Alternative Medicine

*** reaches for some popcorn ***

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health's article, "Complementary, Alternative, or Integrative Health: What’s In a Name?," speaks to the difference between complementary and alternative medicine.

I'll let you read it to see how they phrase the alternative/complementary distinction, but here's how I make the distinction.

Think about some sort of unconventional drug, medical practice, or procedure. Now fill in the blank:

"Because my doctors don't know _________________!"

If you said "anything" then you are thinking about "alternative" therapies. If you said "everything" then its closer to the "complmentary" side.

Nothing that works is called "alternative"....

Pratoman said...
When I hear alternative medicine, I think Steve Jobs.

I've listened to a lot of stories about people with success using alternative medicines. More than I can count (although some were probably duplicates).

Everyone I've heard about was a success now that I think of it, except for Steve Jobs.

Oh, and yes I do know someone personally with prostate cancer who has successfully stayed alive simply by changing his diet. So far, (and we are keeping our fingers crossed) he has successfully treated his prostate cancer, despite it being Gleason 6 and no metastases.

starfinder said...

Pratoman said...
When I hear alternative medicine, I think Steve Jobs.

I've listened to a lot of stories about people with success using alternative medicines. More than I can count (although some were probably duplicates).

Everyone I've heard about was a success now that I think of it, except for Steve Jobs.

Oh, and yes I do know someone personally with prostate cancer who has successfully stayed alive simply by changing his diet. So far, (and we are keeping our fingers crossed) he has successfully treated his prostate cancer, despite it being Gleason 6 and no metastases.

Wonder if it was alternatives with traditional medicine, or alternatives to the exclusion of traditional.
As far as the guy with G6 and no Mets, I'm guessing he would have been fine without any treatment, alternatives or otherwise.
Show me a guy with a G8, who did alternative treatment and no traditional , and I'll raise my eyebrows,

Said with all due respect

Just some random thoughts.

Sorry I missed the sarcasm.

Both good points, starfinder

AZ Guy said...
It's a free country. If you're diagnosed with prostate cancer (or any cancer) and you think you can just change your diet because you saw something on the internet...well, good luck to you.

You're right. Any treatment is the choice of the patient.

There are basically 3 kinds of people I've seen who use these alternative approaches:

Those who have been given no treatment options, those who don't need to do anything at all and those who are getting a standard of care treatment and do alternatives in addition.

Wise comment regarding PC treatment strategies from a prostate cancer specialist:

Anyone who uses only alternative medicine techniques (and completely foregoes traditional medical approaches such as surgery, radiation, HT, etc) to combat prostate cancer is foolish.  At the same time, anyone who uses only traditional medical techniques (like those previously listed) without supplementing with integrative medicine techniques such as lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, stress reduction, etc) is also foolish.

This may be a little off topic, but maybe not.

When I “discussed” my biopsy results and treatment options with my Uro he mentioned I might be surprised at how many of his patients are “fatalistic” and elect not to pursue treatment. Later on when I thought about that statement I was thinking to myself about how improbable that seemed. What did these folks do? Just let the disease run its course until they died, or finally go in for treatment after progression? Could a significant number of people really be at that level of denial? It would interesting to know what percentage of people really just let their cancers go.

My Uro has the worst bedside manner I could imagine. He's a horrible communicator, but that's the norm for surgeons, I'm told. It did occur to me that with his demeanor some of his patients may have just turned tail and ran. Or maybe he had a lot of G6's who educated themselves and said no thanks to surgery.

It's just hard for me to believe that most people who initially refuse treatment don't go back after they've had time to process the inevitable outcome of refusing treatment.

starfinder, I'd respectfully disagree with your last comment. Most people do what their diagnosing doctor tells them to do and go on with their lives. Relatively few have the inclination to do research and study, and instead trust their doctors to know what is best for them.

This thread brings to mind a co-worker and good friend from several years ago. He was diagnosed with colon cancer at stage 4 (they found it when investigating a bowel blockage). He did a year of chemo following surgery. about 3 years after he finished chemo, the found mets in his liver. Six or so months later, his wife convinced him to spend a whole lot of his own money (from the 401K) to go to Nevada to be treated by some guy who pushed this therapy where he puts the patient into insulin shock then gives a massive chemo infusion. He came back from that trip looking way worse than before he left--and died about 2 months later. Did the insulin shock treatment kill him? Maybe not, but it sure didn't help him.

I'm not a believer in alternative medicine. But I do draw distinctions:

1) Homeopathy. This is pure fantasy -- at best useless other than possible placebo for things like headaches, etc. At worst very dangerous for people who think this is actual treatment for life-threatening illness. Unfortunately I have friends -- especially in the U.K. where for reasons I cannot fathom the national health service apparently pays for this illusion -- who believe it is actual medical treatment. Some of these same friends have also resisted vaccinating their children.

2) Chiropractic. Maybe -- maybe -- it may offer some benefit for some people who have actual muscular or bone issues -- I'm doubtful it is equally or more effective than treatment by a physical therapist or an athletic trainer. Personally my experience with various pulled back, rotator cuff, and sciatic issues over the years is they get better on their own anyway if you just suck it up and wait. Any claims beyond that -- of which chiropractic makes many -- are at best imaginary, at worst deception.

3) Herbal, etc. Yes, there is possibility here, given that many medications come from natural plants, etc. I once summarized and edited a medical conference for publication in which I read the reports of a U.S. Army doctor whose full-time job was to make trips to the Amazon, etc. and track down plants used by indigenous tribes in hope of discovering potentially useful medical compounds. Cool job or what?!! Many medications derive from natural plants. But, that said, without isolating and running studies on the active components within those plants, I have little confidence in some jar of amazing herb x, y, or z, that claims it can cure anything or that its potential side-effects or interactions have been identified.

Just my opinion.

Jim

Yes she did thorough research and has totally rejected the standard of care of treatment for her condition. The diet. herbs and meditation etc that she has also researched is what she is pursuing with vigor and confidence.

All anyone knows for sure is that she will not experience the side effects of standard medical treatment, including the possible side effect of a cure.