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Question about clinical trials
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Member Since:
1 November 2008
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4 November 2008 - 8:23 pm
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It looks like mom is going to enroll me in a clinical trial testing a carboplatin/gemcitabine combination (chemotherapy drugs, for those unfamiliar with the names) and I was wondering if any of my fellow tripawds have experience with clinical trials.  Mom spoke briefly with the person in charge of the trial and I'm good to go, mom just has to decide whether this is the best course of action for me.  Is there anything she should take into consideration before officially enrolling me in this trial?

I'm pretty excited about this opportunity because it looks like the best treatment available for giving me a fighting chance.  Mom is really excited, too; she just wants to make sure that we're as informed as possible before we commit to it.   

If you can think of any questions we should ask, we'd really appreciate it!  

On The Road


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24 September 2009
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4 November 2008 - 9:06 pm
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Mina said:

I was wondering if any of my fellow tripawds have experience with clinical trials. 


My people loved the fact that I was able to participate in a K9 Immunity Clinical Trial.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

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1 November 2008
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5 November 2008 - 2:50 am
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Wow, you were such a lucky dog to get K9 for free!  Mom's a big believer in alternative medicine, so she actually had me on a Chinese mushroom supplement a short while before my diagnosis.  I'd developed age-related issues like "old dog lungs" and iris atrophy, so she knew it was time to take a more active interest in my general health.  She hadn't heard of K9 Immunity then; I've been taking a supplement formulated for humans purchased from Vitacost.com (to those pawrents using K9, you can get the human stuff at half the price, FYI).

I have more energy and am in better physical condition overall, so I heartily endorse medicinal mushrooms.  You can never go wrong in building a stronger immune system.  Good stuff!

 

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25 April 2008
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5 November 2008 - 8:30 pm
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Hello Mina,

   Just wanted to wish you well with the trial... when do you begin treatment?? Can you still take some supplement with the treatment? if you can I would! I really believe in them also. Buster takes Maitake mushroom DMG liquid  and humane grade transfer factor ,maybe someone like a homeopathic vet can help in conjunction with the oncologist... Every bit helps!  I'll look into vitacost I'm always bargain shopping for supplements for Buster and myself. Ps can you post some pics of Mina I think you posted somewhere also of how her amp is partial...
PS some supplements to look into Hepato Support (milk thistle ++, and Onco Support by RX Vitamins)

Kim&Buster

Kim & Angel Buster

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
–Anatole France

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10 November 2008 - 9:43 pm
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Hey there, Kim and Buster!  A friendly "woof" to both of you!  Thanks for suggesting the supplements. Smile Mom's always looking into new things to add to my cancer-fighting nutritional regimen.  She wonders if you've ever heard of IP6 or ellagic acid?  Mom tried to persuade me to eat red raspberries (high concentrations of ellagic acid), she even tried mixing them with my food, but I think they're gross. Tongue out  Mom is now plotting ways to get me to consume pomegranate, since it's also high in ellagic acid.

Aside from my multi-vitamin, fish oil, vitamin C, and glucosamine supplements, I'm also taking two Chinese mushroom pills a day (NSI MGC-6 version 2 - the stuff she gets at Vitacost, which also contains COQ10 and beta-glucan) and an artemisinin pill called Artemix by Wellcare Pharmaceutical Company.  Mom recently discovered that I looooove dried Goji berries, so she's thinking of adding them to my diet, too.  

We dogs are doggone lucky that there are so many natural ways to fight cancer in addition to traditional medicine. Laughing   

As far as the clinical trial goes, we're still waiting to see if I qualify, though we should know by the end of the week.  I have to have my lung x-rays repeated and get the all-clear before I can be enrolled in the trial.  Needless to say, mom is a nervous wreck.  Any hint of lung mets, and I'm disqualified.  My vet said that my previous x-rays showed a bit of non-cancer related inflammation, and that was a relief since I'd recently developed a cough, but these x-rays could show something new, or the doctor at OSU who specializes in veterinary oncology/immunology might see something my other doctors have missed.  We're on pins and needles here and pretty much hoping for a miracle.

