YANA - YOU ARE NOT ALONE NOW

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT SITE

BRONZE

Clyde Clark lives in Texas, USA. He was 67 when he was diagnosed on July 5, 2006. His initial PSA was 12.8 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 3+3 = 6 and he was staged T1c. His choice of treatment was Watchful Waiting. Here is his story:

After the initial shock at hearing that I have PCa at least partially wore off I read up (on the InterNet using a public library computer) on the subject of PCa. I devised a diet centered around fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, vitamins, herbs, Green Tea and Essiac Tea.

In 2 1/2 months I lowered my PSA to 4.2 ng/ml where it remains today, as far as I know. My last PSA was on November 7, 2006. I believe that with my diet I can control the growth of the PCa by stimultating the immune system and live out my remaining years, dying of natural causes. My father did not have PCa and he died of natural causes at age 93.

I have met stiff resistance, even ridicule from the four North Texas urologists with whom I have counselled. It is amazing how American doctors are insanely keen on cutting, using radiation, hormones and drugs! Has anyone out there felt frustrated in dealing with doctors who have fixed mentalities and no imagination? Try telling them that herbs have been in use in hundreds of societies for thousands of years (so there must be something beneficial about herbs - right?) and they all tell you there haven't been any double-blind tests with 5 and 10 or more years follow-up so there is no medical proof that any herbs do anyone any good at all. It's like trying to sell Jesus to Osama bin Laden!

This guy came on with hostility, entered the examination room brusquely, didn't bother to offer his hand (this was the first time I've seen him) and proceeds to browbeat me by saying things like: "There is no conspiracy to keep knowledge of herbs from the general public" and there has never been any proof that any herb has ever done any good in the treatment of PCa, etc.....

I never got an offer to pee in a cup, let alone get the ol' Finger Wave! Instead of sticking his finger up my whazoo I thought for awhile there he was going to stick his foot up there! I asked for a referral to an oncologist and he said to follow him out to the front desk where he told the clerk to write out the name, address and phone number of the local cancer clinic - about half a block away. Luckily I had been there before (and made an appointment which that clerk had lost by the time I showed up, about 2 weeks later). Where do they find some of these people who work in clilnics? Some referral...I walked over there and made my own appointment.

I still think my Watchful Waiting regimen is doing all the good. In 2 1/2 months I brought my PSA down from 12.8 to 4.19. I know, I'm treating the BPH, not the PCa but the last finger-wave I got revealed nothing. Have you come across any hostililty from any medicos in re Watchful Waiting and/or herbs, vitamins, etc?!

 

UPDATED

September 2008

 

 

After being biopsied I was told by my (then) urologist on July 5,'06 that I had PCa, Stage T1c, Gleason 6 (3+3). My PSA had been 12.3. He attempted to high-pressure and scare me into undergoing a robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy. I demurred, opting instead to go the Active Surveillance route. After (later) going through 3 other uros I finally found one who would go along with me on AS.

On July 19, '07 I underwent a 2nd biopsy and, one week or so later found the results: no cancer had been found. My only "treatment" was my own diet/exercise regimen. My faith in American doctors has been in the toilet since. If I had gone along with that first urologist I would now be a 2-legged gelding with a problem holding my water.** All of the four urologists I've discussed this diet with have shown nothing but doubt, as if I've been talking about Voodoo or Santeria.


I am a great believer in eating healthy, medicinal food and ingesting herbs rather than drugs. I put together my diet from researching on the Internet. It was based loosely on the Mediterranean Diet. It diet consists of ocean fish, a LOT of veggies, fruits, nuts and supplements: vitamins, minerals and herbs. None of the doctors have shown anything but doubt about the effectiveness of herbs. If anyone out there who reads this has any doubt about the benefits of certain herbs in re the treatment of PCa, here is the list of the herbs I ingest each day - who knows, maybe the herbs I take will help others:

My diet is centered around ocean fish (tuna and salmon), veggies (a lot of brocolli and other cruciferous veggies - cauliflower, Brussel sprouts), fruits (in particular apricots, which are high in selenium), vitamins (E, A, D3, B-12, C, a good one-a-day vitamin) A heavy sprinkling of turmeric on my food (in Ayurvedic medicine of India this herb has been in usage for almost 2 millenia - it shrinks tumors), cayenne (for the capsicum), garlic powder (both sprinkled over food, like the turmeric). Go to a health food store and read up on herbs. See if your store carry a mixture of herbs specifically for prostate health. Severely cut down on red meat and animal fat - increase your consumption of vegetables and ocean fish. Cut back on fat in general. Consume as much selenium as possible (not to exceed 900 mcg. daily) as this appears to help. Get as much excercise and sunlight on as much of your body as you can take. You need to build up your immune system - this should be your goal.

Even if your PCa is advanced beyond my initial condition my diet certainly will help (and it won't hurt).Thanks to my diet I not only got rid of my prostate cancer I also burned off 20 pounds of useless, unhealthy fat and gained the energy I had 20 years ago. Oh, yes - my heartbeat before all this was erratic and scary. After being on my diet for awhile my heartbeat levelled off and became normal. That's another plus.

Clyde's e-mail address is: c38clark@hotmail.com

**Clyde's phraseology, while colorful is not necessarily correct. Although many men initially have urinary control problems after surgery, the majority regain control over time. The reference to gelding would be more appropriate to the surgical procedure known as orchidectomy. [back]