HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Welcome new member kajun2 -- asymmetrical prostate and low but rising PSA on proscar

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/2/2013 12:38 PM (GMT 0)
I had a DRE from my urologist a couple of days ago and he found my prostate was not symetrical it was larger on the left. I have been taking flomax and proscar for a long time. my PSA just came back and it is 1.2 it usually runs .9. he wants me to go in for a biopsy since he is concerned about both changing. I have suffered from BPH for years, I am 62. He did say he didn't feel any hard parts are lumps. The nurse said since I was on the medication my psa should not change
I am scared to death that I may have cancer

Gave your thread a title -- PeterDisAbelard

Post Edited By Moderator (PeterDisAbelard.) : 8/2/2013 8:28:30 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/2/2013 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome kajun. While an abnormal DRE is cause for concern, I sure don't see a change in PSA from 0.9 to 1.2 being a concern, unless I'm missing something?

Flomax and Proscar for the BPH is understandable and IMHO shouldn't be weighed in towards anything related to PCa - but I'm sure others with far more knowledge in this area will join in soon for you.
Posted 8/2/2013 2:09 PM (GMT 0)
That PSA is low. Could be a lot of things, I'd try to follow through on tests and to not worry yourself to death if possible. I know it's easier said than done.

I truly believed I wouldn't have it based on my age and numbers, freaked out for a few days once I found out I did, relaxed a bit once I understood how it was anything but a death sentence and planned. Then after all was said and then I'm back to exactly where I was pre treatment minus the dry orgasms. As long as the PSA doesn't come back it's a distant memory and I carry on without any side effects, just a greater appreciation of aging and how delicate life can be.

Hope to hear good news from you soon.
Posted 8/2/2013 3:00 PM (GMT 0)
Kajun,

The significance of the Proscar (as I dimly understand it) is that it lowers you PSA by about a factor of two. At 1.2 your PSA is lowish for a guy your age, but if you double it to 2.2 (allowing for the Proscar) ... it is still normalish. Nothing to panic over with your PSA value but it is worrisome that it went up. Did you urologist tell you the things you shouldn't do before you have your blood drawn -- sex, bicycling, bull-riding, getting a DRE? If you did any of that in the 48 hours prior to your PSA bloodwork that could explain the rise. It's easy to see a bump in the PSA and think it is a trend. Did he suggest a re-test to confirm?

All that said, a biopsy isn't a big deal -- more annoying than painful. I've had four of them.

And like DavidG said, prostate cancer is seldom as scary as it sounds. Even if your biopsy comes back positive it can often be watched, and most of the ones that do need to be fixed can be fixed, and only a very few cause real trouble.

We'll be here to talk you thought it. Welcome to the forum. Sorry you need to be here but gals you found us.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply