This is not about how our products have helped people. It’s about something that is personal.
I mentioned in my first 'From the Markets' blog post how I meet many people at markets. Some of them open up to me. I want to mention two instances. They both have to do with the prostate.
Before I mention the two instances, let me explain in layman’s terms (I’m a layman) the function of the prostate. The prostate serves to accelerate the semen when a man orgasms and ejaculates. A man without a prostate still orgasms but the semen stays (and gets absorbed) in the body.
Like any other part of your body, things can go wrong – the prostate can get an infection, it can get enlarged…and it can develop cancer.
Symptoms may appear – visiting the toilet more often than normal to urinate, bleeding or discomfort. Or symptoms may not appear and there can still be prostate issues.
A Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test measures activity in the prostate – the blood test doesn’t tell you what is wrong – it only measures activity. If your PSA is elevated then it could mean any of the above – enlarged prostate etc.
Why is it personal to me? I had cancer of the prostate. I didn’t know – I had no symptoms.
My physician had added a PSA test to my annual bloods when I turned 45 or thereabouts. He never phoned me as I had no issues - no cholesterol, no prostate issues etc. Until 2009 when he did, to say that my PSA was elevated and that I should see my urologist. Well, I didn’t have one, and all kudos to him that he didn’t suggest one. So I did my own research, and spoke to a number of people. Which probably saved me a lot of grief later on in life.
My research led me to a leading oncologist in Pretoria. He explored a couple of avenues – new vitamin supplements from the USA. It worked but when the course was finished, my PSA went up. That was when he said I should have a biopsy in 2010 and found early stages of cancer. I was 60 years old.
The urologist told me my medical options: surgery i.e. total removal of the prostate, or Brachytherapy.
Brachytherapy is the insertion into your prostate of irradiated pellets. Brachytherapy is effective for 10 to 15 years. After 10 to 15 years urologists will put you onto HT – hormone therapy. HT removes your testosterone. Which means your sex life comes to a screeching halt. It also has other side effects.
Brachytherapy also hardens your prostate, so, if the cancer comes back, surgery becomes very difficult to do. Needless to say, I had no hesitation in choosing surgery, and I haven’t looked back. I’m now 77.
Now, if you are 75 or older, brachytherapy becomes an option – it would be a privilege to be healthy and live to 85 and more, by which time you may not be that sexually active. But it is, in my opinion, not an option if you are under 70 or thereabouts, or younger.
Which brings me to the point of my story. The vast majority of urologists do brachytherapy NO MATTER YOUR AGE. Because It’s easy and quick to do; some even do it in the chair.
A 53 year old gentleman stopped at my table at Prison Break Market asking me if I had anything for erectile dysfunctionality (ED). His story was that at age 51, he was diagnosed with cancer, was not given options (as I had) and his urologist did brachytherapy. Unfortunately for him, the cancer returned within a year but fortunately had not yet hardened his prostate, so they could do (laparoscopic or keyhole) surgery. If he had had surgery in the first place, he would probably not have ED. By the way, laparoscopic surgery is the latest and least invasive surgery – recovery times are far quicker than previous procedures.
More recently at the same market, a 61 year old gentleman asked me about his problematic prostate – his PSA was jumping up and down. He wasn’t referred to a urologist; his doctor said he would have to have a “procedure” and mentioned brachytherapy, with no explanation. So I told him his options including the fact that he may not even have prostate cancer*.
These two men were either not given an option or the advice was vague.
Men put their trust in their doctor, physician or urologist, and don’t always know the questions to ask.
Before deciding on a procedure, find out all the information – it is YOUR body, no-one else’s and you have a right to know all the options available to you. If you want a second opinion, get one!
There is a third option for prostate cancer, which is extreme diet. I know someone with prostate cancer whose PSA has not moved for probably 15 years, just through extreme and disciplined diet.
And a final note: prostate cancer is on the increase, affecting younger males and black men (this has also been observed in the UK). So start having an annual PSA test in your twenties – it’s only a blood test.
Rather safe than sorry. And, please remember, EARLY DETECTION IS KEY to more easily deal with cancer.
*He came back a week or so later to buy a jar of LifeMel for a family member who was having chemo. He came back two weeks later for more LifeMel as it was helping the cancer patient!
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- Disclaimer
This article reflects my personal experience and conversations with others. It is not intended as medical advice. Every diagnosis is different, so please discuss your options with a qualified medical specialist.