cycle. It generally takes 2-3 treatment cycles to assess effectiveness...time will tell.
Angel Flights took me to Charleston and back both Tuesday and Friday, and it was far superior to driving 500 miles roundtrip 2 days in one week. I had 3 different pilots and 2 co-pilots. They are all very committed, caring and fun-loving individuals who went out of their way to make sure I was comfortable and even to help me with ground transportation to the cancer center, although not a part of their job. The weather was pretty good for flying this week, which made it easier to travel with a little bit of queasiness.
Although I have to say I am a seasoned traveler - mostly on commercial flights - I still have to contend with occasional moments of claustrophobia and "oh-my-gosh-we're 10,000 feet up in a small piece of flying metal"! But the headphones with the air traffic control patter and talking to the pilots provided the needed distraction. I rode in the co-pilot seat on my last flight, with a Delta pilot in his Cessna 172, and he likes to fly high, so we were at the ceiling for flying without oxygen, 12,000 feet. What an incredible view from up there!!
Thank God for Angel Flights and these people, both pilots and other volunteers, who are so willing to give of their time, effort and money. They truly are angels....
Now about the treatment. It began Tuesday, abated a little by Thursday, and then came back full force Friday night after I got home - horrible cramps and gas pains. I had noticed it with previous treatments, beginning within about 12 hours of my treatment and lasting about 4 hours. But this time it began sooner, and is still going on the next day, accompanied by some nausea. I've decided to limit my intake to liquids today to see if that helps.
My CA125 went up from 341 to 533 in the last couple of weeks, so my study MD and I will have to decide if I should have a CT scan done after next week's treatment or wait until after the third cycle. It generally takes 2-3 treatment cycles to assess effectiveness...time will tell.
