Setback

5 weeks post-op. I was going to do my first PSA today. But you may recall I haven't been feeling well. I blamed some discomfort on manual manipulation yesterday. But:

Since Sunday, not feeling well:

Bladder discomfort/burning while filling up, relieved by urination.

Feels irritated.

Feeling slightly ill with sporadic queasiness/loss of energy.

No fever.

Incontinence was improving and now its worsened.

Went to Dr. today

Urine test revealed red cells and some white cells. COULD be a bladder infection.

He will be culturing the urine. He put me on cipro until the culture comes back in 2-3 days. If nothing is found, we may drop the cipro.

I was going to do my first post-op PSA today, but doctor is unsure if I should.

Should I wait? I have a call in to Ford and I'll be relaying the above information and see what they say. I do not need an artificially high PSA as my first data point! But without a prostate, it might not matter.

Mel

My feeling is if you want consistent, comparable PSA results you should be as consistent as possible.

I do know that I had to wait a week after I finished the Cipro when the Doc was trying to rule out prostatitis. I have no data on the effect of Cipro on PSA reading.

Why not wait until this mess is finished? That way you can rule out a variable when you are comparing your 6 week and your 3 month results.
Jeff

Not feeling well and totally bummed out about all of this.

I'm flat out depressed.

Still awaiting call from Ford to see what they say.

Mel

Good luck Mel, get ready to write a book on the journey as you are your own witness this is not an easy trip.
Cipro is powerful and should do the trick on infection or such.

Best to you!!

Only advise I can offer is once you start on the antibotics (regardless of which one) always complete the entire regime even if you start feeling better. Otherwise the infection could come back and then the drug won't be as effective. Of course this is if your culture is positive. Otherwise, follow the doctors advise. In your case, for peace of mind, wait until you feel better before taking your next psa test.

One more thing...make sure that your current illness isn't from psa anxiety. I know you have been overly anxious about the upcoming psa test, and the body can do some really strange things when the anxiety is that high. Try to relax...that may actually be the best medicine right now if your culture comes back clear.

I'd also wait to do the PSA. You have an infection, and taking drugs as well, who knows what effect that might have on PSA. Would the toxins in your blood or the drugs confuse the sensitive PSA test? I'll bet there has not been much research done on these topics. Even a marginal rise in PSA over what it might otherwise be would cause you concern.

So, I'd wait for full health -- get well soon.

LV:

I don't think this illness is from PSA Anxiety, although it's possible

. I definitely have been feeling sick and additionally the urine test today did reveal red cells (blood, probably normal given the surgery) and white cells (small number compared to the red, but probably a low-grade infection).

I have queasiness, nausea, and little energy along with bladder discomfort/burning. Looking at the totality of symptoms/lab results, I have a UTI.

This is lousy timing.

I am just so frustrated with all of this.

I'm hoping the drug kicks in soon. I am supposed to be back at work in a week.

Mel

I've got to agree with David. There is no point having a PSA test early after surgery. A decent interval has to pass to allow all residual PSA to be eliminated so a true post surgery result is obtained ......... usually about 8 weeks. Having an early test (with a falling PSA) may deliver a detectable result which could cause unnessarsary worry (and I'm an advocate of ultrasensitive testing). On the infection front as I said before I developed one within days of the catheter being removed ......... caused me quite a bit of grief I'll tell you. But it was easily resolved with a course of antibiotics. My G.P. at the time wasn't at all surprised saying that the bladder and urinary tract was virtually open to the outside world with an ideal path to developing such infections. Wishing you a quick recovery Mel.
Bill