[2006] Hey Guys...anyone having prostate problems?/Merged

[rickandcindy23]

Anyone out there 50 or older or who has a family history of prostate cancer please do no miss a single year's check-up. I can promise you that if I survive this scare that I will not miss one again.

Ironically, my husband's father (now gone) had prostate cancer, which the doctors discovered when he was about 62 or so.

Rick's oldest brother had it and is now "cured." So Rick had a PSA check about exactly 2 weeks ago, and his number was very low, about what yours was 3 years ago. This is a warning for Rick to get tested next year again. As we all age, the time goes by much faster, and this is definitely true for us, now in our mid-fifties. I need to mark our newest calendar for next August.

Ronnie was about 60, when his PSA was through the roof. The seed therapy was awful for him. He is doing well, but it was a long road to get back to this point. He is now back at his music again, which is good for him.

 

[cgeidl]

Flomax Memory loss??

Have taken it but can't remember if it causes loss or not.

 

[Passepartout]

Have taken it but can't remember if it causes loss or not.

Flomax is now available as a generic (Tamsulosin) at very low cost. Memory loss is not listed as a side effect. Here is a link to the side effects: http://men.emedtv.com/tamsulosin/tamsulosin-side-effects.html

It is used to shrink the common enlargement of the prostate in many men. Has nothing to do with prostate cancer. Cancer can exist in 'normal' size prostate or an enlarged one at about the same rate.

If you can't remember, it'll likely to have another cause.

Jim Ricks

 

[AwayWeGo]

The Doctors Consider PSA "Velocity" As Much As The Actual PSA Numbers -- Or More.

I finally after prodding from my wife went 2 weeks ago. My PSA was 1.8 in 2008 so nothing to worry about. My PSA was 4.1 two weeks ago. Thanks to not getting an annual check up my Dr does not know whether my PSA increase has been gradual over 3 years (not much cause for concern), or fast growing during the last few months (great cause for concern). I knew better but the 1.8 three years ago lulled me into a false sense of security. By missing 3 years I have made the correct diagnosis harder if not impossible. Is it fast growing requiring aggressive action or simply a slow rising PSA that we simply need to wait and watch. We don't know because I don't have PSA results for the last 3 years. I see the urologist tomorrow to see how to proceed. Probably won't sleep too well tonight.

Anyone out there 50 or older or who has a family history of prostate cancer please do no miss a single year's check-up. I can promise you that if I survive this scare that I will not miss one again.

PSA tests started out with FDA approval only for use in judging the results of prostate cancer treatment after the fact. That is, if the patient's PSA numbers stayed low after surgery or radiation, etc., then the low number was taken as an indication that there was little chance recurrence or metastasis had happened.

Later, FDA OKd PSA testing to help diagnose prostate cancer, while cautioning that PSA numbers by themselves don't tell the whole story. Physical exam is still important. Ditto biopsy, depending on physical exam results & patient symptoms, etc.

My doctor was more alarmed by the rapid rise in my PSA numbers than by the actual PSA level. Reading of 3.9 at age 65 got me a re-test in 6 months. Big increase after just 6 months got me an appointment with the urologist -- & the rest is history.

Following radical prostatectomy in 2008, all my follow-up PSA tests have been at the "undetectable" level -- as good an indication as there is that all the cancer is gone, with little risk of recurrent or metastatic prostate cancer. They'll keep on doing periodic PSA tests on me, just to make sure. (Can't complain about that.)

In all, I feel like I dodged a bullet.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[bogey21]

My doctor was more alarmed by the rapid rise in my PSA numbers than by the actual PSA level. Reading of 3.9 at age 65 got me a re-test in 6 months. Big increase after just 6 months got me an appointment with the urologist -- & the rest is history.

My urologist is a big believer in PSA "doubling time". When mine jumped from something like 1.2 to 2.4 in six months about 10 years ago I immediately had biopsy of my prostate which confirmend prostate cancer. I was treated with radiation (both IMRT and HDR). Minor relapse about 5 years ago treated with partial cryosurgery (freezing part of prostate down to something like minus 140 degrees). Since then PSA has been essentially "undetectable".

George

 

[AwayWeGo]

Johns Hopkins Health Alerts.

Click here to sign up for free health E-Mail from Johns Hopkins, including information about prostate cancer & other prostate ailments.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[tombo]

PIn all, I feel like I dodged a bullet.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

I hope I can dodge that bullet too.

Urologist not making it sound good. I aksed him what are the odds that I have cancer. He said that with a PSA of 4.1 at age 65 he would normally say that it was probably about a 30% chance it was cancer. With me having a PSA over 4 at my age and with family history (father had prostate cancer) he would guess my odds of having cancer are much higher. Not what I was hoping to hear.

Biopsy scheduled for the 30th. Results in a week or 2?

 

[AwayWeGo]

I Resemble That Remark.

He said that with a PSA of 4.1 at age 65 he would normally say that it was probably about a 30% chance it was cancer. With me having a PSA over 4 at my age and with family history (father had prostate cancer) he would guess my odds of having cancer are much higher. Not what I was hoping to hear.

Biopsy scheduled for the 30th. Results in a week or 2?

Urologist told me chance I had cancer was 30% -- i.e., better than 2 to 1 that I did not have it.

So when biopsy results came back 3 cores positive, that meant I lost even though the odds were in my favor.

So it goes.

Best wishes to you, tombo, for a favorable outcome.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[tombo]

Thanks for the well wishes. Hopefully the biopsy will turn out well, but if not I will be asking a lot of questions here and other places after he tells me the options.

 

[RDB]

LAB results prior to being cleared for back surgery showed a PSA of 6. I wasn't going to go for surgery if cancer was to be fought.
My bladder, liver and kidneys were also studied, as was my heart and arteries.
Even a colonoscopy was done to rule out Polyps .

Urology took 12 biopsies of the prostate. All showed negative. Appearantly my protate enlargement causes the high PSA.

Prescribed was FINASTERIDE (PROSCAR).
It is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men. This is a condition that causes you to have an enlarged prostate. This medicine helps to control your symptoms, decrease urinary retention, and reduces your risk of needing surgery. When used in combination with certain other medicines, this drug can slow down the progression of your disease.

LORARTAN was also prescribed. It is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist drug used mainly to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). As with all angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) antagonists, losartan is indicated for the treatment of hypertension. It may also delay progression of diabetic nephropathy, and is also indicated for the reduction of renal disease progression in patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and microalbuminuria (>30 mg/24 hours) or proteinuria (>900 mg/24 hours.
Although clinical evidence shows calcium channel blockers and thiazide-type diuretics are preferred first-line treatments for most patients (from both efficacy and cost points of view), an angiotensin II receptor antagonist such as losartan is recommended as first-line treatment in patients under the age of 55 who cannot tolerate an ACE inhibitor.[1] The LIFE study demonstrated losartan was significantly superior to atenolol in the primary prevention of adverse cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction or stroke), with a significant reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality for a comparable reduction in blood pressure. A recent study [2] hints that losartan has beneficial effects on mitohondria by reversing age related dysfunction.

Prescribed also was Furosemide, a 'water pill,' used to reduce swelling and fluid retention caused by various medical problems, including heart or liver disease.

I'm 73.

 

[KCI]

My husband had a psa of 5.01 in Oct 2009. We moved from SC to FL in Nov and went to a new urologist, who did a DRE and ordered a biopsy in Dec, which showed no cancer in any of the 12 core samples. Over the next 2 years, my husband had 6 psa tests, no DRE, and his psa went from 5.01 to 16.2, at which time the doctor ordered another biopsy, which showed aggressive cancer in 8 of the 12 core samples and a gleason score of 9. A bone scan and CT scan showed no spread of the cancer and we went to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa and they confirmed the diagnosis. We have changed doctors as we feel his lack of DRE and overly confident attitude regarding the PSA #s were directly responsible for the fact that this was not diagnosed sooner. We are now about to start on 6-10 weeks of radiation therapy with 2 years of hormone therapy to starve the cancer of testosterone. We have read more than we ever wanted to know about this subject and still have more questions than answers...I know we should have been wiser and demanded more testing early on but when the dr says "even if cancer had started the day after the 1st biopsy that prostate cancer is so slow growing it would be very minimal after 2 years, you believe what he says when he is so highly recommended by the entire community". ALL I CAN SAY IS DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOUR DOCTOR SAYS...please keep us in your thoughts as we start this scary journey and hope that the treatment is enough to destroy the cancer.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Faith In Your Doctor(s), Yes. Blind Faith, No.

DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOUR DOCTOR SAYS...please keep us in your thoughts as we start this scary journey and hope that the treatment is enough to destroy the cancer.

It's important to have confidence in your physician(s).

It's also important in some cases to get a 2nd opinion. And sometimes a 3rd opinion.

All best wishes for a favorable outcome.

God bless you.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Miss Marty]

Flomax is now available as a generic (Tamsulosin)

Q: Will taking Tamulosin once a day cause
lower back pain in the left side and slow urine flow

 

[Passepartout]

Q: Will taking Tamulosin once a day cause
lower back pain in the left side and slow urine flow

Haven't noticed it and that is not listed as a possible side effect. In fact the Tamsulosin is supposed to relax the prostate and increase the urine flow. Should have no effect on pain either way. You might take this up with your urologist.

