Cranberry tablets to reduce a large prostate?

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I know there are probably many posts in here over the months and years with lots of views on the best way to reduce a large prostate. My partners is 70cc, not large compared to some I have read about but large enough to affect his daily life. He does not want to take medication due to the side effects, loss of libido etc. We also read that they often don't work! He has started taking pomegranate juice daily to help with any prostatitis that may be present and also high strength cranberry tablets. I was just wondering if anyone had success with any of these, or anything else? Surgery has not been suggested yet.

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  • Posted

    The symptoms he has don't really seem to fit one particular condition. He has always a burning sensation, it's there even when he is not passing urine and seems to fade whilst he is actually peeing. He can feel something in the back passage that he describes as a poker sticking up there! other times he likens it to a small ball that has gotten stuck up there! It definitely does not sound pleasant.  He no longer has frequency, this was way back in August when his symptoms sent him to his GP and all the rest then followed. He will go maybe 6 or 7 times in the daytime and some nights he doesn't wake up needing to go, he can hold until the early hours, say around 5.30/6am. A bladder scan a while ago showed retention of a couple of hundred mls but nothing was done about this. They just said a large prostate was probably the cause. he always feels like he hasn't quite emptied the bladder but I don't think he is retaining as much as he had been. Urologist doesn't seem to think he has prostatitis although I thought the burning sounded like it may be part of that. We will give it a few weeks with the cranberry and pomegranate and see if anything improves. Our local health food shop has Saw Palmetto so he may give that a try if the other things don't work.

    • Posted

      Hi there. I have used Saw Palmetto and other plants for at least 10 years with no side effects, but I observed a strict diet too. Plus so called Ultimate Fast from time to time. This, and no other medicine supported my health during the first 10 years after my prostate cancer was discovered. The diet consists roughly of lots of vegetables, no processed food, less meat, no sugar, no diary products (except organic). 

      My bladder, though, contained usually 250-300 ml of urine even after voiding. Jimjames is right saying that the prostate is not the sole responsible for our problems. After 10 years I was put on Alfuzosine which helped some and had no real side effects. Gradually, though, things got worse, I almost had urine retention, so last year I had a Green Laser procedure. It didn't help. The prostate wasn't  responsible for my syndroms, the bladder was. My cancer keeps quiet. I cannot void naturally now - or very little - so I am doing CIC (catheterization).

      Mind you, I am now 76 and when my cancer was discovered I was 62.

      The only medicine that shrinks the prostate is anti-hormonal treatment like Lupron - I had it because of my cancer, didn't really help with symptoms. 

      I do believe in what Jimjames advocates: CIC. Avoiding having more than 300 or 400 ml in the bladder. If your partner wish to try any surgical procedure, he should find a really good urologist. And ask about the condition of his bladder, this is very important before making the decision.

      Meanwhile, I would strongly advise dieting and herbal supplements. Be well! Zdzislaw

       

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