I just received a PSA result and i'm so worried

As you stated it could be several non cancerous reasons for the increase including an outlier test that was not accurate. Likely a repeat test will be first. It could be cancer but you have several more tests ahead of you before that could be diagnosed including the MpMRI and then if necessary a biopsy. Even if cancer is detected from the biopsy depending on the pathology Gleason score the cancer could still be considered a low, intermediate or advanced grade. I have seen high PIRADS score from an MpMRI come back benign so even MRI results that might concern you are not what they turn out at Biopsy. Regardless the diagnosis of prostate cancer is a long journey with years and years typically. I feel blessed it was the cancer I was diagnosed with as you can read over and over of all the patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, or stomach, esophageal, brain, colon, etc. and pass very quickly. You would be here a long time, many years even with the diagnosis. I know it is easy to say don’t worry, but keep any diagnosis in perspective as what many others have knowing that current patients getting diagnosis of prostate cancers are getting treatments not even around not that long ago that someone only received in a clinical trial. 

I feel you're all way more courageous and optimistic than I am. So far I have only an elevated PSA result and I'm panicking :(

Sadly, I have no family or close friends to help me through this.

Sadly, I have no family or close friends to help me through this

I'm sorry to hear that.  With the news of a raised PSA level your stress levels can go through the roof.  Mine was 3.9 at the first test and 4.84 at the next one just six weeks later. Pretty low, but the rise had me worrying. Coming here reassured me that it was not something to worry about until other tests had been done. 

I'm lucky to have a very supportive wife, family and friends around me. Since the process started there has been a change in people I have told, even people I just meet while out dog walking. They have more empathy, a little more time, that bit of support. Not sympathy, genuinely well meant interest in you.

Even though you say you have no family or close friends,  no man is an island. There are people near to you who will come good if you need them. 

And you have a big circle if friends here, we all know the fear and worry that problems with this tiny gland can generate in a man. But we also know the great support that can come from people you never thought would be there for you.

It's early days, try not to get too ahead of the game, take things one step at a time and keep on talking to people, either here or real world. 

Mick 

Edited by member 26 Nov 2024 at 06:21  | Reason: Amended mistake

Some good news (after a stressful week):

I'm back from my first appointment with the urologist: prostate is a bit big, but DRE is normal.

Next step will be another PSA test in a few weeks and if still high an MRI.

But not during a DRE. 😲

Joking apart. Good luck with your next test, psainfo. 

It's a roller coaster ride we are all on, some days it's up, others its down.

The next PSA test is your focus for now, waiting for the result will be an anxious time.  For my part the initial test was just part of a routine health check. So there was no worry. The follow up blood test was just to show the first was a blip, so again I wasn't even waiting for the result. In that respect I've been lucky, very little anxiety.

I think there are a few things that can elevate your PSA on the day of the test, I was certainly told not to masturbate or do heavy exercise before the blood test but others here might know more.

Just take it one test at a time, no need to set your hair on fire before you need to. 

Mick 

Use this site, it what we all do, share stories,  give advice, everyone has different  experiences. 

Once you have a biopsy,  you will know and you can take it from there. 

I found  my biopsy painless, 17 cores, drove my self home..

Results were not what  I wanted ,gleason  (3+4) but onto the next stage. 

I'm not being flippant,  but there is bugger all you can do about if it is PC  it's treatable , yes you get side effects,  for me it's insomnia, 2-3hours sleep  aday, but I'm still working,  and getting  out and about . As I said one step at a time, my experience  is nothing  moves fast, but somehow it does get done.

As I said just post your questions,  someone will have had similar  experiences,  and can advice you what worked  for them.

Chin up, just hang in their.

Hi,

It is true that DRE was normal and, that day, I thought it was really good news (more likely BPH than cancer). But reading more (https://prostatecanceruk.org/about-us/news-and-views/2023/03/dre-aren-t-good-at-catching-prostate-cancer-early), it seems that DRE can miss a lot of cancers.

I know that the treatments are effective in curing the person, especially if caught early. I'm more afraid about what will happen afterwards: What will I still be able to do? What will I no longer be able to do? What about pain? Permanently? For how long? (you say it yourself, it took your husband from June to December to be continent again).

I hope so too, but as I am already an anxious person in everyday life, this is pushing me to the edge. 

Thank you for your reply and please say Hi to your husband for me.

Edited by member 09 Dec 2024 at 00:50  | Reason: Not specified

Just to add to the above post about people having positive experiences not posting.

I had a PSA of 3.9 completely out of the blue on a routine health check. The second test six weeks later was 4.8.

That triggered an MRI scan which found two lesions the lickert score being 4 out of 5.

That led to a transrectal biopsy a couple of weeks ago.

I managed not to get too scared about what might come next if the results of the biopsy were bad. I did try to prepare myself for bad news because things did look quite bleak from my point of view; significantly worse than your single raised PSA result.

But I didn't dwell on how a cancer diagnosis and treatment would affect my life. There simply is no point in doing so until you have confirmation of cancer being present. 

I understand you saying you are a worrier but you really are not doing yourself any favours by looking too far into the future, to things that may never happen. Your second PSA test may be below the threshold, an MRI scan may show no issues with your prostate,  a biopsy may find no cancer, even if it does the cancer may be one that can be treated or even not require treatment at all.

When my letter arrived this morning with the results of my biopsy it simply said no sign of cancer had been found and that I was being discharged. 

I was obviously relieved, but can you imagine how I would have felt if I had expended so much emotional energy on worrying needlessly.

Many people have advised you to try and take a step back, see what has happened and deal with it rationally. Please try to take on board what they are saying, you really do not need to torture yourself at this stage of the game. Stop looking at the nasty experiences of others and reading too much into your psa score. 

There's a way to go yet before things get really stressful, so do yourself a big favour and save your energy for if things develop. But there is more of a chance that this will be nothing, really the numbers are on your side.

The urologist find that the PSA is still too high for my age (especially relative to the normal value 2 years ago), so:

- a new PSA test at the end of January

- an MRI in February-March

 which means 3 months to keep worrying...

Thank you for your reply,

The urologist feels the PSA is not high enough to do a biopsy right away.

He wants to wait 6 weeks before doing another PSA test (3rd one); as for the MRI, I could decide to pay (about 1000$) and do it in a private clinic or wait until February-March and do it at the hospital.