My Doctor's Advice

Sue Insole — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 12:51:00 GMT

I visited my GP on the advice of the nutritionist, as he had copies of my diagnosis from the consultant.

While I was there, I told him I was having alternative treatment, and he looked very grave. He told me I was being very foolish, as alternative treatment was still “unproven.”

The doctor asked me to at least consider taking tamoxifen, as my breast cancer was oestrogen dependent, meaning my high oestrogen levels were part of the cause. Before going to see him, I had read that tamoxifen is, in fact, a carcinogen in its own right. People taking tamoxifen often have blood clots, sight problems and cancer breaking out elsewhere, and more drugs have to be taken to counteract these symptoms. Needless to say, I was not keen on taking it!

He said that if I would not take tamoxifen, that was my decision, but he was not happy and wanted me to reconsider. He thought I was a bit crazy, I think, and that I hadn’t thought through the consequences. In my opinion, the fact that I had independently researched the drug showed that I had been thinking it through very carefully and didn’t like the thought of succumbing to other life threatening diseases whilst fighting the one I already had!

I didn’t visit that particular doctor again, as I had no confidence in him. He did ask me for a copy of my diet regime, though, and I gave it willingly. On any future visit to the surgery I saw a different doctor, who was more sympathetic. The last time I visited my GP was in November 2004.

This post is part of a weekly series in which Sue Insole describes her health journey. Click here to read her earlier posts.

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SUSAN INSOLE, BSYA (N Th.) is a former NHS nurse and is now a nutritional therapist in the field of natural health. She worked in a health care setting for 16 years, firstly in the field of rehabilitation and then as a welfare officer and secretary within a hospital setting. She was also an advisor for weight loss in 2001 - 2003. She achieved a diploma in 2006 for nutritional therapy. She is the author of a downloadable eBook, What Works in Health. Her website is: www.naturalhealthbenefits.com.

My Alternative Cancer Diary : tamoxifen

My Doctor's Advice