Why did I ask for a psa test???

Hi Dave 

I'm sorry that you've got prostate problems,  but welcome to the forum.

PSA is only an indicator. You are about double what is deemed 'normal' for someone your age. Elevated PSA can be caused by other non cancerous prostate conditions. However, it is wise to make further tests. Have you been refered to urology?

After 8 weeks of waiting I finally have an MRI scan on 2nd October.. Piece of P*ss so no worries there... The only thing is it now makes this all seam so Real. Still feel great mainly due to increase in fitness levels and deliberate healthy weight loss diet,, Anyway as I said before if it wasn't for an off the cuff ask for a PSA test to be added to my normal 6 monthly Bloods MOT I would be enjoying a normal life none the wiser. I hope the wee nurse who took my normal bloods did'nt get into trouble with practice manager. I get the distinct immpression they don't encorage OLD duffers asking for the PSA Test..
Anyway I already have the diagnoses as the young doctor who stuck his finger up my bum and linked this in with a PSA of 12.1 told me that it was 100% CANCER NO IF's OR BUTS and as I left the surgery he patted me on the back and for some unknow said he was SORRY?.
Anyway got home and popped some Boz Scaggs on Spotify with a nice double expresso.
The hospital said I had to have an up to date kidney blood test (which I had aready had with my MOT a month earlier which of course was normal. When I booked the bloods the nurse must have spotted my ancient age of 75 (birthday 2 or 3 weeks past). She actually asked if I had an email address. She did'nt ask for my email .... She asked if I had one.. Ageism who knows.
Anyhoo rambled on to much for now so lets see if after 2nd October I step aboard the NHS runaway train.....
All the best to one all and which ever the stage your at............ Dave C.

Edited by member 19 Sep 2025 at 11:21  | Reason: Not specified

Anyway finger up the rear and he said it was a bit enlarged but probably just an age thing. Again no mention of a PSA test which would have given me a base line in 2015.. It would have been good to compare then and now.

Anyway MRI then I will see what happens after its done...

Cheers Dave

If it had'nt been for the telly adds I would'nt have thought about asking for the test. To be honest I did'nt really know what or where the prostate was.

I've done a hell of a lot of research over the last couple of months and think I might do pretty well as my Specialist Subject on Mastermind.

I hope your brother gets through this and comes out the other end.

Anyway I've had a couple of Colonoscopies and two Sigy's so the MRI and probable biopsie will be no problem..

IT's the side effects of treatment that bothers me the most.... Still I should have no problem with future conversations with any treatment teams and off course my ultimate decision...

Good to talk with you and best wishes.. Dave

Hi Dave.

Perhaps he was apologising for not cutting his finger nails. 😁

I've just be watching the Sopranos. The ruthless Mafia boss, Tony Soprano, was having erectile dysfunction. Someone suggested that he should have his prostate checked.

" I don't even allow anyone to wag a finger in my face.", he retorted.

Joking apart mate, DREs are notoriously unreliable. Best of luck tomorrow with your scan.🤞

Edited by member 01 Oct 2025 at 18:12  | Reason: Typo

I've just googled it.

Steven Van Zandt played Silvio Dante in the Sopranos and Frank Tagliano in Lilyhammer. I watched that as well, it was brilliant! 😁

Well the start of my journey was a bundle of laughs. My state of the art MRI Scanner was located outside in what appeared to be the arse end of aTeso's delivery wagon. No room to swing a cat as we used to say. Anyhoo after settling down on the scanners bed the operator was not sure I would fit in the tube, Now i'm not a skinny fellow but nowhere near the girth of Fatty Arbuckle. So with my arms tight to my sides he managed  to get the bed to slide forward. Before this he had to put in a cannula in my arm to fill my veins with contrast dye or maybe Quink Ink. OK you've guessed it he could'nt easily find a vein so in the end I had to show him myself. Really I'm not making this up.

So the MRI begins and I was told that it would done in 30-40 minutes. The clunking and clanging wasn't so bad and I actually dozed of a few times with strange dreams. Might have had something to do with the Fluid pumping through my veins. Obviously I could'nt take my watch because of the metal casing and strap but I thought to myself this well past 40 mins. Just then the chap operating the machine popped his head in the scanner and told me my leg had moved a little and he would have repeat part of the Scan. 5 or 10 minutes he said. Was in the Tube for approx. 90 minutes in total and by this time my arms and back had almost seized up. He took the cannula out and told me to get up. With a struggle I managed to do this and glanced at my puncture wound which looked like a scene from the Texas Chain Saw massacre. 

I definately told him I was on Blood Thinning Tablets😆.  I left my temporary Prison watching both operators mopping up the blood🤣.

His parting shot was "you should get your results within the next 3 or 4 weeks.. I've been off alcohol for around 3 years but seriously considering treating myself and my Liver to good bottle of malt🙏😃

Mine was transperineal, I don't think I was given the choice. I can say that it was a very interesting and surreal experience. It could, of course be the ultimate humiliation for a man, that's the worry, having nice lady nurses and doc playing the golden shot with your never regions BUT, BUT they do this all the time and they do their best to put you at ease. And, I wonder as you are up there in Scotland, whether they might let you wear your sporran to help you cover up your bits! Seriously though, I liken the experience as being almost like going to the dentist for a filling. In short, if/when I have to have it done again although not something I would relish or look forward to, it wouldn't actually be anything that I'd worry about (but I might invest in a sporran if I have to go again).

Good luck

Spongebob

Hi Dave, sorry to hear you’re on this journey. Mine was December 24/January 25. Anyway, this included an up the bum biopsy. I really was worried, but needn’t have been. Similar position to the DRE, but a piece of kit instead of a finger, and lasts a bit longer while they get the samples. Very uncomfortable, yes, but not painful was my experience. You’ll just hear the clicks each time they take one.

