A load of symptoms and worried!

Many thanks for the reply. I will have to wait a few days and go back I guess! I am trying to take comfort from him saying it was smooth and not enlarged (overly) but he also said he can only feel so far!

I did notice a few times in the shower last week that soap was causing the end of my penis to sting so I am 'hopeful' that it is more related to that than anything more serious but, as usual, I am panicking...boy I wish I had a different temperament at times like this!

About 2 months ago I had a slew of blood tests done for an unrelated thing including liver, kidney functions etc - all normal - so at least that is one thing!

Mark

Hi John - thanks for that - you are probably right! When I was referring to the tests I meant more for the kidney one than anything else as I am sure it was just the standard ones (liver, WBC, ESR and all that) which came back normal! It was a rheumatologist who ordered them as I was being referred for possible auto-immune disorder (which isn't there thankfully!). I may call them up and ask for a copy as he said he was doing 'an MOT' which could possibly include PSA but I didn't see the actual results despite them taking 5 vials of blood...

As a fellow worrier - I lost 12 pounds in weight between my fist PSA test and RALP. I can tell you that you want to rule out Cancer because it burns in your mind as a worry. Differential diagnosis performed by GPS is very unhelpful for people who fear the worst. I didn’t believe a word of my two GP’s and urologist who gave me the same spiel. I was right they were wrong. Your doctor will prescribe Doxycycline almost certainly at 100mg for either 12 days or up to to six weeks . This drug performs a party trick. It reduces PSA because it has an anti-inflammatory effect on the prostate. So if there is cancer present or not the PSA will reduce. So the baseline PSA reading is masked and useless. Mine was 7.5 pre antibiotics dropped to 5.2 ten days later It proved nothing.

Your doctor has no business denying you a PSA test. The DRE is useless at detecting cancer. Cancer does not have to be palpable in the prostate to be dangerous. Start from the reverse order. Eliminate Cancer then work backwards to the UTI. Tell your doctor to do the PSA before taking antibiotics because you can confirm with them the effect it will have. Your GP should be referring you to a urologist as well.

Fresh

Edited by member 14 Aug 2018 at 23:06  | Reason: Not specified

If you get a PSA test now and then the number comes back a bit high, you will be in another no mans land of ‘well that could be because of undiagnosed infection’ - take the antibiotics and then go back and insist on a PSA test. But I wouldn’t be waiting 6 weeks.

The Professor of Urology who did my operation said all men over 50 should have annual PSA tests and DRE examinations, as indeed my friends in America do.

Cheers, John

It’s amazing that there is almost no information at the GP surgery on this, nor have I ever been offered a test despite being a risk due to sibling illnesses. I never knew a link between Breast cancer and prostate cancer but my GP knows the history. You are right about a call to arms!

For me the antibiotics have done nothing apart from cause more issues from the back passage so I will give it the weekend then go back and ask for a referral. I have a burning sensation between scrotum and anus now all the time and the end of my penis is stinging pretty much when I am awake. Urge to pee after finishing also present but not having any issues at all at night, which I guess is one thing!

Thanks again, more good advice :-)

i will try to relax and see where it goes! Either way I will get a PSA test done soon to check. I think as the penis pain, lower back pain etc has come on quite quickly with this constant urge to pee it has scared me somewhat!

What has been heartening on here is the care shown to others and the inspirational stories regardless of journey. There are no guarantees in life but it helps to talk (well, type) and know there are others out there keen to help and advise. Regardless of my outcome I clearly need help with my anxiety and thinking processes (ie catastrophising). 

Cheers,

Mark

@MarkBerks...

The replies have good sensible advice, to which the only things I'll add (if they've already been menioned, I didn't see) are...

1 Learn (there's a lot of good info onsite) about likely and potential scenarios (because uncertainty is often a cause of worry, which appropriate knowledge should help reduce).

2 If you do get into the 'diagnose for cancer' thing, be aware that opportunities for worry increase greatly... wait for test then wait for result, wait for another test (and the result), etcetera (for MRI, biopsy, bone scan, CT, etcetera).

3 Worry is natural, to be expected, and you shouldn't feel bad about it.

4 'Share'... simply composing a post can help order (and hence calm) the mind. As will the replies.

5 'Prostate cancer ain't an arterial bleed.' Yes it can kill, but relatively slowly... providing relatively generous time for consideration of various things and treatment.

Edited by member 16 Aug 2018 at 21:51  | Reason: Typo.

Unfortunately the simple fact is that most men over 60 have prostate cancer, and the overwhelming majority of them will die with it, not from it, and will never need any treatment. In terms of simple numbers, it would overwhelm the NHS to treat every man with prostate cancer, and in most cases such treatment would be unnecessary. I'm sure you can imagine the worry it would cause to a huge number of men to know that they have cancer, even when that cancer produces no symptoms and will never need treating.

Chris

@MarkBerks

If I've helped lessen worry, I'm happy.

Your points about GPs and education are sensible...
GP awareness is lower than ideal.
Embarrassment is a deterrent to DRE.
DRE is increasingly considered less than effective and unnecessary.
Better education will be of benefit.

@Cheshire Chris...

> ...it would overwhelm the NHS to treat every man with prostate cancer, and in most cases such treatment would be unnecessary. I'm sure you can imagine the worry it would cause to a huge number of men to know that they have cancer, even when that cancer produces no symptoms and will never need treating.

As incidence and mortality of prostate cancer and breast cancer are relatively similar, is the lack of activity (education, diagnosis and treatment) similar to that undertaken for breast cancer (and likewise the smoking->lung cancer connection) acceptable in a relatively developed society? (I think not.)

Though less-than-ideally reliable, a PSA test as potential early detection is worthwhile... fast and cheap, it ought to be far more routine than it to-date has been.

The cost-benefit analysis is likely favourable... reducing the need for the expensive machines and meds which accompany later detection.

And socially, enabling people to live healthy lives... well, what price that?

The validity of 'needless worry' is questionable... although many instances of Pca require no treatment, enough do - and hence the value of the earlier-mentioned breast cancer-type programs, in which an important element is self-education and responsibility.

And, in closing, from a personal viewpoint... although vaguely aware of 'prostate cancer' for years, it's something to which I've not been sufficiently exposed to develop appropriate awareness.

I know far more about requirement and penalties for tv licence and car tax; that smoking causes cancer and other diseases; and that ladies are wise to get their breasts tested.

But, Pca... that it's common and often a killer? Nope, until recently that was something of which I was unaware beyond 'Isn't that where the doc sticks a finger up yer a**? No mate, I'm not into that.'

Edited by member 17 Aug 2018 at 14:41  | Reason: Typos

Thanks again for listening - it helps massively...

Mark

@MarkBerks...

> 'I do have CFS (a bit like ME or Fibro) and read this can of thing can occur with both of those...'

With CFS, 'all bets are off' and the body can behave unpredictably and erratically... scenarios with which many GPs are unfamiliar (and many still 'resist' CFS, wrongly considering it a psychological rather than physiological issue).

Without negating the obvious good intent and value of most GPs, there's a suggestion (which I've heard from specialists) they should increasingly more-quickly hand-off cases for appropriate follow-up.

And, although 'you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows'... a 'feels ok' from a GP is bl**dy useless - only a small area can be felt, and it's as valid as 'assessing wind by sticking a finger in the air'.

The potential for prostate cancer (and various other things) is often not appropriately considered (by patient and/or medic), and hence disregarded, to the detriment of the patient's health (and the NHS budget).

Sorry to read this Mark, the wait for the MRI plus results will compound how you feel.

Take care,

Ian

>...I am to have an mpMRI and CT scan in Guildford. Back pain becoming immune to painkillers now and fear still there. Any tips on working through that appreciated. Also itching skin which seems an odd symptom.

