Post-Op Pain Management:

For those of you that may not know me, I am Dr. Nick", the author of this website.  I was born and raised a Seventh-Day Adventist.  My parents ate beef, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy products, but after seeing my grandfather, father and uncle suffer repeated heart attacks, with my knowledge of lifestyle medicine, as a physician, I decided to become a vegetarian and practice what I had learned.  Seeing other family members such as my uncle and cousin develop prostate cancer, despite being a vegetarian for the past 25 years, this motivated me to research what else I might be able to do.

 

According to the American Nutrition Association: “Overall, 12 of the 14 case control studies and 7 of the 9 cohort studies observed a positive association for some measure of dairy products and prostate cancer; this is one of the most consistent dietary predictors for prostate cancer in the published literature.  In these studies, men with the highest dairy intakes had approximately double the risk of total prostate cancer and up to a fourfold increase in the risk of metastatic or fatal prostate cancer relative to low consumers.  It remains unknown which compounds in dairy products might be responsible for this association, however, in several recent studies which have been able to investigate nutrients more thoroughly suggests that calcium and possibly phosphorus may play important roles.”

 

Research published in menshealth.com confirmed that guys who consumed more than 2.5 eggs / wk. had an 81% increase in developing cancer that spread to the organs or caused death, compared to men who consumed less than ½ an egg per week before their diagnosis.

 

Notwithstanding, in an attempt to prevent my risk of developing cancer, therefore, for the past 18 years, in addition to becoming a vegetarian, I have stopped dairy products and eggs.

 

We are told that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Based on family history, knowing that I am at risk of developing prostate cancer, I have had my prostate checked and was told that it was enlarging.  I have had symptoms of urinary frequency, hesitancy to start to void, burning upon urination and was having to get up 6-8 times per night to empty my bladder.  Objectively, on physical exam I had a grossly enlarged prostate size that was irregular in shape.  The analysis which was made revealed an enlarged prostate suspicious for cancer until proven otherwise. 

 

I was referred to a urologist and was subjected to an ultrasound that based on size and density appeared consistent with a prostate 7.5 times the normal size.  Due to the obstructive symptoms of my prostate, after authenticating these findings with labs and ultrasound, it was recommended that I undergo a supra-pubic prostatectomy.  I was told that the surgeon would have to cut the skin of my lower abdomen, separate abdominal muscles, cut through the bladder and then scoop out with an instrument the excessive prostate tissue.

 

In that I have never had any major surgeries, nor have I experienced any major trauma before, I was concerned about the pain that I would have to go through.  It is one thing to say that a vegan diet prevents pain and it is another to say that based on my first hand experience, I am living proof that vegan diets and having a healthful lifestyle helps to prevent pain.  This was put to the test on 1/27/16 when I was admitted to the hospital for prostate surgery.

 

As a child I had asthma and now as an adult, since becoming a vegan vegetarian I only on rare occasions ever have to take an inhaler.  Nevertheless, when an asthmatic has to undergo general anesthesia where an endotracheal tube is inserted in the airway, it is common for patients to experience a flare up of their symptoms.  Knowing this risk, I eat curcumin powder regularly on my vegetables to reduce inflammation of my airway, I eat seeded grapes that contain proanthocyanidins, which are natural bronchial dilators and avoid refined sugars and dairy products.  Praise be to the Lord, I did not have to take a single inhaler after my surgery !!!

 

Since I have a family history of heart disease, I was concerned about my risk of getting a stroke or having a heart attack during or after surgery due to the inactivity and pain.  Knowing this risk, I have tried to abstain from salt, dairy products and cheese as far as possible.  I also have eaten grapes containing resveratrol, almonds containing ASA, blueberries containing heparin and green vegetables containing Coumadin and Vitamin K.

 

The surgery performed was a Supra-pubic Prostatectomy that required making a 9 inch incision and a Jackson- Pratt Drain and the placement of a 3 way catheter through the penis to the bladder.  The Jackson-Pratt Drain was removed after 2 days and I was discharged on the 2nd day.   The 3-way catheter was removed after 1 wk. 

 

For pain management I have abstained from dairy products and have eaten Curry powder containing curcumin and tumeric, almonds containing aspirin, oranges, lemons, grapefruit containing citric acid, pineapple containing bromelean and pomegranate loaded with antioxidants and vitamin K.  I did not have to take any prescription pain meds after surgery. I have limited my lifting but have been physically active and drink a lot of water.  

 

Some people may say, that is easy for him to say because he had access to a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains that I cannot get my hands on.  This may be true, however, I have seen similar results with those who have  not had access to these resources that have simply asked the Lord for healing and it was granted.

 

Fortunately, in my 36 years of experience as a physician and surgeon and as a patient, my God can provide all of your needs according to His riches in glory !!!  Ask your doctor and if he or she agrees, then try this natural approach prior to your next surgery.  What have you got to loose?

Print | Sitemap
The Tree of Life Ministry promotes dominion over disease by following the 10 laws of health, whereby restoring the moral image of God in man through balance of the mind, body and soul unto salvation.