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Prostatitis or more sinister

Posted , 10 users are following.

tony96045
tony96045

Hi all, I'm a newbie here and I'm hoping that you fellow prostate sufferers can give me some guidance....I'll try and keep it short but there's a bit of background so forgive me. I'm 58 and first got my PSA checked out in 2006 when I was 48 and having some urinary problems....always having to look for toilets when out etc. PSA was 1.2 and I was told that this was OK.....symptoms never really went away but I learned to live with them. Fast forward 8 years to 2014 (age 56) and I'm now getting up regularly in the night....Go to Docs again...this time PSA 3.1.....Doc wants to refer me to hospital and I freaked a bit (probably stupidly....typical man burying my head in the sand)....Cut off for my age is 3.0 so I ask doc if I can agree to get tested every 6 months....she agrees....Have 3 more tests every one is 3.1...get complacent and leave it for 14 months...start to get a bit of regular backache so freak a bit and so get tested in June this year....surgery rings up following day and leaves a message on answerphone...please contact them (Uh Oh)...Its a Friday and by the time I see the message the surgery is closed....Sweat it out over the weekend....Monday staright on the phone....PSA is 7.5 (S**T)....Doc does a blood and urine test to rule out infection....Tests come back neg.....Now fast tracked to hospital referral (I was hoping they'd do the test again in case of error)...Whilst waiting as a control freak and obsessive I read up as much as I can on PC and come across prostatitis too....Just to gain back some control I read about free PSA and ring round to get a test....Find a clinic near Harley St....They'll do it but I also have to have a consultation with a urologist....(whatever it takes as I'm worried sicke by now)....Go to the west end to get my blood taken and then another trip the following day to consult with a very well known (if you mix in those circles, prof of urology).....Get my results from the nurse and in the intervening 2 weeks my PSA has dropped from 7.5 to 4.3 (different lab but even so)....Free PSA is 23%...The urologist spends 30 minutes with me.....then on my side....DRE and is pleased to tell me that I have a large prostate...hence the raised PSA and that in his opinion completely benign. I asked are you sure? His reply "don't worry I've felt thousands of prostates there is NO cancer".....I skipped out of there.

  Happy ending you'd think? Sadly it doesn't end there.....Get home to find I have 2 appointments with the hospital, one for a cystoscopy and one for a CT urogram (the paranoid mind takes over...what do they know)?....My wife makes me go ....Doctor doing the cystoscopy is rather brusque...try to explain about my PSA dropping he could care less....On the table trousers down....camera up the winkle.....5 minutes later he tell me "well you don't have bladder cancer"!!! WTF! I didn't think I did....fills out some paperwork says see the nurse and out the door.....The nurse reads the notes and says you need to go and book an MRI !   Jesus this is getting serious.....Go to book the MRI and when I go back to see the nurse she informs me that she has booked me for a biopsy...(I'm now really concerned)....Anyhow 2 weeks later I have had a cystoscopy (all tests clear) a CT Urogram (results go to consultant)  I've had the MRI.....But after reading "Invasion of the prostate snatchers" a great book I'd recommend for anyone with PCa or suspected PCa the authors talk about the ability of the 3T tesla MRI to pick up any "important" cancer in the prostate....with that in mind I ring my consultants secretary (I haven't met my consultant yet by the way) and explain my position regarding the lower PSA reading and 23% free PSA and ask if I can cancel the biopsy and see what the MRI throws up.....She rings back yesterday and says he agrees.....Now I'm thinking have I done the right thing.....Suppose I go for my meeting with him in a few weeks and he says we've seen something but because you were needle shy we don't know what it is....So more waiting and sweating and my bum still gets the needles......I'm really hoping that the PSA was raised by prostatitis and thats whats causing my current symptoms: ie lower back pain that moves around a bit....sometimes some groin pain, sometimes this is referred to the testicles, and sometimes a griping pain in the lower tummy.....Does this sound like prostatitis?    Anyone who can help me with the symptoms or answer any of my other concerns I'd be really obliged, as I'm really sweating now

   Sorry I've written a small novel, so if you stuck with it Well Done!

1 like, 33 replies

33 Replies

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  • WSAD-1056
    WSAD-1056 tony96045

    Posted

    Dear Tony96045,

    I shared and posted a detailed account on my PAE treatment procedure experience by Prof. Martins Pisco in Lisbon, Portugal on 07 July 2016. If you are interested have a look at it under the discussion forum.

    Best wishes,

    WSAD-1056

     

  • kenneth1955
    kenneth1955 tony96045

    Posted

    Tony.  To me it seams like they were doing a run around with you.  And also looking to make some money on you.  Done let them push you into surgery.  PSA can raise anytime not just if you have something wrong with your prostate.  When you had your blood checked it may have been something you ate or do you have any kind of sex.  Thea will give you a false reading.  They told you there was no cancer but they still want to do a biopsy.  Give me a break  Be careful with them Because there going to send you for a test and you may end up in surgery and lose your prostate  Ken
    • tony96045
      tony96045 kenneth1955

      Posted

      Hi Ken, Just to clear things up, I live in the UK and am under the National Health Service, therefore all my treatments are "free" (although of course anybody who pays tax actiually pays in a roundabout way)....It was my Private consultant (who does charge) who told me that all was good. The National Health Service have been very good to me really. They are the ones because of their rigid procedure who want to give me the biopsy there is no money in it for them

        Regards

            Tony

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 tony96045

      Posted

      That very good to know.  In the US it is a little diffrent.  But if you have been told that you are fine.  Why have a biopsy.  When I was 47 I was told I had cancer had to have the biopsy.  Had 13 needle push inside of the prostate.  I was out when they did it but when I woke up it hurt like hell to walk for a few days.  It turn out to be a bladder infection.  Never again.  I'm 60 and all is fine with me.  Had a Uro-life done a 1 1/2 ago My prostate lobes were pushing together.  My urologist could not get the scope in...  Just be careful what you do and get all the information you can....I still say if you are told your ok why do it...Take care and I hope you pick right  Ken

    • tony96045
      tony96045 kenneth1955

      Posted

      Hi Ken, My NHS Practitioner referred me to the hospital after my PSA rose in 14 months from my regular 3.1 to 7.5.....They have a fast track referral procedure (I think they saw the panic in my eyes and referred me  quickly)....whilst I was waiting for the appointment I did some research and read about the free PSA test....The NHS don't fund the free psa test so I went privately......this test came back lowered at 4.3 (so hopefully the rise caused by something else, although a urinary infection was ruled out by the NHS doctor) The private consultant said all good, and being a man I would have happily left it there,  but immediately after that I got my appointments from the hospital.....My wife insisted I go (because she is the sensible one)....I chose not to do the biopsy as I have had the 3T MRI and am now awaiting results......I feel that the NHS being a vast organisation just have procedures that they have to adhere to.....I'm sure that they don't want to waste money on unnecessary procedures, they just have their protocols

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 tony96045

      Posted

      I think you will be fine But please be careful.  Have a good day  Ken
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