Newsweek had a recent article blasting Oprah for hosting guests such as Grant Achatz who make strong recommendations for treatment that is counter to what most physicians recommend. I was in the dentist's office and didn't get to read it all but the article focused on Suzanne Somers on who was advocating daily estrogen and progesterone creams, daily human growth hormone injections, 60-100 vitamins and supplement pills a day, etc. (how does she have time for anything else!). Grant Achatz has received a great deal of press for rejecting recommended treatment protocols. I hope his story has a good ending as I think he completed treatment less than two years ago.

The Newsweek article (which does not mention Grant Achatz) is here, a photo gallery of Oprah shows that offered "risky advice" is here and a podcast on the topic is here.

One of the doctors Oprah has had on her show, OB-GYN Christiane Northrup, advised against vaccinating girls with the HPV vaccine, Gardasil (see #2 in the photo gallery and page 3 of the article).

If he survives it , he didn't have much. Hell some people are lucky and need just a touch of anything and the ones that have it have to fight for their lives.

It is so interesting to read the tone of this thread. There are two things I have to add to this. Most of you probably remember how his treatment was originally touted as an "experimental treatment." This was/is so much BS. No one in the US gets an experimental treatment without an FDA EDA approval. And they don't give them out lightly and it takes forever to get one, with a well documented protocol and more needed to even apply. Pharma companies spend millions and years to get one. Without one, doctors would loose their licenses, institutions would be reprimanded in the worst way.... it just does NOT happen. But it does add drama to a story.....

Brian

Probably a good move to send such info privately. I see now that google pulls up this very thread with its comments when I do a general search on Achatz. I suspect this thread evokes strong feelings in many of us for various reasons. I freely admit to being ENVIOUS of anyone who beats this cancer with "just" radiation and chemotherapy. I was flying so high last year when I was in full remission that it makes my current situation seem far worse than it really is after having the tongue surgery and even more radiation and chemo.
Looking forward to Monday's email
charm

And there are those of us that were "lucky" or whatever word is appropriate, that did "just" have to have the chemo/rad and believe me that's exactly how I feel when I read the stories of a lot of you that had to endure so much more and end up with many more side effects. I basically stopped complaining about a month after Brian invited me to this site.

Charm, as one that has read your post from the 1st one thru now, I sure can see your ups and downs, You have had a tough road to hoe and without the hoe,, You are one to be admired.

Thanks everyone for these additional articles. Very informative. The one on how Oprah can make you sick was very interesting. She is so very influential and she should be a lot more careful on what she endorses on her show regarding health issues.

DAVID WROTE:
"What would you have done?"

For one, I'd let my wife have as many stray pups as she wants.
Seriously, you were fortunate to have such a vocal and forceful advocate.

You could have stopped at any point in your road to a CCC, and your story most likely would have had a different ending. Some would call it good karma.

We shouldn't fault someone for opting to live life on his own terms and finding a viable treatment that could help him meet these terms. I don't think he made that decision lightly.

His ultimate message was for early detection and be your own advocate.

I believe you do what you think is right at the time, take ownership of the decision. I think he's doing that.

Marlene

Marlene,

OK I'll tell Jo she has another outlet for her animals....YOU.