Jim

 

[Miss Marty]

The Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP & CBC)


Dec 1st
Tests Ordered

The Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) is a frequently ordered panel of tests that gives your doctor important information about the current status of your kidneys, liver, and electrolyte and acid/base balance as well as of your blood sugar and blood proteins. Abnormal results, and especially combinations of abnormal results, can indicate a problem that needs to be addressed.

The CMP is typically a group of 14 specific tests that have been approved, named, and assigned a CPT code (a Current Procedural Terminology number) as a panel by Medicare, although labs may adjust the number of tests up or down. Since the majority of insurance companies also use these names and CPT codes in their claim processing, this grouping of tests has become standardized throughout the United States.

The CMP includes:

Glucose
Calcium
Both increased and decreased levels can be significant.

Proteins

Albumin
Total Protein
Albumin, a small protein produced in the liver, is the major protein in serum. Total protein measures albumin as well as all other proteins in serum. Both increases and decreases in these test results can be significant.

Electrolytes

Sodium
Potassium
CO2 (carbon dioxide, bicarbonate)
Chloride
The concentrations of sodium and potassium are tightly regulated by the body as is the balance between the four molecules. Electrolyte (and acid-base) imbalances can be present with a wide variety of acute and chronic illnesses. Chloride and CO2 tests are rarely ordered by themselves.

Kidney Tests

BUN (blood urea nitrogen)
Creatinine
BUN and creatinine are waste products filtered out of the blood by the kidneys. Increased concentrations in the blood may indicate a temporary or chronic decrease in kidney function. When not ordered as part of the CMP, they are still usually ordered together.

Liver Tests

ALP (alkaline phosphatase)
ALT (alanine amino transferase, also called SGPT)
AST (aspartate amino transferase, also called SGOT)
Bilirubin

ALP, ALT, and AST are enzymes found in the liver and other tissues. Bilirubin is a waste product produced by the liver as it breaks down and recycles aged red blood cells. All can be found in elevated concentrations in the blood with liver disease or dysfunction.

 

[Miss Marty]

Proscar - Finasteride 5mg Round Blue Tablets

Anyone use Proscar or Finasteride generic to treat BPH
How long did it take before symptoms improved. Any size effects

Finasteride improves symptoms of BPH such as frequent and difficult
urination and may reduce the chance of acute urinary retention ...

Finasteride is used alone or in combination with another medication
(doxazosin [Cardura]) to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy BPH
enlargement of the prostate gland.

 

[Passepartout]

I tried Finasteride but went back to tamsolusin after a few weeks of no measurable improvement in symptoms. Tamsulosin is almost immediate.

Jim

 

[AwayWeGo]

Whoa! Did I Give Myself Prostate Cancer By Trying To Prevent It ?

Daily vitamin E for a long time was recommended to reduce cancer risks, including prostate cancer. So I swallowed some every day for years & years, along with other supplements (vitamin C, fish oil, folic acid, etc.).

Recently I heard a piece of radio news saying scientists have changed their minds about vitamin E. Now they say vitamin E can increase prostate cancer risk by as much as 17%, & so men should stop taking it. (Duh!)

For me, it's all mox nix. I had (successful) radical surgery in 2008 to treat early-stage prostate cancer & I am OK now (far as I know).

But the new recommendation about not taking vitamin E has me wondering whether I brought on prostate cancer myself by taking those dumb capsules for all those years back when the stuff was still recommended for guarding against cancer.

I ought to quit listening to radio news & just stick with the Top 10 Tunes on iPod. Sheesh.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[bogey21]

Over the next 2 years, my husband had 6 psa tests, no DRE, and his psa went from 5.01 to 16.2......

I remember the days when we were told not to worry unless one's PSA exceeded 4.0. Fortunately for me my doctor was of the mind that doubling time was a more important indicator than the 4.0 target. Ten years ago when my PSA "doubled" from a little over 1.0 to over 2.0 in six months my doctor reacted aggressively. Testing found the cancer which was treated with both IMRT and High Dose Rate radiation. Five years later when my PSA rose from 0.10 to 0.43 again in about 6 months I demanded that we once again aggressively search for the cancer. We found it, and treated it with Cryosurgery. No problems since. My PSA has been steady at somewhere between 0.07 and 0.11for the last 5 years or so. What I learned from all this is that one has to watch one's own PSA like a hawk and to move quickly at the first sign of a potential problem.

George

PS I now get my PSA tested every 4 months. A little overkill but it gives me peace of mind

 

[isisdave]

I use finasteride. It took several weeks to have any noticeable difference, and maybe six weeks to start to really relieve things ... but after a year my PSA was down from 8 to 2.7.

I'm 62 and have been fooling with this since 2003 when I scored 7.7 on my first screening test. Two biopsies since, nothing found, and my UCLA urologist who does this all day long does not seem worried.

