This is yet another disturbing report concerning the very major debilitating - even life threatening - consequences from having the prostate cancer treatment protocol, known asAndrogen-Deprivation Therapy (ADT).

A new report published in the American Cancer Society journal, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, and in the American Heart Association journal -Circulation,, reveals that androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), a type of prostate cancer treatment, can increase heart risk factors and possibly lead to heart attack or cardiac death

Here are a few notable statements given in the article as published in Naturalnews.com…

* ADT, can increase heart risk factors and possibly lead to heart attack or cardiac death.

* ADT leads to increased fat mass, increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the “bad” form of cholesterol, and blood sugar abnormalities.

* ADT and other forms of hormone therapy do not actually cure prostate cancer.

* Prostate cancer patients should consult only the physician who is actually treating the cancer.

* The effects of low testosterone levels in men, known as hypogonadism, leads to cardiovascular disease and death.

* Low serum testosterone levels are also known to increase a man’s risk of developing diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and dyslipidemia.

As with any of the available treatments for prostate cancer a guy must carefully weigh up the perceived benefits against all possible risks (and hopefully the respective medical professional will explain these to the patient if he cares to or, if he is prompted) but surely, given all of the above factors as presented, why would any sane man take such a high risk with ADT anyway?

It really makes one wonder just how many men are comprehensively informed of those risks before taking them. I guess nobody really knows the answer to that.

Have I got your interest?

Then see the full article at: Prostate cancer therapy can increase risk of heart disease and death

Given the importance of the message in this Naturalnews.com article I thought it prudent to print it complete instead of simply giving it the usual URL link.

This report is especially remarkable in that it is suggesting that conventional (Allopahic) medicine should be looking instead at natural therapies to treat the body as a whole and not simply targeting specific areas with toxic drugs which then, in turn, do untold damage to the immune system and thence, to the whole body.

Now ain’t that the truth!!

Cancers can re-seed themselves after chemo, surgery or radiation

(NaturalNews) Researchers from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York have published findings in the journal Cell that explain how tumor cells can re-seed and spread throughout the body after they have been removed through conventional chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation treatments. Tiny tumor cells that circulate throughout the body often begin to send out seeds to the places where the tumor originated, essentially planting the cancer back into the body.

Joan Massague and her colleagues at the Center are finding that conventional treatments leave behind malignant cells that relocate to other areas of the body to avoid being destroyed. Eventually they return as stronger and more aggressive tumors, having gathered back the worst leftover cells from the previous cancer. The result is a second cancer that is worse than the first.

Read the rest of this entry »

Wow! This is mind blowing stuff.

A fascinating expose of the drug industry (Big Pharma) with its many echelons and tentacles
throughout the health industry and allied entities in government and medicine.

It’s a market financially dependent upon perpetuating ill-health in the community, creating
illnesses to match new drugs and treating symptoms and not the specific cause.

From time to time on my blog I get challenged regarding my negative and somewhat
disparaging comments about pharmaceutical drugs, drug manufacturers, drug purveyors and
marketing agents - this includes Doctors - and all those connected in some way to the ruthless, unethical manner in which dangerous, toxic, debilitating, drugs are brought to market.

With this brilliant document I can thankfully rest my case.

And you dear friends, will in turn better understand why several years ago, I took charge of my own
health and well-being, preferring to rely primarily on natural remedies. While I do still consult and listen to my medical professionals I always carefully weigh up their advice and what is on offer but diligently comparing it to that which alternative medicine has to offer.

CLICK here to read the full article

This report will be very alarming to late stage cancer patients requiring strong medication to deal with their extreme pain threshold. A Naturalnews.com report refers to two recent studies analyzing the side effects of morphine which have revealed that the chronic pain drug Morphine and other opiate-based pain medications contribute to the growth and spread of cancer cells.

Doesn’t this make you wonder about conventional medicine in the treatment of cancer patients? If allopathic treatments are so “evidence based” as is claimed how come this critical issue hasn’t been recognized and acted upon long before this? Or is it something the drug companies and the medical profession have kept to themselves for pure commercial reasons?

