Got a high PSA result

[Blackwater]

Well, my PSA has been running around 4 for a number of years now, and I got a result late last week that it's now at 14. I have a friend and a cousin both going through the battle with prostate cancer, and my cousin is now in hospice for it, though he's still getting around fairly well so far. My friend just started a round of chemo for his.

Now, it looks strongly like I'll be joining the fight. I have a request in for an appt. with my urologist, who I've been seeing regularly since an episode of acute kidney failure about 1 1/2 yers ago. I was very lucky there, and am very thankful for it. I made my peace with my mortality in 1969 in Da Nang, and it's still humbling to face things like these, but I'm reconciled to the fact I'm not going to be here forever.

However, I think it's expected of me that I fight this as best as I can figure out how to do that. And that's why I'm here with this post. I'm sure some of you have faced this yourselves, or thought about it, or have friends who are going through the battle, and can offer some advice.

So far, I've talked with both my cousin and my friend, and have a couple more contacts to make before my appt. with my urologist. I want to be able to ask the best, most informed questions I can there, and will be seeking a 2nd opinion in Savannah. I tend to trust the Savannah docs a bit more than my local ones. There seems to be a very unique bunch of very good docs that have decided to settle and practice there, simply because of the beauty and environment and character of the city. My friend, a dentist, told me that his MIL had a deep brain aneurism, and the family had been called in saying she wasn't expected to live. Then a call was made, and it was discovered that the doc that did my neck fusion was the only doc south of NYC on the eastern seaboard that was certified to do the particular "proceedure" that was necessary to "cure" her aneurism. In that, I'm really lucky, but from what I understand, the biggie with prostate cancer is whether it's spread to the lumph nodes yet, or not.

My friend also told me that it's unwise to get radiation first, since after radiation, there's no way to remove the prostate by surgery. As with all such matters, advice varies depending on who you talk to, so I want as much input as I can get, so I can make the best decisions possible and ask the best and most pertinent questions in the fight that looks like it's ahead of me now.

If anyone has any info they can provide, I'd surely appreciate it, and any insights into the process. I know there is a slow growing kind that won't be much of a threat at my age of 66 now, and a faster growing kind, like my cousin's, that IS a significant threat. So much to learn, and so little time! Thanks for any insights and info anyone here can provide, and prayers would also be appreciated. I DO most earnestly believe in them!

[Fergie]

Definitely seek a second, third, and fourth opinion and do your own research. Sadly, some Docs just follow a tried and true path that may not be the best treatment for you specifically. Also, make sure your doctors are all talking with each other. If you've got other comorbidities, start addressing the issues now.

The prostate CAN be removed after radiation, but this carries more adverse side effects that can be detrimental to quality of life. I don't know if you've had a biopsy yet, but that may be your next step since you have an elected PSA. However, you may need another PSA just to make sure the results weren't anomalous. It could be a benign condition and not actual cancer, but you'll to talk with your Docs about that specifically...and make sure they are Docs that are experienced with this.

PSA is typically a screening and early detection tool, and there are more specific and sensitive tests out there, but, you will most likely need a more invasive procedure such as the biopsy to get a definitive answer.

Again, get all the information you can, and talk with your Doctors until they are tired of you. Do not be afraid to contact other Docs if your diagnosis is cancer, and if it is, seek out specialists.

Oh, and thanks for your service in Vietnam. My Dad was there several times from 66-72 in the Navy. He was also a cancer patient that had close to a decade of a well live life after his diagnosis.

Keep up the fight!

[GOPHER SLAYER]

My brother who is three years older than me was faced with the same decision as you are now having to make. He was in his late '70s. He choice to have the prostate removed and he has been cancer free ever since. I pray that whatever choice you will be the right one and you will enjoy many years of good health.

[Outpost75]

Get the robotic surgery done sooner, rather than later.

You want a guy who had done at least 1000 of them and does several hundred a year.

I had mine done 5 years ago. when I was 62.

[fecmech]

I had my prostate removed 3 years ago due to prostate cancer. My father died from prostate cancer that metastasized to the bones so it's nothing to fool around with. Prostate cancer has varying levels of aggression and the biopsy gives you a good indication of that but even it's not fool proof. My biopsy said I had a medium level of cancer aggression but the biopsy after removal showed a very aggressive form of cancer.
There is much info on the web in regards to various treatments and it would behoove you to study as much as you can. If you opt for removal such as I did make sure you get a top notch surgeon. I would recommend the biopsy first and go from there depending on the results. If I can be of any help to you please do not hesitate to PM me.

