PSA related worry

User

Posted 10 Sep 2016 at 08:04

Morning guys. My first post so please be gentle.

On Saturday 18th June 2017 I went running for first time in 10 months (decided I needed to work on the beach body!!) was a hot morning and stupidly didn't drink anything prior and during the 5k. I came back had wee and passed bright red blood and passed out. Trip to out of hours dr at local hospital, chat and a urine test I was sent home to monitor. I contacted my local gp on the Monday explains what had gone off. Explains historically I'd had issues with ED and was therefore after the dreaded Google dr searches having prostate problems (who needs med school with Google :)

Following has occurred

PSA 5.6 level 20/6/17

22/06/17 DRE - all good

08/07/17 - ct scan normal (at hospital as my GP referred me to a urologist for further tests)

11/07/17 flexible cystoscopy - all fine (urologist more concerned with possible bladder issues than prostate)

PSA 2.86 - 04/08/17

PSA 2.44 - 09/09/17 (41st birthday)

I've had 2x urine tests in all this (all fine) my ED is still intermittent (though I believe this rarely has anything to do with symptoms of prostate cancer - and more to do with treatments after diagnosis etc)

I've read and read and read and feel a little lost. I'm due to have a telephone consultation next week with my GP about yesterday's PSA results.

Being honest I've worried and stressed myself out by all the reading I've done !!! Could I ask

1. Am I correct in thinking for a person of 42 the cut off figures are (40-49 PSA 2.7 and below considered normal)

2. The (grey area of PSA is approx 4-10 PSA.

3. And above - 10 seems to be the danger number 50% of people would present with PC above 10.

4. I also read a lot about the rate of the PSA doubling can be a good sign or indication of problems etc is that generally true ?

I'm considering asking for a 'free PSA test next week' - good idea ? Or wait to see what my GP says ?

Sorry for the long post. And I apologise if the above appears trivial. As I read regularly about men fighting PC and I feel almost embarrassed asking about my concerns in the face I've what I've read. But I've been reading this sight a lot and trying to educate myself so thought I'd ask / seek experiences

Alan

User

Posted 10 Sep 2016 at 11:14

I think you are traumatising yourself unnecessarily. The urologist has seen you and is satisfied that you do not have prostate cancer, it sounds like his concern was to make sure that you had not damaged your kidneys. The circumstances that day that allowed you to become so dehydrated may also have pushed your PSA up temporarily; some PSA is produced by the adrenal glands and thyroid issues can also affect PSA so it is possible that as your organs responded to the lack of water, weird things happened. The fact that the PSA then dropped back to a more normal number and has pretty much stayed there is a good sign.

Heenan is right when he says PSA is not a reliable test, but it is commonly a good indicator and the general parameters that you quote are sort of right and sort of wrong. They are not guidelines for when it might be cancer, they are guidelines for GPs on when to consider referral to urology. For a man age 50, NHS guidance says refer if PSA is over 3.1 but the GP and the man have to take into consideration the individual circumstances. For example, serious cyclists are known to have a higher 'healthy' PSA than other men.

There are men like my husband who were diagnosed even though their PSA would have been considered normal or even low. I have seen men join this forum whose PSA was over 40 but diagnosed with BPH or prostatitis instead.

Re your question about doubling time, generally this is used as an indicator in men that have had cancer and been treated whose treatment may be failing. In a man that hasn't yet been diagnosed, doubling time is less significant than the fact that it is rising (which might be a good time to get referred back to the hospital)

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

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