Just how many people have been helped to an early grave over the years by their prescribed use of opiates? The mind boggles.

Click to read the full report from Naturalnews.com

Prostate Cancer and an Enlarged Prostate Gland:
Although, as I understand it, conventional medical wisdom states that a benign prostate enlargement has nothing to do with prostate cancer per se the same cannot be said once the prostate gland is infected with cancer. They must surely then be inter-related.

Frank Haematuria & Bladder Retention:
I now have this pressing issue to deal with regarding my enlarged prostate gland and urinary flow problems following my two hospital admissions with frank haematuria and bladder retention in January.

Trans-urethral Resection of the Prostate:
The enlarged prostate is something I’ve had for about twenty years and it has never given me much trouble, though I did have a Trans-Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) twice during that period just to stop it being bothersome. However, when I was admitted into hospital on the 13th of last month with frank haematuria and with a blood clot blocking the bladder, the nurse, on inserting the catheter had to use positive force to push it home the last quarter length. Quite evidently there was some form of obstruction or other resistance in the vicinity of the prostate gland and the bladder opening proper. Anyhow it hurt like hell and my waterworks have not been the same since.

The second catheter inserted on the 16th was almost as painful. Over the years I would have had a dozen or more catheter’s but never have I had this sort of excruciating experience.

Urinary Track Infection - or What?
My urinary issues now involve a reduced bladder capacity with a subsequent increased frequency; very poor intermittent flow with much dribbling as well stinging and burning, . Fortunately, I can both start and cease the flow without difficulty. Furthermore, two blood tests done during my most recent hospital stays regarding my heart scare, showed microscopic blood in my urine.

You think it could be an infection perhaps? Well, during my stay in the urological ward at the hospital on the 13th and 16th of February I was given a high dose anti-biotic primarily because I had just had an abscessed tooth removed and later I had a further dose of anti-biotic trying to control what appeared to be an infection in the urethra following the hospital stay. Either both anti-biotic failed do their job or there wasn’t an infection in the urethra in the first place. Something more sinister maybe.

Urologist to Diagnose:
I have an appointment with my Urologist this Tuesday coming so we’ll see what magical thoughts he will come up with about this.

Most likely he will suggest having a retrograde cystoscopy to examine the bladder. He may well also suggest having another Trans-Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) but that I am unlikely to agree to because there is ample medical evidence noting that as with a biopsy of the prostate, a TURP is very likely to increase the risk of metastasis with cancer cells and infected tissue migrating to other parts of the body via the normal blood lines.

A Week of Diagnosis Ahead:
I now have a very interesting week ahead of me anticipating a diagnosis from my Cardiologist as well as from my Urologist. On Monday I am also having an ultrasound of my left leg to check on residual discomfort from my earlier DVT three years ago. Ah well, somebody has to keep specialists in business.

Off-Topic:
It seems the primary focus of my blog, that of Prostate Cancer Treatments, has been taken over of late - so too my my daily activities - by the more immediate heart issues I’m faced with. Issues that have me more than just a little confused at present. But as I am hopeful of getting some definitive answers in the coming week as to my condition, perhaps I’ll then be able to change direction once more and resume where I left off with my prostate cancer update.

Another Heart Scare:
Meanwhile, I must report a second heart scare on the 24th February and a consequential admission to Redcliffe Hospital Emergency Department, where I was again treated promptly and efficiently. After seven hours or so of excellent treatment I was discharged in fairly good order with instructions to make a fairly prompt appointment with a cardiologist. I was also told there was no bed available for a longer stay but as it happens it probably wasn’t necessary anyhow. I’m sure a bed would have been found had my condition warranted it.

Appraised by Cardiologist:
And so yesterday, 4 March, and with my wife, I met with Chris, a Cardiologist. I must say right away that Dorothy and I were most impressed with his caring, diligent and thorough questioning of my medical history, which, many of you will know is both considerable and complex. We were also impressed with his very detailed physical examination of me which included an ECG. Moreover, he very carefully probed a 6 page medical history synopsis I showed him.

