New Crisis

Well, folks, it seems my enjoyment of Thursday’s undetectable PSA result lasted less than 2 days.

I have a new crisis and need some advice.

This morning, I was straining during a BM, quite a bit (small hard stools can cause that). All of a sudden, some blood in the bowel. This happened 2 weeks ago and we figured hemmrhoids.

Well, that might be, but then I wiped the head of my penis. I looked and it was bleeding. Squeezed a bit. No doubt.

So, I am drinking plenty of water. First urination after that there was what looked like possibly a clot, then normal, but blood at the end. Next urination was normal…until the end. More blood. Next one, blood at start (possibly clots) and maybe a little at end.

I did call my local urologist. I guess they have to check it out. I am scheduled for a cystoscopy on Wednesday afternoon and she is going to try and schedule me for a CT Scan (kidneys/ureters) before then. So, more fear and aggravation. I remember having a scope maybe 15 years ago. Not fun, but not horrible.

Meanwhile, we are scheduled to leave for a month to get out of cold Michigan. We are supposed to leave a week after the scope. But, if the scope turns up something, it could be more stress and might scuttle our trip.

Not a good situation. Feeling down.

Anybody been down that road?

Mel

Mel, sucks to read that. Can imagine how you feel.
First thing that comes to mind is, you know its not PC, because your PSA is undetectable.

I'm guessing something like clocknut mentioned, kindey stones or something scarey but harmless. or maybe you slighty tore some scare tissue from straining?
Hopefully its something scary but harmless.

Keep reading and re-reading clocknuts comment above, until you get to the bottom of this.

Don't you just hate suprises? Sometimes it can seem as if it's just just "always something!"

My first thoughts...

It's not life threatening (just a scary sight).
It's not related to your prostate treatment. These sorts of things can (and do) happen to the general population as well.

Definitely a bummer and a hassle though. Not to mention stressful and inconvenient.

I hate this for ya.

Post Edited (island time) : 1/16/2016 11:24:07 AM (GMT-7)

Well, folks, we all know what the fear is: cancer of some sort.

Mel

My surgery was 6 years ago.

I have urinated about 6 times and every time it is bloody. I think a clot comes out but that might create some bleeding.

Can someone describe a clot. It is not thick, just a paper-thin very small red thingy.

My best guess/hope is that something just tore for some reason

Mel

Dear Mel,

Just wanted to send a note of care and support to you --- I'm glad you have an appointment scheduled this week --- hoping you can get some answers soon, to put your mind at ease.

Meanwhile --- just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you --- sending my support to you, from across the miles.

Take care, keep us posted --- and we're all here for you !

Caring thoughts,
Iowa State "Cyclone"

compiler said...
Well, folks, we all know what the fear is: cancer of some sort.

Mel

Mel, I'm sure it needs to be checked, but clearly just as you can have rectal bleeding when straining, you can pop a vessel most anywhere in the pelvis from all of that pressure. I'm hoping that is all it is.

But what are you going to do to decrease that need to strain? What do you have for breakfast? I find 1 serving of All Bran really helps, but 2 would help even more.

Post Edited (BillyBob@388) : 1/16/2016 8:32:02 PM (GMT-7)

Those are pretty common late term symptoms after RT (I've had both symptoms), and especially SRT. Scar tissue sloughs off and it bleeds. Before you go sticking things up there, which may make it worse, you may want to consider giving it time to heal.

- Allen

Thanks. Bleeding got much less and continued to decrease after each subsequent urination and now is completely gone.

But I don't think this can be ignored (?). It's tempting.

Mel

Post Edited (compiler) : 1/17/2016 7:30:19 AM (GMT-7)

Likely it will turn out to be one of those many times the doctor says, "Looks like you're through the worst of that," and do nothing more than tell you what happened.

Still, you need to do that, just in case that's not the conversation.

Andrew

Mel,

I usually ignore spelling issues but this time it seems worth asking. "Blood in the bowel?" Did you mean "Blood in the bowl?" Both radiation cystitis and radiation proctitis are common late-occurring problems with radiation but I don't think its particularly common for them to both happen at the same time. If you are (were) just bleeding from the one orifice then a diagnosis of radiation cystitis would strike me as really likely. On the other hand, if you start bleeding from the eyes and ears I'd have to ask if you've traveled to Africa lately.

I will hope it is just radiation cystitis which is -- usually -- not particularly dire and -- usually -- goes away -- sort of -- on its own.

You are probably going to have a hard time convincing your uro that this is no problem and does not require "looking" when they think it does. You may need to find a new uro who will do what you tell them to do. :)

I've never mentioned anything about my experience with doctors. So you are inferring something that you don't know about as I was probably. I merely assumed that the uro felt that the cystoscopy was necessary and probably not easily dissuaded unless they felt the patient had at least as much knowledge as they did, like talking to another uro. I don' t think it's paternalistic to assume you know more than someone who visits HW regularly. I do think that there are a lot of guys who think they know more than they do though, trying to be paternalistic in their own way.
My experience with doctors has been that if it makes sense to me I do it..if not I question it, based on what I think I know and have more often than not gotten answers that did make sense to me, maybe they wouldn't have to you. Usually, they say ask if it makes sense...I don't necessarily point out that he is engaging in "shared decision making" not feeling compelled to put a name on it. Of course there are many things that I would not lend themselves to "shared decision making" like what size suture material and type of suture used when repairing a laceration..don't really get into a big discussion about that. If there is disagreement as to the direction to take..yes, I would probably take the doctor's side , given the above, before I would yours rather than seek a uro that agreed with you.