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have you had a positive PSA test

Blimey. I was not in the slightest worried about Tuesday's hospital visit but after reading about all the experiences here I am now sh*tting myself :(
 
seagull said:
An old school friend of mrs s died of prostate cancer a few years ago, he was in his early 50s.

At the time I was exhibiting some of the symptoms but they could also have caused by my heart condition (I have Atrial fibrillation). I went to see my GP who also put it down to my AF but I insisted on having a PSA test. I was 55 at the time.

It was positive. I had the rectal examination which backed up the result. MRI scan and biopsy followed. I had a Gleason score of 7. I was given the choice of surgery or two years of hormone therapy followed by radiotherapy.

I chose surgery. My surgeon is rated as one of the best in the country. A few months after the operation he told me that my PSA was low but rising so he hadn't got it all out. It was monitored for a few more months then when it reached 2 I had more scans and was offered radiotherapy.

I had 33 sessions. I hoped that would be the end. My PSA was monitored, again it was low but rising. More scans showed that the cancer had spread to my hip.

I am now on hormone therapy, my PSA has dropped to negligible levels (<0.1) so I am currently stable.

I have struggled with the side effects of the treatment; fatigue, incontinence, impotence, weight gain, hot flushes etc. etc.

I'm still here though. It's my birthday next month, I'll be 60.
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Thankyou so much seagull for being so incredibly open about your symtoms ... Incontinence can be one of the problems of removal of the prostate in cancer treatment but it can improve with muscle excercises . and erection problems is also common to so many .

a few thoughts here

A radical prostatectomy is the surgical removal of your prostate gland. This treatment is an option for curing prostate cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate or has not spread very far.

Like any operation, this surgery carries some risks.

A recent trial showed possible long-term side effects of radical prostatectomy may include an inability to get an erection and urinary incontinence.

Before having any treatment, 67% of men said they could get erections firm enough for intercourse.

When the men who had a radical prostatectomy were asked again after 6 months, this had decreased to 12%. When asked again after 6 years, it had slightly improved to 17%.

For urinary incontinence, 1% of men said they used absorbent pads before having any treatment.

When the men who had a radical prostatectomy were asked again after 6 months, this had increased to 46%. After 6 years, this had improved to 17%.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/treatment/
 
My dad died from PC. Diagnosed at 60, died at 74.
I Had tests. But the psa, from my understanding, is a relative one over time, rather than an absolute one in time against a scale. Therein lays theGP challenges in relating this to patients presenting.

A to B plot is far more representative than just point C.
 
Prostate cancer runs in the family, my farther died of it and my two brothers and myself have all had it. My prostate was removed 6 years ago using the de vinci robotic system and my psa is now checked once a year and is less than 0.1 so the operation was a success. My original psa result was 17 so I was very lucky to have caught it before the cancer had spread beyond the prostate.

One of my brothers was treated by brachytherapy (original psa 6 and rising) and the other removal using the de vinci machine (original psa 12), their psa results are both now below 0.1.

When I went to the doctor to get tested I had no symptoms and had to insist that the test was done.
 
Thorn said:
.............some GPs are still opposed to automatically including a PSA test in the annual review..........
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Could I ask, what is this annual review? I'd count myself lucky to get any sort of appointment at my GP where there are currently no permanent doctors, let alone any kind of regular check ups.

I had a prostate check done privately about ten years ago. My PSA level was up but it turned out I had a mild kidney infection which had caused the raised level. I keep thinking I should go again now I've reached 70 and night time trips to the loo have become more frequent.

Anyway, good luck to those of you having tests or treatment. I wish you well.
 
hifinutt said:
Thankyou so much seagull for being so incredibly open about your symtoms ... Incontinence can be one of the problems of removal of the prostate in cancer treatment but it can improve with muscle excercises . and erection problems is also common
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Sadly neither improved and got worse after the radiotherapy. Last year I had an artificial urinary sphincter fitted. It transformed my life.
 
Actually. 21 times a month is like what. 5 times a week? That's every night almost.

Maybe like when I was 18 or something but nowadays?

I'm 61 years of age. I do not feel that urge anymore. Sex is for like making babies and things.

I'm beyond those basic functions.
 
My Dad was diagnosed at 85, died at 88. He'd had 5 lots of biopsies before it was found and by then it had metastasised, I am presently drinking the last shot from his bottle of Jura so a tad maudlin. I was diagnosed at 62, my local hospital do MRA and bone scans if you present with a raised PSA (mine was 29) and enlarged/lumpy prostate. The biopsies gave me sepsis (great) but they were only done after an MRI scan which showed them where to poke (anywhere in my case). I feel really lucky, I only had one lot of biopsies (they didn't hurt anyway) and my cancer was found.
The op went well although I had a "positive margin" so it could come back. My PSA has remained low for the 3 tests I've had since.
In my case they had to remove the nerves, lymph nodes, odds and sods and a fair bit of fat/connective tissue so the result is ED.
I'm lucky, it's my Ruby wedding this year, my wife is the love of my life and I'm cool with being "elderly" so I'm just about to buy a new 650 Royal Enfield to replace the 100+ bhp sport tourer that we've been to France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Belgium on. Sod it, I might retire next year!
 
My Dad died from PC at the age of 56. So you can imagine that I have had plenty of worry. Fortunately I am not exhibiting any Prostate symptoms and last time I talked to the GP he reckoned that the PSA test for me was next to pointless UNLESS I had some other symptoms to show. That was a while ago and last year the well man check I went through also did not offer anything - unless they ran a sneaky PSA on the bloods. Anyway nothing got reported back so I remain hopeful that I have a while to go yet - just as well as I have not retired (I am 62) and still need to work for a while whilst 3 daughters get through Universities!