The upshot of all this being that he requested copies of my hospital clinical notes, including ECG’s, and I have today arranged with the hospital, under the appropriate Freedom of Information legislation, for him to receive all relevant documents.

Stress Related? I hope so:
I am pleased to say that, on the face of it, he doesn’t believe that I have any major heart issues and that my recent heart flutters may well be stress related. But I’ll know more about that next week
when Chris has reviewed the hospital records.

My Blogging Delayed Again:
In my previous post I made an apology for my tardy blogging in the past month or so and now, although not yet fully recovered from my hemorrhaging episodes, I must report another delay getting back to normal blog performance because of yet another, perhaps more serious health issue.

Abscessed Tooth!
Last Thursday I had an abscessed front upper tooth extracted but not without considerable difficulty in that the dentist seemed unable to deaden it sufficiently for pulling. The first injections failed to deaden the tooth and then, following a second round of injections and some probing around with his metal prod he proceeded to pull on the tooth. Except that I again hit the roof! He then selected a different, more powerful injection and after a few moments wait, successfully extracted the wanton tooth, saying, with a smile that he wished he had used the stronger substance in the first place.

Now, I have explained that rather painful experience only as an harbinger of what was yet to come.

Minor Heart Attack!
Over the next few days my blood pressure kept flipping from a low of 131/73 to a high of 183/92 and I became increasingly unwell; hot flushes, perspiration, lethargy and a tightness and discomfort in the upper chest and throat area. On evening of Saturday (20th) about 1915hrs my Omron automatic blood pressure monitor indicated I was having an Arrhythmia episode… irregular heart beats. Blood pressure at that time was 171.87.

My immediate action was to take two short sprays of Nitroglycerin, directed under the tongue and very quickly my blood pressure began falling. It happily stayed low until early the next morning but with me feeling progressively worse.

I then decided to do what I should have done the evening before, admitted myself into Redcliffe Hospital Emergency. The staff and doctors there were brilliant. Concerned, diligent and fast acting.

I spent several hours being thoroughly questioned, tested and diagnosed. The initial ECG scan confirmed a minor fluctuation in my heart beat but several later scans, with face oxygen mask in place, some blood letting, a blood thinning injection and a fluid input valve stuck into each arm,
additional ECG’s showed everything was back to normal.

However, It was decided to keep me in overnight and boot me out the following day if all went well. Which it did. Final blood tests indicated no tissue or other damage had been caused to the heart.
But the Hospital doctors do want me to have things checked out by a heart specialist.

Whether or not the use by the dentist of two different types of injection and in larger than usual quantities had anything to do with upsetting my internal systems I can’t say. Perhaps it was a culmination of things.

Anyhow, the lesson for me in all of this for me is that the next time my heart indicates all is not normal I shall call for an ambulance and will not try diagnosing and treating myself.

Firstly, a quick note to offer my apology for not producing a blog post for the past month or so. The reason will become clear as you read on…

Frank Haematuria:
My regular readers will probably recall that one of my longer term health issues has been recurrent episodes of frank haematuria: which is blood in the urine.

That in itself is no great problem because, within reason, one can always reconstitute the body’s blood loss with appropriate dietary considerations, minerals and supplements. The problem arises when blood clots form that are large enough to block the urethra, thereby causing retention of urine (and blood) in the bladder. The consequence of that is considerable pain as the bladder fills and also, the danger of urine being forced back to the kidneys - or in my case - my lone kidney.

More often than not the blood will disappear within a few days with self treatment drinking copious amounts of water. On occasion though, as in this instance, the residual blood clots become too big to pass and they create a blockage.

Two Emergency Hospital Admissions:
The only recourse for a blockage is a quick trip to the nearest hospital emergency department, a quick insertion of a catheter tube and several days in hospital for irrigation of the bladder. Only in my case, having been released at 10am in the morning with all systems clear, I was readmitted at 10pm that same night with yet another blockage.

The urology department staff and I are quickly becoming old friends.

