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First PSA blood test post robotic surgery

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User
Posted 21 Oct 2018 at 08:16

Hi, had my prostate removed on 17th oct 18 and have the first appointment with my surgeon on 30th Oct 18.

Should I be having a PSA blood test before this appointment?

Thanks.

 

User
Posted 23 Oct 2018 at 10:48
No but you are a bit of a t*t aren’t you.

Tony, good luck with the pathology results and clarify while you are there whether they want you to have your tests at the hospital or via your GP. Bollington gets confused sometimes and forgets that not every area does things the same way; getting slips and going to the chemist for a blood test must be very specific to where he lives (or the GP is trying to avoid seeing him).

Depending on where you live, either the surgeon will give you a slip to take to the bloods area at the hospital, or an envelope to take to the GP practice, or he will write to the GP asking them to arrange the tests. It is all determined by what your CCG has decided about who pays.

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

User
Posted 21 Oct 2018 at 10:01
Hi Tony it seems a bit too soon to be having psa if you only had surgery on 17th. I had surgery on 20th August and first appointment with surgeon was 7 weeks later, I had to have psa test a few days before at GP’s so the results were with surgeon for appointment.
User
Posted 21 Oct 2018 at 10:38

They say wait 6-8 weeks post-op for a PSA test, but I was sneaky and had one one at four weeks and it fortunately came back as undetectable.

Edited by member 22 Oct 2018 at 06:20  | Reason: typo

User
Posted 21 Oct 2018 at 15:29

He's a keen surgeon.  No-one saw me for almost 8 weeks. 

If you're big on statistics you could get a psa test but it might not mean much and it could cause you unnecessary worry.   PSA is said to halve every 3 days so if you were psa 16 it could be 8 after 3 days, 4 after 6, 2 after 9, 1 after 12 and so on...  at that rate it takes quite a while to get to very low levels, nearly 2 more weeks.  It obviously depends on your starting level and we're all a bit different.

User
Posted 22 Oct 2018 at 06:27

My GP gave me a stack of PSA forms, so basically I nip down the chemist to give a blood sample whenever I want. I have had three tests since my operation five months ago, all clear fortunately, and am now on the recommended three-monthly testing regime.

I give a sample at my local Lloyds chemist one day, and my result appears on my Emis Patient Access app next morning, as fast as it is delivered to my GP surgery.

EMIS app

 

Edited by member 22 Oct 2018 at 06:29  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 22 Oct 2018 at 16:41

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Hi, thanks for all your replies, sorry I made a mistake with the first date, my Op was on the 17th Sept, so it will be 6 weeks post-op when I see my surgeon for the first appointment
So do I have to arrange a PSA test myself?
Thanks

 

If the hospital didn't give you a form to get your first PSA test done, then yes, contact the nurse at your GP practice and ask for an appointment this week. If the GP practice says no, that gives you time to phone the surgeon's secretary to clarify and / or to get the necessary form for it to be done at the hospital. You really need a week between the test and your urology appointment to be sure of them having the results. 

Edited by member 22 Oct 2018 at 16:42  | Reason: Not specified

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

User
Posted 23 Oct 2018 at 07:02
As Matron says, you could just request a phlebotomy PSA form from your GP, and why not ask for a year’s worth as you should be tested every three months from now on?

I wouldn’t want to wait twelve weeks to find out if my operation had not been a success.

User
Posted 23 Oct 2018 at 11:24

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
going to the chemist for a blood test must be very specific to where he lives (or the GP is trying to avoid seeing him).

😂😂😂😂

Matron, my current GP (the one that eventually ticked the PSA box last November seven years late) and I get on exceedingly well, unlike you and I.

Do try to be less confrontational in your posts as all everyone here is trying to do is help sufferers with this unfortunate disease, and as I have pointed out to you before, your attitude puts some people off posting altogether.

Cheers, John.

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User
Posted 21 Oct 2018 at 10:01
Hi Tony it seems a bit too soon to be having psa if you only had surgery on 17th. I had surgery on 20th August and first appointment with surgeon was 7 weeks later, I had to have psa test a few days before at GP’s so the results were with surgeon for appointment.
User
Posted 21 Oct 2018 at 10:38

They say wait 6-8 weeks post-op for a PSA test, but I was sneaky and had one one at four weeks and it fortunately came back as undetectable.