[high standard 40]

I can't offer any better advice than that which has been given here already. While my PSA numbers are not nearly as high as yours, I am in a similar situation. I underwent a biopsy last week and will get the results tomorrow. This is my second biopsy in the last 8 years. I can't say they are very much fun but are a needed first step in the diagnosis process. I have lost two friends in the last 2 years to prostate cancer. My very best wishes go out to you for a positive outcome.

[Outpost75]

All good advise, but the popular wisdom that prostate cancer is slow growing and non-aggressive and that something else will kill you first, isn't necessarily true. On my biopsy only one core of 12 tested positive, but my PSA showed a distinct spike over a short time, as yours did. By the time I had the surgery 3 months later, lab results examining the entire prostate removed, as well as nearby lymph nodes and margins tested, showed that the prostate was by then 70% involved.

Since the surgery I've had five straight negative PSAs, which indicates that they didn't miss anything.

Had I not had the surgery, I wouldn't be writing this.

[montana_charlie]

Get the robotic surgery done sooner, rather than later.
After consideration of all of the options ... including doing nothing ... I chose the robotic surgery.
In my case, the cancer was (pretty much guaranteed) to be completely still contained within the prostate.

If yours is 'on the move' my advice is probably not valuable.

[gpidaho]

Blackwater: Prayers will be sent. Keep your thoughts as bright as you can, amazing strides have been made in the fight against cancer in the last few years. As we all seem to do, I put off seeing a doctor far too long fearing the worst and sure enough when I did have to go to the emergency room it was stage 4 throat cancer. Thanks to excellent medical care and my old mothers prayers I'm here, in total remission, to offer you encouragement and pray for your healing if it be His will. As you say, we are not meant to last for ever here on this earth, once the lesson is learned it's time to move on. Let's enjoy what time we have here. Every day is a new adventure. Gp

[Maven]

"...but the popular wisdom that prostate cancer is slow growing and non-aggressive and that something else will kill you first, isn't necessarily true. On my biopsy only one core of 12 tested positive, but my PSA showed a distinct spike over a short time, as yours did. By the time I had the surgery 3 months later, lab results examining the entire prostate removed, as well as nearby lymph nodes and margins tested, showed that the prostate was by then 70% involved." Outpost75



Blackwater, You'll want to go to the Johns Hopkins website and look for, download, and read "Johns Hopkins Medicine: Guide to Your PSA Test." Outpost75's advice (above) shouldn't be ignored! Had a high reading several years ago, but it was sort of a fluke. The Hopkins "Guide to Your PSA Test" was most helpful (and comforting!) in explaining possible causes of the high reading.

[Blackwater]

Thanks to all for your input, and special thanks for your prayers. I've seen too many inexplicable things happen that only prayer seems to have made the difference in. God still reigns whether He's acknowledged or not.

FWIW, my SIL was a paranoid schizophrenic, and when she got her diagnosis of incurable and terminal cancer, she went for about 90 days in an awful state of mind and agitation and histrionics. After tiring of all that, she basically just got tired of being that way, and set about with all the determination anyone has ever mustered up, and resolved to accept it, and learn and do all she could, and to just live whatever amount of life she had left, every day, and she got much more involved in her faith. One can never really know, but being effectively controlled by something like schizophrenia makes a person wonder just how much faith one really has, but after she made a new and VERY sincere profession of faith, she settled down, and demonstrated an awesome amount of resistance to the impulses and thoughts that characterize schizophrenia. It was an amazing transformation, and she earned my eternal respect for that kind of courage and valor under fire. She was given 6 mo. or less as the initial estimate, and she had over 6 years before it finally took her. This is just one of the amazing stories I've seen, but kind'a illustrates the real power faith can have. She was the happiest she'd ever been in her adult life for those last 6 years, and the transformation was truly something to behold. She taught me a lot! Amazing what one can learn from a schizophrenic, isn't it, when we just pay attention.

