Most of us carry this thought process into adulthood and feel by showing concern for our health, it will be seen as a male weakness. I am guilty of that myself.

I know when my prostate troubles began, I knew absolutely nothing about prostate. I was one of 96%. Mainly because it didn't cross my mind that I'd ever have any problems.

In addition, prostate is in a "private" area, and it wasn't something I wanted to examine. Many people, including myself, feel uncomfortable talking about prostate, since gland plays a role in both sex and urination.

I have had prostate troubles, survived a cancer scare and watched my sister die from Cancer. Believe me, when I say that when you think you are going to die, it concentrates your mind on what is really important. Suddenly your priorities get focused.

Due to my prostate troubles, I became interested in learning about prostate and how it affected my health.

I cried day they took a biopsy and I cried with relief day I was told it was benign. I cried many times as I watched my sister die.

I got so frustrated having to get up every night 3-4 times due to my prostate troubles and then finding I couldn't get back to sleep.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate Cancer develops by growth of cancerous cells within prostate gland. Prostate cancer occurs when some of cells that make up prostate gland escape from normal controls on their growth and start to divide, grow and spread in an uncontrolled manner. In its advanced form, it can produce same symptoms as BPH. (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia)

Warning Signs

Early prostate cancer often does not cause symptoms. When symptoms of prostate cancer do occur, they may include some of following problems:

A need to urinate frequently, especially at night; Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine; Inability to urinate; Weak or interrupted flow of urine; Painful or burning urination; Painful ejaculation; Blood in urine or semen; and/or Frequent pain or stiffness in lower back, hips, or upper thighs.

Did you know that Heroin (diamorphine) used to be a legal medication about 100 years ago? It was invented by Bayer; a German company that also invented Aspirin at end of twentieth century, one of most important discoveries at that time. Heroin was prescribed by medical doctors all over United States and Europe as cough suppressant for those having a bad cough and experiencing pain. Bayer Aspirin is up to day a well known medication in US households. Diamorphine (heroin) has been pulled of market as you are likely aware of. Although you may think Heroin is a street name this is actual brand name that Bayer used to promote this medicine.

Heroin received its name due to heroic way of making pain and cough disappear. Nowadays your doctor will likely prescribe Tussionex or an equivalent if you suffer severe cough combined with pain. Tussionex contains Hydrocodone Bitrate; same ingredient that is found in many narcotic pain tablets such as Vicodin, Norco, Lorcet, Norco, Zyban and several other brand and generic medications.

Especially in patients with Open Lung Tuberculoses Heroin is very effective. Unfortunately drug was highly physically addictive and only after several years drug was taken of market after England experienced a large outbreak of heroin addicts. The patients would get addicted during treatment and than continue to drink cough syrup.

Heroin (Diamorphine) was also prescribed to people suffering morphine addiction. At that time several doctors believed it would be a beneficial replacement… little did they know that Heroin caused faster and stronger physical and possibly psychological dependence.

The story repeated itself with introduction of Oxycontin (a time released Oxycodone product) in 1996. Many doctors believed this medication would be useful to help patients with a Hydrocodone dependency from medication such as Vicodin ES, Lortab 10/500, Norco 10/325, Lorcet 10/660, special compounded Hydrocodone products such as Hydro/APAP 15/80 and for other narcotic medications. Because Oxycontin is time released and Oxycodone is not a natural occurring opioid it seemed that this medication could indeed offer hope to a diverse group of patients. Later research confirmed that Oxycodone is more addictive and stronger than Hydrocodone. Not all patients agree with this statement however, claiming an equal dose of Hydrocodone works better to fight their pain.

Unfortunately it seems that Oxycontin has been one of main causes of ‘war against prescription drugs’ in US and 160mg tablets have been taken of market in some countries because of danger of overdose if a pill would be chewed by a person without tolerance, braking time release protective coating. Abuse such as crushing and snorting pills to remove time-release mainly seems to happen among youth stealing these medications. The pills are often bought at schools at high prices because other kids steal them from their parents. If you are using narcotics and you have kids or if you often have kids in your home do not keep your medication in bathroom cabinet but at a secure place where nobody can not access them. Although your kid may not have any intention to use this medication a story from a fellow student could wake his curiosity creating a potentially harmful situation.