Catheter Size and Type Important:
One useful aspect is that I am now more familiar with my own requirements regarding the size and type of catheter needed. This information becomes critical in the Hospital’s Emergency Department where the catheter is first inserted. On an earlier occasion a small catheter was used and later had to be replaced by a larger one because of repeated blockages. Another important factor is that not all catheters have a separate valve or nipple permitting the attachment of a syringe for clearing blockages. I use a size 22 catheter (24 is the largest) but even so I still manage to block them. But I am now able to advise medical staff of my previous experiences with catheter’s and request a specific size and type of catheter, which helps them as well as me, of course.

I have noted that most nursing staff are very considerate, even sensitive, about using catheter’s, and do their very best to ease the discomfort and potential embarrassment. The problem is that when removing the catheter each nurse seems to have a different view on how slowly or how quickly the withdrawal should be. My own experience indicates that if too fast, there is increased discomfort (or pain) at the time of extraction and later, a longer period for the urethra to return to normal, together with an added risk of infection.

Bleeding is an Ongoing Problem at Home:
Another three day stay resulted in another ticket to leave but would you believe it, I started to bleed again that very night. This time however, the clotting did not cause any problems and cleared itself completely after several days.

Regrettably however, the bleeding and clotting then returned every few days or so for the following three weeks, but happily, without requiring hospital assistance.

Could my Prostate Gland be the Source of my Bleeding?
But I must say the month was not entirely wasted. As with several other urologists in recent years, the hospital urologist was unable to determine, without undertaking exhaustive, invasive tests, the source of the bleeding. Even with internal examinations two urologist’s had previous failed to give me an answer to this mystery.

Anyhow, I have always thought the probable source being my enlarged (now cancerous) prostate gland and over the past few weeks I think I have enough probable evidence to confirm that contention.

Following each of several bleeding episodes I held back from using the computer. In the first instance I held back for three days, then four days and later, for five days.

Not surprisingly, on each occasion when I thought I was safely healed internally and had returned to sit at my computer - I started to bleed again - within an hour or so. I am convinced now that sitting at the computer compresses and distorts my lower regions, the very organ congested area of bowel, bladder and prostate, and impacts on the prostate gland itself.

To Bleed or not to Bleed? That is the Question.
So now you know why folks, I am hesitant to do any type of work necessitating me sitting for long periods, and especially at the computer. I am even having to write this post in chunks so If it is a bit distorted you’ll know why that is. I must replace my desk-top with a lap-top, I guess.

Where to From Here?
So what is next you may well ask? Not much I’d say. The hospital urologist suggested I talk to my own urologist with regards to having another internal examination (cystoscope) of the bladder and also a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP),

Problem with that is I have had two previous cystoscopy examinations neither of which revealed anything useful. And as for the TURP, well, I have had that twice also and whilst in normal circumstances that would be advisable I’m dead set against it this time around. It is clinically well established that with any form of invasive procedure to any part of the body the risk of cancer spread, when cancer is already present, is very high indeed.

Well,that said and considering my main battle with my own aggressive cancer is firstly to stop it spreading and secondly, to find ways to ameliorate it or kill it altogether, I can’t see any justification to increase my risks, simply to stop my hemorrhaging.

Beside, I have now found a natural substance to stop the clots forming. More about that later.

Kidney Stone: Uric Acid

When you listen to anyone who has had a kidney stone or two you’ll be told in no uncertain terms of the extreme pain experienced, particularly when the body endeavour’s to expunge them naturally. This is an experience I remember well from a few years ago and I had hoped for that occasion to be my first and last. But that was not to be.

Early last year I began having painful twinges in the area of my left kidney. An ultra-sound examination followed by an X-ray revealed a 6 mm stone on the lower left lobe of the kidney.

My urologist diagnosed a stone comprised essentially of uric acid. The fact that my previous stone had been of the calcium variety had no significance for him and he prescribed tablets accordingly…for a uric acid stone. The aim of the tablets being - as I understood it – was to discourage further growth.

