psa level

 hi, everyone i'm 55 healthy good shape pretty active, and last month after my annual physical my doc referred me to a urologist be cause my psa was 5.21 last year it was 3.59 and the year b4 that it was 2.94 the urologist performed a dre and told me that my prostate was not hard but one side was larger than the other he then ordered another psa and it came back 4.80 (I know about refraining from sex  b4 the test my first doc told me) anyway I've got an ultrasound scheduled next week and probably a  biopsy after that. I thought I could put this out of my mind until I knew everything but if i'm not doing something it pops back into my head. anyway just wondering if any of you had a similar experience with pos results. thanks for reading and any comments.  

River runner , ask urologist about infection , a biopsy is not that big a deal, in my view. You certainly need to have the rising trend and the relatively hi number checked , as you are. I had a biopsy without any antibiotics, and it didn't bother me that the Uro didn't check for infection. Mine was positive for cancer. I had it treated to my satisfaction and have had no unmanageable problems since. Im actually fitter now than pre surgery and was very fit then. Keep your mind and body strong……, especially the mind cause it controls the body if you train it so. Take care. ps. I failed the dre with nodule, but 3 years before a gp said my dre felt normal, but 1 side but was asymmetrical. don't worry if you have cancer, it it is caught early hopefully and will be cured. off subject have you ever paddle board'ed a river run with a standup paddle board?

A biopsy is the only thing that can tell if you have cancer that I am aware of. PSA rise is from something.

Take the time to do some research about different treatment options if it's found you do have PCa.  I just found out myself, and am going through the various consultations with the different types of doctors.  The one thing I've found is that information, confusing as it can be sometimes, is reassuring.  There might be decisions to be made in your future, but you will make them, don't let someone else make your decision for you.  Best of luck, I hope they find nothing.  If they do, arm yourself with knowledge, people can and do beat this thing!

Mike

It's definitely worth checking for infection. You state that you are sure that you don't have one but we're not talking about an STD type of infection here. A round of antibiotics maybe all you need. Your uro can Rx them for you. With numbers as low as yours, I would start at the bottom, i. e. infection, and work my way up to a biopsy which has its own set of risks. I see lots of younger guys get scared by their Dr. into rushing things, please don't do that. You have plenty of time for OA . . . Q

hi again and thanks, my ultrasound is tomorrow and then results 1 week from tomorrow. my uro asked me if I thought I had any infections I told him I didn't think so I've been feeling good. I never even knew my psa before. I guess what has had me concerned is the raise of over a pointe a year for the last 2 yrs. and my old internist would always tell me that my prostate was small and soft (usually not what a guy likes to hear but with the tone of his voice I figured that it was a good thing) and my urologist now tells me one side is enlarged, as far as the waiting I've gotten used to it. and I've taken advice from 1 response that said it is what it is. besides my wife kids and grandchildren are all in great health what else can a guy want? 

Too right mate!

well I guess I'm the first my ultrasound was done by a tech in my urologist's office  not my urologist (I thought it would be done by him) didn't see him today, I've an appointment with him next Wednesday he pretty much told me last week that if my psa was still high they would biopsy even if the ultrasound looked normal, so i'm sure i'll be scheduled for that the week after. quincy17 mentioned  risks with the biopsy what are they?

thanks

Try to relax and simply go with what your urologist recommends. I had a biopsy UNDER SEDATION and that was just like a nice nap...didn't feel a thing. So perhaps you may ask to get sedated. And even if you don't get sedated, it is really not that bad. As many have stated, it could be just an infection or it could be a combination of things. A steady rise warrants further investigation for sure. The only way to sort things out is to have a biopsy. My ultrasound came back negative, however I had very mild cancer once the biopsy was done. Only 1 core positive out of 12 taken. Unfortunately, 1 negative biopsy does not rule out prostate cancer. My biopsy could have easily missed it. In your favor is the fact that your PSA numbers are indeed low and even if it comes back positive, you surely caught things early. My PSA's showed a stedy increase from my first test at age 50 (1.5). It went up to 1.7, then 1.9, then to 1.7, then to 2.2, then to 2.5. Antibiotics brought it down to 2.2. Then 2.5, 2.6. 2.5 and finally to 3.3. At 3.3 I had the biopsy and then daVinci surgury (2 years ago). I also watched my free PSA and it was when that dropped to 21% I got worried.

We all go thru the worry stage and we all try to keep busy while we wait for results. It is amazing how much work I actually got done during my "waiting stage"....all of the stuff that I had been putting off for years. BUT JUST REMEMBER, you have many "forks in the road" and you may "get off" before taking our route of having PCa. And again, even if they find cancer treatment is not really that bad. Most of us fully recover. I totally freaked out when my biospy came back positive. But in a matter of a few months, I am totaly normal and rarely think about it anymore! I am considered cured (98%), have total urinary control have no ED. Life can indeed be very good after PCa. But try not to worry at this point. I have not "sugar coated" things and we all hope that you get great results! Good luck.

Bill K. from NJ

Age 58, PSA 3.3, free PSA 21%, Biopsy 1/12 +, 30% of that 1 core, Gleason 7
daVinci 7/ 2011, Gleason downgraded to 3+3=6, 10% involvement, contained. Total immediate urine control. all PSA's since <0.015, no ED since month 15. No pills needed now!

hi and again thanks for the advice about a sedative I didn't want to sound like a baby but I was already thinking about it, I know I've settled in since this whole thing came and I've been staying busy with the break in weather with yard work and getting the boats ready. I had to do a bisacodyl fleet enema 2 hrs previous to my appt

i'll probably have to do it again. I thing i'm learning is to check your dignity and modesty at the door. 

carl