How easy is it to get your psa result? Feeling like a trouble maker..

I know (Jeff) touched on this in a July post, but i'm wondering how others get their psa result. I had blood draw last week for an Ultra psa test - my 6 mo post srt.

This was in anticipation for meeting with my Rad Onc in a few days. I had been previouly told I could call the nurse to get the results... and did so today, where I was told I had the appointment later in the week.. meaning wait till the appointment.

As a few of us know, it's kind of hard to sleep when you KNOW the result is available, yet we dont have access to it. I sent my 1st email ever to my rad onc today, explaining that anxiety and how simply waiting is a tough way to go.

My primary dr and my uro use the #s from these same psa results for their purposes and treatment of me too.

So, now I think the Rad Onc and his nurses are tiffed a bit at me, both for trying to get the number, and for mentioning the fact that i'm concerned they wont give it to me.

They say the psa test is coordinated my my appointment as news can sometimes be bad, etc...

I say, I'M FAMILIAR WITH BAD NEWS, and that number should be accessable to me.

What say others on this board? I wont be having radiation again so should I be doing this all through my uro or primary anyway?

p.s. The Rad Onc emailed me back explaining the "coordinate for meeting" stuff.. and noted that my opsa was in fact <0.01 "undetectable'.

But I dont want to fight.

Good thoughts to all.

although i am delaying my second PSA test here in Rome ( very nervous about it ), I much prefer the system here of just using a lab directly. They call with results within a few hours and score is given by a technician. Since it's all they do they tend to be quicker than doctor offices.

Waiting on the nurse from my surgeon's office to call was far more gut wrenching for me. And they were good in giving results within two days.

I'm hoping to find the inspiration to go for my test today. I just got back from a cancer related funeral (she was 41) and it's affected me a bit. As a result I've been delaying this round.

When i do have this one it will put me at 11 months since surgery. Wonder if should continue on 3 month cycle after that or if I can move to 6 month cycle. Will have to ask my surgeon. Of course it will depend much on the results of this one.

Bob, I don't think you are being unreasonable at all.  These are YOUR numbers and you are entitled to receive them in any manner you choose and don't need to be treated like a child.

I get my PSA test done once a year at my urologist's office a few days before my scheduled appointment.  The office faithfully calls me the day after the test with my results.  Then, I discuss them later with the doctor during my visit. 

Tudpock (Jim)

I get my blood drawn and then meet with the surgeon a week later for the results.

This works fine for me. It gives me a another week to think all is fine. And luckily it's always been fine.

... just keep in mind that they are covering their arse by not giving out information prior to a set appointment.

- also - do they ask for government ID over the phone so they are not giving out your information to complete strangers.

... if they are still hesitant after the fact, call your friendly doc and have him/her call the lab for the numbers and then relay it to you.

...also, they may not be miffed at you at all.

..take care and here's to good numbers for you.

Bronson

Don't get me started! Don't! Don't....! Uh ...Too Late!

Before you leave your doctor's office make sure your name and "(pt)" is in the cc box on your lab request form! Bi*ch about until they do it. If you are smart enough to understand it, you are smart enough to be told it. I get the original lab report in the mail at my home! It tells me the machine and the protocol used as well as the PSA. When it says "<0.01" I know that means "less than 0.01". If it says 0.01 I know that means 0.01. And also know 0.1 is bigger than 0.01. This is not rocket science. You paid for the test. You are the customer. The Doc is the service provider. It is time both of you understood each other's roles. You are entitled to the results.

My GP has web enabled all our medical records. I can go to his website and get the results from his website if I wanted. But I prefer the paper report. I keep all of them in a file.

Because it sounded so good when I just reread my previous comment I will repeat it:
"You paid for the test. You are the customer. The Doc is the service provider. It is time both of you understood each other's roles. You are entitled to the results."

If you cannot resolve this office issue I suggest you start spreading the word to every person you know and ask them to do the same. You can make a difference. I know I did with my GP.

Jeff

I Agree with the majority here. You should be able to get the numbers as soon as possible. I go to a private lab for my tests, and always ask that a copy of the written report be sent to my home address. In cases where I forget to ask, I am on the phone with the lab and or doctor every day until they are released.

On a related note, Prior to PCa diagnosis, I went to the urologist for a cyctoscopy, I was having blood in my urine. He saw something, scheduled an appointment to have it removed and biopsied. The day after the ressection the receptionist calls (not the doctor, not even the nurse) and says "the doctor wants to see you tommorow, you have bladder cancer. Thanks, see you at 2 pm tommorow, bye now." ***. Not sure what the best way to announce that was, but DEFINITLY not the way they did it. I gave the doctor an earful the next day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have all my tests done by my GP whose office is right down the street. He forwards the results to the specialists and to me at the same time...There is no waiting..

