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2 and a half years undetectable and uro-in-training wants to do DRE!

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Posted 4/21/2014 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
So last week I had my 2 and a half year visit with my uro/surgeon, which BTW was a voluntary visit for PSA results. He told me at my previous visit that I could start coming in at yearly intervals, but I decided to come back in 6 months to make sure I remained undetectable, which is exactly how it turned out. So now I'll be doing it yearly. But, since Tulane medical Center is a teaching hospital, I always get a visit from one of the uro trainees (don't know the correct title) before my regular guy comes in. The rookie doc asks the usual questions, and then starts to reach for the glove and KY and says he'd like to do an exam. I asked him if that was necessary because I've had ZERO PSA results since the DaVinci. He finally said I really don't have to do it considering my PSA scores. The guy just wanted to practice on me and since there were at least a dozen other guys in the waiting room I figured he'd have plenty of other orifices to train on.
Would you other undetectable guys have done the same thing?
Posted 4/21/2014 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
And what exactly would they be feeling for? An errant golf ball?

IF I had a prostrate and he had small fingers I might be consider it for.... No on second thought I wouldn't.

Cheers, Doug
Posted 4/21/2014 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
I'd tell the rookie that I paid dearly for the right not to have somebody stick a finger in me like that any more. Let him think about it.
Posted 4/21/2014 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
I'm about 3 years undetectable after salvage radiation done after my DaVinchi surgery. The urologist does do a DRE during my semi-annual visits (I actually went a year this last time before going in; my choice not his). I asked why the DRE still and he replied something on the order of checking for damage or abnormalities (possibly other tumors growing without releasing much psa or from the radiation). I haven't asked for more detail since I'm happy to leave asap afterwards.

Take care,
Jake
Posted 4/21/2014 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
You have a conscientious uro, and you should thank him. As Jakester pointed out, your prostate may be gone, but the DRE can find other abnormalities before they become a big problem. My uro feels that skipping the DRE is medical carelessness or laziness.
Posted 4/21/2014 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
my surgeon recently offered me one. I declined. At first I was surprised like you are but then some veterans here advised exactly what Clock advised above.
Posted 4/21/2014 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
My boyfriend's doctor (Dr. Samadi) always does one post surgery. He said if there is a local recurrence in the area, he can feel ridges from the cancer. So he says, that is another diagnostic tool for him. We roll with it. Assume he knows best.
Posted 4/21/2014 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
Guys & Gals,
Lol--the VA in Madison, Wi shares the same building as UW which is a teaching hospital. Prior to having a biopsy I was prepared with a bedsheet waiting on the Surgeon..The PN came in and asked me if some "visiting nurses" could feel a rock hard prostate. Since the PN was getting a divorce and had a great personality I said yes and let 5 or 6 pretty nurses "feel" me.

If my pcp had preformed a dre when my psa doubled I probably wouldn't be here now. After radiation my RO performs a dre at every appointment; at the last, he stated that my prostate is flat and smooth and he couldn't feel the ece. With an undetectable psa and his long finger--he's 6'4"--that's as good as it gets. Not surprisingly, the VA currently does not recommend screening with psa OR with dre. Not if, but when, symptoms develop these means may be used but that's for diagnostic purposes; for these men harms can be minimized with no reduction in benefits if active treatment is targeted to men with psa values of 10 or more or those with high risk disease. To me that means no biopsy unless the psa value is 10 or more!
That's a hell of a way to treat our veterans and a march to Washington might be appropriate. Dr Catalona, Tony Las Vegas, my USToo chapter, PHEN, and others to include Jerry have been provided copies. Can you blame me for not getting angry????
Bill idea
Posted 4/21/2014 9:25 PM (GMT 0)
NolaVette,

Hey, nice to see another New Orleanian here, I live in Laplace and work downtown for LSUHSC. I had my robotic surgery at Touro this past November.

BTW, I drive a BMW Z3.
Posted 4/21/2014 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Lapilot,

I lived in Laplace in the late 80s to early 90s and now I'm actually in Gretna for the past 15 years or so. I had my surgery at Tulane in New Orleans by Benjamin Lee. He had more than 950 Da Vincis when he did mine in Sept. 2011.

Steve
NolaVette
Posted 4/21/2014 10:21 PM (GMT 0)
I'd tell him only if he bought you dinner first smilewinkgrin

Seriously, my uro gives me one to check for bumps or changes from the last time in. He says sometimes they can "feel" potential problems before it shows up with the PSA. It helps reassure me that I truly am OK.

Tom
Posted 4/21/2014 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
A DRE after treatment is normal. My oncologist (Scholz) said I need a DRE every year and I'm 5 years out.
Posted 4/21/2014 10:43 PM (GMT 0)
hell no. tell the doctor to let the trainee practice on him.

ed
Posted 4/21/2014 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
I still--sigh--get the DREs done. Same reasons as someone posted above.
Posted 4/22/2014 12:40 AM (GMT 0)
I have had severe DRE's post surgery ,and I am over 5 years out. However, since I have both failed surgery and failed radiation, the DRE's are justified, because the doctor wants to make sure that nothing is growing back. Without my prostate, the DRE's are not painful, still humiliating and degrading, lol, but that's the least of my worries.

I am more thankful, that I can never, ever have a catheter pushed up through my penis, because of my Urostomy and detached bladder. With all the perm. scar damage in my bladder neck, its physically impossible to have a catheter inserted. Yeah on that one.

David
Posted 4/22/2014 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
My uro does a DRE (I am post surgery, SRT, and HT) about once a year.

Mel

Posted 4/22/2014 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
Guess they're not looking for errant golf balls then.

Cheers, Doug
Posted 4/22/2014 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
Actually, my uro doc is a very gifted surgeon and a pretty good guy to boot. He's very thorough and I won't be surprised at all if he wants to do a DRE at my one year visit and thereafter, for all the reasons mentioned. It really does make sense.

Some days I just don't feel like dealing with the newbies.
Posted 4/22/2014 8:29 PM (GMT 0)
As others have said, there are medical reasons for it. And, is one finger up your butt really that bothersome? It's not like an endorectal MRI, which was definitely not fun.

For all of the tests and pains that we have been through, "man up" and endure the DRE. Make sure the doctor is using lube. And really, if this is the most uncomfortable thing or most annoying thing you have to deal with, be thankful!
Posted 4/22/2014 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
My radiologist insists on the ol feel up. Figure it can't hurt anything, and it reassures me that sucker is really gone.

Come on Steve, let the guy get some practice time in.

Goodlife
Posted 4/22/2014 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
my uro does a DRE every time he gives me my PSA results. I'm not letting a trainee get in any practice. today I had my annual physical and my longtime GP grabbed the KY and was getting ready to snap on the gloves and I told him.....whoa partner!

now if you like getting extra DREs that's your business cool

ed
Posted 4/23/2014 1:41 AM (GMT 0)
OK...The Yeas outnumber the Nays so, a year from now when I go back for my next PSA results visit I'll let the guy do it. One of the reasons I don't care for the DRE is I hate to have wipe all the goop off when he finishes. I don't relish the idea of wiping my ass while another guy is in the room.
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