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PSA test friday, what can I expect...

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Posted 11/14/2018 6:01 PM (GMT -5)
I lurk in the background and post when my OCD kicks in,,,I don't have PC but I do monitor my PSA..its always been around 1...or .99, 1.18, last one was 1.45 18 months ago...Tall Allen and everyone else said "no worries"...normal etc
I have a VERY enlarged prostate and my URO said if my PSA was 6 he wouldn't be surprised,,,said gland feels soft and "boggy"
I dread getting the PSA every year...not sure why but I do...sorry when I know most of you here have far more important things to worry about ..
My question is....Im planning on seeing a different number than last year...so if it comes back 1.6 or whatever ....I guess what number should alarm or cause me real worry ?
I think Tall or someone said I could go 10 yrs before getting another PSA,,,im not that brave smile
Im 50 yrs old,,,otherwise healthy,,,I run 6 miles every other day and bike 20 on the days I don't run and I do this 7 days a week..
I stay off the bike for 7 days before the test, get the DRE AFTER the blood draw,,no wine or beer for 2 days before,,,no sex for 4 days before,,,and no exercise for 48 hrs before...
Again OCD,,,
Thx guys for the advise and insight...
Chuck
Posted 11/14/2018 6:08 PM (GMT -5)
I think that a soft and boggy prostate does not indicate PCa. Rather it is hard nodules that are a problem. You should relax because there is nothing to suggest you have prostate cancer. Here is the problem -- you have posted 444 times on a prostate cancer website even though you don't have prostate cancer. For some reason you are much too worked up about something that is not a problem. You mention OCD. Have you ever spoken with a doctor about this?
Posted 11/14/2018 6:32 PM (GMT -5)
Ha point taken,,,I curb the OCD until its that time of the year again...I guess seeing numbers going up causes me concern,,,sorry
Posted 11/14/2018 7:14 PM (GMT -5)
anything over 100 would be very bad.

Likely you won't have anything to worry about.
Posted 11/14/2018 7:33 PM (GMT -5)
Im thinking anything over 1.6 would be bad
Posted 11/14/2018 7:36 PM (GMT -5)
for your age the normal cut off would be 4.0. A "squishy" prostate is often a sign of enlargement. That with age makes most minor increases nothing.

Andrew
Posted 11/14/2018 7:38 PM (GMT -5)
CVC,

There is a drug, Finasteride, that can reduce your prostate size. I was on it before my diagnosis. But there is some controversy because some men have serious side effects with it. As a side note, it also reduces PSA, but isn’t really a PCa treatment.
Posted 11/14/2018 8:09 PM (GMT -5)
A 1.6 PSA would not be bad for you. I would be a little concerned if it came back over 2. We use to hear that PSA velocities over a gain of 0.35/year is considered a risk for prostate cancer. A study done in 2011 by a very prestigious hospital showed that increases greater than 0.35 was a poor predictor of cancer. They thought lowering the PSA to 2.5 rather than 4 would improve the predictability. A 50 year old with a big prostate with a PSA of 1.45 has a great number. I am sure that you know PSA testing is a rough screen for cancer. Infection, inflammation of the gland, sex a couple of days before the test, a large prostate, rigorous bicycling and other things can adversely affect the PSA and cause concern when it should not.

Relax and enjoy life.
Paul
Posted 11/14/2018 8:25 PM (GMT -5)
Gotcha...again my URO said with the size of my gland he is very surprised my psa is not higher..I just don't like to see it trending higher
My neighbor is almost 80 and and his psa is under 1 !
im expecting a rise,,,im hoping it stays the same or lower...
Appreciate the insight !
Posted 11/14/2018 8:47 PM (GMT -5)
So, do you pee good?

Lots of guys with big squishy prostates don't pee so great. They wake up many times at night, have trouble starting their stream, and don't empty their bladders completely (which is why they pee so often).

Because, if you don't pee so good you can take finasteride to shrink your prostate and help you pee better.

Finasteride will also lower your PSA which will make you less worried. Win / win!...

But aside from that, if your PSA is 2.0 or less -- no worries at all with a big prostate. If it is under 2.5 then you should make plans to worry next year if it goes up again. If it is over 2.5 then it's still probably nothing but you have our permission to worry... a little bit.

Let us know. We'll be here.
Posted 11/14/2018 9:18 PM (GMT -5)
well I feel and think I pee like an old man...but last year he did the ultrasound and said I empty 100%...and the flow test was pretty good...I do seem to go thru periods of peeing often and get up a couple times a night...
Sometimes I think I wake up and just decide to go...overactive bladder ?? Dunno...
Still hope my number is low even though I know that doesn't mean I don't have PC...
This getting older is bad,,,2 yrs ago diagnosed with Glaucoma...no damage and on one drop at night...outlook is good according to my Opto Dr but it still sucks...
Posted 11/14/2018 10:12 PM (GMT -5)
I've been trying to not get older for years.

So far, I haven't been able to hold back time.
Posted 11/15/2018 8:50 AM (GMT -5)

Andrew said...
I've been trying to not get older for years.

That's your mistake -- trying to spread it out like that. When I hold back time I do it in small increments. At the gym I discretely watch the ladies Jazzercise classes while I work the machines. That makes me feel younger. But I have to avoid mirrors.
Posted 11/15/2018 6:10 PM (GMT -5)
Ha I just noticed I made a mistake stating my age...im NOT 50, im 59 !
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