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Sex and psa

User
Posted 18 Sep 2019 at 14:27

Hi guys 

A little advice needed this may sound like a stupid question but before rp I was told not to have sex before a psa test.

Would this still apply after rp.

Tia

Garry 

Be positive stay positive 

User
Posted 18 Sep 2019 at 21:03
I’m no doctor but I’m sure not !! It was because of any pressure , strain or action on the prostate. Eg cycling or penetration or simply a good fluid ejaculation. Now that it is completely missing and removed I doubt sex alters the reading significantly , however it has been said that even a woman produces psa on orgasm in tiny amounts. I’m sure an expert will be along soon ....
User
Posted 18 Sep 2019 at 22:21
An expert in female orgasm????

Hi Gaz, if you are lucky enough to be able to have sex, go for it regardless of whether you are having a PSA test the next day! In men with a prostate, it is suggested that orgasm can increase the PSA by about 10% for no more than 24 hours - with no prostate, there is very little physiologically to support the idea that orgasm could affect PSA directly in a man with no prostate although like any other adrenaline producing activity (going to the gym, cycling, lifting very heavy items, getting fight or flight responses to the prospect of having the PSA test) there is a possibility of a tiny and very temporary rise. Obvs 10% rise on a PSA of 0.03 is likely not to be picked up anyway.

I think that it is more about coping strategies than real impact. Men who are closely monitoring their PSA, especially with ultra-sensitive testing, may be enormously concerned at any slight rise and you rarely get two tests close to each other to see how much normal variation there is (for example, John once had 2 tests within one hour and was given two different PSA results.) If PSA monitoring includes looking at tiny fluctuations and this causes anxiety, many men feel that it is important to do the same things every time they are being tested so that there is some consistency. So if John usually goes to the gym beforehand, gets his bloods done at 4pm and has had an orgasm the night before, he will try to do all of the same things for the next test as well. Does that make sense?

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

User
Posted 06 Feb 2024 at 23:36

Hi All - A fascinating discussion. I have a similar query - in a man that’s had radiotherapy and ADT, can a his PSA level be adversely affected (increased) by orgasm (not ejaculation as men that’ve had radiation have dry orgasms)? I’ve seen advice given in this treatment context that suggested such an impact can occur. Cheers, SF 

User
Posted 06 Feb 2024 at 23:47

Yes, in theory it could but as described above, the impact is thought to be less than 10% and for no more than 24 hours - more recent thinking is that orgasm only influences the PSA test for about 8 hours

Edited by member 06 Feb 2024 at 23:48  | Reason: Not specified

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

User
Posted 07 Feb 2024 at 08:35

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
The night before, we're in bed, anxious and unsettled. Then think "Ah, I'll have a jump, that usually knocks me to sleep." 🙂

That would be more likely to get me a black eye......😬

User
Posted 07 Feb 2024 at 10:11

DH’s consultant told him to abstain for 4 days before psa tests. Was he just having a laugh? Dh does still have a prostate. 

Interestingly though, the female oncologist we saw right at the start of dh’s journey, didn’t seem to know much about things that effect the readings. Dh had a psa of 3.7 and he’d just had a biopsy. 2 days later he saw the oncologist who told him it was cancer, dh had been told active surveillance might be the best thing, that same the oncologist did another psa test. Obviously it shouldn’t have been done so soon after the biopsy. It came back at 4.9 promting dh to go and book in for brachytherapy. The next psa before brachy was 3.7 again. I wonder why she didn’t know the biopsy would affect the reading. Or at least I’m assuming it did. 

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User
Posted 18 Sep 2019 at 20:56

Gary

I never got a consistent answer to the same question when I asked the professionals I dealt with.

Thanks Chris

User
Posted 18 Sep 2019 at 21:03
I’m no doctor but I’m sure not !! It was because of any pressure , strain or action on the prostate. Eg cycling or penetration or simply a good fluid ejaculation. Now that it is completely missing and removed I doubt sex alters the reading significantly , however it has been said that even a woman produces psa on orgasm in tiny amounts. I’m sure an expert will be along soon ....
User
Posted 18 Sep 2019 at 22:21
An expert in female orgasm????

