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Posted 12/11/2013 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all,

I am actually not a newcomer to Healing Well but I am a newcomer to this particular forum. I have been posting my progress after my Nissan surgery in the GERD column. Glad to say that I am healing as expected in regards to my digestive issues; however, I have been having an problems with my prostrate for 2 yrs now.

Background: 43 yrs old and in excellent condition. I am an avid jogger and watch what I eat. I have had 2 flare-ups with my prostrate over the past 2 yrs. My symptoms include not being able to empty bladder, pain, sense of blockage, restricted urine flow, urgency, etc. The first occurrence was a 1 yr ago and was treated with antibiotics and peridiem. That seemed to do the trick. This second occurrence started 30 days ago. My urologist has had me on two different antibiotics for 30 days and uroxatral. No change except an ease in pain due to the uroxatral. My urologist has performed a digital rectum exam and then she actually pressed on my prostrate until fluid came out the front end. She took a sample of the fluid but I have no idea what she is testing for?

Question: What testing procedure should I ask my urologist to perform? PSA? I am very worried about cancer. Any words of wisdom are welcome.

Rob

Posted 12/11/2013 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
Howdy Tx Man,

Welcome to the forum. All of the symptoms you describe sound like an infection and when your urologist took the sample of your prostate fluid she was almost certainly looking to do a survey looking for the bug youv'e caught. Prostate infections can be hard to treat with antibiotic sometimes and if she can figure out what you've got she will have a better handle on how to treat you.

Once she has dealt with the infection you might suggest a PSA. Since the infection can cause an elevated PSA reading it really won't tell you anything you don't already know at this point.

It's fairly unlikely that you have prostate cancer but, since you are having recurrent prostate infections it would be good to keep an eye on things.

Glad to hear that you Nissan is working out well for you. I've been really pleased with the results of mine.
Posted 12/11/2013 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
Actually surprising she hasn't already ( long ago ) done PSA blood test. That's very basic 1st step.
Posted 12/11/2013 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Rob,
Sorry you need to be talking to us. Sounds like your Uro is heading down the right path. Like Peter said, the odds of you having PC are very low. Infection and BPH are more likely the cause of your symptoms. PC tends to have no symptoms.

Once you get this infection cleared up, do get a baseline PSA - just in case. Likely you've never need it but best to have it on record. PSA isn't a measure of PC but it can be used to figure out when you need to get a biopsy.

If there is history of PC in your family, you might want to get an annual PSA test and DRE just to keep an eye on things.

Andrew
Posted 12/11/2013 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with PDA that she is looking for a pathogen in your prostatic fluid. You have all the classic symptoms of prostatitis, especially the pain that went away with the uroxatral. (Prostate cancer, by contrast, is typically symptomless or very minor urinary symptoms until later stages.) Most prostatitis is not amenable to antibiotic therapy, unfortunately, and has to be treated symptomatically.

PSA will tell you nothing useful at this point (I'm sure it's elevated), and I think she is right not to take it.
Posted 12/11/2013 9:30 PM (GMT 0)
I had similar symptoms at age 58 and it was Dxed as BPH after I had a cystoscopy. I was put on tamsulosin and then finasteride which reduced the symptoms and shrunk prostate. Did she say if your prostate was enlarged? For your age it would be unusual for an enlarged prostate and very unusual to have PCa. I also assume you've had a PSA test, no? My PSA was never higher than .6 when I had BPH, but it started to rise which resulted in Biopsy. The rest is history as they say.
Bob
___________________________________________________
DOB January 1944
1981: prostatitis
2000-2013 BPH treated with finasteride & tamsulosin; low T treated with androgel
PSA History:
Pre 2009 0.4-.6
11/2011 2.2
8/2012 2.7
2/2103 5.5
4/2013 6.1
5/2013 6.6
11/1 2013 0.1

6/2013 Bx:PCa Gleason 4+4=8 (Bostwick), 4+5= 9(Johns Hopkins), 2/6 cores, 10%, 40%, DRE neg. (Stage PT1c)
7/2013: bone scan and pelvic MRI negative for mets.
9/7/13 open nerves sparing RRP, Johns Hopkins, Ted Schaeffer MD PhD.
9/9/2013 Pathology: 33G, SVI, EPE and 4mm pos. margin at base (Gl7), Stage PT3bN0M0)
9/20/2013 Foley and staples removed
currently: one pad per day for security, ED (pre-op and post op)
Watchful waiting until next PSA Feb 1, 2014
Posted 12/11/2013 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks so much for everyone that replied! I have been worried sick about this because my doc has told me so little. You guys have really put my mind at ease. I feel like an elephant has been taken off my shoulders.

I will keep listening to my doc and following her lead. Looks like this problem will have to run its course.

I am a 20 yr vet like many of you but I do not want to use the VA system since there are so many of us that are having financial difficulties. As long as I have private health insurance, I would like to keep the appointment lines open for fellow vets to use. Thanks again for all your assistance.

Rob
Posted 12/12/2013 4:08 AM (GMT 0)
I had Pc but my urinary symptoms, which were similar, were caused by a growth or nub impinging into the urethra, discovered during an ultrasound ordered by the radiation oncologist during the treatment planning stage.

I had no idea I had an enlarged prostate, cancer or this nub thing, point being, could be more than one reason for your symptoms, most likely of the benign variety
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