So, here is just a little about
me. I am 32 years old and have a bit of a problem. I am sorry, but I am afraid this is going to be long, however I really would love for you guys to stick with me because I am driving myself insane. I can admit to everyone here that I am a hypochondriac. Since I was probably 18 years old, I have convinced myself that I have had one thing after another. It is really very sad and I wish that I weren't this way, but I have been worried about
cancer or anyeurysm or heart attack or some other thing and it has led to a lot more trips to the doctor than I care to remember. Well I am having some issues now that have been ongoing for about
a year and a half and I just want you guys honest opinion here, but I just wanted you to know a little about
me before I go into this.
I used to work at a place when I was 17 up until I was 20 that required a lot of moving and stacking heavy boxes. Being a superman though, I never felt it necessary to wear a back harness or anything of that sort and I hurt my lower back several times. I would get this "twinge" at the lowest part of my back that would make me all numb and weak all over. Well ever since then I have been plagued with lower back problems. Occasionally I would do some kind of work, sometimes not even very strenuous, and I would have an attack where my lower back would hurt so bad it would keep me up at night, I wouldn't be able to bend over, and it would be terrible for a few days. Always it got better after a few days and I would be back to my old self. This was a definite problem and not one of my imagined ones, but I have dealt with it the best that I could. Most of the time I would be fine. Oh, and did I mention I have horrible posture and a desk job now? Not a good combination. I mentioned this part because it is important to my story.
In 2006 my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 58 years old. They went in to do surgery and found that it was very advanced and moved outside of the prostate and was growing up against his bladder. He went through several bouts of radiation and these days is not doing so good. He has several areas that it has metastatized (I probably mispelled that) to and although his PSA remains decently low since being on hormone therapy he pretty much lives on morphine pills to manage the pain. about a year after my father was diagnosed with PC, my uncle (Dad's brother) was also diagnosed with it, and I want to say that he was maybe 55 at the time. He was also treated with radiation and is on hormone therapy. He is doing a bit better than Dad I believe though because maybe his was less advanced when they found it. I believe both of theirs was a fairly aggressive cancer.
In mid 2008 I had some lower back pain that stuck with me and wouldn't go away. It was in the same area that I have had problems before, but it wouldn't get better. I had sciatica issues in my right leg and after a couple months or so I started worrying that it might be something else going on with my back. I started worrying that it might be PC since my father also had some lower back pain when he was diagnosed. Then I noticed that I was having to urinate more frequently that I used to. As a matter of fact, I started noticing and worrying that I was going too often and by August of 2008 I had an urge to go all the time...or at least that is how I explain it. I mean, just a few minutes after going I would have the feeling like I had to go again even though I didn't and couldn't get anything to come out. I went to my doctor who did a urinalysis and a DRE and said that everything looked fine. My prostate felt fine to him and he couldn't figure what could be causing it, but felt it might be a mild prostatitis and so he put me on some antibiotics. Well...I also have a problem with taking some antibiotics. Not that I am allergic, but I am scared to death of taking new kinds of medication because I am afraid of the side effects. Yes, there is something seriously wrong with me. I am surprised my wife hasn't divorced me by now. Anyway, I was convinced that it wasn't mild prostatitis and that I had prostate cancer and had to get myself to a urologist right away so I scheduled an appointment and went.
The urologist did pretty much the same thing; my DRE was negative, urinalysis was negative. He said if it was anything, probably a mild case of prostatitis and prescribed me some antibiotics and some little blue pills to help with the urge to go. I told him about my father and uncle's issues with PC and that I was afraid that might be it and he basically said that it was highly unlikely, that I was too young for PC (I was 30 at the time, nearly 31) and he couldn't see anything that would cause him to think it could be that. He asked if I was having to get up in the middle of the night to urinate and I wasn't. He asked how my urine stream was and I told him that it was normal. Long story short, I went back and forth to the urologist office several times after that when my course of antibiotics was up and I was still having the same problem and he said maybe it was a stricture and wanted to do a cytoscope. I couldn't bring myself to do the cytoscope so I left it at that with the urologist. He never discussed doing a PSA test but I really wanted one done for peace of mind because I was convinced that I had PC and was a nervous wreck. I went back to my general doctor and convinced him to do a PSA test for me to ease my mind. I was 31 years old and my PSA came back at .4 so he felt that everything was fine since the normal range is anything under 4.
I forgot to mention that in October of 2008 I was doing some serious work involving some lifting and moving of heavy stuff and I really hurt my back which had already been giving me problems. Since then I have calf muscle cramps all of the time and constant muscle spasms in my right calf. That has been an issue for well over a year now. Also, I am still worried about having PC. I still have to urinate more frequently that I think I should. I have the urge to go more often than I should, and a few times in the past couple of weeks i have woken up at night and had to go. I have convinced my doctor to let me have a followup PSA this week since it has been a year since my last one to see if I have had a rise in it. I know from past experience that your mind can do very strange things to your body. I have seen that first hand because I am truly a hypochondriac and can admit that, but it still doesn't help the fact that I have these issues going on and am having a difficult time telling if I am causing them or not. I definitely wish that I weren't this way but I just am and it's hard for people to understand...my grandfather is the same way so I think it must be genetic... Anyway, what do you guys think? Is a PSA of .4 at 31 years old something to worry about? Has anyone experienced anything like what I mentioned...about having not an urge to "go right now" to potty but just this sensation of maybe needing to go all the time? If nothing else, if there is anyone else left reading by now I really appreciate your taking the time to listen.