Nutrition, Diet and Tumors? Any experience?

[Justin McNabb]

Hi, I recognize that the medical world has only two answers for AN (outside of watch and wait) - Surgery and/or Radiation.  I am open to these of course, but I have read a lot of material lately arguing that a raw diet, detoxing, and fasting has not only keep some tumors from growing, but actually shrunk them until they are gone in many cases.  I just talked to a lady this last week who said she made her tumor go away by only eating a raw vegan diet.  While this might not be easy, if it works then it sure is easier then surgery and or radiation. 

Does anybody have any experience with this?  Has anybody made drastic changes to your diet?...gone all vegan raw, etc.  Any success or otherwise?  I am deciding now what course of treatment I would like to pursue!!

Also,  in your experience, how long did you wait from diagnosis to surgery/radiation and how many MRI's did you have to see if it was growing or not?

Thank you so much!!

Justin

[pjb]

Hi, I recognize that the medical world has only two answers for AN (outside of watch and wait) - Surgery and/or Radiation.  I am open to these of course, but I have read a lot of material lately arguing that a raw diet, detoxing, and fasting has not only keep some tumors from growing, but actually shrunk them until they are gone in many cases.  I just talked to a lady this last week who said she made her tumor go away by only eating a raw vegan diet.  While this might not be easy, if it works then it sure is easier then surgery and or radiation. 

Does anybody have any experience with this?  Has anybody made drastic changes to your diet?...gone all vegan raw, etc.  Any success or otherwise?  I am deciding now what course of treatment I would like to pursue!!

Also,  in your experience, how long did you wait from diagnosis to surgery/radiation and how many MRI's did you have to see if it was growing or not?

Thank you so much!!

Justin

Hopefully a Mickey on here in the W & W section changed his habits in eating, exercising and started on numerous vitamins and his tumor has not grown and it is over 5 years now ? Just lucky or did the vitamins help but I too started with some of the vitamins he is taking it is worth a try !

Best Wishes,

[mk]

Look for Tumbleweed's posts. He did research nutrition/diet approaches thoroughly and implemented a regime similar to what you mentioned for a few months, before getting treatment. His posts on the subject are most enlightening.

Marianna

[Suu]

Hiya Justin
IMO as long as you keep being seen by your doctors to make sure your AN is indeed shrinking or, in the least, not growing, then anything that gives you a positive outlook in this journey is worth a try.'

I ate healthily from 2004, lost 50.8kg, exercised, and supplemented with vitamins.  2 years ago in July 2010 - no warning until I felt tingling and lost my hearing in one day - I had a 4cm AN that had to come out ASAP.  In my case nothing prevented this from happening.  I only had the one MRI.

If you haven't been diagnosed then I'd do that now so you have a measurement to start from.

Best wishes,
Suu

[leapyrtwins]

I just talked to a lady this last week who said she made her tumor go away by only eating a raw vegan diet. 

Not to be harsh, but I have some ocean-front property in Arizona I'd like to sell you.

Being positive is a great idea, and a raw vegan diet is certainly healthy, but don't illude yourself into thinking that it will make your AN go away.

That just isn't going to happen.  Radiation can kill it, surgery can remove it, but changing your diet will not eliminate it.

Jan

[Jim Scott]

Justin ~

I concur with Jan's observation regarding the efficacy of diet being an 'alternative' solution to dealing with an acoustic neuroma.  Eating healthy certainly won't do you any harm but depending on a raw veggie diet to control or eliminate your AN could prove disappointing if not downright risky.  I would try the raw vegan diet if you believe it will help but don't depend on it to magically shrink or eliminate the tumor.   

Jim

[chloes mema]

Justin

I had had great hopes that changing my diet, my life style, etc would shrink my AN or at least stop it from growing.  That didn't work, it grew 3mm in 5 months.

I've had 3 MRI's (all with contrast) in the past 6 months.  Getting a collection of CD's but unfortunately not the right kind of CD's.

There are great stories on this forum of people who have had luck - be it from diet or whatever but like the others have posted here, I would not put all my hope & health in that one basket.

Stay on top of the AN with regular doctor appointments & be sure to mention the slightest change in anything related to the head, ears, balance, etc.  That's what clued my doctor in. 

Karen

[chance1212]

Karen--How did you choose how to treat your AN? Just curious mine is growing much like yours--4mm in 7 months after diagnosis in July 2011.

[chloes mema]

Chance1212

FEAR! 

I so did not want brain surgery or gamma knife because they are both invasive procedures so that left cyber knife and wait and watch.  I am absolutely the world's biggest chicken when it comes to pain, I can't even listen to someone talking about their hang nail I turn green and nearly pass out.  If you've read any of my other threads you'll understand that CK was enough of a trauma for me.

My neurotologist said I could stay on W&W but he would not recommend it.  All three of my doctors, ENT, neurotologist, and oncologist, said I needed surgery.  I said talk to the hand!  When I went back to the neurotologist he explained all my options so between him, my husband and myself we decided CK was my better option.  I know CK is not without its risk, I've certainly started with side effects after only one session.  So far the side effects are mild but noticable.

Before I learned that my tumor was on a rapid growth path I had done a lot of research on surgery, GK, and CK so I wasn't just being a chicken.  I found it interesting that the neurotologist said there is only one GK machine in our area and it is very old; that in itself would keep from doing GK here, I'd go else where.

Also, my previous neurosurgeon had wanted me to do Novalis.  I did a lot of research and soul searching on that one and decided CK was the better option.

Sorry I've gone on so much but hope this gives you some insight.

Karen   

[leapyrtwins]

Chance1212

FEAR! 

I so did not want brain surgery or gamma knife because they are both invasive procedures so that left cyber knife and wait and watch.  I am absolutely the world's biggest chicken when it comes to pain,

I had AN surgery (retrosigmoid) and had no pain.  Didn't take even one painkiller post op - and I don't think I'm the only on the Forum.

AN surgery doesn't necessary mean pain.  Strange, I know, but true.

Jan

[Justin McNabb]

Thanks everybody for your input.  I am doing my best to be responsible with the body I have, get educated and choose something that my conscience can handle.   I have met with doctors at both Standford and House Ear Clinic as well as a couple of naturopaths, nutritionists, chiropractors and other alternative experts.  I am currently 3 months into my "natural approach."  I have set goals for the middle of August to get another MRI and re-evaluate progress to see if it is working.  I have developed a natural treatment plan that seems to be pretty comprehensive to me and will see if I can get this tumor to shrink!!  I will let you know if it works (so as to help others) and will let you know if it doesn't, as it will mean that I would likely end up in a trans-lab surgery that would leave me deaf on one side. 

On a side note - while not nearly as important as getting rid of this tumor, since starting this natural approach, my seasonal and food allergies have all but disappeared, blood pressure has gone down, I have a lot more energy, I sleep better, feel better and have lost 20 lbs.  But we will see if it does anything for tumors!!

Justin (Jared)

[chloes mema]

Justin

Good for you!  Hope this works for you and then maybe others can use the same approach.  Even if it does nothing for the tumor at least you're a lot healthier for it.  Keep up the good work.

Karen

[MDemisay]

Dear Jared,

I found this to be extremely helpful thank you for the suggestion. We could all use a helpful low fat diet in my book. Personally, I'm sick and tired of all the prepared foods and wonder if the food industry as a whole is responsible.

But it is NOT, only we are responsible for what goes into our own mouths! Thank you for shining the light of day on this subject. Kudos to you, Jared! Profound thanks as well!

Mike

[Mickey]

Hi there.. First time I`ve noticed this post.  W+W 5 years now "stable" 1cm AN. Yes, I`ve looked up and incorporated everthing I thought worthwhile into a healthy lifestyle. I figured why not try and do something positive instead of just sitting around Waiting and Watching? So far so good and wouldd be happy to continue this way forever. Please look at our many posts in the Wait + Watch brigade, etc. to get some insight. Best wishes, Mickey

[It is what it is]

I eat vegan (except for salmon), dairy free, gluten free, low fat, low sugar, organic, etc., and I still developed an AN as well as newly grown lipomas after a diagnosis of breast cancer last year. I feel great about eating healthy but it hasn't stopped tumors from growing in my body. I believe in healthy eating and treatment.

Karen