Kidney Stone Reassessment: Calcium

After about eleven months on the tablets another ultrasound and X-ray examination was taken and this time the results indicated the stone measured 8 mm. 2 mm larger that the first measurement. My urologist discounted the additional growth factor saying it could easily be explained by the subjective analysis of the ultrasound operator. But he did now admit that the stone appeared to be made of calcium and not uric acid and prescribed different tablets.

My Options: Surgery or Shock Wave Treatment?

He also gave me a referral to the local hospital with view to having the stone removed by surgery or blasting; a procedure known as lithotripsy (+/- retrograde imaging) and also known as extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL). I had already decided not to take the tablets he’d given me and I certainly didn’t want the hospital treatment.

Traditional Chinese Medicine:

So instead, I set about looking for a more natural remedy. I started by spending eight weeks on assorted Chinese herbs under the guidance of a Chinese TCM Practitioner but found it to be inconvenient and cumbersome. My bi-weekly visits for a consultation and to purchase the herbs required an 80 km road trip. And making up the herbal remedy three times a day was both time consuming and painstaking.

On top of which, at AU$90 every two weeks, it was far too expensive, Whether or not it was doing me any good I can’t say but there was no indication it was dissolving the kidney stone quickly, that’s for sure. But it certainly didn’t do me any harm either.

Chanca Piedra Herb: The Stone Breaker!

And then, in late April 09, I resorted to searching the internet for another remedy. I soon found what I considered to be a very promising one: Chanca Piedra (Phyllanthus niruri), In Spanish, Chanca Piedra translates as “Stone Breaker”!!

It can be found at: http://www.rain-tree.com/chanca-piedra-extract.htm (note: I have no commercial interest in the product or the company)

From April to November I was taking four Chanca Piedra tablets each day, two morning and night. Maximum recommended dose is six per day.

Ultra-sound and CT-scan Reveals Two Stones – not One!

In late November 09, I had another ultrasound examination and CT-scan prior to seeing my urologist. The test results showed quite clearly that the single 6 – 8 mm stone now comprised of two stones, measuring 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm respectively. An encouraging result I thought.

My urologist appeared a little nonplussed with these results, as if he didn’t quite understand them. He attempted to explain the two stones away by saying that ultrasound tests are not always accurate and rely heavily upon the diligent, but nevertheless subjective analysis of the operator. And that just possibly, the original operator only saw one stone when if fact there were two.

But I knew this would have meant two operators had made the same error. He was forgetting that in late 2008 and early 2009, I’d had two separate ultra-sound tests, well spaced apart by six months or so and executed by two different operators. Each operator had identified only one stone.

Chanca Piedra Wins The Day:

I then produced my Chanca Piedra tablets and explained to him that it was my contention that the Chanca Piedra tablets had caused the breakup of the single stone into two and in the process, had reduced the overall dimension. Two stones, now with a combined measurement of just 5 mm, an overall reduction of between 1 mm and 3 mm, depending upon which of the two initial measurements one considered.

Granted he was interested enough to take the details of the Chanca Piedra tablets but he then went on the defensive again saying how unreliable ultra-sound tests can be. A surprising statement really, considering that many patients are sent for surgery based partly, if not wholly, on their ultrasound results.

Hospital Treatment my Last Option:

I’m still listed for a review at my local hospital - with a probable 2 year wait for treatment which suits me fine for the moment – but I am resolved even more than before to rid myself of these stones naturally and well before I even remotely consider hospital treatment.

So I have now increased my daily dose of Chanca Piedra tablets to three morning and night and patiently await the results. My next round of tests take place in May so hopefully that will give the tablets plenty of time to do their work.

Disease Risk for my Lone Kidney:

A salient factor in all this is, of course, is the fact that I have only the one kidney. This together with the recognized possibility of stones causing the onset of kidney disease; the matter must be dispensed with sooner rather than later.

Surgical Treatment May Cause Cancer Spread:

Yet another concern to me is medical research results indicating quite positively in my view, that any form of invasive surgery will likely cause the spread of cancer cells in the body with the inevitable release of blood internally. The microscopic cancer cells being transported by the blood to various other parts of the body.

