Postby benben » Fri Jan 31, 2020 12:13 pm
Hi Kelsi, congratulations on your Chemo Completion.
Myself I started a Ketogenic diet about 2 months after treatment ended.
It was very difficult to begin, the keto flu seemed more difficult to me post treatment. Energy, etc were not quite back to snuff.
After a couple weeks things faired much better and I felt quite good following a keto plan. I stuck to a heavy nut, low glycemic vegie/fruit, fish and chicken diet.
I ate red meat about 2 times a month as my platelets were still hovering on the low side of normal post treatment. I stuck with it for about 6 months.
During that time my blood counts were stellar and I had the lowest CEA results to date. Then I started cheating a bit and noticed my workouts intensifying and muscle growth increasing with some carb intake.
So I ate balanced for a few months, but then had some CEA creep up to high normal range and decided to go back on. So another 4 or 5 months on Keto and was fairing well until a recent trip to Iceland and I splurged.
For 2 months was back on balanced diet and just last Friday had a syncope episode with convulsions.
Tuesday I had a followup with my PCP. He told me to go back on KETO immediately. He said everyone should be doing KETO, especially those who have had cancer, inflammation and autonomic issues.
His ex wife and daughter are both cancer survivors. At any rate he mentioned some longer term studies have been ongoing and all the data has not been released, but that the evidence seems clear that Keto is the healthiest diet.
He also said studies are ongoing with cancer patients showing Ketogenic diet reduces tumor size more effectively than Chemo, enhances efficacy of chemo, and significantly reduces chances of recurrence.
I was quite shocked by his zealous belief in the Keto diet. Most physicians I had spoke with in the past were unsure and hesitant about carbohydrate restriction diets.
From my previous experience with Keto, I knew I had some positive effects of GERD elimination. I also had rectal bleeding since the age of 29 (told to young for cancer), but when I did Keto for a few weeks the bleeding stopped completely.
Coincidence? I dunno.
I had also read reports of Keto increasing odds of colon cancer, and so was a bit hesitant to continue on with it. My PCP said the studies were flawed regarding those statistics.
Whatever you decide, best of luck to you. That's just my 2 cents, experience, observations.
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3/29/17 diagnosed CRC - 44 y/o Male
4/17/17 ULAR - Straight anastomosis - no ostomy.
Path: low grade T3n1m0 - moderate diff.
KRAS - NO, MLH1/PMS2/MSH6/MSH2 - Normal.
5/3 med port install
5/22 folfox - first treatment.
3rd treat, delayed - low ANC - reduced to 90% OXI
zarxio all treats
Treat 7 - 75% OXI
Treats 8-12 - NO OXI, Luke & 5FU
10/20/17 CT- NED
3/18 Scope - Clean
11/8 PORT OUT!
7/22 CT - NED (5 years!)