First of all, I envy you guys who get your results within a few hours, often at the same location where you meet your doctor. I have to plan out a trip to the lab well in advance and then wait a week or so.

Where my rad onc used to be, the nurses would gladly give me my PSA over the phone, although they often made the heart-skip-a-beat mistake of leaving out the "less than" part until I had them look again.

Now he moved, and the new policy there is "you gotta come in". I guess I could fight and win that battle, but I don't. I understand the reasons, while at the same time I understand my rights. Kind of like how I could shove my kids out of the way to play the Xbox I paid for...but I don't. :)

Just now the stars aligned to give me an earlier-than-usual peek at my PSA. My primary care doc added that order to my usual CBC/cholesterol test. So I'll get some results next week, and then again in about 6 weeks. My experience with getting results over the phone from the primary care doctor is that the nurse or medical assistant who reads it to me not only over looks the "<" symbol most of the time, they usually don't understand the significance of it being less than 0.1. When my PSA was rising after surgery, an employee of my primary care doc said brightly "well, it's only 0.6, that's great! Well within the normal range." Well, yeah, for men who have prostates!

My dream would be if my doctors all used a secure website where I could log in and see my complete lab records, including historical. I don't think either one of those doctors uses electronic records management, although the hospital I used to go to went to them in a major way.

I just go to the lab for my blood draw and about 2 hours later I can get the result from the lab's web site. It sounds easy, but is just as nerve wrecking as getting the result any other way. It's not easy to control the mouse with a shaky hand, but I managed again yesterday (<.04).

All the best to all my brothers here.

Mag

142. I'm in the same boat. BCBS has the send mine off. I usually get the results 2 days later

Cajun Jeff

Very interesting thread. My uro doc has his nurse take blood for the psa test at each visit. He has the results a few minutes later when we have our discussions.

I find it infuriating that sometimes the medical system treats grown men like children. This information does indeed belong to us.

I'm with Sonny on this one. Immediately after my RRP, my uro doc was scheduled for some conference in Florida, and was out of the office. A few days after my surgery, I called his office wanting "MY" path results. His nurse said I would have to wait until he returned in two weeks.

My immediate response was (politely) "Mam, with all due respect, I have no intention of waiting two weeks, and someone was going to tell me those results, even if I had to drive to their office dragging my catheter, and cause a scene, possibly spilling pee pee all over their new carpet."

17 seconds later, my uro docs partner (who assisted with my surgery) was on the phone answering all my questions.

When I went back to have the cath removed, I approached the subject with my doc, and insisted that whenever my wife or I called wanting test results, that his staff provide those results. His response was "no problem".

Now, anytime I have a need to call in, they tell me what I need to know

B

I get my results when I see the doc. When I went there for my first appointment I was told that they insist on giving all results face to face and not over the phone regardless of whether it is good news or bad. So I don't phone them and they don't phone me, unless it's to tell me that my appointment has been moved (and thus far my appointment has only ever been moved by an hour on the same day).
Their is never any problem with a doc taking a holiday as I have always been seen by a team and not a specific doc. I met all three uro docs very early on. And the RT team work with five docs. I never know who I am going to see when I turn up, their department is very busy so your files goes on a pile in the timetavbled order of appointments, then as soon as a doc is finished with a patient he/she justs takes the top file off the pile. This avoid any one doc getting a back-log, becasue once you are seeing them the clock does not run, that way they know you can talk for five minutes of fifty without it delaying the next patient.

Since I had SRT I have alternate appointments with the uro and the RT doc and they are both at the same hospital, so both operate the system that I fix the next appointment after the current one and then the blood lab will be ready for me to turn up at any time in the week precending the next appointment to have blood drawn. (In actual fact the lab's computer has seemed to be permanently ready for me to turn up for a test ever since surgery)
They also insist the same lab does all the tests.
At the hospital the uro is in the front door and turn left; the RT doc is in the front door and turn right while the blood lab is in the front door and go straight ahead; they are all within about fifty feet of the front door so it could hardly be simpler!

And yes I get PSA anxiety, but oddly it is more to do with going to get the blood taken than going to get the result, I am not phased by needles or anything, but often I go a week before my appointment rather than the day before, to get it over with. Mind you lately I have picked a day to go when the weather forecast has been good, as then I can have a quiet walk between the train station and the hospital instead of going by bus (I have found from the very begining that I prefer taking the train to driving - and that's not so I can drink booze!)

They don't give me my results on a piece of paper either, but just show me the graphic on the computer screen. Oh, and they of course tell me my PSA score as soon as they can after opening the office door, usually before I have shaken hands, let alone sat down (They know all about PSA anxiety)

Alf