Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Support Group
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (or "chronic lymphoid leukemia") CLL, is a cancer in which too many lymphocytes (a type of white blood cells) are produced. CLL is the most-diagnosed form of leukemia in adults. Men are twice as likely to develop CLL as women, however the key risk factor is age: over 75% of new cases are diagnosed in patients over age 50.
I was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) seven years ago. Even though I was still in the watch and wait stage, I was getting more and more infections requiring frequent doctors visits and even hospitalizations. My off-the -scale blood abnormalities confirmed that I was circling the drain.
But now my whole world has changed. I feel good again. No more infections. I have been free of all symptoms for many months now and I am no longer skeptical about the changes. At Roswell Park Cancer Institute they told me that my that last few blood tests were perfect.
I am not doing anything weird or taking anything that is not already being investigated by major cancer centers with promising results for treating CLL. All I am doing is taking higher doses of herbs than what one would normally take. While Green Tea is supposed to kill cancer cells in a test tube I had no illusions that simply drinking a few cups green tea would be enough to stop my downward spiral.
I read about the research at the Mayo Clinic and other places that show promising results with higher doses of ECGC (Green Tea Extract). However, medical research normally takes many years and with herbs even longer. I decided that I could not wait that long and started my own treatment based on reports from these various research efforts. This is what I have been taking per day:
Neem Leaf - 400mg Capsules: 4 capsules - three times a day
EGCG - 500 mg Capsules: 3 capsules in the morning on an empty stomach - it is best absorbed in a fasting condition (w/o Vitamin C)
2 capsules with 1000mg Vitamin C during day
2 capsules with 1000mg Vitamin C at bed time.
During the day I also drink 3 to 4 large cups of green tea using two tea bags and adding 200 mg of Vitamin C per cup.
The Vitamin C changes the stomach acidity which helps to absorb the green tea. I buy Vitamin C tablets and crush them in a pill crusher before dissolving them in hot water or green tea. (PharmAssure brand Vitamin C seems to have the fewest additives which may neutralize the acidity.) I buy the EGCG and the Neem Leaf Capsules in larger quantities over the internet. It comes to about $2.50 per day.
Its been long enough now and I am no longer skeptical that my newly found good health is just a fluke. Other than taking all these supplements, my life is back to normal. I am a 70 year old male and I started running two miles a day. I am also taking normal doses of other vitamins and I dont drink or smoke. I am not a doctor or a scientist. I am only giving a testimonial about my self-prescribed treatment and my personal results. Compared to chemo it has been a cake-walk. However, we are all different and everybody should go very slow with upping to these dosages and should always check with their doctor before taking anything new.
But now my whole world has changed. I feel good again. No more infections. I have been free of all symptoms for many months now and I am no longer skeptical about the changes. At Roswell Park Cancer Institute they told me that my that last few blood tests were perfect.
I am not doing anything weird or taking anything that is not already being investigated by major cancer centers with promising results for treating CLL. All I am doing is taking higher doses of herbs than what one would normally take. While Green Tea is supposed to kill cancer cells in a test tube I had no illusions that simply drinking a few cups green tea would be enough to stop my downward spiral.
I read about the research at the Mayo Clinic and other places that show promising results with higher doses of ECGC (Green Tea Extract). However, medical research normally takes many years and with herbs even longer. I decided that I could not wait that long and started my own treatment based on reports from these various research efforts. This is what I have been taking per day:
Neem Leaf - 400mg Capsules: 4 capsules - three times a day
EGCG - 500 mg Capsules: 3 capsules in the morning on an empty stomach - it is best absorbed in a fasting condition (w/o Vitamin C)
2 capsules with 1000mg Vitamin C during day
2 capsules with 1000mg Vitamin C at bed time.
During the day I also drink 3 to 4 large cups of green tea using two tea bags and adding 200 mg of Vitamin C per cup.
The Vitamin C changes the stomach acidity which helps to absorb the green tea. I buy Vitamin C tablets and crush them in a pill crusher before dissolving them in hot water or green tea. (PharmAssure brand Vitamin C seems to have the fewest additives which may neutralize the acidity.) I buy the EGCG and the Neem Leaf Capsules in larger quantities over the internet. It comes to about $2.50 per day.
Its been long enough now and I am no longer skeptical that my newly found good health is just a fluke. Other than taking all these supplements, my life is back to normal. I am a 70 year old male and I started running two miles a day. I am also taking normal doses of other vitamins and I dont drink or smoke. I am not a doctor or a scientist. I am only giving a testimonial about my self-prescribed treatment and my personal results. Compared to chemo it has been a cake-walk. However, we are all different and everybody should go very slow with upping to these dosages and should always check with their doctor before taking anything new.
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My 6mo twin DD's are EBF and just started rice cereal on the first. Everything has been going fine except this morning one of them had a diaper rash (lots of redness around her anus). I read this as one of the signs of an allergy. BUT I did just buy a different brand diaper yesterday (which they have used randomly before w/no issues). Do you think its the cereal or the diaper? Im ready to start...
Your information has been excellent and I have started the regimen.
Thank you so much.
I am more jittery from the green tea tahn my beloved espresso, but I look positively at it it that is a marker that tells me that the green tea has been well absorbed.
Jeff
You are doing the right thing by going slow with the EGCG and also check with your doctor.
Unfortunately the trials with EGCG at the Mayo Clinic were discontinued as was the trail with Neem at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. In both cases the manufacturer pulled out. More money to be made elsewhere with less hassle I would guess.
The doctors can't recommend anything which has not been approved. This leaves us on our own up the river without a paddle. We can only rely on ourselves to keep each other informed and share our stories of success and failure.
With the Neem as far as I know no safe or effective dosage has been established and not much is out there. I was told, however, that one patient at Roswell went into remission from taking neem. Also they had early indications that there is a positive effect on CLL and the leaves are better than the bark or the oil. But again I have no idea what their dosages were. I just take my neem leaf capsules at random times during the day and picked a dosage out of the air.
With the EGCG it is a different story. They had two clinical trials at the Mayo Clinic before the manufactures pulled out. We can learn a great deal from the successes of these two trials. In my case it was a life savor that they put the results of those early trials on the Internet.
I can give you links for those trials but it is easy enough to Google for the info. There is so much out there.
I am also a struggling newbie with Internet.
My health is holding up great so far - knock on wood.
Let's keep in touch and learn from each other.
hwalker
I have been getting my EGCG capsules from www.relentlessimprovement.com . They seem to have low caffeine and other bad ingredients but I think there must be other good sources out there. To cut down on the cost I buy several months worth per order.
I found out recently that the green tea and the EGCG can interfere with the folate absorption and I added Folic acid and vitamin B to my daily supplements. My RBC is now also within limits.
if you are using Essiac also use with caution as it can be a diuretic and can cause kidney stones-
I too use green tea EGCG but follow the directions to take after meals- I tend to take before bedtime bec a body @ rest absorbs better- I am glad to hear supplements are helping others in the W & W stage- it gives us all hope- good luck all!