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Chris J's Journey

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User

Posted 14 Oct 2023 at 08:02

Hi Chris,

Sorry to hear about your very small rise, hopefully it will just be a blip…and if it is your nadir, we’ll all keep our fingers crossed that it stays at that level. PSA anxiety is so real, I just wish there was an instant test you could do rather than having to wait a week for results. I’m always like a bear with a sore head during that week and just try and keep myself as busy as possible, preferably on holiday somewhere.

Anyway all the best for the future.

Derek

User

Posted 14 Oct 2023 at 10:09

Hi Decho

I am afraid the medical profession under estimates the stress and anxiety caused to men when they have to wait a long time for their results. Our surgery is so well organised that most of the time when we have blood tests we can access our test results on its website within 24/48 hours; so it can be done. Unfortunately our surgery does not use a lab which can read PSA better than two decimal places, typically my NHS PSA is 0.06/0.07 whereas if I have my tests at the private hospital, where I had my surgery, it is <0.003/<0.004.

'Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that’s not why we do it.' Richard Feynman (1918-1988) Nobel Prize laureate

User

Posted 14 Oct 2023 at 11:24

C J, I hope it's just a blip, we both deserve a bit of luck. Keep going mate and thanks for all the support give us on here.

Thanks Chris

User

Posted 14 Oct 2023 at 21:00

Hi Chris J,

Sorry to hear that, Chris. As others have said, it might be just a blip, but it's a bummer even thinking that you might have reached your nadir. It can increase your anxiety (even more than it already is) before every future test: will it stay at the new level, or will it have increased again, and if so, by how much? In spite of advances in prostate treatments over the years, there is still so much guesswork involved. Even the medics can't say what is going to happen next, or when. Living with this uncertainty takes its emotional toll.

I hope you can help to distract yourself from all the worry (and 'what if's') by spending time with the people you love.

Best wishes,

JedSee.

User

Posted 14 Oct 2023 at 23:42

Really possible to be nadir Chris and hope it stays there for a very long time 🤞🏼 I know it’s difficult not to worry though. Keep being positive and getting on with life x

User

Posted 15 Oct 2023 at 11:12

Hello Chris, you might have reached your nadir, and you might stay there for some time. A difference of 1 in the least significant digit of one reading is not significant though. I know it still causes worry though, and I hope it stays low.

User

Posted 17 Oct 2023 at 23:20

Hi Chris

I don’t visit the forum very often these days but yours is the first thread I search. You have been inspirational and great to hear your have a 0. In front of your PSA number as I remember how high it got.

You deserve a nadir ( which may bobble a bit) that stays nice and low .

Keep enjoying your family Chris

All best wishes

Clare

User

Posted 17 Oct 2023 at 23:27

Hi Chris, I'm going to recommend you follow your own advice. I read one of your posts from a few years ago, when your PSA was in the hundreds and rising, you said something like "I can't believe other people are worried about a rise of a few decimals", well your advice was good then and it is good now. Stop worrying it's a change in the second decimal place.

Dave

User

Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 16:02

Here’s hoping your PSA is stable for a long time to come Chris. I totally understand how you feel but logically (what’s that got to do with anything I hear you say!) a rise of 0.01 is within the reading noise. Stay well.

Ido4

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