Ok let's talk about PSAs

[MoJo]

With LT's post about his 4.5 year milestone TAM's scare and my own 1.75 year mark coming up soon I just want to ask the men out there - - - HAVE YOU HAD A PSA IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS? If not why not. It's a simple blood test that can save your life. Prostate Cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in men over 40 skin cancer is first. If you wait until you have symptoms it may be too late. For those you love have an annual PSA screening.

[cougartex]

Yes, I have one every year. I will be 55 at the end of the month and have had a PSA test yearly since I was 40. To remind yourself, have one done around your birthday each year.

[pbwalker]

You're just nuts if you don't get checked...

[longtooth]

MoJo is right about waiting until you have symptons.

All Drs were estounded that I was not experiencing any symptoms at all. I was at the Dr for my knee repacement. They found it when they did my blood test for pre-op admission. Most prostate cancer is relatively slow growing. Some is extreemly aggressive.

[ExMarlboroMan]

My father (70) is currently battling prostate cancer, He's doing well so far. It's been two years since we found out. He's watching and waiting.

My mom (63) is currently battling breast cancer, This was found out about six weeks ago, she has no insurance and little money, Medicaid said she would qualify if she quit her job so she did and they still denied her, seems that with her and her husbands SSI she has $198 to much income... Right now we are pulling out her IRA and selling what we can to pay cash for all the tests. She was told it's very aggressive and will need a chemo that's roughly $2000 per treatment (8 treatments needed at this point) , plus surgery after chemo, and then radiation.


This is so frustrating.



Me. I'm 27 , will be 28 in May. I have been thinking about going in for a physical and have the doc do bloodwork , I want to know my blood type as well as my current lead levels seeing as me and the wife do a lot, A LOT, of shooting, much of which is indoors.

I'm reading this and thinking, should I have a PSA test also? Am I too young, bulletproof still, or (most likely) not.

[longtooth]

Never too young really. Especially if you have a family history. I was only 56 & when they found it I was in trouble. Gleason scale 9 out of a 1 -10 range.

[Jasonw560]

Planning my check up for later on this year, before I turn 41. Probably in April or May.

[ExMarlboroMan]

Never too young really. Especially if you have a family history. I was only 56 & when they found it I was in trouble. Gleason scale 9 out of a 1 -10 range.

So is the PSA test something I can just ask my doctor to include in the "normal" blood work tests?

[gemini]

Never too young really. Especially if you have a family history. I was only 56 & when they found it I was in trouble. Gleason scale 9 out of a 1 -10 range.

LT, did they find it on your 1st PSA test? Normally a complete blood panel w/ PSA performed with a yearly physical is done to establish a "baseline".
I guess my question is: did you have a "baseline" your Dr was watching, or just happen to have elevated levels that were caught on your initial PSA test?

Hope your health is currently OK.

[gemini]

Never too young really. Especially if you have a family history. I was only 56 & when they found it I was in trouble. Gleason scale 9 out of a 1 -10 range.

So is the PSA test something I can just ask my doctor to include in the "normal" blood work tests?

Yes. MOST Dr's will start when you're 50. With family history usually start at 40. Just ask it be included in your CBC.

[longtooth]

We had been w/o insurance for over 5 yrs. When Wife's part time job grew to full time & we got it, we both went to the Dr for check-ups.

When your PSA is 4 times normal you dont need a base line, futher tests, period to watch & compare.....you need that sucker out.

God was very gracious to me finding it just barely in time before it got out of my prostate & into my lympth glands & then bones.

Yes I have stopped & had prayer for those who are in the midst of this battle.

[gemini]

We had been w/o insurance for over 5 yrs. When Wife's part time job grew to full time & we got it, we both went to the Dr for check-ups.

When your PSA is 4 times normal you dont need a base line, futher tests, period to watch & compare.....you need that sucker out.

God was very gracious to me finding it just barely in time before it got out of my prostate & into my lympth glands & then bones.

Yes I have stopped & had prayer for those who are in the midst of this battle.

So, it was your initial PSA test. A very good example of why no male in this day and age should balk at a Prostate Exam and PSA test.
Glad they caught yours in time.

[OldCurlyWolf]

With LT's post about his 4.5 year milestone TAM's scare and my own 1.75 year mark coming up soon I just want to ask the men out there - - - HAVE YOU HAD A PSA IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS? If not why not. It's a simple blood test that can save your life. Prostate Cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in men over 40 skin cancer is first. If you wait until you have symptoms it may be too late. For those you love have an annual PSA screening.

3 of them. 2.08, 4.08 & 7.45. Then a Biopsy. Took a week to get the results. Clean. High PSA was a result of inflammation. Doc was quite surprised. I told him that was the likely outcome.

WHEW!!!


btw, My first was at age 45 and I had a PSA of 1.00.

[MoJo]

My PSA jumped from a high normal to "Danger Will Robinson" in 12 months. My pre op Gleason score was 7.5. After surgery my surgeon told me "Mr. Jones you are the luckiest man in Texas today." My Post Op Gleason score was much higher (9-9.5) and the cells were about to metastasize. All post operative PSAs have been <.001 in a ultra sensitive PSA. I dodged a BIG bullet.

[KC5AV]

One of the advantages of working at a hospital is that they offer various screenings like this on a pretty regular basis.