Again, thanks, and my cousin who's in hospice now with the very fast growing type is going to take me to a support group in Savannah that he's been going to for years. He said that he's gotten more really good info there from others' experience and researching than he could from any other source. And I know it's nothing to play with, so I'm taking it very seriously. I've given the Lord plenty of opportunity to take me out, but so far at least, he's left me on the vine, probably because He figured I wasn't quite ripe yet. Now? Who knows? But what I DO know is that I owe it to Him adn myself and all I hold dear to give it my best efforts and attention, and I thank you all humbly for your help here. It matters.

[wcp4570]

Blackwater
Sorry for your bad news. Your Urologist will re-run the PSA and if still elevated they will probably want a do a biopsy. Elevated PSA does not always indicate cancer. I think it human nature to always assume the worse. At any rate you will be seeing the urologist an a regular bases.

If your condition does prove to be the worse, you need to check in with the VA because many diseases are covered under agent orange. I have a friend that has heart trouble that I was in Vietnam with that is now getting disability from the VA. He did not retire as I did from the military. Here is a link for some information.
http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/conditions/index.asp

praying for you my friend.

wcp

[AKtinman]

Blackwater, you have gotten some great advice in the previous posts.

There is no “one size fits all” approach, as we are all different, and the choice of how to proceed can be difficult. The amount of information available can lead to a bit of overload, as well.

Two books really helped me to understand more about the cancer, therapies, and gave some great insights on what questions to ask the doctor:

Dr. Peter Scardino’s Prostate Book

Dr. Patrick Walsh’s Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer

I wish you well on your journey, and will add you to my prayers, as well.

Regards

Ron

[Rick Hodges]

It is particularly important that should you elect surgery...robotic or otherwise, that the person who does it is very experienced. The more prostate operations done the better.....there is no substitute. The success ratio difference between experienced surgeons and those less experienced is staggering. Particularly for quality of life issues. Good luck, and you have my prayers too.

[shooter93]

You will no doubt be getting a biopsy and PSA doesn't tell the whole story Digital exams are necessary despite a common belief. I had not had one done for many years after the previous doctor always did them. The result....mine was missed so I'm going through the procedures now. I will probably get the DaVinci surgery and then radiation. You will probably ....or should get a CAT scan and a bone scan to determine if it has spread. I still have a lower PSA but a high Gleason number but I had both tests and mine is contained. That is good news so I wish you the same.

Even if it has spread don't panic. The treatments and especially the surgeries have come leaps and bounds in effectiveness and fewer side effects even compared to those used even 5 years ago. Lots of information out there but much of it is contradictory.....I've read it all....lol. Good luck but have faith they can do amazing things with cures like I said. People I know who went through this just a couple years ago are amazed at how the surgeries etc. have changed. Less time in the hospital with very fast recovery times. I see a number of doctors in the next week or two and saw the Radiation specialist yesterday and will decide which way I'm going with this. Best of luck to you and again......the odds are in your favor.

[Blackwater]

Thanks again guys, and I'll gladly accept anything you can cast my way. Got a lot to learn. When I was 10 ft. tall, bulletproof and immortal, I never NEEDED to know this kind of stuff, so just ignored it. Now, I've got some catching up to do. Really appreciate all the efforts and info and prayers. You guys are great. Thank you.

[Floydster]

Blackwater, I am 79 yeas old and in the last 10 years have had 6 biopsy's, my PSA went from 3.5 to 19.4 at it's highest, all tests were negative, my PSA is now around 9.
High PSA does not really mean cancer all the time.
Good luck, Floydster

[BrassMagnet]

Blackwater, I wish you the best.
I had prostate surgery about a year ago. I passed a digital exam with no issues and the PSA, but I had difficulty peeing. I waited three years before seeking help and so I feared the worst. No cancer, just benign abnormal growth on the frontal lobe which blocked the bladder outlet. I had a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) which some call a roto-rooter. They remove the abnormal growth and leave the rest.
Following the surgery and at my final doctor visit for the prostate I talked with a lady surgeon which I had not seen before. She explained the PSA is basically a measure of the mass of the prostate. My prostate score was good and my prostate was reduced in weight by the amount they cut off so my PSA score should have gone down a little and it did.
By this logic and interpretation of the test results, your prostate has been a consistent size for a long time and now looks to have grown to about 3 1/2 times the size it was, or at least to have grown a lot!
I would not delay at all with further testing and biopsy. When surgery is recommended, I would take the earliest date available. I have heard of studies that say there is no improved success rate of robotic over conventional removal. I say go with the advice of the surgeon with thousands of surgeries worth of experience whether robotic assisted or not. They may not recommend removal. They may recommend some other treatment. Full speed ahead on treatment!

[ole 5 hole group]

That's not a real big jump but it is something that will get your attention. Hopefully, when you have another test done it will have returned to your previous number. Small infections can cause this but in some cases the jump is higher than 10 points. I would have thought the doctor would have treated you for a possible infection just as a routine matter - hopefully everything will turn out in your favor.

[jaysouth]

The posters above have given some good advice. I can't think of anything to add from personal experience.

Are you in the system at the VA? If you can prove you served in VN and later develop prostate cancer, it is presumptive that it was caused by agent orange. PM me if you have any questions about the VA and agent orange.

[MaryB]

Prayers sent! My little brother went through this and a combination of diet, weight loss, and finally surgery stopped it. He had to drop the weight before they would even consider surgery...

[Hick]

I've been through this too-- at age 66 as a matter of fact. My PSA wasn't quite up to 14, but it went from less than 1 all the way to 7 in a little less than 1 year! Turned out I had a particularly fast-growing cancer. I opted for surgery, and am glad I did. The new robotic surgery is quick and easy-- I was out of the hospital in 1 day. I had to wear a very, very uncomfortable tube and a urine bag for two weeks-- but once it was removed life became normal again. I'm 3 years clean (PSA=0) now. We hear all those old horror stories about impotence and such, but with the new surgery techniques things are much better. All the equipment still works (although, of course, I'm 'shootin blanks'). I realize I may have been lucky, but the surgery option is much more friendly and less damaging than it used to be. Good Luck!

[ripshod]

It has been 3 1/2 years since I had my prostate removed.I had the robotic surgery.My cancer was low grade and supposedly slow growing.Recovery was pretty fast.The upside of regular surgery is a better look around inside when the prostate is removed.The surgeon can take appropriate action if he sees that the cancer has spread beyond the prostate.So far my PSA readings show no cancer.ripshod

[opos]

I wish you the very best...have a good buddy that had the radioactive pellet treatment done a number of years ago...he's doing ok...in his 80's..one thing about the PSA testing...I'd always been told (and had it done) to get a screening every year...the new "thought" is to not give screenings to folks over 75 (I'm78) as part of the Annual Wellness Review under Obama care....I think that might be a real mistake for some folks...my Mother lived to 97 and I might have a long life still ahead..but the doc said no PSA for me..I couldn't even pay him for it unless he would give up his Medicare funding and of course he won't do that..

My Wife is a cancer survivor and along with the medical things she felt a good positive attitude was the next best thing to all the treatments..

[Blackwater]

You guys are really great! Thank you all for so much info. Prostate cancer, and even the spectre of its possibility, seems to be a very highly varied thing, and as many of you have noted, it varies quite a bit and has a wide range of conditions at discovery, when it IS cancer, and therefore, a wide range of treatments. Apparently, from what I've been able to learn for the moment, treatment varies depending on what type one has, and what stage it's at when treatment is started.

My cousin informed me about Dr. "Snuffy" Myers, who is a prostate survivor himself, and has really been an aggressive researcher and MD who treats patients in Va. So much to learn about a widely varying field! It seems getting old involves a never ending string of necessary research, doesn't it?

We all know we're not here permanently, and that tomorrow is promised to none of us, but that's no reason not to enjoy whatever time we DO have here. I'm certainly not going to get maudlin about a PSA test, but I'm not gonna' neglect a warning sign, either! I had no idea that when I got older and would have a "life of ease," I'd be spending so much of it researching all the maladies we accumulate along our pathway in life. But surprises are rather characteristic of life, aren't they? I've been richly blessed in many, many ways, and I can only be thankful for all the great things I've had and experienced in this life. Each one has taught this ornery ol' rascal something, whether I was looking for it or not. That, really, is kind of our saving grace, isn't it? I've never claimed to be very bright, and have proven my fallibility many times. There's just not time enough in any one life to learn everything, or take care of every incidental possibility, and that means we all must, eventually, kinda' roll with the punches we get along the way. It's just how it all HAS to work, but at least it keeps us humble and interested and fascinated as we wend our way along.

