Surprised by a high reading

I would suggest that in a way they are both correct.
Example: I have two different labs running my regular PSA tests. They just happen to use the same system ( Roche Cobas ) but their numbers do vary. 6.47 to 6.01 1.83 to 2.03 1.3 to 1.0
You can not compare the numbers from different labs and certainly not from different systems of analysis.
Go to one lab/hospital, or two if you like but keep the numbers independent of each other.

Roger

The man with one watch always knows the time, but the man with two is never quite sure

Some labs only go down to .1 anything lower is expressed as <.1

To be honest I have not taken much notice about my PSA just had it checked when I remembered it, being nearly 74 years old my thinking is there will not be much I would do if it went up, but when it went up that much it got me to thinking bad things, now after thinking about it I will go back to having my PSA checked just 1 time every 12 months like I used to do

I used to freak when I saw my PSA rise at low levels after my surgery. Since then I've adopted the Que será, será attitude. In fact, I just assume it's going to rise and BCR. When it doesn't (or even goes lower) I say a little prayer and put it out of my mind for another 3-6 months. It's done wonders for my psyche. It just doesn't pop into my mind unannounced like it used to or wake me up at 4:30am from a nice sleep.

My plan is already in place. If it does rise I wait until it hits .1 or higher - then I go to talk to a RO. And I don't pull the trigger until I see a definite trend upward with no backfill.

Everybody handles their stuff differently. I actually had to train myself to cultivate an attitude change. If I can squeeze another 15 years out of this life, I'll be happy.

Colin,
I spend a fair amount of time in my job providing support to people by phone. I often encourage them not to do the things that are known to provoke their anxiety. I think I would say the same to you.😉

Colin. You want to know what I think I would do with that.? I think I would ask. I would ask any doctor that knows, (and I mean specialists, not gp’s) doctors that only know prostate cancer, not so much what they think I should do. But, if they’ve ever seen this before. I mean them personally, with your path?

My intention is to neither scare you nor to dismiss this. But Colin, I’m just unconvinced there is anything wrong with you. Part of the reason I believe I may feel that is, because of your pathology Colin. Like I said, I’m not dismissing your psa. No. That’s coming from somewhere. But, that pathology and you dying, or even getting sick from, prostate cancer, that just doesn’t compute in my head. You’ve had psa from DAY. ONE. And it’s been stable. But, the reality is there was never any real cancer in you Colin. Not the kind, nor the quantity, nor the path suggests to my bean headed way of looking at anything that there’s any reason for it. That’s what would make me ask.

The one thing that I would be very hesitant to do would be to do anything, “yesterday”. What is wrong with you is not going to bite. It’s a sweet dog. It’s been loving and kind and benign it’s entire life. There’s just no reason to believe this dog is suddenly going to become something it’s not. I’d pet that dog. And I’d pet that dog, I think, by not getting another psa test for 3 mos. these tests are scaring that dog. There’s no reason to scare that dog anymore Colin. It’s a good dog.

I just don’t know that I would let anyone tell me different. But, I would maybe ask. If for no other reason than for the sake of curiosity.

But that dog does not deserve to have another test thrown at it anytime in the very near future.

Colin, I had a similar situation. My surgery was in Feb. 2009 and my PSA remained at <.01 for 8 years. At 9 years it came back .03, 3 month later, 0.29 and six m onth later .038. At 10 years it was .009. My doctor claims that all tests were done at the same lab using the UPSA. I'm 77 years old now so I'm just going to ignore it.

you were "upgraded" to G6? i'd get tested again and maybe again in six months at the same place. getting tested at different labs is begging for trouble.