Ah, Guildford... I once passed a relatively pleasant (yes really, things can always be worse than what's happening at the time) half-day in a locked-door pysch ward there. (Those questioning my use of 'relatively pleasant' should try being married to a 'texan, redhead, lawyer'... even though I loved her dearly.)

Anyway...

There might be further painkiller options... to slow tolerance I used to do a month of Dihydro and then a month of Tramadol. For non-opioid, Diclofenac is stronger than Naproxen. (I'm told smoking heroin is quite good, and relatively un-addictive.)

GPs vary in 'willingness to prescribe', but the H should be easy to get.

Itching skin could be who-knows-what - often a stress-related symptom. Simple over-the-counter anti-histamines might help, and those which induce drowsiness should help you better deal with your fears... not much use if you're about to go on The Krypton Factor, or have nuclear bombs to defuse, though.

MRI should be easy (somewhere onsite I've a post - can't remember what it's called - about mine), I fell asleep.

CT is 'over before you know it'. So brief I didn't get the chance for a snooze.

You may at some point also get a bone scan... if so, ask 'em to 'lift the plate, so it's not scraping your nose' - it was only after mine that I learned how some techs have it lower than necessary, thus increasing chance of claustrophobia.

Mark, getting panicky while you're waiting for tests and results is completely normal, but it WILL pass. I was diagnosed with both prostate cancer and kidney cancer in May, and all I could think about from the moment I woke up in the morning until I went to sleep was cancer. At that time I couldn't imagine that I'd ever enjoy life again. Three and a half months later and the prostate cancer is in hand, the kidney tumour is being surgically removed this coming Saturday, and life feels good again.

No matter how bad the results might be, you'll feel better when you know what's wrong with you and have a treatment plan in place. I guarantee it.

In the mean time, do go and see your GP and get some medication for the anxiety. My GP put me on a drug call Sertraline which helped tremendously.

Chris

Edited by member 28 Aug 2018 at 17:46  | Reason: Not specified

Hi Mark,

I’m a worrier too - still awake at 3am as usual. Just sending you a hug to let you know you’re not alone. 

Fingers and toes crossed for good results xx 

Vicky 

Strange, I don’t think I have had any psychological reaction from my raised PSA, to being diagnosed with cancer, subsequent operation and biopsy results. Maybe because I read stuff like this below, and bear in mind, survival rates are increasing year on year.

In contrast, with lung cancer, 96% of sufferers die within five years. Don’t know if these statistics will give you any solace, I hope so.

From an American cancer website:

According to the most recent data, when including all stages of prostate cancer:

The 5-year relative survival rate is 99%
The 10-year relative survival rate is 98%
The 15-year relative survival rate is 96%
Keep in mind that just as 5-year survival rates are based on men diagnosed and first treated more than 5 years ago, 10-year survival rates are based on men diagnosed more than 10 years ago (and 15-year survival rates are based on men diagnosed at least 15 years ago.

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html

Cheers, John

Edited by member 29 Aug 2018 at 14:58  | Reason: Not specified

Morning everyone, regarding the survival statistics posted today by John. I've got a bit of paper with those written down which I keep inside my bedside drawer so that I can't help but regularly see them. It definately helps me. 

Paul.

But thanks for thinking of me and I am really trying to be 'objective' and realise that I do not have any diagnosis at this stage, more a collection of symptoms and one DRE that felt firm rather than 'hard' or knobbly...

Kind regards,

Mark

Distraction works - the more exiting the better! Remember stress is BAD and doesn't help anything.  Over time you will find what works for you.

I dispute the statement that the end stages of prostate cancer look like old age. Dying a painful death with organ failure, agonising bone pain, paralysed by SCC or knocked out on morphine looks nothing like old age.

I don't like that phrase though - most men die with it not of it. That is no comfort to the 10,000 men who die each year of advanced PCa (or their family & friends) - the fact is that although it is very common (and for men who live a long life, almost universal) cannot be allowed to take away from the fact that it kills too many men too soon.

Richard