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high psa following UTI

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User
Posted 17 Jul 2024 at 16:22

good afternoon

I recently undertook a full blood panel as a routine check as I'm a competitive athlete, during this test I had a pretty severe urinary tract infection (UTI) and the test returned a very high level of 12.7 ng/ml. 6 months ago my level was 0.8.

we recently re-tested after 4 weeks since the first test which was last week, but I had undertaken a week long cycling stage race the week before, this test I returned a level of 8.1 ng/ml so a drop of nearly 40%. we are looking to re-test in another 2-3 weeks at which point I may have to be directed for further tests to rule out any prostate cancer.

Can I please ask the question has anybody had experience of this and if this level is raised due to UTI how long will or has it taken for you guys to return back to normal levels?

regards MP

User
Posted 17 Jul 2024 at 17:16

The search facility on this forum isn't great so I am relying on my memory which is quite good.

Over the last four years that I have been on this forum, we have had about 10 posts where people have a high PSA (in the teens) and a recent UTI, and after further testing and/or biopsies, no clinically significant cancer is found (pretty much all men over 50 have some level of prostate cancer, it just isn't clinically significant for most). We have of course also had 100s of men who have been diagnosed with cancer, with both higher and lower PSAs and with or without UTI. So I am not going to say you definitely do or don't have prostate cancer. What I will say is that you should not be too worried, just go along with the current testing plan, but I think you're more likely to be negative than positive. And do update us, because I can only give you this answer because about 10 previous contributors kept us updated on their negative results.

Dave

User
Posted 17 Jul 2024 at 19:01

I got a UTI which was successfully treated with antibiotics.

I bought a pack of 100 Multistix urine dip tests and tried one every couple of days. A UTI shows up as nitrites and Leucocites in urine, but these both vanished the moment I started taking antibiotics. However, UTIs also tend to cause microscopic blood and protein in your urine due to sore tissues. The protein took about 4 weeks to go, and the microscopic blood about 6 weeks to go. These are an indication how long it takes to heal after a UTI, and I would imagine PSA tests in this period would be unreliable. So based on my experience, I would wait 6-8 weeks after UTI is successfully treated before taking any notice of a PSA test.

User
Posted 17 Jul 2024 at 21:05

 a UTI or  even a kidney infection can raise PSA 

 

User
Posted 18 Jul 2024 at 16:38

Hi Folks 

Thankyou so much for your replies and kind words it really is a big help, I have also today ordered some home PSA test to have a monitor weekly before my next official blood draw and test in 2.5 weeks time.

Mathew

User
Posted 18 Jul 2024 at 19:25
Hello mP7 - a UTI can definitely raise PSA levels! I'm currently under Active Surveillance having been diagnosed in August 2022 with PCa T2 N0 M0 "best regarded" as 3+4 at my local hospital which was later downgraded to "best regarded" 3+3 with "minimal" pattern 4 content after a second opinion at The Christie in Manchester and advised AS was appropriate by my consultant there.

At diagnosis my PSA level was around 10 and since then it's hovered around 9 with checks every few months. In February this year, it shot up to 16.63 from 9.70 in the previous August which was an alarming rise! However, I knew that I had a UTI in February because when I went to the surgery for the blood test I asked the nurse to do a dipstick test on my urine sample and she confirmed the infection and I was subsequently prescribed antibiotics.

They usually like to wait 6 weeks before doing another PSA test after a UTI because the prostate can be very inflamed so it was quite a worrying time as I couldn't be sure if the huge increase was due to the infection or some of it was an unwelcome change in the cancer!

So, long story short, on May 3rd another PSA test resulted in a drop back to 9.53 which was a great relief! I'm not sure a home PSA test is a good idea but if you have symptoms of a UTI near the time for the official one I'd certainly advise taking a urine sample with you for the nurse to check. I also noticed that you do a lot of cycling - did they tell you that this is something (along with ejaculating!) which should be avoided for several days prior to a PSA test? Hope that's helpful. Cheers.