Again, thanks so much for all your input, and I've taken every post very seriously and thankfully. It's so much more pertinent now that the wolf, or his ghost, has shown up at MY door! You guys are great!

[jmort]

My dad was in his mid 70's when he opted for radiation. He was told he could do nothing, have it removed or do radiation. Doctor said he would probably die of something else but I think it would have been a bad choice to do nothing as an option. My father in law was around 70 and went for the "seed" treatment. It did not work and he died a slow and painful death about 6 years later. My father is 87 and still doing OK. They give him medication periodically to keep his testosterone as low as possible. I think that has weakened him. At 66 I think I would get it removed ASAP if there is any doubt. I think the new guidelines about a 75 year old cut-off is akin to the death panels, as I don't think my dad would be around if he had done nothing. Will pray for the best outcome for you.

[ph4570]

Good advice above. I was advised to go to urologist when my PSA shot to 6.4 (relatively low but got there quick). Biopsy revealed the infestation. Had the robotic removal of prostrate this June. Doing fine now with 0 PSA.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Earlier this year I knew I had a problem and the prostate was my first guess. Had a check up and the Dr. referred me to a urologist, (and a very fine one at that). He ran tests, PSA was around 5, but suspected bladder cancer, had a C-scan, then a biopsy on both, prostate-negative, bladder-positive. A tumor bigger than a golf ball in there. Had surgery, then chemo, then laser surgery just to be sure, and another C-scan just a few weeks ago. The result, I'm cancer free now, but he does want to repair some scar tissue in Feb.

If you haven't seen a urologist yet, please do so, they specialize in prostate and bladder health. Chances are, he'll want a C-scan and biopsy to find just what he's dealing with then make recommendations from there. Even the surgery to remove the tumor was what I would consider minor, an over night stay in the hospital was all I had and walked out on my own power, (escorted by a very pretty young nurse to the door). From the beginning the urologist and staff were nothing but positive and pleasant, and that attitude conveyed into me, I treated them with pleasantness and a positive attitude, and it paid off. The nurses all sent well wishing cards, twice, and each time I hand delivered thank you cards to them, (probably should have been flowers for the fantastic treatment I received).

You can beat whatever it turns out to be, just remain pleasant and positive. There'll be some bumps, but you can look back and laugh at them.

[Alstep]

Greetings Blackwater,
Sorry to hear about your health situation. You have already gotten some good advise here. I can only tell you what some friends I know, did in your situation.
A good friend came down with prostrate cancer about 20+ years ago, had it removed by major surgery, spent 10 days in the hospital, additional time at home recovering, he's 84 now and doing great. About 5 years ago, another friend had it removed by micro surgery, only a couple of small incisions, walked out of the hospital the next day, and is doing fine now. Medicine has progressed a long way in just a few years.
On the other hand, another friend just 3 years ago, elected to go the radiation & chemo route, has been in misery ever since and will not last much longer.
It's a frightening situation, but with the faith of family & friends, you WILL pull through this. God bless.

[snuffy]

I began seeing a VA NP(nurse practitioner) in 2005, since I had no other health insurance. Blood tests revealed I have type 2 diabetes. I see her every 6 months for a complete blood panel.

At first my PSA was 2.5, but began a steady rise to 8.0 in 2004. I was referred to a urologist, who decided to do a biopsy. My rectal digital exam showed an enlarged prostate but was "smooth" no lumps or bumps. I also had problems getting an empty bladder. That got worse quickly, I needed a pill to shrink the prostate. The biopsy showed one of the 12 hollow needles had 5% of the core was a tumor.

We decided to do what the VA calls watchful waiting. Do blood tests for the PSA every 4 months and digit exams. I decided to have it removed, I couldn't stand the thought of having a cancer growing inside me. The VA does open surgery, no DaVinci robotics available to them. So I was told to drop 30 pounds. That's tough for a diabetic to do, but I dood it! They still said I had too much belly fat, I would need to get that gone.

I was back to work by then with good health bennies, so I told them where they could stick it. I went to a local urology clinic, got a young doctor that ran the Da-Vinci robot. He took one look at that biopsy, and after running a bladder scan that measures urine remaining after getting as much out as I could. I had over 1-½ pints still in there. He immediately scheduled me for surgery. While waiting, I was forced to use catheters to get an empty bladder, couldn't pee at all.

