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Biopsy Now or Wait???

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Posted 6/26/2014 8:08 PM (GMT 0)

May God Bless all of you!  My husband is scheduled for biopsy in July and I want him to wait til Sept. because he has a trip planned end of August.  I want him to enjoy his trip!  His PSA was 4.7 in April, 4.5 in June.  Urologist said prostate enlarged on one side and abnormally hard (lumpy) on the other.  His only symptom is frequent urination day and night (3x or so at night).  My husband is 58, african/american, very healthy.  Dr didn't give us much info, just about procedure and asked if we questions about that.  My head is spinning with all the research I've been doing.  I was hoping to get some direction as to questions for the dr, if the biopsy can wait 2 months, any guidance is greatly appreciated!  Thank You in advance!  Stay strong & God Bless!  A Loving scared wife.

Posted 6/26/2014 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Loving, scared wife,

Welcome to the forum. Sorry you have worries but glad you found us. I hope we can help.

I'm afraid I can't get behind your plan to have him wait three months for that biopsy. As a 58 year old African/American with an abnormal DRE he just has too many risk factors. Waiting might be a bad idea.

Instead, you should let him get the biopsy and no matter what the result bring him back here. We'll get him calmed down, tell him a few jokes, and let him go off on his trip in August knowing that things are being dealt with.

Where's he going in August?
Posted 6/26/2014 9:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I concur with Peter, go ahead and get the biopsy so you know what you may or may not have to deal with. You have found the forum which genuinely cares about its members and will do its best to give the absolute best advice.

Posted 6/26/2014 10:17 PM (GMT 0)
Youme,

Yes, it would be advisable for your husband to get a biopsy. Other then the snap rubber band feel during each shot of the biopsy gun, it was bad. I didn't have any pain afterwards and was able to return to work without any problems. The only spooky outcome (pun not intended) was the bloody red semen which turned brownish after a week or two and finally returned to normal in three or four weeks.

For me getting the biopsy took the doubts and worries away somewhat even though it confirmed cancer. Please it gives you more additional time to research all of the varies alternatives for a potential cure.
Posted 6/26/2014 10:24 PM (GMT 0)
PSA velocity is the major indicator of a potential problem. What was his PSA over the last few years? If it has increased suddenly a bx is indicated. The bx is not a big deal at all. His symptoms could be BPH or PCa. The anxiety of waiting and worrying may ruin your trip just as much as having a bx and finding PCa unfortunately. PCa is slow growing. IMHO waiting two months is not a problem.
Bob
Posted 6/26/2014 10:57 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to HW, sorry you need to be here.

The biopsy won't interfere with your vacation plans. He'll be in and out of the doc's office in a couple of hours and there is nothing that requires a lot of recovery or limiting activities.

Even if they find the worst, it often takes a couple of months to finish the testing and scheduling the treatments.

Andrew
Posted 6/27/2014 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
I am usually the last person to recommend an early biopsy, but I have to join the chorus in your husband's case. The lumpy prostate on one side, frequent urination, and being African-American put him at risk for more virulent disease, which may be treatable if caught early enough. I hope it turns out to be something innocuous.

- Allen
Posted 6/27/2014 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
The guys are correct..Don't wait on this one, the stakes are too high..
Posted 6/27/2014 2:48 AM (GMT 0)
Same here, just get 'er done. He should mostly be over the Bx before your trip. If the results are good, then you are good to go. If not, then you really ought to get the ball rolling right now. Like Break60 said, the not knowing anxiety will mess with your trip anyway. Just get 'er done!
Good luck and God bless!
Bill
Posted 6/27/2014 7:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hi fellows. Please calm down and don't dramatise things. First I would like to say that, the PSA being around 4.5, with obviously little velocity, YouMe's husband will have ample time for more diagnosis and treatment. Success of eventual treatment will will not depend on a few months sooner or later that he decides on a biopsy. Furher, biopsy ist a nasty and risky procedure as the needle pierces a dozen times from dirty bowels into a highly sensitive area. There is always a risk of sepsis, in rare cases even death. I had my biopsy 14 years ago, PSA at the time being 8.9 and I would never get it done on me again. Friend of mine almost died from sepsis. There are other ways of scinning a cat. Also , the likely outcome of a biopsy will change their life for ever. This may be inevitable but I wouldn't suggest that they rush into it.
All the best to YouMe and husband. Reinardo
Posted 6/27/2014 7:41 AM (GMT 0)
I would favour getting the biopsy earlier rather than later. I had 2 biopsys , with no dire consequences. The 2nd which turned out positive was 3 weeks before i went on vacation, with the PCA diagnosed 1 week before we went. I felt better for knowing what my symptoms were caused by, and had the reassurance I had what was supposed to be a very treatable form of the disease.

I would push for an MRI scan prior to the biopsy. This was supposed to happen for me, but the doc only discovered that he was supposed to do this 3 hours before my biopsy, and was unable to get hold of me in time. Had this been done, I would have had the added reassurance that the PCA was contained in the prostate (or at least that is what every body thought until my PSA bounced directly after surgery)
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