It can be difficult to find out about walk by the offer of alternative treatment. We have collected some general advice and some questions may be important for you to reflect on.


When cancer patients are using alternative therapies in addition to the treatment they receive at the hospital, it is also called complementary treatment. Always discuss alternative treatments with your doctor.

What expectations do you have for treatment?
By thinking through how the alternative treatment can help you, you will be better able to make a conscious choice. When you require both the manager and the treatment, you are also self-help to decide what you want to achieve.

You should think through:

-The goal of treatment, such as relieving symptoms, reducing side effects of medical treatment, provide new energy, strengthen the immune system or increase the opportunities for recovery.
- How much time, effort and money you are willing and able to invest.
- How long you want to try the alternative treatment before you decide whether you will benefit from it.

What is important to talk to manager about?
Ask for a thorough and informal conversation with one or more specialists before you start. Then you can get information and answers to many of the questions. You have the right to make demands on the manager and his / her expertise. Do not be afraid to take this up. The most important thing is that you feel confident if you start with the treatment. Even if you have a conversation with the manager, you do not anything.

This should be clarified in the meeting:
- Which manager has experience with treating cancer patients.
- What training manager has and if he / she is a member of an organization.
- Who is he / she works with (eg, doctor or other specialists).
- What treatment requires of you.
- What you can accomplish with treatment.
- When it is reasonable to assess the impact and decide whether to terminate or continue.
- Price, the treatment, possible side effects and duration.

What is important to clarify with your doctor?
Some alternative treatments can have negative impacts on the medical treatment. There are, among others, documented that natural medicine, St. John's wort affects the effect of chemotherapy treatment. Therefore, be open and honest with your doctor to follow up cancer treatment.

- Tell your doctor what treatment you want to try.
- Ask your doctor know of this treatment, and whether it can have a negative effect on your medical treatment.
- If your doctor is skeptical about your plans, talk with him / her about the reason for this.

Who can you use as your supporters?
Many in the same situation as you experience being showered by "good advice". It can be experienced both overwhelming and binding. You should not start with a treatment because others think it could be a good idea. You will even have faith in it and feel like trying.

- Think through who you want to get involved. Find people whom you can discuss with.
- Take someone with you in meetings with the manager.
- None other than those directly involved, your doctor and your loved ones, need to know about your choice.

How can you determine if the treatment had any effect?
It only knows it as literally feel it in the body. But often it can be difficult to know whether the treatment or other factors affecting the shape of your. Especially if you combine alternative and medical treatment. By being aware of what you may do as well, such as changing diet, or other daily routines, it becomes easier for you to determine the effect.

- Be aware of how you feel before treatment begins. Please write down what you hope the treatment will contribute.

- By keep a diary where you note the day's form, any changes, improvements or worsening, you get a conscious awareness of your own development.

- Try to restrict yourself to one or very few alternative treatments at a time. Then it is easier to find what you're feeling better, and what, if any, gives you side effects.

- Side effects you should talk to both doctors and treats about.

- Join agree with manager about how long you will be treated before you consider the impact.

- Matches the treatment and the results with your expectations? Talk to your manager about this.

- You yourself must decide whether to continue treatment or not.