The surgery went as planned, was successful, but they apparently didn't get all the cancer. Follow-up PSA tests showed it was still present. The PSA from only the cancer is far smaller than when you still have the prostate. Mine was supposed to be UNDER 0.02, Was actually 1.2. It continued to rise meaning the cancer was growing. Radiation was ordered, BUT here is where I wish I had said no! It too failed to stop the cancer but the side effects were just as bad. It caused the bladder to bleed as well as my rectum. Red urine and blood in the stool.

A treatment called hyperbaric oxygen treatment was done, 30 trips to Milwaukee for a 2 hour trip inside a plastic tube under 100% O-2 X 2 atmospheric pressure. That worked, the bleeding stopped in a couple of months.

Result of the surgery was I have no control of my bladder. I had to make frequent trips to the B-room, and wear a pad to keep dry. Also the result of the surgery was scar tissue at the bladder neck that grew steadily closed to prevent urination at all. Then the only way to pee was a catheter. They did an open-it-up-surgery that meant I didn't need the catheter. One option was a Foley catheter that stays in the penis, gets changed once a month. I had one following the surgery, it was EXTREMELY uncomfortable and it hurts constantly. Now-a-days I have a SP catheter. (Supra Pubic). It means above the pubic bone, below the belly button. It goes directly through the abdomen into the bladder, is anchored by a balloon by it's tip. It drains into a leg bag by day, and a floor bag at night. At least I can sleep through the night.

My cancer is still with me. Now it's being controlled by a drug called Eligaurd. It kills testosterone in the blood, another term is chemical castration. Prostate cancer research has told us that the type of prostate cancer I have is fed by testosterone. Without it, it can't grow. MY last PSA was 0.12, up from 0.05 6 months ago. It is injected under the skin of my belly, it forms a mass about the size of a fat popcorn kernel. It slowly dissolves over a 6 month period. It has side effects, the worst is hot flashes. The first 2 doses of Eligaurd worked so well, I was able to NOT have an injection for over 1-½ years. Hopefully this last one 3 weeks ago lasts that long.

Blackwater, all I can say is hang in there, I too will pray for a good outcome. Listen to your doc, do what he thinks best, and keep fighting.

((So much for this NOT becoming a book, I left out half of what went on)).

[Don Purcell]

Blackwater, I very sincerely hope the best for you and will hold you in prayers that this is just a blip on the radar and if it isn't that you have caught it early. Take care.

[Blackwater]

Thanks again. The thing I seem to be learning is that there's a really large variety of ways PC can present, it's discovered at different stages, and therefore, treatments need to be varied according to what type it is, what stage it's at when discovered, and what treatments are indicated by those factors. Even then, each doc seems to have his own opinions and experiences and style, and there's so darn much variability and so many things developing in research and treatment and many trials being conducted now, that it's pretty much a maze out there, and it's really hard to know who to go to and what to believe for us patients. That's not good news, and demands a lot of thought and consideration and value judgments on all our parts when we face it. So .... I keep trying to learn what I can. Still waiting on that appt. with my urologist, but am thinking of seeking the best available in Savannah, and checking them all out there. There are some really great docs in Savannah, as I've already outlined, and the really good ones seem to have located there simply because they like the place. Docs that think like that are my kind'a docs! If all they're chasing is the money and prestige and the big name, I tend to distrust them, and if I get a whif of that kind of thing, I tend to disengage from them. A man has to have some sort of faith in his doc, or he'll never be able to make a really confident decision. Finding docs with good attitudes and outlooks and real human interest (not feigned or PC) ain't real easy today! They're out there, though. Docs are just like the rest of us - they vary a lot from fine to easily corrupted and cynical. I like the fine kind of doc and trust them more than I ever could one of the other types, and never mind their "reputations."

My cousin clued me in to Dr. "Snuffy" Smith in Va., who is himself a prostate cancer survivor who really seems to be the fine kind. He accepts no insurance, though, and is expensive. If any of you want, you might want to check him out. He seems to be near the point of the spear in the fight against prostate cancer. Do you know of others? I'm sure they're out there, and I'll be gathering as much info as I can for a while, probably, and processing it as best I can. I guess that'll keep me out'a trouble??? HAR!