User
Posted 26 Jul 2024 at 10:32

Hello Bassy,

You can't get a useful PSA test result (unless it's in the hundreds) if you have prosatitis or a UTI, so hopefully the new test result will be a useful one.

Repeated UTIs in men are often caused by incomplete voiding - not emptying your bladder when you pee. The residual left behind acts as a reservoir to retain bacteria, and allow them to build up to UTI levels. UTIs can cause bacterial prostatitis (and the other way around). You should have a flow test and a bladder scan done. This will probably require a referral to hospital - while a few GPs may be able to do a bladder scan (ultrasound scan to check how empty your bladder is after having done a pee), they won't have a uroflowmeter.

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User
Posted 17 Jul 2024 at 17:16

The search facility on this forum isn't great so I am relying on my memory which is quite good.

Over the last four years that I have been on this forum, we have had about 10 posts where people have a high PSA (in the teens) and a recent UTI, and after further testing and/or biopsies, no clinically significant cancer is found (pretty much all men over 50 have some level of prostate cancer, it just isn't clinically significant for most). We have of course also had 100s of men who have been diagnosed with cancer, with both higher and lower PSAs and with or without UTI. So I am not going to say you definitely do or don't have prostate cancer. What I will say is that you should not be too worried, just go along with the current testing plan, but I think you're more likely to be negative than positive. And do update us, because I can only give you this answer because about 10 previous contributors kept us updated on their negative results.

Dave

User
Posted 17 Jul 2024 at 19:01

I got a UTI which was successfully treated with antibiotics.

I bought a pack of 100 Multistix urine dip tests and tried one every couple of days. A UTI shows up as nitrites and Leucocites in urine, but these both vanished the moment I started taking antibiotics. However, UTIs also tend to cause microscopic blood and protein in your urine due to sore tissues. The protein took about 4 weeks to go, and the microscopic blood about 6 weeks to go. These are an indication how long it takes to heal after a UTI, and I would imagine PSA tests in this period would be unreliable. So based on my experience, I would wait 6-8 weeks after UTI is successfully treated before taking any notice of a PSA test.

User
Posted 17 Jul 2024 at 21:05

 a UTI or  even a kidney infection can raise PSA 

 

User
Posted 18 Jul 2024 at 16:38

Hi Folks 

Thankyou so much for your replies and kind words it really is a big help, I have also today ordered some home PSA test to have a monitor weekly before my next official blood draw and test in 2.5 weeks time.

Mathew

User
Posted 18 Jul 2024 at 19:25
Hello mP7 - a UTI can definitely raise PSA levels! I'm currently under Active Surveillance having been diagnosed in August 2022 with PCa T2 N0 M0 "best regarded" as 3+4 at my local hospital which was later downgraded to "best regarded" 3+3 with "minimal" pattern 4 content after a second opinion at The Christie in Manchester and advised AS was appropriate by my consultant there.

At diagnosis my PSA level was around 10 and since then it's hovered around 9 with checks every few months. In February this year, it shot up to 16.63 from 9.70 in the previous August which was an alarming rise! However, I knew that I had a UTI in February because when I went to the surgery for the blood test I asked the nurse to do a dipstick test on my urine sample and she confirmed the infection and I was subsequently prescribed antibiotics.

They usually like to wait 6 weeks before doing another PSA test after a UTI because the prostate can be very inflamed so it was quite a worrying time as I couldn't be sure if the huge increase was due to the infection or some of it was an unwelcome change in the cancer!

So, long story short, on May 3rd another PSA test resulted in a drop back to 9.53 which was a great relief! I'm not sure a home PSA test is a good idea but if you have symptoms of a UTI near the time for the official one I'd certainly advise taking a urine sample with you for the nurse to check. I also noticed that you do a lot of cycling - did they tell you that this is something (along with ejaculating!) which should be avoided for several days prior to a PSA test? Hope that's helpful. Cheers.

