New guy with questions

Hello to this great forum, I have been reading so much on here that is helping me with understanding of PC. I am wondering what you think I should do with my information in my signature? Do I need to worry, get a biopsy, wait for 6 months, or just learn all I can? I would appreciate any help that anyone could give.

Sorry you are here and having difficulty. I get "worry" and it is a wasted emotion! I find times of thinking worst case and then I get hope, etc. I like to ask myself two questions: what do and know and what do I think? It is the thinking that jams me up. Just the facts Ma'am! Hang in there! Denis

I am back again looking for some answers for those in the know. Recent checkup with GP in Feb and PSA was up to 4.96 and she sent me back to urologist again. Urologist did another PSA test with PSA 4.79 and Free 9.3 %. He said that if PSA came back high again he wanted me to do a a biopsy as he is confident that something is going on and wants to rule out cancer. I have scheduled the biopsy but not sure it needs to be done this quick? He has been my urologist for over 10 years so he knows my history as well as my father before he passed. I would appreciate any help for a confused man.

Tall I am sorry I forgot about it in all my confusion with him pushing for biopsy. All I have done since last posting on here was I got a copy of Patrick Walsh's book and read it cover to cover. Trying to educate myself on the subject. Although symptoms do not seem to be prostatitis now, just frequent trips to rest room and some mild pain going into left hip from groin. Small stream and dribbling main issues. If understand correctly he could tell me my prostate size from the biopsy which would also help as I no idea how large it is. Just not sure the 2 flomax pills a day is doing the job anymore. I think the jump from the 3.65 and free 10.4 going to 4.79 and free going down to 9.3 is why he wants it done now since it was 6 months apart with the tests.

Ron.....welcome to HW.....buddy, you gotta have the biopsy man. I'm sorry. I don't like tellin' people stuff they wanna hear. You've been carrying this around and studying this stuff for over 6 mos.....and if you've read Walsh's book.....you know more than 90 percent of the men who'll ever get prostate cancer.

Worrying about this...and getting different opinions....taking urine tests to figure out if you should take more blood tests to find out if you should have more tests...is gonna keep you in this...and...will tell you nothing...and.is just going to keep you where you are....in the dark. You don't wanna live in the dark. Lived there most of my life....and alot here have...and me more than most...it's not where you wanna be.

Follow you doctor's advice. FWIW.....it sounds to me as if you have a good one. He's gone further than most.....to keep from having to stick ya.

Hang in there buddy. You probably don't even have cancer. And if you do...as you've learned....it's probably slow growing and a relatively benign cancer....as cancer's go.

Take care Ron....and definitely let us know how things turn out.

Peace...and Peace to everyone..

I agree with island time, you should get the biopsy. I had 4 of them in 3 years, and honestly they were no big deal. I was very happy to be put to sleep for the procedure and woken when it was done. Never had any real pain or complications, and it does provide some good info...
Hope all goes well for you.

Ron...the hightest my PSA ever got was in the low 3 range and my biopsy results proved Gleason 3+3's and a 3+4 in 5 of 14 cores.

Getting a biopsy is a good idea, and if you can get a mp3T-MRI to fusion guide it, even better.

Good luck.

My PSA went from 2.54 to 3.04. Biopsy indicated 6 and 7.
Low PSA does not mean cancer is not present...
Get the biopsy. You will either be left with peace of mind or know you have something to deal with.
Either way, it's better to know.

Hello Ron. I thing your Uro is being pretty diligent. The biopsy process isn't bad. I was just numbed. And I know first hand PSA's can be all over the place.

Ron-- I'm pretty much in the same boat. The comments here helped push me to take the plunge and get the biopsy. (04/03) Better to know than keep one's head in the sand. I'll watch for your results. My email is in my profile if you want to PM.

Ron - I've been watching your journey lately. It is not that different than my own - my uro and I watched PSA and DRE's for years until my PSA went over 5. Then we went to biopsy and the rest is down there in my signature.

One point to cover with your uro. You said that he would "numb you" for the biopsy. There are different meanings for "numbing." Some just use a topical lidocaine to numb the surface. Just a bit better than nothing. I had that for my marker placement prior to radiation, and the procedure was not fun. My biopsy, on the other hand, was really a big non-issue. My uro used a peri-prostatic nerve block, which consists of a couple of scientifically-placed injections of lidocaine, into the nerves of the prostate. With this procedure, I felt literally nothing! So, ask your uro if he is using a nerve block, and if not, ask if he can. It makes all the difference in the world.

I reread my procedure notes. I was given 10 ml of 1% lidocaine injected around the prostate for a prostate block. I was fine with this.

Hello again, just a short update as to let everyone know whats going on. Had the dreaded biopsy yesterday and to my surprise if was not near as bad as I was thinking. Nurse showed me the device to take the samples and let me hear the noise it made so I would not be surprised and that helped as I would probably jumped if she had not. All is well right now, waiting on the results and going back to work out of town again Sunday afternoon. I heard her tell the Dr. my prostate size was 53 so I assume that is a little large for my age of 54. Thanks for all the help and I will update again once I get a biopsy report in 2 weeks.
Thanks
Ron