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Posted 3/6/2014 9:03 PM (GMT 0)
1 month after surgery my psa was .02. Now, 4 months later it's .03. Still in the undetectable camp but I worry because of the thin margin in my pathology report. I think I read psa can go up after sexual activity, but that does that still apply after surgery? I'd really like to avoid HT, though I know it's part of the picture if I need salvage radiation later on. I'd just like to squash it now!!!
Posted 3/6/2014 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
Ultra sensitive tests can bounce around a bit. You have absolutely nothing to worry about at this point. Future PSA tests will show if there is an upward trend, but going from .02 to .03 is absolutely meaningless. I told my doctor to just tell me "undetectable" or not. I don't care about the numbers-- not worth stressing over.

Tom
Posted 3/6/2014 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
I fully agreed with Tom... .01 ...so marginal difference....

should'nt be worried about it.

Posted 3/6/2014 11:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hard as it may seem to do, relax a little about this. You are most definitely still in the undetectable range and may stay there for a long time. Save your anxiety for a time when you really need it.

For now just try to enjoy life a little more. This coming from a guy with a PSA of 92 before I started HT.

Sonny
Posted 3/6/2014 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
Also, remember that the 0.01 difference is between two rounded numbers. It could be your previous PSA was 0.0249 (rounds to 0.02) and your new one was 0.0250 (rounds to 0.03). All you know about your PSA progression is that the machine thought it had gone up and the amount it had gone up was more than zero and less than 0.01.

You really have no way of knowing that it went up in any way worth worrying about. If it goes up again then, maybe you can be slightly concerned.
Posted 3/6/2014 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
A negative margin is a negative margin is a negative margin. Penatration however slight is a violation of the code. UCMJ. There was no no penetration and there is no perfection in this paradigm. Now write that on the black/green board 100 times. "Go play, have fun." Shredder from original movie "Teenage mutant ninja turtles."
Posted 3/6/2014 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
Logo, laughing out loud at the UCMJ joke. Takes me back.


Rigby, I'm with the others. Try not to worry about the .01 change.
Posted 3/7/2014 12:46 AM (GMT 0)
Rigby-

Have a beer and celebrate your great scores. Those are all undetectable. Minor movement shouldn't be a concern at such low PSA scores.

-Gedman
Posted 3/7/2014 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
You are zero. Anything at .1 or lower is zero. Ultra sensitive readings do nothing but cause needless anxiety!
Posted 3/7/2014 4:58 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks all. I don't know the UCMJ joke but I wore a mutant ninja turtles t-shirt my youngest son gave to me until it wore out.
Posted 3/7/2014 5:41 AM (GMT 0)
"Thanks for the memories" Popularised by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross in the late 30's. Went on to be his theme song for the rest of his life. Thanks Bob and Shirley, " where ever you are. " Jimmy Durante, er ah,…...never mind….
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