Hi Gaz, if you are lucky enough to be able to have sex, go for it regardless of whether you are having a PSA test the next day! In men with a prostate, it is suggested that orgasm can increase the PSA by about 10% for no more than 24 hours - with no prostate, there is very little physiologically to support the idea that orgasm could affect PSA directly in a man with no prostate although like any other adrenaline producing activity (going to the gym, cycling, lifting very heavy items, getting fight or flight responses to the prospect of having the PSA test) there is a possibility of a tiny and very temporary rise. Obvs 10% rise on a PSA of 0.03 is likely not to be picked up anyway.

I think that it is more about coping strategies than real impact. Men who are closely monitoring their PSA, especially with ultra-sensitive testing, may be enormously concerned at any slight rise and you rarely get two tests close to each other to see how much normal variation there is (for example, John once had 2 tests within one hour and was given two different PSA results.) If PSA monitoring includes looking at tiny fluctuations and this causes anxiety, many men feel that it is important to do the same things every time they are being tested so that there is some consistency. So if John usually goes to the gym beforehand, gets his bloods done at 4pm and has had an orgasm the night before, he will try to do all of the same things for the next test as well. Does that make sense?

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

User
Posted 19 Sep 2019 at 09:32

Thanks for your input guys we decided to abstain in any activity but will ask the professionals while I'm here 

Cheers 

Garry 

Be positive stay positive 

 

User
Posted 06 Feb 2024 at 23:36

Hi All - A fascinating discussion. I have a similar query - in a man that’s had radiotherapy and ADT, can a his PSA level be adversely affected (increased) by orgasm (not ejaculation as men that’ve had radiation have dry orgasms)? I’ve seen advice given in this treatment context that suggested such an impact can occur. Cheers, SF 

User
Posted 06 Feb 2024 at 23:47

Yes, in theory it could but as described above, the impact is thought to be less than 10% and for no more than 24 hours - more recent thinking is that orgasm only influences the PSA test for about 8 hours

Edited by member 06 Feb 2024 at 23:48  | Reason: Not specified

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

User
Posted 07 Feb 2024 at 05:59

Why do so many men feel they need sex just before a PSA test?

Is it male stubborness. I've been told I shouldn't. So I will.

Or is it because, if were honest, most of us suffer from pre PSA tension.

The night before, we're in bed, anxious and unsettled. Then think "Ah, I'll have a jump, that usually knocks me to sleep." 🙂

Edited by member 07 Feb 2024 at 06:18  | Reason: Additional text

User
Posted 07 Feb 2024 at 06:37

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
An expert in female orgasm????

You called?  😁

( Funnily enough, most of us on here are ex-spurts.)

Edited by member 07 Feb 2024 at 06:50  | Reason: Additional text

User
Posted 07 Feb 2024 at 08:35

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
The night before, we're in bed, anxious and unsettled. Then think "Ah, I'll have a jump, that usually knocks me to sleep." 🙂

That would be more likely to get me a black eye......😬

User
Posted 07 Feb 2024 at 10:11

DH’s consultant told him to abstain for 4 days before psa tests. Was he just having a laugh? Dh does still have a prostate. 

Interestingly though, the female oncologist we saw right at the start of dh’s journey, didn’t seem to know much about things that effect the readings. Dh had a psa of 3.7 and he’d just had a biopsy. 2 days later he saw the oncologist who told him it was cancer, dh had been told active surveillance might be the best thing, that same the oncologist did another psa test. Obviously it shouldn’t have been done so soon after the biopsy. It came back at 4.9 promting dh to go and book in for brachytherapy. The next psa before brachy was 3.7 again. I wonder why she didn’t know the biopsy would affect the reading. Or at least I’m assuming it did. 

User
Posted 12 Feb 2024 at 07:17

I have PSA tests every 3 months as I am on Active Surveillance ( no treatment ). The card I am shown before the test at my surgery clearly states no ejaculation for 48 hours before the test. It can distort  the test result I understand. 

User
Posted 12 Feb 2024 at 08:23

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

I have PSA tests every 3 months as I am on Active Surveillance ( no treatment ). The card I am shown before the test at my surgery clearly states no ejaculation for 48 hours before the test. It can distort  the test result I understand. 

48 hours? Wow! That must be hard(or soft😉). If you’re on HT it’s not a problem🤣🤣🤣🤣

 
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