I read somewhere only this week that the inventor of the PSA test had some regrets, because it has turned out not so well!
 
Am really impressed by the level of open, frank discussion on this thread. Topics like prostate cancer and it’s side effects used to be embarrassing for way too many men to discuss. It is very encouraging to see that, at least here, that is not the case!

I am 62 1/2, and my last PSA was 5.2. The number has risen slowly and steadily over over the last 6 years. In 2013, it was 3.6. Went to the urologist, and a DR exam revealed no lumps, just enlargement. The doc offered a biopsy, but told me about the possible complications. He also told me about relatively a new blood test called the 4Kscore.

https://4kscore.com/

Had this test done, and it came back with a 7% probability of cancer. Went back for another visit, and asked how would he decide which parts of the prostate to biopsy. With no obvious targets, he ordered an MRI. That did not show any lesions or other abnormalities, so for now, we agreed to wait and see. The doc also told me that he looks for two things when insisting on a biopsy: a non-linear change in PSA level, or a PSA number that is greater than 10% of the size of the prostate. Mine is 70 grams, with is getting large, but at 5.2, am still under the 10% threshold. I suspect it’s only a matter of time, but knock on wood, am not yet having any significant issues yet from the enlarged gland.

What makes this all confusing is that there appears to be lots of exceptions to the rules. My 67 year old friend went from 1.2 to 1.5 in a year with his PSA, and his biopsy came back positive. So absolute PSA level doesn’t seem to matter. Also, as Steve above said, you can easily have a biopsy come back without finding any target cancer cells. None of the blood tests are definitive, and while an MRI can show lumps and bumps, it can not be used to rule out cancer.

Oh well, the joy of getting older. At least when we get past 70, prostate cancer is supposed to grow much slower. I try not to think about it too much - this stuff can drive a guy nuts - but I will be having another DR and blood work for PSA level before the year is up.
 
For the last ten years, I have had an anuual body check including PSA test and ultrasounic scan of the size of my prostrate in a private clinic in Hong Kong. My prostrate size has been getting bigger in diameter every year. The doctor who explained my health check report told me not to worry because my PSA was low and as long as I had no other abnormal symtom, I didn't have to worry.

Then two years ago, my lower body started to hurt and I went to see an urologist immediately. He told me that over 50% people in Hong Kong suffers from prostrate problem after 50, I am now 53. He sees me every 3 months and prescribes a drug called Harnal. My life is now normal with no more pain.
 
JensenHealey said:
My Dad died from PC at the age of 56. So you can imagine that I have had plenty of worry. Fortunately I am not exhibiting any Prostate symptoms and last time I talked to the GP he reckoned that the PSA test for me was next to pointless UNLESS I had some other symptoms to show. That was a while ago and last year the well man check I went through also did not offer anything - unless they ran a sneaky PSA on the bloods. Anyway nothing got reported back so I remain hopeful that I have a while to go yet - just as well as I have not retired (I am 62) and still need to work for a while whilst 3 daughters get through Universities!

I read somewhere only this week that the inventor of the PSA test had some regrets, because it has turned out not so well!
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I try not to give unsolicited advice on here, but your GP is wrong. You are exactly the person who should be having your PSA monitored. A close relative having died of it puts you in a higher risk group.
 
hifienthusiast said:
For the last ten years, I have had an anuual body check including PSA test and ultrasounic scan of the size of my prostrate in a private clinic in Hong Kong. My prostrate size has been getting bigger in diameter every year. The doctor who explained my health check report told me not to worry because my PSA was low and as long as I had no other abnormal symtom, I didn't have to worry.

Then two years ago, my lower body started to hurt and I went to see an urologist immediately. He told me that over 50% people in Hong Kong suffers from prostrate problem after 50, I am now 53. He sees me every 3 months and prescribes a drug called Harnal. My life is now normal with no more pain.
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I’m not going to get into the specifics of your comments, suffice it to say that your post illustrates that when private clinics and profits are added to the mix, it makes it very difficult to see the wood from the trees.
Annual tests in low risk men are unnecessary and when money is involved, serve to increase clinic profits and make men more anxious in respect of cancer risk.
Life/health is stressful enough for many, without adding more unnecessarily.
 
To add to my post no.5 I thought I’d add a bit about the consequent erectile dysfunction as the thread seems to have moved towards that issue - it’s tragic but not the end. Having recovered as well as anyone can from the radical cystoprostectomy with ilial conduit formation, I was referred to the andrology department. It seemed throughout the process that there were frequent references to erections and resuming intimacy. When it’s all going well such references can induce sniggers but in my experience the NHS takes it very seriously as being an essential component of recovery.
There are a few remedies but I was steered towards a vacuum pump. This provides the erection which is maintained with elastic rings. I do experience orgasm but no longer ejaculate. If I’m honest we both find the pump a bit of a faff and use it a lot less than we should/would, resorting more frequently to what could be termed teenage fumbling. At my lowest I could give up completely on sex but if you’re married to the best woman in the world, as I am, it’s worth the effort to keep it up (see what I did there?).
I was surprised that I didn’t plunge into a deep depression about no longer ‘being a man’. I guess I’m just lucky.
I’ll happily PM or meet or speak on the phone with anyone who thinks it might help them.
 
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