PSA - up, down, up down

Mate got 4.1 at 65 so sent for scan etc . all ok .
as for false positives had at least half dozen tests in past year lowest 12 highest 20.9 . Doctors not worried








655

I've had uro problems for many years: repeated UTIs and symptoms of an enlarged prostate and, on two occasions, pee like blood.
The GP made me laugh. He asked over the phone if there was deffo blood in my pee. Of course, usually, you can't see it with the naked eye. I told him my pee looked like pure blood and when I brought him the sample, he couldn't believe it.

I have had cameras down my JT and cameras up my jacksie and my UT has been pronounced normal every time. I even had two scans. Each time, they found something else wrong with me, but my UT was absolutely fine. No idea why I get UTIs.

Just had my PSA results. Mines gone from 4.1 to 4.4 and they say no problem, see you in six months.

I got a text this morning from my surgery, suggesting I make an appointment in 12 months, for another PSA blood test.

You can get home test kits , tells you whether its over 4 .

I'm having problems.

I have a history of UTIs, which is common apparently in people with CP.

I had one in August, then again a couple of weeks ago.

The doc prescribed me antibiotics but said that after I've finished them, I need to assess my peeing.

As usual, the antibiotics helped and after a couple of days normal service resumed.

But it was really odd because a day and a half after my last antibiotic, I got the feeling again of flow being restricted. If you have ever had a UTI, you'll know what I mean. When I first started getting them, I had a dreadful stinging sensation on passing urine, but over the years, this has disappeared.

So since coming off the ABs, I have been monitoring things. It's been a real journey of highs and lows...

Some days are reasonably normal, with a small increase in visits to the loo, others are mad, with me getting the urge to go every 10 minutes, with very little to show for it.

Nights are similar. Most nights I go at least once, others more. The worst night I went 6 times between midnight and 2am. I gave up trying to sleep because I didn't want to disturb Mrs S anymore and sat up the rest of the night. My total by 7.30am? 16 visits to the loo.

I've also had times when I got an urgent need to go and it's almost got to the point of not getting there in time.

My bladder capacity is well down.
I guess that can happen as you get older.
Thinking about it, I'm not sure if it's because my bladder has actually shrunk or whether it just won't tolerate larger quantities.

So, I think the Doc is right in suspecting I have a prostate issue.

I have always had regular PSA checks until COVID. Then I had another test in 22. My last "digital" exam was 2019 and that was fine.

In fact, I have had two UT scans, one in 16 and one in 19. They both found my UT fine, although both scans found other conditions (both different) that I did not know about.

I joked with the GP when he prescribed my meds recently that I didn't want to have any more scans as I was scared what the next one might reveal. He had a good laugh.

I have been quite worried and anxious about this and I think it makes the peeing situation worse, so I'm determined now to try and chill out a bit to see if it improves, which I think is working.
I'm currently lying in bed with cat at my feet and he's definitely helping to keep me calm.

I'll have to bribe him to sleep with me every night!

it would be helpful iff context was included as in prostate
because a psa settlement to sort your taxes with body prodding and penetration can disturb the mind

securespark said:

I have been quite worried and anxious about this and I think it makes the peeing situation worse, so I'm determined now to try and chill out a bit to see if it improves, which I think is working.

Click to expand...

Mrs Mottie works for the NHS so she's practically medically trained (joke) but she says that many people with a peeing problem tend to not take in fluids to cut down on the peeing. She says this can lead to bladder irritation/infections so as mad as it seems, have you tried drinking more water?

In fact thinking back now, when the FIL was coming up for retirement, his company used to give retirement advice. I can remember him saying that he was told if you sit indoors watching telly and can’t be bothered to get up to go to the toilet, the common action from retirees was to drink less. He was told will lead to bladder problems.

One of the things listed on my Dad's death cert was kidney failure. He used to stop drinking at 6pm so he didn't have to get up.in the night, but that obviously contributed to his death.

Knowing this, I have been careful to drink at least 4 pints of fluid a day, sometimes 6. On hot days, I can drink a gallon a day or more. At least half of that is water. I don't drink tea or coffee or alcohol. I do have the odd fruit juice or alcohol free beer and, rarely, hot chocolate.

Ever since my first UTI 20-odd years ago, I have been strict with myself about drinking lots of water. So I hope that is not an issue. I also try not to sit too much. My tracker watch bleats every 20 minutes if it detects no movement.

big-all said:

it would be helpful iff context was included as in prostate
because a psa settlement to sort your taxes with body prodding and penetration can disturb the mind

Click to expand...

Not quite sure what you mean, can you please explain?
Thanks.

securespark said:

Nights are similar. Most nights I go at least once, others more. The worst night I went 6 times between midnight and 2am. I gave up trying to sleep because I didn't want to disturb Mrs S anymore and sat up the rest of the night. My total by 7.30am? 16 visits to the loo.

I've also had times when I got an urgent need to go and it's almost got to the point of not getting there in time.

Click to expand...

I get the sudden urgency, usually brought on by turning a tap on. A sip of orange juice can also be enough to do it. I don't have, and have never had the getting up multiple times. I might need to get up once, if I miss going before bed. First thing on a morning I am bursting, but I seem perfectly able to just turn over for 'just another hour'. When do get up, it's a quick dash to the toilet - the performance it so slow, and I'm still not quite awake, I find it easier to just sit down. I mentioned it to the doc, and I was told there are two valves - one voluntary, one involuntary, half asleep one might not open fully.

Then, just minutes later, up, dressed, take my meds with a sip of orange - I find I need to go yet again. I'll be absolutely fine then, for the rest of the day.

securespark said:

My bladder capacity is well down.
I guess that can happen as you get older.
Thinking about it, I'm not sure if it's because my bladder has actually shrunk or whether it just won't tolerate larger quantities.

Click to expand...

My capacity, seems to depend very much upon what I drink. Just a sip of real orange juice seems to go straight through me, drink a couple of pints of bitter, and I will not even notice.

I go to the toilet regular as clockwork every morning at 6.30am. It’s a bit of a problem for me as I don’t wake up until 6.45am.

I've just got back from the emergency quack.

I finished the antibiotics for my latest UTI on Tuesday
Very quickly my peeing issues came back.

On Thursday, I went swimming and got a pain in my right side, at kidney height. Thought it might be because I twisted funny, but it didn't go away.

Today the aching spread to both sides, then the ache went more round the back. Still didn't twig what it was. Then I got lower abdominal pain and pain in my right oarlock.

I sometimes get trapped wind so thought it was that, but it didn't go away. Then tonight, I rang 111 and got sent to my emergency doc.

He tested my pee, said I had a bad infection and as it was looking like it was spreading to my kidneys, he would prescribe a different, stronger antibiotic.

So I came out with the script in my hand, but could I find a late/ all night pharmacy?

Years ago there was a 24 hour chemist on Oxford Road in city centre Manchester. When I did the NHS search for an open pharmacy near me, it came up with one in W5.......No!

So I'm in agony, cannot sleep and need to wait till the morning.

I went down to the village as soon as Boots was open and got the antibiotics. To the pharmacist's surprise, I ripped open the pack and took the first there and then.

On my second now and the pain is disappearing.

securespark said:

I went down to the village as soon as Boots was open and got the antibiotics. To the pharmacist's surprise, I ripped open the pack and took the first there and then.

On my second now and the pain is disappearing.

Click to expand...

Glad to hear that. You have my sympathy and I'm sure others on here.