Helping husband understand there is no natural cure

So you were diagnosed with PC metastatic to your lymph nodes and you had NO treatment like radiation, surgery or ADT?

I can tell you that I too elected a homeopathic approach and thus far it has been successful. I did 100 grams of IV Vit C weekly, did hyperbaric oxygen chamber once a week, switched to a complete plant based diet, strict vitamin and herb protocol, had a personal trainer 3 times a week (to keep me focused). One year later my PMSA and MRI scans are clear, did another biopsy with 21 cores (normal is 12) and all came back clean. It has worked for me so far (doesn’t mean it will for everyone), I now do a maintenance if 100 grams IV Vit C every 2 weeks. My PSA has gone from a high of 12 to under 4, which had been normal for me. Read the book “Chris Beat Cancer”, I pretty much followed his diet and vitamin/herb protocol. Good luck

I've read "Chris Beat Cancer" and he's a perfect example of the point I'm trying to make with my husband. To quote Chris on his own website "The oncologist told me I was “insane” but I decided against chemotherapy after surgery." The emphasis here being "after surgery." He had the tumor removed and then skipped chemo for diet. So obviously I'm in favor of my husband doing everything in the book, but he should do it after a traditional treatment method like Chris did!!

Diet won't cure cancer, but a healthy diet makes you stronger, and a stronger body can both fight cancer better itself and tolerate stronger treatments to help it in the fight.

When my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at age 69, he as a life-long smoker and regular drinker (several drinks every evening), despite his type 2 diabetes. He wasn't strong enough to tolerate any treatment, or even to work with the PT and OT to get stronger and move around, so he just stayed in a hospital bed for a year until he passed away. My kids were in their teens then, and I promised them I'd never do that — if I weren't prevented by dementia and could move even one arm, I'd be doing laps around the hospital floor. I never imagined it would only 9 years until I had to keep that promise, and it took me six weeks post-surgery before I was able sit up and move a wheelchair for a few yards (they had to sling me into it with a hoist), but then I did it, and haven't stopped moving since.

But at the same time, *because* I went in strong and healthy, I willingly took and was able to tolerate every assistance that medical science offered me: In my time of need, I decided to cash in some of the chips I'd earned from a healthy lifestyle, and so far, it's paid off with excellent returns.

There's no contradiction between a healthy lifestyle and medicine: cancer treatments work better and have fewer side-effects if you have a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy lifestyle can last many years longer with the help of cancer treatments. Why not choose both?

That really is the absolute best advice I’ve heard - thank you for posting that!!

sradeb - I completely agree with your guidance and discussions with your husband. If he is a healthy 65 year old man and utilizes the best possible surgeon at a center of excellence, odds are that surgery will have minimal side effects. Obviously, there will be recovery from the radical prostatectomy. However, if he does his part with therapy and the doctor performs the surgery well (as he/she has done thousands of times before), there is a very good chance that he can go on with life as normal/before surgery. There is no guarantee and it is critical that he goes into whatever treatment he decides on with a positive attitude and accepts the results. There is one guarantee, if the cancer is not treated, it will continue to grow. Will it end his life, nobody knows. My uncle did not address his prostate cancer because he did not focus on having his PSA checked, he ultimately suffered greatly and died from it. His side effects were far greater than mine. For myself, the surgery had short term side effects, but after a year, back to normal. I significantly improved my diet and followed all the post surgery therapy requirements. Background - 56 years old, excellent physical shape, positive outlook, Gleason 7 (4/3), radical prostatectomy (prostate, seminal vesicles, nine lymph nodes removed) at Mayo-Rochester, doctor Igor Frank.

Best of luck and hope your husband decides to address his prostate cancer aggressively, followed by improved diet and vitamins/supplements.

Jim

Dr. Frank is who we've been seeing and I've been very impressed with him and Dr Wen, his associate. So it's wonderful to hear from someone who has actually had him for surgery. That's one thing that puzzles me about the hubby, we've had many discussions about the quality of the physicians at Mayo. Both is Urologist and Radiation Oncologist but yet he refuses treatment and won't answer the phone when they're kind enough to call...on a Saturday even...to check on him!!! The side effects aren't that horrendous but they have to be to him and heaven forbid we discuss them.....

Psychologists and psychiatrists are prevented by their professional codes of conduct from giving a diagnosis for someone who's not under their personal care.

Since I'm neither of those things, I will go ahead and speculate (as a layperson) that your spouse is still in deep emotional shock and has gotten stuck in the denial stage — talking to doctors or getting treatment would mean admitting to himself that this is real and he has cancer, so he's trying to hold that off and pretend he can keep on going with his pre-cancer life.

Perhaps meeting up for coffee with other local PC patients would help him accept his new situation, but he'd probably resist joining a support group too. Nobody can help him until he's ready to accept help.

It has nothing to do with intelligence, for whatever that's worth.

Steve Jobs was a very intelligent man, but he reportedly kept deferring surgery for his pancreatic cancer until it was very far advanced, because he didn't want to admit to himself that it was necessary.

sradeb, great news that you have been meeting with Dr. Frank - What an amazing doctor/surgeon, taking all the time needed to make sure you fully understand your unique situation. I agree with others - At this point, your husband is most likely in denial or terrified of losing certain life attributes. Either way, and unfortunate for all of us, the situation does not change - The cancer is present and a treatment is necessary. Doing nothing only guarantees the cancer will continue to grow and most likely will have significant negative life changing consequences. As with many untreated men, the prostate cancer spreads to the bones, causing significant pain and mobility issues. I remember my uncle going through a quite painful end of life experience with prostate cancer.

Good luck working with your husband on treating the prostate cancer.

Jim