Edited by member 22 Oct 2018 at 06:20  | Reason: typo

User
Posted 21 Oct 2018 at 15:29

He's a keen surgeon.  No-one saw me for almost 8 weeks. 

If you're big on statistics you could get a psa test but it might not mean much and it could cause you unnecessary worry.   PSA is said to halve every 3 days so if you were psa 16 it could be 8 after 3 days, 4 after 6, 2 after 9, 1 after 12 and so on...  at that rate it takes quite a while to get to very low levels, nearly 2 more weeks.  It obviously depends on your starting level and we're all a bit different.

User
Posted 22 Oct 2018 at 04:57
Hi, thanks for all your replies, sorry I made a mistake with the first date, my Op was on the 17th Sept, so it will be 6 weeks post-op when I see my surgeon for the first appointment

So do I have to arrange a PSA test myself?

Thanks

User
Posted 22 Oct 2018 at 05:48
Hi, when I went for catheter taken out they gave me a request form to take to GP’s or blood clinic around a week before appointment, may be best to ring your cancer nurse to check.
User
Posted 22 Oct 2018 at 06:27

My GP gave me a stack of PSA forms, so basically I nip down the chemist to give a blood sample whenever I want. I have had three tests since my operation five months ago, all clear fortunately, and am now on the recommended three-monthly testing regime.

I give a sample at my local Lloyds chemist one day, and my result appears on my Emis Patient Access app next morning, as fast as it is delivered to my GP surgery.

EMIS app

 

Edited by member 22 Oct 2018 at 06:29  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 22 Oct 2018 at 16:41

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Hi, thanks for all your replies, sorry I made a mistake with the first date, my Op was on the 17th Sept, so it will be 6 weeks post-op when I see my surgeon for the first appointment
So do I have to arrange a PSA test myself?
Thanks

 

If the hospital didn't give you a form to get your first PSA test done, then yes, contact the nurse at your GP practice and ask for an appointment this week. If the GP practice says no, that gives you time to phone the surgeon's secretary to clarify and / or to get the necessary form for it to be done at the hospital. You really need a week between the test and your urology appointment to be sure of them having the results. 

Edited by member 22 Oct 2018 at 16:42  | Reason: Not specified

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

User
Posted 23 Oct 2018 at 02:36
I phoned the surgeon's secretary at Guilford Surrey hospital and was told the first appointment is only to get my histology results.

The first PSA test will be at 3 months post-op.

I suppose each health authorities do things differently.

Thanks.

User
Posted 23 Oct 2018 at 07:02
As Matron says, you could just request a phlebotomy PSA form from your GP, and why not ask for a year’s worth as you should be tested every three months from now on?

I wouldn’t want to wait twelve weeks to find out if my operation had not been a success.

User
Posted 23 Oct 2018 at 10:48
No but you are a bit of a t*t aren’t you.

Tony, good luck with the pathology results and clarify while you are there whether they want you to have your tests at the hospital or via your GP. Bollington gets confused sometimes and forgets that not every area does things the same way; getting slips and going to the chemist for a blood test must be very specific to where he lives (or the GP is trying to avoid seeing him).

Depending on where you live, either the surgeon will give you a slip to take to the bloods area at the hospital, or an envelope to take to the GP practice, or he will write to the GP asking them to arrange the tests. It is all determined by what your CCG has decided about who pays.

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

User
Posted 23 Oct 2018 at 11:24

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
going to the chemist for a blood test must be very specific to where he lives (or the GP is trying to avoid seeing him).

😂😂😂😂

Matron, my current GP (the one that eventually ticked the PSA box last November seven years late) and I get on exceedingly well, unlike you and I.

Do try to be less confrontational in your posts as all everyone here is trying to do is help sufferers with this unfortunate disease, and as I have pointed out to you before, your attitude puts some people off posting altogether.

Cheers, John.

 
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