Prostate examination and PSA test

With recent news happening and having turned the big 50, I decided to go and see a GP as I have been having one or two symptoms, so a blood test has been booked as my prostate is larger than it should be.

Now I am feeling a bit unsettled.  Anyone else had the PSA test recently?

My prostate was found to be enlarged, but just that. Didn’t come to any more, I’m on Tamosulin (?) to help to control it.

The fear is real, and perfectly reasonable, but hopefully nothing more serious.

Early 50s here. I had the ‘think of England’ check last Friday and the blood test is this Friday. Odds are it’ll be nothing more than age!

I have a psa test every year, but at a private doc, i asked on nhs and nurse said i had to have a chat with doc in case it came back high, i think a false positive she was referring to.

I personally prefer a false positive to no test, i cycle to appointments too.

Just go for it, particularly if its in your genes.

I have been on Tamulosin for about 10 years now – I have enlarged prostate.  I had a complete viral meltdown as a result of shingles – and my PSA went up , not hugely, but enough to worry the powers that be.  It was the least of my issues – I was booked in from a biopsy – but thankfully had a PSA test 3 days before hand that said my PSA levels had dropped.

I now get a 6 monthly PSA test reminder …

Mention to them that you cycle – and don’t have too much vigorous shagging before you go.

The finger up the bum from a stranger was surprising ( well, it was for me)

TBH, you are better having one and dealing with the results rather than not having one.  I know of 4 people who have had prostate cancer …

I have an enlarged prostate as my father has and my brother. PSA test after the first DRE was worrying but that and subsequent tests have been in the normal range. I think  many  men will have enlarged prostates as they grow older.

Yep following recent posts on here.

All came back normal within a couple of days, only issue was one of the cholesterol tests..

I got a text message to say no action needed that was it, all results are available on the NHS app if you have an account.

Am awaiting the results of line from Friday. They forgot to do it on the last.lot of.bllpd they took so it was the second trip to phlebotomy in 2 weeks. First trip also flagged my cholesterol.

I’m soon to be 44 so fingers crossed it comes back clear but have been having some symptoms so wanted to get checked out

The finger up the bum from a stranger was surprising ( well, it was for me)

Yeah, it was a bit surprising, but such a mild level of discomfort that I wondered what all the fuss was about.

Don’t think it’s the discomfort, more the embarrassment of dropping your trousers in front of someone and bending over to give them the big brown eye

I had mine last Monday and the results back on Thursday and I’ve got the all clear.

I went and got it as my old man is presently dying of prostate cancer and won’t see Christmas

Please please please go and get one sorted if you’re of… ahem… ‘a certain age’

its ten minutes out of your life which may just save it

Yep, went in for mine two weeks ago.

No issue. The finger was odd but nothing more than that TBH. Did it lying on side, knees up to chest, not bent over, touching toes..

We did laugh though, my daughter went to the GP with ear issues the week after. I was wondering if it was the same GP poking her ears that was poking my arse the week before!

It’s great that awareness is gradually spreading and more men are getting tested.  As above, both tests are quick, easy and painless. Keep it up chaps

I am also booked to see my local GP for the slippery cold finger of suspicion this week too. Had considered asking one of the trainees – but thought it may not be too professional all things considered.

Long term (+10 years) Tamsulosin user here – the occasional digital exam and blood test are a minor inconvenience. My PSA levels are influenced by the amount of bicycling and things like kidney infections – which is where it all started from. My Dad died from Prostate cancer after carrying it around for over 25 years. By the time they decided it was serious it was inoperable but radiotherapy contained it for a while. Apparently I and my brothers are at no more than the normal risk and while we are asymptomatic there’s nothing to be overly concerned about.

Had a general check-up on Friday and asked about getting tested, the nurse said to speak to a doctor first so will arrange a telephone consultation – it did for my dad 23 years ago (would have been his 93rd birthday today, sll other things being equal 🙂 ) and a maternal uncle earlier this month but I’m symptom-free. Will see what the GP says. 🙂

Don’t think it’s the discomfort, more the embarrassment of dropping your trousers in front of someone and bending over to give them the big brown eye

My former GP rides with our club. I dread to think what flashbacks he gets if he’s drafting me and I’m on the drops…..

Had my PSA test the other week and levels are normal.

The first PSA I got I had to practically argue with the female GP to get it 2 years ago. One routine GP visit a couple of weeks ago and the male GP offered it to me without my asking. Seems attitudes are changing to PSA tests.

As others have said, I’d prefer to run the risks of false positive rather that not pick it up at all.

I have 4 monthly PSA tests as I have low volume, low risk, grade 1 cancer and am on “active surveillance”.  I’ve also had the panoply of DRE, localised and template biopsies and MRIs.  It’s a constant low level worry, but I am grateful to be in the system and under surveillance.  My PSA is elevated but stable, I have a trigger level which will prompt further investigation if it goes over and will have more MRIs and probably biopsies in future to make sure everything stays tickety boo. This is one thing the UK is actually good at, not over treating low risk prostate cancer. Any symptoms or concerns get checked, DRE and PSA blood tests are absolutely trifling in the scheme of things.

Does anyone on here know what Tamsulosin is meant to do? As I understand it, it’s meant to help reduce some (or all?) of the symptoms of enlarged prostate but doesn’t actually reduce the enlargement. The main symptom I have is frequent night time peeing. But I don’t think Tamsulosin has reduced this. (PSA normal for me).

Personally would not have a PSA without symptoms.  There is no national screening programme for prostate cancer and the harms of testing and subsequent treatment of over diagnosed cancers with serious side effects would stop me testing.  Most older men die with (not of) prostate cancer.  I know this doesn’t fit with the recent Chris Hoy narrative.  For detected cancers via a PSA screen that are not advanced active monitoring (i.e. no treatment) is a viable option backed by trial evidence.

It’s not just false positives, it’s the cancers that would not kill us or become symptomatic which are then treated which are the issue.

Does anyone on here know what Tamsulosin is meant to do?

I think it causes the muscles in/around the prostate and your urethra opening to relax, allowing better flow. ISTR it doesn’t work for everyone.

Tamsulosin relaxes the muscles round the bladder and prostate allowing you to pee more easily and allowing the bladder to empty more fully. This should mean a better night’s sleep as you’re not going to bed with a part full bladder and you can better empty it if you get up in the middle of the night.

It works for me. I’ve gone from 3 pees a night to 1.

Diagnosed with benign enlarged prostate 11 years ago, as I was under 50 treatment options were limited, took Tamusolin for a while but didn’t make much difference.
Had an MRI earlier this year which showed prostate enlarged (lemon vs walnut) but clear of cancer. My PSA is above threshold for my age but stable. I’m now on Solifenacin Succinate and take a daily cranberry supplement which has helped to reduce the urge.

I have a (petite) female GP.

When she did my first finger-up-the-bum test, she let me know her fingers were a bit too short and wouldn’t get very far! She still did it, although I did get referred to a specialist for, ahem, “deeper” examination…

I have slightly enlarge prostate but GP says keep an eye on it as PSA is clear. I think most men will have some form of enlarge prostate at some point in their life but perhaps the severity is different. I did have difficulty passing urine for two weeks then it went back to “normal” again.

Oh ya, you will break into cold sweat when you bladder is full and dying for a pee and nothing come out.  It feels like the pipe is not connecting.

Personally would not have a PSA without symptoms. There is no national screening programme for prostate cancer and the harms of testing and subsequent treatment of over diagnosed cancers with serious side effects would stop me testing. Most older men die with (not of) prostate cancer. I know this doesn’t fit with the recent Chris Hoy narrative

I’m glad someone said this. A lot of men are damaged by unnecessary procedures, reassuring themselves with “well at least they caught it early” about some slow growing or minor cancer that would never have hurt them. (Not many of us over 50 won’t have some cells definable as cancerous in our prostates.)

There is no as in zero evidence bar the anecdotal that PSA testing for symptom free men saves lives. It does lead to potential quite nasty harm. This is changing as fast MRI and less damaging methods of detection are more widely adopted. But that’s why the charity Prostate Cancer UK are spending something north of £30 million on one research study to update this evidence. It’s not for the sake of it, it’s because we just don’t know yet what’s the most beneficial thing to do. But whilst for now it may seem obvious that getting checked is good for all blokes, you won’t find scientific evidence to this effect.

And yeah I’ve had the finger and the PSA a couple of times, it’s no biggie. But if you’ve not got symptoms I really wouldn’t

I would say that it is the GP who should decide if symptoms and hereditary possibility, require any further tests?

What age are all you guys? I’m 43, I don’t have any symptoms (I do pee through the night but always have) but it’s something that’s been on my mind.

I’m 66 in a few days and can usually manage through the night with needing to get up for a piss, but I’m open to the suggeston that I could be missing other symptoms.

I went for a PSA at age 48, I was going to the loo around 3am every night and probs had been for best part of 10 years. No other symptoms.

I found out I had Stage 2 prostate cancer and had surgery to remove my prostate, which was successful, so far. I have my 10 year check up next week. Fingers crossed ?

I just typed in a lengthy post but deleted it because it was a rant. It was about my father who will die of prostrate cancer in the next few weeks. We buried my father in law today so I’m quite emotional

To summarise: go and get tested

And to those who say you shouldn’t get tested: **** off! And when you get there you can **** off a bit more and when you get there just keep on ****ing off!

What age are all you guys? I’m 43, I don’t have any symptoms (I do pee through the night but always have) but it’s something that’s been on my mind.

If you notice there is still a tiny drip or drop after you have urinated then that’s the first sign of prostate enlargement as far as I know, because that’s my experience.  I did not take note of it until one day I felt that there was always a drop left that I did not manage to squeeze out.  Went for a check up and GP said prostate enlargement.

I have my 10 year check up next week. Fingers crossed ?

That loose eh?

@spooky211, I’m also 43, 44 in a few months. Been getting up on the night for a while, whilst annoying is not the end of the world. However for the last month that’s increased and during the day I’ve needed the loo a lot more. Went to the doc, they did a few tests including a PSA. All have now come back clear so no idea what was causing the trips to the loo.

All have now come back clear so no idea what was causing the trips to the loo.

Hasn’t your GP suggested an overactive bladder?

Overactive bladder (OAB)

@TheDTs – yes, for symptoms possibly indicative of a cancer.

Any GP offering screening without symptoms should be avoided at all cost IMHO.

Overactive bladder (OAB)

Matt – is that you?

@binners – so sorry about that.  You have my genuinely deepest sympathy.  My own dad passed away 3 weeks tomorrow and so I know how you are feeling at the moment.  I am up and down daily.

The comments in this thread re being circumspect about testing is coming from a good place I can assure you but understand that it must be difficult to hear.  I work in the medical research field and am reasonably familiar with the research in this area and teach screening to medical students every year.  Voicing my perspective against routine screening (without symptoms) is genuinely meant only to make folk aware that getting tested in itself can have harms (cancers treated that would never have been a problem – not all  cancers are harmful or deadly).

All the best to you and family at this difficult time.

@binners & @nicknameless sorry to hear that.

Will get myself tested.