Check out this new surgical technique in regard to doing away with the necessity for a catheter.
http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Cancer_Issues_660/New_Catheter-less_Technique_May_Ease_the_Pain_and_Discomfort_of_Prostate_Cancer_Recovery.shtml
CANCER CONSPIRACY
Why doesn’t the government mount a concerted attack on the foods which are said to cause cancer ?
I like the views of Dr. Vernon Coleman. He has been qualified for over 30 years, yet has spent most of that time writing and broadcasting about the mistakes of the medical profession, a profession which he has left and confides that he is now ashamed of. “What is happening to people is a tragedy and it makes me furious”, he says. (Power over Cancer) by Vernon Coleman
He highlights the ‘cancer industry’ for particular demerit and claims that the links between food and cancer have been deliberately suppressed by the pharmaceutical industry. Apparently as long ago as 1804 a medical report advised on the effectiveness of a vegetarian diet as a treatment for cancer. In 1892 the Scientific American magazine reported “cancer is most frequent amongst those branches of the human race where carnivorous habits prevail.”
Dr. Coleman says that half of the women who died of breast cancer would be alive today if the medical profession had not become the pawn of the pharmaceutical industry. He claims that cancer risks can be lowered by up to 80% by eating to protect ourselves against such cancers as breast and prostate.
Although he admits we do not know enough to enable us to avoid food related cancers, we do know enough to make a difference. He goes on to backup much of what we have said in our columns here and in the ‘Prostate Cancer’ book. He writes, “although it is known that cigarettes and asbestos cause cancer, it is less well known that fatty foods and meat cause cancer. But more to the point that fibre and green vegetables help protect against the disease.”
“People”, he says, “get cancer through bad luck and inherited susceptibilities. But they also get it through ignorance. This ignorance has been deliberately sustained through commercial greed and political expedience,” he alleges. “When businessmen, politicians and doctors know how to prevent 80% of cancers but do nothing, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that those cancer deaths are deliberate.”
For decades much of the international ‘cancer industry’ has been devoted to finding magical ‘cures’ and persuading potential contributors and supporters that it is making progress in the fight against cancer. Frequently they release news about ‘exciting’ new cancer remedies. These raise false hopes but serve the purpose of raising money for the cash hungry cancer industry. The facts are that more people are now dying from cancer than a generation ago.
If all the money spent on cancer research had been spent on teaching people what we know about the causes of cancer, millions of lives would have been saved.
I would remind you that the PHA have, since our first Prostate Focus issues in 1994, attempted to draw your attention to the fact that diet plays a part in prostate disease. When calls have gone out to spend £30 million on prostate screening, I said “let us spend the money on education”. How much better to have a system of education with sound advice on diet, that would stop the cancers forming, than to have a test which tells you that you they have formed.
So just how does this apply to you and your prostate ?
Animal fats weaken the immune system. This means your body is not able to fight off coughs, colds and of course cancer. There is evidence to show a link between a high fat intake and prostate cancer, i.e. vegetarian men are less likely to develop prostate cancer.
Researchers have linked protein meat with cancers including prostate cancer.
Fibre which comes from vegetables, beans, whole wheat bread, brown rice, fruit and cereals all help to reduce the cancer producing effect of fat in the diet. But remember that refined food and food made from animals only contain a minimum of fibre, if any at all. (PD)
Intermittent Catheterisation.
Acute retention. In the words of the immortal song.... “Do I worry ? You can bet your sweet life I do. ”
As the urine flow degenerates, down from what it once was, to a trickle, retention might cross your mind as you climb once again into bed at 3am. “At least I’m still able to go, what would I do if I get up at 4am. and I cannot pass water ?”
How bad would the pain be ? Can I get to my car ? If I can what direction shall I take, to the hospital emergency or to my GP. or do I ring my GP and hope he will have the right tools with him to help me?
If I get to the accident & emergency department, do I yell ‘acute retention’ and collapse in indescribable pain ? Well maybe there is a solution to this nightmare.
A solution ? Well, certainly a method of overcoming the problem outlined above. The solution is self catheterisation. But the method in fact poses a few problems. Nothing is easy in this life is it.?
I considered the idea of self-catheterisation before I had my THERMEX (a method of heating the prostate tissue with the intention of reducing its size), treatment over a decade ago. The thought of going into complete retention at a time when my GP was not readily available was not a pleasant one. However, as with many things in life, I put it off and nothing was done.
Although we get letters from men who have a permanent catheter fitted, we have only a few who use intermittent self-catheterisation. See last months Focus for more on this.
Two things brought it back into my mind. One was a few lines about a low friction catheter in a trade magazine, and the other was an article in the ICSG (Interstitial cystitis support group) Newsletter.
For those still frowning; catheterisation is a method of inserting a thin tube up the urethra into the bladder. It is withdrawn within a couple of minutes after the urine in the bladder has drained away into a suitable container. Catheterisation is mainly used by multiple sclerosis sufferers, spinal injury patients and for those with spina bifida, but as you will realise it could be a boon to a man with a high retention to avoid getting infection, or other problems brought on by a build-up of urine.
Comment in the ICSG said “ It can take a bit of practice to learn, but once mastered you will wonder why you found it difficult”. Now this was said by a lady, for very practical reasons, if a lady is able to master the technique, then it should be a doddle for a man.
So what problems are there with the continual use ? The urethral wall reacts to the repeated introduction of the catheter and a survey showed urethritis in 2% of patients. Analgesic gel is used to speed the catheter on its way but it is understood that this does not always lubricate fully all the way up the urethra. The continued use of the catheter can cause urethral bleeding during or after the catheterisation, and urinary tract infection which in turn can cause fever and chills.
On the other hand a study in the USA in 1990 of 75 patients (a twelve year follow up) showed that patients with urinary tract infection had a decrease and in some cases became totally free of infection once they began self catheterisation.
One 1995 study indicated that the most appreciated effect of intermittent self-catheterisation was that it proved to give good continence to the majority of patients.
What really changed the situation was the introduction of hydrophilic catheters. Intermittent catheterisation (IC) has been a recognised form of therapy for centuries, indeed I have read that men used to carry a rubber catheter in their top hats so that it was always to hand ! IC went out of favour when indwelling catheters came into use. Regrettably many patients suffered from chronic urinary tract infections because of these and once again IC is being recognised as a viable treatment. As already noted inspite of lubrication the friction caused by the insertion of the catheter caused problems. Astra are probably the first company to market a low friction catheter called LOFRIC.
This catheter has an outer layer, inspired by the ability of dolphins to bind a layer of water to their bodies which allows them to glide effortlessly through the sea water. The smooth surface of the catheter reduces friction between the urethra and the catheter by an incredible 90-95% when compared to conventional catheters with or without lubricant.
So if you are on a waiting list and have a retention problem, which means you never expel all your urine and in consequence have a constant residue in your bladder, then IC could be the answer to acute retention and also may save you from infection and stones due to the bladder not clearing completely. Why not tackle your GP about it ? Not only could it save him an emergency night visit but would save on antibiotics etc. due to infection caused by retention. Try the incontinence service, their address will be available from your clinic.
Incontinence nurses are fully trained and will be able to give you excellent advice. Remember however, that you don’t want the basic catheters and lubricating gel, ask for the low friction type. That way you will not be doing yourself any harm when you start the procedure.
Damage to the urethra by a blow (a kick) can cause a stricture (a narrowing of the passageway from scar tissue), infection and
catheterisation can also be a cause. Intermittent self-catheterisation can help this problem. (PD)