All the best with the procedure and the results.

Norman

One interesting piece of info I gleaned from the chat was I he noted down T2b from my MRI results which I hadn't be aware of before.

AS most of us know T2b is generally described as located in just one lobe. I think the B means more than half. My prostate was around normal size so the nodule area would likely take up more than half. Also usually CONTAINED which is great news if correct.

So into the side cubicle. Little nurse (who thought I was Mr. Gifford) said drop your pants and joggers, not necessary in that order? Keep your top and socks on if you like!!.

Lay on the left side, legs up to chest and as she said BUM to the edge of the bed. She said that bit more the once.

So out of nowhere the secretary come Consultant appeared with a prod and staple gun brandised in the air like John Wayne.. I'll be taking around 12 cores from the suspicious area and should done in a few minutes, He was right 8 minutes I counted. Virtually painless. Just a couple of pricks. Mentally thinking of ANT and DEC at that point. Got dressed (pants 1st then joggers) and the consultant had resumed is position behind his desk and proudly showed me 2 pots which contained small parts of body which had been with me for 75 years. Forgot to say I had one tablet before the procedure and another to be taken at 9pm.

Now a 5 hour plus wait for the Bone scan with a radio active injection at 11.30. I got the fright of my life in the gents toilet as the lighting was like Ultra Violet. I thought it was ME... I had to check the disabled toilet which thankfully was normal white light.

Anyway it was around 2pm and I had consumed around 2 and a half ltrs. of water and had no urge to pee. But to me relief just before my Scan I started I started to produce urine and very quickly a couple more toilet visit before the Scan. The scan was dead easy although I had an annoying itch inside my hooter and obviously could'nt move to scratch it. I was also needing to wee again. However 30 mins later I was saying Bye Bye to what looked like the command centre of NASA. Computer screens everywhere and nurses wandering around looking at the info on the screens. Bit like my local GP who seems to be more interested in the PC screen rather than me the patient. Strange Days Indeed as John Lennon sang on Double Fantasty..

By this time the Sun was setting through the Scotch Mist and we decided to head home to the comfort of our own home and bed. 49 quid down the drained but hey hoo its only money. Just to finish I was up around 8 times during the night with the urge to pee so I suppose it was a small price to pay for a lovely day out at Aberdeen Royal,

Many thanks for the two replies.. Love and Peace Dave...

Cheers Dave

Cheers Dave

Hi, Dave.

Good luck for Tuesday, mate. Please keep us updated.👍

The thing is I do'nt for definate know if my (2) leasons are cancerous. I'm not daft I know it's 99.9% certain.

So 62 days guidance from Urgent referal to first treatment. Just last week Ninny John Swinney our disasterous muppet leader tried to claim waiting times were coming down!!

Anyhoo lets see what Wednesday brings. Probably two feet of Snow.

Happy Christmas Dave

Hey everyone, brand new on here. Like others, I thought, at 77, I should probably get a PSA test since my last check up was about 20 years ago. Bear in mind, fit, active, sporty physique, non smoker, non drinker, vegetarian for 15 years. Then I get a phone call from doctor saying PSA was 306. Got phone call from urology dept of local hospital next day and have appointment next week. Anyone ever had that a high a reading. I've taken another test because apparently 70% are false-positive so hoping they meant 3.6. I'll find out next week the result of the second PSA.

Edited by member 14 Dec 2025 at 17:32  | Reason: Typo

So biopsy results and Plan to Cure🤨 Ha Ha!.. Anyway very nice Lady Consultant who does private as well as NHS. My consult would have been £240 private with the same person. 😀

So to cut a long story short, as with everything in the NHS a Plan was prepared. 

Gleason Score started OK with the first figure of 3 BUT it was followed with a 5. (3+5 = 8). This was due to the T3a with the more aggresive little Sh*ts trying to make an escape through the wall.  Her words not mine "lets kick it's butt).. Now this is what I did'nt want to hear. 3 years of ADT with 20 fractions IMRT. Anyway she said if things go well then I could decide to reduce the ADT time frame.  I dont have any problem with the RAD. Just did'nt banked on the ADT and certainly not for 3 flipping years..

Any personal stories regarding ADT side effects would be most welcome. 

Starting Tablets with for 3 weeks and then a jab 3 monthly. Think it's Lupron.. 

Will put this off to just after Christmas..   Merry Christmas (again) to one and all.

Hi again, Dave.

I'm sorry that your biopsy results weren't as good as we'd hoped for.

I was younger than you, 66 years old, when I was given a revised diagnosis, the same as yours, Gleason 8 (3+5), T3a staging. I was given the choice of surgery or RT/HT. I had RARP which confirmed the staging and upgraded the Gleason score to 9 (4+5).

Fortunately, almost three years later, my PSA has been 'undetectable'

We're you give the option of surgery, mate? Or did your age (75 years) or other health issues preclude that option?

Edited by member 19 Dec 2025 at 13:14  | Reason: Additional text

I am at the beginning of my prostate journey - recent PSA result was 306 which I now know is off the scale so why do I feel so healthy? I'm 77, slim, fit, active (still play 5 a side footie), non smoker, non drinker, vegetarian  diet. Of course, this sparked MRI, bone scan, more blood tests and possible biopsy (not something I would 100% trust tbh, too invasive and potentially harmful later with side effects and possible spreading of cancer cells that may have been safely sealed inside my prostate). Hoping the MRI and bone scan are enough for treatment to be given. Also hoping doctors listen to my reservations and respect my view, as I get the feeling that they tend to press ahead with the usual tests just because that's what they've always done. Am I wrong to be cautious and question the biopsy and to take things slowly if need be? Cheers

Edited by member 21 Dec 2025 at 14:50  | Reason: Typo errors