Did anyone here take fen-phen for weight loss back in 1996? I did, and had some acute prostate symptoms then. I was only 47. I think there's a connection, but have never been able to find any suggestion of that online.

 

[Miss Marty]

Cancer Free Prostate Needle Biopsy and Tissue Diagnosis

In January, 2012 I was able to watch as the doctor performed a
Prostate Needle Biopsy on Bill at Johns Hopkins Hospital Bayview.

Test results came back in early February
No Sign of Cancer
Diagnosis: Enlarged Prostate
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Laser Surgery mid February

The Statement of Physician Services just came in and I thought
I would share the cost/fees that were submitted to our Insurance.

Prostate Needle Biopsy (done in the doctors office)
Charges $1,270. Pending Insurance Adjustment

Pathology Tissue Diagnosis
$684.00 Adjusted to $226.98

Subject to a $350 deductible

Prostate Biopsy

A biopsy may be done when a blood test shows a high level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) or after a digital rectal examination finds an abnormal prostate or a lump.

Why It Is Done

A prostate biopsy is done to determine:
If a lump found in the prostate gland is cancer.

A prostate gland biopsy is a test to remove small samples of prostate tissue to be examined under a microscope.

For a prostate biopsy, a thin needle is inserted through the rectum (transrectal biopsy), through the urethra, or through the area between the anus and scrotum (perineum). A transrectal biopsy is the most common method used. The tissue samples taken during the biopsy are examined for cancer cells.

If a prostate biopsy is done under local anesthesia through the area between the anus and scrotum (perineum), no other special preparation is needed.

 

[Miss Marty]

Surgery for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia - BPH -TUPR and LASER

Surgery usually is not required to treat BPH, although some men may choose it because their symptoms bother them so much. Choosing surgery depends largely on your preferences and comfort with the idea of having surgery. Things to consider include your expectation of the results of the surgery, the severity of your symptoms, and the possibility of having complications from the surgery.

(TURP) Transurethral Resection of the Prostate Surgery for BPH
(Laser) GreenLight Surgery for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia BPH

 

[Miss Marty]

Metatarsalgia after Surgery


Anyone develope Metatarsalgia after Surgery
due to "swelling" of the body, legs and feet?

Metatarsalgia is a general term used to denote a painful foot condition in the metatarsal region of the foot (the area just before the toes, more commonly referred to as the ball-of-the-foot). This is a very common foot disorder. It can affect the bones and joints at the ball-of-the-foot.
Metatarsalgia (ball-of-foot-pain) is often located under the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th metatarsal heads, or more isolated at the first metatarsal head (near the big toe). The most common location is just the second metatarsal head. The main symptom of metatarsalgia is pain in the ball of your foot the part of the sole just behind your toes. The pain may be sharp, aching or burning, and you may feel it in the area around the second, third and fourth toes or only near your big toe.

 

[AwayWeGo]

PSA Still Undetectable. Other Medical Tests OK Too.

I had (successful) radical surgery in 2008 to treat early-stage prostate cancer & I am OK now (far as I know).

Cancer doctor referred me back to my regular family doctor for follow-ups following successful cancer surgery. Blood test last month showed PSA at lower than the lowest detectable number -- i.e., could be zero, but they don't say zero because the tests don't go that low.

Plus, blood pressure & blood sugar & triglycerides were all OK.

Not only that, results of the treadmill-style heart stress test they ran me through were also normal -- so normal that the doctor who administered the test asked me why the prescribing doctor had ordered stress test in the 1st place.

"I don't know," I said. "Just being thorough, I suppose."

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Miss Marty]

Oh boy, blood in my urine, not a good sign...


Don`t forget to have a microscopic urinalysis?
Urinalysis is a very useful test that may be ordered by your physician

What can the presence of red blood cells in the urine mean?

Red blood cells can enter the urine from the vagina in menstruation or from the trauma of bladder catheterization.

A high count of red blood cells in the urine can indicate infection, trauma, tumors, or kidney stones. If red blood cells seen under microscopy look distorted, they suggest kidney as the possible source and may arise due to kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis). Small amounts of red blood cells in the urine are sometimes seen young healthy people and usually are not indicative of any disease.

What can the presence of white blood cells in the urine mean?

Urine is a generally thought of as a sterile body fluid, therefore, evidence of white blood cells or bacteria in the urine is considered abnormal and may suggest a urinary tract infection such as, bladder infection (cystitis), infection of kidney (pyelonephritis). White blood cells may be detected in the urine through a microscopic examination (pyuria or leukocytes in the blood). They can be seen under high power field and the number of cells are recorded (quantitative).

White cells from the vagina or the opening of the urethra (in males, too) can contaminate a urine sample. Such contamination aside, the presence of abnormal numbers of white blood cells in the urine is significant.

www. medicinenet .com