User
Posted 19 Jul 2024 at 10:02
hi juliandee

Thankyou for the reply.

Well done on your journey so far and great mindset.

Ok so I do think from what i'm reading, your guys experience and subsequent drop that the UTI is to blame for this very large increase in level in my case and hopefully will return back to base ASAP. as regards cycling yes this was was highlighted and i did the initial test 24 hours after exercise.

Mathew

User
Posted 25 Jul 2024 at 07:15

Good morning

 

the uti I experienced gave me a high fever and and flu like like illness, it was accompanied by a ringing pain when I urinated and during its peak a feeling of disorientation. 

I attended my local surgery who prescribed me with anti biotics but in hindsight the dr has subsequently informed me that my urine sample indicated traces in my kidneys and should’ve had intravenous anti biotics in hospital, that said I was prescribed a further course of antibiotics as the passing of urine aim stuck around and in the end it has completely cleared away. 

hope this helps. 

mathew 

User
Posted 25 Jul 2024 at 20:34

Good news that your UTI is now sorted. For peace of mind are they going to do another PSA test?

User
Posted 25 Jul 2024 at 21:05

Hi Chris

yes they are in a weeks time. 

thanks mathew 

User
Posted 26 Jul 2024 at 09:19

Hi all,

This is the first time posting here I am so glad I have found this community It has already answered so many of my questions—special thanks to all who participated in these particular posts.

I am 62 years old. For many years I suffered from chronic undiagnosed prostatitis. In 2017 a Urologist discovered it following scans and other tests. I was treated with a six-week course of antibiotics. I didn't get any more UTIs until 2022 when I started cycling a UTI returned. 

I was devastated I thought I had been cured. However, my doctor recommended a bike seat that took the pressure off the prostrate area. I continued cycling using my new seat without any problems. 

I recently returned to cycling after a few months off another UTI flared up but not as nasty as previous ones.

I was peeing a lot, stinging sensation, and generally feeling unwell. Antibiotics quickly dampened the infection.

I had a PSA test it was 7.3. The Dr listened to me concerning my symptoms, peeing a lot and, a burning sensation. Full bloods were done all good.

A prostrate examination was normal. Following the discussion, Dr mentioned that PSA results can give false readings, especially after an infection and or after vigorous exercise such as cycling.

The Dr recommended another PSA test in two months to monitor ensuring the next test is done without any cycling or vigorous exercise and clear of any UTI to give a more accurate result.

This was yesterday. I had a sleepless night anxiously thinking "Was this the correct course of action".?

Cheers,

Paul.

 

 

 

User
Posted 26 Jul 2024 at 10:32

Hello Bassy,

You can't get a useful PSA test result (unless it's in the hundreds) if you have prosatitis or a UTI, so hopefully the new test result will be a useful one.

Repeated UTIs in men are often caused by incomplete voiding - not emptying your bladder when you pee. The residual left behind acts as a reservoir to retain bacteria, and allow them to build up to UTI levels. UTIs can cause bacterial prostatitis (and the other way around). You should have a flow test and a bladder scan done. This will probably require a referral to hospital - while a few GPs may be able to do a bladder scan (ultrasound scan to check how empty your bladder is after having done a pee), they won't have a uroflowmeter.

User
Posted 26 Jul 2024 at 11:16
Hi Andy,

Many thanks for this quick response it has been much appreciated.

In 2017 I had a full MRI and ultrasound scans. My bladder did empty as standard. The Urologist described my prostatitis as a smoldering fire damped by a course of antibiotics then a few months later reigniting. A course of six weeks of antibiotics prevented (PUTTING OUT THE FIRE COMPLETELY)these debilitating UTIs for about 5-6 years. I have had a further 2 UTIs in the last 18 months much less frequent and not as nasty.

A search through the community has calmed my fears of waiting two months for my next PSA. It was also made clear that the recent result I had of 7.3 may be unreliable due to cycling and a UTI.

It looks like I will just have to be patient wait and hope my next PSA is a good one.

 
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