PHYS ASST CALLED--WANTS FRIEND TO RETAKE ULTRA PSA--

A quick update on my good friend's high post surgical ultra PSA-- (Which he corrected me--was higher than a .41..it was a ..- .42 )-

He had taken the test,,,week ago from today--4/23- and he took the re-test...past Friday (he just told me this) hoping...maybe in the first draw--coulda been an error..or maybe...the 4 day wait--coulda cleared more of the PSA--he should hear very soon- hoping for the best--who knows..maybe in the 4 day interim..it went down..to like below a .- .04...or even . 03--- one never knows...

Anyone have any experience with a second blood draw...even after 4 days....??
Hopefully--it'll be lower..

Any thoughts..?

By 3 months, he had already cleared any PSA from the surgery - the half-life is only 2-3 days. By then, PSA due to benign tissue left behind should be gone as well. Lab errors do happen, so the confirmation is a good idea. If confirmed, he should see a radiation oncologist.

Tall Allen said...
By 3 months, he had already cleared any PSA from the surgery - the half-life is only 2-3 days. By then, PSA due to benign tissue left behind should be gone as well. Lab errors do happen, so the confirmation is a good idea. If confirmed, he should see a radiation oncologist.

TA---what is the number (at the least) he should be "happy" with..?
Like..how about..like a change of 50%....where he goes to ...say .21...? Or a .05..or so...?
Just curious...

A PSA of 0.4 is called "Persistent PSA" (after surgery) and it means the surgeon did not remove all his cancer or perhaps left behind some prostate tissue...In a perfect world, it should be "undetectable" usually written <0.2 or <0.02

I hope I am wrong as do others...the thing really in play here is that there really is not that much information provided on your friend...as TA...more diplomatically than I...referred to....I really do believe that lab tests are more reliable than studies...they are right...much more often ... and less contradicting...much more scientifical and and ezy to verify than studies... With so few data points on your friend you will not be able to get many different thoughts than provided...its like reading tea leaves without data....Hang in there...I could be as wrong as I am right...I'mjust a guy on the internet like the rest of the blokes..tho with a "strange " strange about him...BTW I like your writing style...retests are normal...I just feel they are inherently much more accurate than is considered here...by some...the hope I was referring to is reference a "saying"...I suppose cynical..."hope is a good breakfast but a lousy dinner{supper}...which I should have countered{apologies for that} with "Hope springs eternal"...and ...guess what...its spring...this hemisphere at least...I Hope that your friend has a great breakfast and supper...ps for those that say I am comparing apples to oranges{lab tests/... studies} I say you create your divisions of understandings and I will create my union...cause and effect is as gone as one universe and the flat earth...hang around a bit and you will see that "truth"

logoslidat said...
Without any more information...i'm saying the lab test is correct...I'm sorry but retests are a methodology for hope for supper{imo}...skip the jump...follow TA's advice...yeh...yeh I know it might be wrong{the lab results i.e}....bada boom...bada bing...lab errors do happen...but other then leaving the< off which ain't THAT big a deal as it is easily tracked down with a little effort...the reliability of lab tests imo have more credibility than... dare I say...nope ain't gonna do it...you awreddy figured it out

Well- OK..here goes. Friend told me he should be getting retest results today.
He is 'hoping' (& praying)- that there was a lab error & that his ultra PSA goes from, what is was .42- down to --HE wants to see--BELOW a .1 ---- Man- in FOUR days- from a .42 to LESS than a .1- That may be expecting a...LOT !

When he calls me-I will let you know- Just curious if you feel/think he is being "unrealistic" hoping for a
drop from .42- to LESS than a .1--(Like a .08....or something..?? )--& ALL in FOUR DAYS ...???????----------- I dunno...The Phys asst..WANTS
a re test soo...who knows-
Any thoughts from anyone here -? A precipitous drop from....42 to LESS than a .1- in such a short time span .-

Curious -again- any comments --is he having "unrealistic Expectations"..?
W*

logoslidat said...
Without any more information...i'm saying the lab test is correct...I'm sorry but retests are a methodology for hope for supper{imo}...skip the jump...follow TA's advice...yeh...yeh I know it might be wrong{the lab results i.e}....bada boom...bada bing...lab errors do happen...but other then leaving the< off which ain't THAT big a deal as it is easily tracked down with a little effort...the reliability of lab tests imo have more credibility than... dare I say...nope ain't gonna do it...you awreddy figured it out

Well, he called me- ! The surgeon's Phys Asst called- the first ultra PSA (Which both the surgeon & she felt was not correct - .42 )--- was NOT correct ! -

The updated PSA was- get this..- .02 - Wow !
Friend said the surgeon said--this was "Very good"....! (And he felt the surgery went well)---

And- of course- no R/O (Radiation) is necessary - I was very pleased & happy- (as--of course was my buddy)...& I would assume- some people here..right? That was one...helluva "Swing",,,,in 4 days--! Hell- From .42...to .02- Wonder what the explanation is..?

