HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Well,I'm back with a question

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/2/2017 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Guys,I was here around 4 years ago when I had rising PSA numbers.Everyone here was helpful and very knowledgeable.I really appreciated that.

Back then over a course of time I had 2 regular biopsies.Nothing found.A needle guided MRI biopsy which was inconclusive.2 PCA3 tests that were negative.Also a 30 core perineal biopsy which was negative.
These tests were done with two different urologist.In the last year,I went with a third urologist whose group practice is said to be number one in NJ with Da Vinci surgery.

I've been on Avodart for about 4 years and my numbers every 6 months were 1.7/1.9 range.3-4 blood tests ago,My PSA number even went down .2 in one test.
Mid Nov my number was 2.2 which was a .3 rise.My urologist said we'll test again in 3 months or so and see if the number rises.
I waited 5 months to get to Medicare and my test last week showed a 3.95.

This was the first time I took a Avodart pill about an hour before the blood test.I usually would take it at bedtime but I was having some trouble with sleep and read it could be the Avodart so I changed to a morning dose.I am sleeping better till I got these test results.

Would taking the Avodart right before the blood test that have any bearing on the PSA number?


I do have an appt with my urologist on 5/11.No doubt he'll want to do a biopsy.

Post Edited (Joe702) : 5/2/2017 7:41:07 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/2/2017 1:43 PM (GMT 0)
Joe
As far as I know it sometimes lowers PSA
Did your urologist know you're on this drug
Posted 5/2/2017 1:58 PM (GMT 0)
Yes,he does.
I know Avodart does lower PSA in half but I'm just hoping taking the Avodart right before the blood test for the first time may have an negative effect on the PSA number. smile
Posted 5/2/2017 2:00 PM (GMT 0)
If you normally take it daily, then I doubt it affect the result that much by taking an hour before. Mention it to the URO and they can account for it in their evaluation.

Andrew
Posted 5/2/2017 2:01 PM (GMT 0)
Ok,thanks for the replies.
I knew I was hopefully reaching but....
Posted 5/3/2017 2:39 AM (GMT 0)
Avodart lowers PSA slowly by shrinking the prostate, so no, it doesn't matter when you took the pill. But the fact that your PSA was normally in the 1.7-1.9 range and went down on one test to 0.2 may be a clue (if it wasn't a lab error - and assuming your last PSA wasn't a lab error). The thing that typically causes a see-saw pattern is prostatitis - perhaps you have some and it caused your PSA to increase suddenly. You can try waiting it out to see if it goes back down, or try some antibiotics (which usually doesn't do anything except make you resistant). Or you can go ahead with another biopsy, but if that doesn't detect any cancer, you're back to square one.
Posted 5/3/2017 10:48 AM (GMT 0)
The blood test before the test I just had on 4/27 did show a rise from 1.9 to 2.2.One test showed my number did go down .2 but that was 3-4 tests ago.I usually get tested every 6 months.

Around the time I went for my last blood test,I now remember I did have a period of urinating a lot for quite awhile.Especially after drinking a bottle of water.Every 15 minutes or so but it seemed plenty of urine each time.
The last few days not nearly as often.
Prostatitis?No other symptoms I can remember,though.

I was reading about this newer test called a PHI.


Is that test better than the standard PSA test?

Post Edited (Joe702) : 5/3/2017 4:51:23 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/3/2017 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't mention it to you because PHI is probably affected by Avodart. If used for tracking over time it probably won't matter, but it would be hard to know what cut-off to use. You could assume that the Avodart cut your PSA in half (which may not be right in your particular case), and inflate your PHI by 1.414 (the square root of 2), but there is a lot of guesstimating involved.
Posted 5/3/2017 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
Ok,thank you Tall Allen!

I'll ask my urologist about that test when I see him 5/11 and see what he thinks.
Initially,my PSA number when down just over 50% when I started taking Avodart.

Long term use of that drug concerns me.It did work well for growing hair which I like.
Posted 5/10/2017 3:33 PM (GMT 0)
Ok,just came back from my urologist.
I had a PCAA (PHI test?) or something blood test.A different test the the normal PSA.The office is also scheduling me for a MRI of the prostate.
I mentioned any chance I have Prostatitis because I pee often after drinking a half bottle of water.He mentioned coffee can trigger more urination.He asked if I had other symptoms and I said not really.He said he will have my urine checked for any bacteria.

We'll see what happens from here.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply