Scared to death

I wasn't even going to ask!!!

Psatko

Well I am going to be the only nay sayer. When I was diagnosed ten years ago, concern started when psa reached 4.0 OR if it went up more than .75 in a calendar year. My cardiologist was taking my psa blood work but was not monitoring it that closely. So we waited too long before biopsy and horse was out of the barn- I was T3a. Ouch. If I were you, I would get re-tested by a good, knowledgable urologist.

Well, with that last reading, methinks you don't have cancer. Just a hunch.
Still I'd get one or more of the advanced tests to be safe, as October said, you don't want to get caught short. Not talking about a biopsy, but blood and urine. Free PSA, PCa3, or PHI which I don't know much about, but is supposed to be way better than a PSA test.

Can't hurt.

Hey, you're 54 years old...you already know, then, that you have >50% probability of having at least some small, yet detectable strand of prostate cancer. That's your starting point. Go looking hard for it and you are sure to find it. It's probably the small harmless kind...most are. The thing you want to be smart about to is not overreacting by rushing out to get "overtreated" for some of the harmless stuff. We have actually had a national epidemic of prostate cancer overtreatment...guys getting treatments causing life-changing side effects when they really needed no treatment at all. Don't be one of those guys...

Wise choice on retirement ...and I know its difficult...but get this pca crap out of your mind...I wish I could explain more why this is so important...but you need to come to grips with what kind of life you want for yourself and your family...one with this specter that is enjoying every bit of your angst...or that in which you know...but somehow can't trust......get off the site...live your life... and screw the suits here who think I am "horrible" for saying so"...I am not...Im giving you the best advise you have gotten in your life time...even they know that...and so does every one ...everyone... on this site...You could live the next 10 years with out this specter...then take a psa test...find you have metaastic cancer...take a few drugs....there wil be even better ones by then...and never die fro PCA...Damm I wish I could do a mind meld...but that would be wrong...cause a man has to take care of his own business...not tag along..to get along... My last post on this thread.... I am purple with passion on this one...happy easter...good friday is gone and dead...let the dead bury...... Ps there may be a bit of blah blah blow backs to this...put the wax in your ears or tie down to the mast...Im telling ya ...Im on to something here... no response required...I won't see it any way...the thread is dead to me...Good luck to you and your family...

BillyBob - you almost cost me another keyboard! These clicky keyboards do NOT like it whey I spew my coffee on them.

PSATKO:

Do you have a family history of PC? If so, keep an eye on it. I was diagnosed at 56 with a PSA of 3.1 and because of my family history (father and uncle) my doc recommended a biopsy and Bingo!

That was 4 years ago this week and have been scoring 0's ever since.

JM

PSATKO - I am definitely older than my keyboard! I just like the old-fashioned clicky-switch keyboards because they remind me of the teletype machines and electric typewriters I've used in the past. (I have also used manual typewriters, but that does tell my age.)

Actually, my current keyboard is only a couple of years old. I can still get the clicky ones from the company that purchased the patents from IBM some years ago. I can email you the link, if you wish.

PSATKO said...
Sure.... send me the link. I am very familiar with big blue. I am an IT manager and have dealt a lot with IBM Mainframes.

Ummm. . . I would but we are both so cautious that neither of us has our email address listed on this site. I don't have an "open" email - all of those I have would disclose information that does not need to be posted on this site. Do you have a secondary account?

(AFAIK, we are not supposed to mention business names on this site - especially if they are not related to PCa.)

Welcome....

I would say..take a DEEP breath and relax ( NOT easy to do..)

Get tested again in 6 months and watch for the spike / rise in the number. Also, in my case I made sure that from the beginning I was working with a very good Urologist who I TRUSTED and I decided I was going to listen too. I was on a 6 month testing regimen and that worked for me. Did you get a FreePSA test as well as a DRE?

-TC327

GO out have fun and enjoy the spring. If I were you, I wouldn't worry at all!

As I have told countless people in other counseling sessions. . . "There's nothing wrong until there's something wrong."

You need to keep watching this in an organized manner, but you do not need to do anything until something shows up on that routine screening.

We will now return you to your regularly scheduled life. . .

Hey Tony - When's the big day for your AUS? Sorry I don't recall off the top of my head. Coincidentally the title of this thread is "scared to death", which pretty much describes how I'm feeling right now about mine.

Good luck, as I know yours is soon, if not already done.