Awaiting 1 year PSA results

Been a while since I posted, but I'm a daily lurker. Just had blood drawn yesterday for my one year PSA, have had zeros so far, but with my high PSA when diagnosed I'm on pins and needles every time I await results. From the info I've been able to gather, having a PSA over 27 seemed to make it a foregone conclusion that the cancer had left the prostate and was spreading. My doctor is somewhat surprised that I've had as many zeros as I have to this point, and frankly, so am I, but I'm also very grateful.

On the ED front, I'm starting to see a small reaction from oral meds, but nothing near usable. I've tried trimix, up to a dose of .5, and all I get is a slight "plumping" that lasts 20 mins or so and goes away. I'm really hesitant to use a higher dose, but was wondering if anyone else needs a dose that high or higher?

Best Wishes to all my PC brothers

Ralph

Good luck on awaiting your one year PSA, trust me, we all understand PSA anixety. Hope you stay in the zero club for a long time ahead.

david in sc

Greetings, Ralph.  I'm now at the 18 month point and still get some PSA anxiety when I go to have my blood drawn.  I used to get it the week prior then the day prior and now I only seem to get it as I go to the doc's office to have the blood drawn.  As I have said before, I am grateful that my doc gives immediate (almost) results for cancer patients so I only have to wait 20 minutes but that can be a nerve wracking 20 minutes. 

Glad your results are great so far and we'll look forward to hearing you received another big zero when you get your results.  Hang in there!  David

Ralph,
Good luck. I hope you get a good fat zero. PSA anxiety is unavoidable no matter what your original PSA your pathology report was. We learn to live with it and enjoy it when we get a zero.

The years test is a big milestone on the road and I join the other guys in wishing you another zero, followed by a lifetime of them...

PSA test results were .014. Previously, test results were to the nearest 100th, but this one was to the thousandth, don't know if that is in the ultrasensitive test category or not. Have an appt next Monday with the Doc to discuss the results, needless to say, I'm worried.

I suspect radiation will be in my future, but I'll have to cross that bridge when I get to it.

Ralph

gunner, IF you are reporting the test results correct, that's a third generation test, which goes to thousands. That is a good result, think of it as the same as a .01 second generation result or a less than .1 first generation result. Said another way, my doc say the second gen. test is accurate only down to .04, so yours is much lower than that.. Zero's all around for you, no matter how you look at it.

I would check to see if you are injecting correctly. .5 sounds more like a dose of bimix. I started using bimix about 6 months out. Took about 10 injections to figure out how to get good results every time. I get the best results at .5cc. Bimix and trimix bypass the normal path for erections and work for just about everybody. Just a thought.

Ralph,
Are you saying that your trimix injection is .5 cl or .5 ml? I started with 1 ml dosage and had to go up to 3ml dosage to get a good erection that lasts almost 2 hours. I'm starting to decrease the dosage to see how low I can go especially since I use the VED with a ring before I inject myself. I keep the ring on for about 3-5 minutes then I take the ring off.

I was at the Urologist/Surgeon's office last week for my one-year follow-up visit, including the PSA test.  The test result was 0.0 (as were the prior 3) and the Urologist has repeated told me he doesn't report anything more than that because he and the hospital/university don't think there's value in doing that.  All of my testing has been done in the same laboratory, using the same methods/procedures/protocol.  If you research the test result matter you'll come across many comments that test results often vary depending upon the laboratories/protocols used - so some of the comparisons guys make are apples-to-oranges.  It's a very frustrating situation for the guys who get these conflicting, seemingly elevated, test results.  Maybe your variances are due to different testing protocol, maybe not.  I've decided not to push my medical advisors to the point where I'm looking for the results down to the "nth" degree.  Each of us finds our own comfort level and I'm personally satisfied where I'm at in that process at the moment.  Best wishes for a healthy and happy future. 

I would agree that you are in good shape. I have my blood drawn and wait for the results. It is a long 20 minutes. I believe someone posted our problem a long time ago here. P.I.S.S. "PSA Interval Stress Syndrome".

I would take deep breath and feel good about myself!