Sure is challenging getting older! It ain't always about just setting back in an easy chair and watching the world go by! But being human, it's things like this that keep us motivated and strong. It sure isn't like I imagined it would be when I was a kid! :?

[Elkins45]

Blackwater,

Until you know more then natural tendency is to fill in the blanks with the worst, but try to avoid that kind of thinking if you can. For what it's worth, my FIL has had PSA results shoot up that high just from prostatitis. The next one will drop right back to normal. So it may be that your anxiety will turn out to be misplaced. I certainly hope that's the case.

[shooter93]

There is almost to much information out there....I read everything.....and it still leaves you thinking. Best news will be that it hasn't spread and they will find that out after a biopsy and the two tests I mentioned before. Then YOU will consult with doctors and then YOU will make the choice of how to be treated......that's what I'll be doing Monday afternoon assuming I like this surgeon. There are a couple of things you need to know yet to make that decision like your Gleason number and once you get the complete picture you'll have a couple options. Far more people are treated and do very well than don't so as bleak as things may seem you do have a lot going in your favor. It's spooky and can be scary but hang in there.....it's the waiting to find out the whole picture that bothered me the most. Once you know you make your decision and move on with your life.....and I mean LIFE....smiles. Best of luck.

[Big Boomer]

All good advice given. At age 72 I was diagnosed with an advanced, very aggressive type prostate cancer. The robotic procedure was what was used in my case. Post surgery, for two years the urologist kept telling me every time I would see him that the type cancer I had was 99% likely to return. Had to see the urologist every 3 months and check PSA for over two years. If the Lord lets me live until this coming February, I'll be 76. My PSA since the robotic procedure has ranged from 0.01 to 0.03 (statistically insignificant - body chemistry could account for that variation). The last time my PSA was checked was two months ago. I do not return to the urologist for another four months. Last appointment the urologist told me I was that 1 out of 100 in which the cancer did not return. The hard reality is we are all terminal, the only question is sooner or later. You have my prayers, my friend. Rattle my cage with a PM if I may be of any assistance. Big Boomer

[Ithaca Gunner]

You're right, Blackwater. Getting old ain't for sissies.

[robg]

ive bph my psa was way up .had another test before biopsy back to normal.6monthly tests watch and see.on tamasulin so i dont have to pee every 5mins.old age aint for sissys.

[Blackwater]

We all know people who have and have survived and beat cancer and those whom it's claimed. It's all some nebulous idea until it comes to our front doorsteps. Realities, even the imagined kind, get rather more significant when they're standing and facing us on our front door steps. Sure is a great motivator, though, and kind'a puts things in a clearer perspective. You just see things more as they are than how we want to think of them, and nobody I know is totally immune from the later. None of us has time to do everything we want to do in life, and these times are just the motivator to catch up on all the reading and questioning you've wanted to do for a long time, but just didn't.

Back when we were all 10 ft. tall, bulletproof and immortal, we didn't NEED to know all this .... or at least that's the way we thought of it. It just wasn't urgent enough to puruse. I guess that's what old age is for? Sure seems to work that way, at least.

Still haven't heard from my urologist on the appt. and he's probably waiting to redo the test and see what it indicates. I had a digital test done the same day they drew blood, and that was normal, so that's encouraging. The waiting is the hardest part. The question is always in the back of your mind until you get some sort of confirmation/refutation. All any of us can know for sure is it's all going to work out in the end like it's supposed to. We still need to do our part just to show our mettle, but it's never quite up to us, and I'm OK with all that. I'm not planning on checking off this mortal coil any time soon. It's just that we all want our lives to be "easy," but they never are, really. If things were always easy, though, we'd be a sorry bunch, wouldn't we?

[Elkins45]

I had a digital test done the same day they drew blood, and that was normal, so that's encouraging.

Yes, it is. That's a really good sign that even if you do have the disease it isn't far advanced.

[Victor N TN]

As someone that has struggled with a high PSA since I was 35, All I can advise is don't have sex or orgasm for at least 3 days before they get the blood. That causes the numbers to artificially go higher. Good luck.

[saidnuff]

After having worked in the medical field for 41 years my best advise for anyone looking into any procedure when you go to any Drs apt. write down all your questions. It's so easy to forget even an important question unless you write them down. Best of luck in whatever choice you make.

Saidnuff
Paul Stechschulte
Owosso, Mi