PS--To Logoslat- good thing you are not in Vegas...! THIS "Lab Test" was NOT so ..reliable !

END OF STORY--- to all--
W*

Now-"Logoslidat"...& few others "bada boom".."Bada bing"....let's hear the others telling him..why...he should STILL see a RO,....in spite of what the professionals said !

Tall Allen said...
0.02 is good! I'm sure that's a big relief for him. No need to visit an RO with that.

PS - Did...you and logo... go to the same...grammar school... to learn how to... write??? Zap! Bang!

Hello.... TA--

LOL

No.not the same school...I THOUGHT I was the ONLY one who wrote using lots of ellipsis--(Except Nietzsche...also--! ) --in which case my HW name SHOULDA been...Friedrich !

Maybe I am his reincarnation....I'm an "Italian" guy-really into German lit & Philosophy...!
W*

PS--to TA...or anyone---(Not that anyone really knows--inc....Drs--)
What the hell happens....on these PSA blood tests...that create these strange numbers...AND...lots of anxiety in patients...? Did a tech hot a "4" instead of a "0"...in the first reading ( .42)...or...just the quirks of the tests...?

Post Edited (Wotan) : 5/1/2018 6:20:12 PM (GMT-6)

O heilige Schmach, Wotan! Great news; how awful what you had to go through to get it, though.

There's nothing I hate more about this journey than PSA testing, even though I should be thankful it allowed fairly early detection of my PCa. It feels like we're at its mercy for many treatment decisions, and yet so many things can go wrong with an individual test or a particular lab. We rely on thread-thin changes in uPSA that could have myriad insignificant causes. Which is why, I understand, we don't pull the trigger on treatment from just one test result but get a confirming test and look for trends. Still, psychologically, it's hard not to let oneself get beaten down by an individual scary number. I know PHI is an improvement for initial detection, but is any research going on to improve uPSA testing -- better machines, better lab protocols? -- or find better biomarkers for those already in treatment? (Calling TA...)

Tall Allen said...
Who knows? Contamination? Mislabeling? Typed in wrong?

I have a friend who I study philosophy with. I told her I didn't like Nietzsche based on what I'd read about him. She's a big fan. So we went through 3 books of his line by line. Some of it wasn't bad, some of it was contradictory, some was meh, some was based on his personal ahistorical history of the world, some was poorly thought out, and some showed brilliant leaps. When we got to Genealogy of Morals, I revolted - if I wanted fiction, I'd write it. I don't think quite as badly of him as I used to. I'm reading another German now - Eric Voegelin. He's a breath of fresh air.

After college...one summer in Germany- I met w a retired Philosophy Professor...& Nietzshe scholar,,in Munich--

His position--(& his followers)- was that most of Nietzshe's writings wee merely "poses"---& his true beliefs can only be read in his notes..kept by his sister- "The Will To Power"-

Anyway...people either really luv him..or can't stand him...!

BUT,....ONE aphorism..I really do like---he writes--

"My memory tells me..'I said that'....! My pride says..' I could NOT have said that ! Eventually...memory yields....! "

W*

And so Wotan...son of Natow...my last post about spring ran true...I'm glad I could change the dynamics...thanks for your faith....rolling and thunderous evil laugh...sorry...I shaved my goatee...a ploy...

Wotan said...
His position--(& his followers)- was that most of Nietzshe's writings wee merely "poses"---& his true beliefs can only be read in his notes..kept by his sister- "The Will To Power"

PDA said...
shooting arrows from all directions. Occasionally you hit something, mostly not.

You guys are saying pretty much what my study partner believes - that many of his aphorisms were purposely contradictory to fool his detractors, and that he felt his REAL audience (the German geniuses like himself) would know which are meant as true and which are meant as deception. Since I'm apparently not one of the cognoscenti, I was merely baffled.

She believes that his sister corrupted his work, rewriting it to suit the anti-Semitic political agenda of her husband and the ****s. She says that the sister forged the notes. Based on what I read, not much needed to be re-written.

Halbert,
Yes- very insightful- ! But, look at it this way-
Maybe there is a "common theme" between the "Lab Techs" & their "error' & Nietzsche --in that....it seems BOTH are
"open to interpretation"--LOL

Of course, the "Lab techs" cause more anxiety with their interpretations--!

Just a thought-
W*