PSA tests

Our surgery will not do them - the senior doc does not believe in them and thinks they cause more trouble and unnecessary worry and surgery. I feel like sending him your post about your friend.

I wish they would do them routinely. Last year my DH was having problems getting up in the night several times to go to the toilet. He went to see his GP who sent him for a blood test. The test showed his PSA levels were raised and after a biopsy we were shocked to learn he had prostate cancer. He had no other symptoms and there is no cancer in his family. We were devastated. He is 68. However, after hormone injections and 37 consecutive days of radio therapy the cancer is in remission. There was no spread. He had no side effects from the treatment. How fortunate that he went to the GP when he did. From our experience last year, we have realised that prostate cancer is very treatable if men get the test early. 42,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, most have no symptoms until the later stages. Sorry if this sounds like a sermon but we have been so lucky and I worry for others.

Mishap feel free! Spread the word and save a lot of pain and even death.

I'm glad our GP is more sensible.

Our surgery will only do them if you ask! DH asks every time he has a routine blood test! It does, however, yoyo a bit so it could be a worry if you were of that disposition!

I simply can't understand why a simple blood test is not routine for men over a certain age in the same way as a smear test is available for us ladies. Many years ago my O.H had waterworks trouble which turned out to be a benign growth. Fast forward a few years and no follow up checks!! the problem re-immerged only this time the growth was malignant. This resulted in a complete removal of the prostate, which so far seems to have done the trick without the necessity of followup treatment. We now, four years along the line, have a check up every six months and so far so good. It's one of the few cancers that can be picked up by a blood test, so why the reticence goodness only knows.

Totally agree with the routine testing.

Can I just say that prostate problems are not always cancer. Don't be afraid to see your GP. DH had an operation last year for an enlarged prostate which turned out to be completely benign.

How do I get an OH who has needle phobia and absolutely will not submit to a blood test over it, and go for this test? Our GP has tried to persuade him but he hasn't had an injection or a blood taken since he was a child and I really don't know how he's survived this long without a tetanus but he has. He refused to have his blood sugar tested when the surgery wanted to do it... he doesn't even like to talk about it . Sorry I don't mean to hijack the thread.

No they're not, as I've said, the first brush OH had with urology problem was a benign tumour which was removed successfully. What seemed a bit cavalier at the time was the fact of not having a blood test perhaps once a year just to check that things stayed ok. Had this been the case, the recurrence of the same problem a few years later which was malignant would have been picked up much earlier and perhaps been able to have been treated less radically. Having said that, we are both extremely grateful for the hospital and surgeon concerned who probably, a bit by the bell, saved O.H's life.

Difficult one that tanith
How do you get a GP who doesn't believe in PSA testing to do it? Ours is the same, yet other practices do them routinely

niggleynellie Glad to here your DH is ok.

How often should men be tested ? DH is diabetic so has blood tests on a regular basis. I will tell him to ask for this.

Can I ask the age of these men? Only DBH has started to go to the loo more often, he is nearly 50. Last weekend I brought up the subject and he quickly changed it. But I am going to keep a close eye on him.

tanith, you haven't high jacked the thread at all, and I'm sure everyone will feel concern for you. I have a friend whose O.H won't make an appointment to even SEE the Dr about ANYTHING!! High blood pressure is suspected as he keeps feeling giddy, but insists it all part of getting older!!! Has your O.H got any particular symptoms? (that you can say on here!) Or do you just feel he needs a general check up which often includes a blood test? I don't know what the answer is short of gentle persuasion. There is an internal examination which can be done if prostate problems are suspected, but maybe he wouldn't agree to this either. I can't think of any other advice to offer. I do hope you manage to convince to take this particular plunge.

My Sis-in-law nagged my brother to have a PSA test and they were shocked when he was diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer. He's 74 but after a course of hormone injections and radiotherapy he is now in remission.

I've been trying to persuade DH to have the test but like janer's DH he just changes the subject. He occasionally gets up once in the night for a wee but not always.

A friend told me she suspected her husband had problems when she could hear there was something wrong with his 'flow'. Rather than the sound of a carthorse relieving itself it was rather stop/start and sounded like more of a trickle.

This is worrying me and I think I'm going to have to start listening at the bathroom door.

Why are men so stubborn?

Me again!!! D.H was 62 the first time round!! and 70 the second in 2010. However, our son had a friend who was 47 and was diagnosed, which is young as it's generally thought to be an affliction of old age, but not uniquely.
I think a test once a year for men of 60+ would be a good idea. For younger men, keep a sharp look out for any problems, and report them immediately.

I think a regular test is an excellent idea if a request just comes from the surgery .

My OH is 65 this year and I would say he gets up in the night a couple of times which is a symptom is it not? He does also need a blood test for his blood sugar but he just won't discuss it and changes the subject, if I even mention the 'C' word he sticks his fingers in his ears and sings lalalala , well not quite but you know what I mean..

My dad was diagnosed with Ca Prostate at 62, only because I was concerned that trips out were punctuated by loo stops far too frequently to be 'normal'.
Mum dragged him to the GP and threatened him with her telling the doctor if he didn't!
He barely spoke to me for ages (I think he 'blamed' me!) but he has the slow growing version, didn't need surgery etc but is treated with implants and at nearly 91 he's very fit.
It's frightening for men because it hits at their masculinity but it's treatable in the majority of cases.

My D.H started having to get up in the night, sometimes three times! Also the flow was as you described merlotgran. Daytime it was as if he had a chill. Second time was just trouble weeing first thing, apart from that it wasn't a problem and it was the chiropractor (he'd hurt his back!!!) that he mentioned it to, that advised him to go back to the GP.
Thank you ninathenana for you good wishes.

I don't like people who preach. I gave up smoking/drinking/over eating and I think you should too types. However, I really feel like preaching on this one. We had a horrible year last year with the diagnosis - blood tests, examinations, bone scan, MRI scan, pelvic scan, a biopsy, the shock of the diagnosis, 37 days of radiotherapy, the stress of waiting for the final result (50 hospital visits in 10 months) but it was worth it. My DH is now fit and well. He just has to go back every 6 months to ensure the PSA doesn't go back up again - they are not expecting it to and are pleased with him. He is diabetic too but the blood tests he has for this have never included a PSA. Fortunately, if he has a problem he goes to get it checked quickly (he is not always at the doctors but he won't leave anything to chance, unlike me who is a scaredy cat). During his treatment he found out everything he possibly could about his illness. I have a friend whose husband has prostate cancer and doesn't want to know anything. He just has the treatment and hopes for the best because he can't believe he has cancer. Everyone reacts differently. My DH is very realistic. He has never said 'why me?' rather he says 'why not?'. Better to go for the test and get it sorted rather than what could be a very different outcome. I have always been the sort to think 'oh it won't be anything, I'll leave it' but on this occasion it was, and it's been sorted. The number of men we met at the radiotherapy centre, new ones coming in day after day makes you realise how widespread it is and yes I agree that not all people with high PSA levels have cancer. There can be other causes. Apologies for the long post.

I'm sorry you had such a horrid year KatyK but very glad that your DH is restored to full health. Like you we take every medical episode seriously and get on top of it straight away. As I've said DH has a PSA test every six months, first at the hospital and now, finally, at the doctors surgery, saving a lot of travel! Fingers crossed so far all is ok, but we're not complacent.

It's great that your DH is doing this. Prostate cancer is SO treatable. Obviously that's not we thought when we got the diagnosis. To hear the C word is horrible, but we have learned lots of lessons along the way

I'm happy most people seem to have 'sensible' husbands and that those who had problems are now doing well.. how did I manage to get a 'renegade'

Well it's a very scarey subject tanith. I can see where he's coming from.

We are in a kind of limbo at the moment. DH (66) has an enlarged prostate and elevated PSA levels, he is on medication for this. For the last seven years or so he has had six monthly checks and at least 4 biopsies. In October his consultant decided it was time for an MRI scan as the biopsies haven't shown cancer. The MRI showed a shadow within the prostate which could be a tumour. DH was referred to a specialist in another hospital, we saw him on Christmas Eve. All the new hospital had was the letter from original consultant asking Professor ** to see DH, no history and no mention of MRI

The result of that meeting is that DH will undergo another type of biopsy under general anaesthetic on the 23rd of this month. Everyone seems to be expecting a diagnosis of cancer but obviously we just have to wait and see.

KatyK for you and your DH.

It must be very hard not having a definite diagnosis baubles, I do hope everything goes well. Thinking of you and DH x