I hope I can continue taking all my supplements if enrolled in the trial.  It doesn't seem like many doctors put a lot of stock in alternative medicine, but that could prove to be beneficial if it means they couldn't care less about which herbal supplements I'm taking.

Mom says she'd love to post some pictures, but she doesn't have a digital camera (my icon picture was taken a while back by a friend).  Yep, we're living in the dark ages here.  *rolls eyes*  

I don't know if I'd call my amputation "partial"...they removed most of my leg, high on the femur, leaving a small section of flank for stability/cushioning.  I've learned that sitting on my "stump" (for lack of a more elegant term) is just as comfy as having another haunch to rest on, so it comes in handy.  On the other hand, the leftover muscle is very twitchy, which the doctors say is nerve healing and regrowth, and it's quite a sight to see that muscle jumping like mad!  I move that muscle a lot, too, flexing it in tandem with the flank muscle on my remaining hind leg, and mom says it give her the willies.  Of course, all children, furry and bare, can agree that anything that creeps out mom is a good thing.  Wink 

Edmonton
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16 February 2008
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10 November 2008 - 10:44 pm
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Mina said:

Hey there, Kim and Buster!  A friendly "woof" to both of you!  Thanks for suggesting the supplements. Smile Mom’s always looking into new things to add to my cancer-fighting nutritional regimen.  She wonders if you’ve ever heard of IP6 or ellagic acid?  Mom tried to persuade me to eat red raspberries (high concentrations of ellagic acid), she even tried mixing them with my food, but I think they’re gross. Tongue out  Mom is now plotting ways to get me to consume pomegranate, since it’s also high in ellagic acid.

Aside from my multi-vitamin, fish oil, vitamin C, and glucosamine supplements, I’m also taking two Chinese mushroom pills a day (NSI MGC-6 version 2 - the stuff she gets at Vitacost, which also contains COQ10 and beta-glucan) and an artemisinin pill called Artemix by Wellcare Pharmaceutical Company.  Mom recently discovered that I looooove dried Goji berries, so she’s thinking of adding them to my diet, too.      


IP6 can be found in (or derived from) cereal, brown rice, bran, etc.  It is to boost the number of NK (natural killer) cells to fight the bad cells.  Another similar supplement is MGN-3, which is derived from rice bran and shiitake mushroom extracts.

For example, K9 immunity is derived from various kinds of medicinal mushrooms, such as shiitake, maitake, reshi, cordycept, .... These can also help boosting NK, B & T cells, and other players in the immune system.  I believe the other product, K9 Transfer Factor (which is usually paired up with K9 Immunity ) contains IP-6 and SOD for synergistic effect.

Berries are good, abundant in anti-oxidants. e.g. Acai, goji, blueberries, raspberies.  Good that you love goji!  It is good stuff.

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10 November 2008 - 11:19 pm
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Hi,

  This nutritional info I find to be very fascinating. My one question is about brown rice...Buster is on a high protein diet. I stay away from carbohydrates in any form, even brown rice, though its slower to turn into glucose. Glucose is known to feed tumors/cancer cells....Also, I would like to know the proper dosage of maitaike to fight cancer.  There should be a way track and prove some of the data.(I wish).. I'll have to try the berries. He and I take coQ10.

Mina I have my paws crossed that you'll qualify for the clinical. Funny you mention nerve twitching. I've noticied this lately. I don't know what to make of it. I recently saw Busters whole one side twitching. If someone know what causes this please explain. It's been 6month since the amputaion... are his nerves OK?? I even went to pet him and he started twitching... what the heck is going on??

Kim&Buster

 

Kim & Angel Buster

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
–Anatole France

Edmonton
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10 November 2008 - 11:43 pm
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Here you can find some literature about medicinal mushrooms.

Here is an article about Maitake mushroom.

Mina: forgot to add something about ellagic acid content ...

Raspberries: has 22mg of EA per serving (150mg). Strawberries: has 9mg per serving.  EA is found mostly in raspberries seeds, whereas in strawberries, EA is found in pulp.  I suppose EA in strawberry is easier to assimilate than those in raspberries.  In any event, they are both high in ellagic acid.  One thing to bear in mind is be sure to spread out several small portions throughout the day to avoid sudden spike of blood glucose level, or with other food so to slow down the glucose entering the blood stream.

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