I guess all I can do until my next battery of clinical tests is to pay special attention to my diet vis-a-vis my kidney and the kidney stones, keep taking the Chanca Piedra tablets and hope for the best result in May 2010.

More to come on this at that time - unless something untoward develops before then .

Why Do I bare All?
To start this post off I want to explain, as best I can, why it is that I am prepared to bare all regarding my dismal health history over recent years. And yes, as you’ve probably guessed, it has to do with my philosophical stance concerning my battle with aggressive prostate cancer.

When first diagnosed in May 2006, and having ultimately taken the decision to take the ‘watchful waiting’ approach, I determined from the start that it did not mean sitting back waiting for my urologist to come up with the answers, nor simply, by hoping for the best. It meant taking responsibility for my own dilemma and creating my own set of solutions.

My Pro-Active Stance:
And so, after full discussions with my darling wife and receiving her full support, I decided on a three-fold approach; physiological, psychological and spiritual. I hasten to add here that by spiritual I don’t mean in a religious context although my wife would probably suggest otherwise.

Researching Medical & Health Web-Sites:
Subsequently, I set about increasing the time given to researching health issues on the internet. It soon became apparent to me that many of the countless medical and health sites dedicated to giving advice about prostate cancer seem to mirror one another regarding medical advice and other content. Information, by and large, was just being rehashed and presented as new. Some sites, with a little digging behind the scenes I even identified as being a surreptitious front for the peddling of medical equipment or particular drugs and aimed at patients.

I also found quite a few seemingly genuine health forums relating to cancer, including some dedicated to prostate cancer, where men wrote of their experiences pre-op and post-op. All too often I fear, it was wives writing of their own partner’s experiences post op, with tales of woe and heartbreak, describing the many disappointments, the pain and the suffering leading to the ultimate demise of their loved ones.

Patients Show Lack of Medical Knowledge:
But what especially disturbed me when reading all these comments from cancer sufferers and their partners was their absolute lack of knowledge about their particular type of cancer, their apparent unwillingness to research the subject and most disturbing of all, their willingness to repeatedly go back to their doctor for more of the same, no matter how many treatments fail or make things worse.

Taking all this on board I began searching for sites where men told of having cast aside conventional, allopathic treatments and had treated themselves with alternative or complimentary medicine. Some sites also identified with an overall holistic approach.

Alternative or Complimentary Therapies a Last Resort:
But what was most depressing was that many had turned to complimentary or alternative treatments in desperation after bad results from surgery or other conventional medical treatments. Only a couple or so had taken the ‘do it yourself’ approach and not one could I find running a blog from scratch, that is from the point of diagnosis thru the rigmarole of advice from doctors and specialists to final decision making and thence, thru to self treatment and subsequent experiences.

My Prostate Ruminate Blog is Born:
From this then was born the idea of doing a blog myself, as a diary or journal, telling of my own feelings, experiences, research, dieting practices and treatment regimen. I quickly grasped onto the idea from two viewpoints. Firstly, I was entering a new challenge where there didn’t appear, on the face of it at least, to be any blogs of a similar ilk and from where I could get advice or assistance. And I do so love a challenge!

Helping Fellow Cancer Sufferers:
It became quite clear to me that here was a much needed service which I could provide to fellow travelers - some say ‘victims’ but I don’t see myself as that – telling it like it is when the big C strikes and a guy needs to battle with prostate cancer. I could offer, by way of example and experience, treatment options other than surgery, chemo, radiation, or hormone therapy, a treatment ultimately leading to the removal of one’s testicles. Avoiding also all the debilitating and downright dangerous side effects that go with all of the aforementioned.

My next point was of a selfish nature. I obviously new - and had to accept - that my medical history in recent years had been a complex one and it had taken its toll on my general well-being. I realized too that if I was going to fight my cancer in my own way and on my own terms, it was going to take dedicated time and commitment from me and I couldn’t permit anger, self pity or other human emotions to consume me, as is so often the case. I would have to have a focus above and beyond my own health dilemma and treatment scenario.

Developing a website and running a blog (this blog) became that focus, providing for me a distraction and also, a psychological release.

Stay tuned. More to come/: