Waht gives? From 0 to .06 post op

I just got the results of my third PSA test, 6 months after my Sept. 07 Da Vinci surgery. First two readings (6 weeks post op and 3 mos post op) showed non-detectable PSA. This week it came in at .06. Now that's a very low level of PSA, to be sure, but it's the velocity of the increase that has me wondering what it all means. My doctor was out on Friday and so I've not been able to discuss the result or my questions with anyone. Have any of you had similar experience? Normal? Abnormal?

Hi Marty, Welcome to the board.

I would guess that you have been reading stuff on this board before now.   If you do a search, you will find that some small PSA variations are not uncommon.

My tests showed a small increase, but the doctor said that it probably was nothing. He will not react unless it shows a pattern of increase above .1

I'm sure others will give you the same advice. 

Good luck

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Ok, thanks for your help and kind replies guys. I've posted some of my vital stats. I'll update it with even more details when I have a minute to dig through my file.  

Marty G,

Just went through the same thing my PSA had been holding at .04 for way over a year after surgery. The last PSA came back at .07, which really floored me, simply because I was not expecting it. I finally got to see my Oncologist and he insist that I am overreacting and basically refuses to retest for 90 days. He is a great Doctor by reputation. He told me there are so many things that can cause a fluctuation in PSA and thats why he wanted 90 days to give any infection or current condition to subside. I strongly disagreed and made a emergency appointment with my PCP and got to see him yesterday. I explained I wanted to know immediately if my PSA was on the rise so I could begin treatment. To my dismay he agreed 100% with the Oncologist and also refused to retest.

While I still disagree, and think it is very easy for them to say I am worrying over nothing, they both have excellent reputations. Let me state that I am a VA patient, so I have no leverage over these guys and while I can refuse advice, I would then have to hire private doctors and not even a rich man could pay for the proceedures I have had done. It is going to be one of the longest 90 days of my life.

I sure hope you have a positive outcome and please let me know how its going.

My 9 month test showed an increase from less than .01 to .02. I panicked, but my uro told me that fluctuations in this range are meaningless and in light of my post-op pathology, I had nothing to worry about. He won't test again until next September. Sounds to me like you have nothing to worry about, either.

Good news, Marty!  Yes, labs do make errors, and the ultrasensitive is especially prone to test variation at low levels...Tim