HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

3 month testing

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 4/26/2011 12:50 PM (GMT -7)
when does one typically start to relax about the PSA tests?

I have my second one on May 10th and it started to bother me about a week ago. It's on my mind a lot. Hasn't made me dysfunctional or anything like that, but it definitely is a part of most of my thoughts.

Every 3 months feels like all the time. Hope I can learn to make it part of my everyday life without it contributing too much to stress increase.

I think I do 3 months for a year then 6 months for two years.

Then I wondered how it feels to graduate to once a year, are you tense all year long because you might feel it's growing without your knowledge?
Posted 4/26/2011 12:57 PM (GMT -7)
David,
It takes time to get more relaxed about the testing. Even still it never leaves the back of your mind. i just blew passed another test with good results. I was too busy to notice but couple weeks ago I am worried about some hip pain I am experiencing. So a body ache got me a bit worried but it wasn't what I thought it could be. It is typical for the PSA test to be drawn every 3 months after therapy. And it is also typical for it to be pushed out as time wears on. Right now I get mine done every six months. In fact I don't even have a scheduled appointment yet for my November test.

Life is too good to get too worried about these things. I just take it in stride...

Tony
Posted 4/26/2011 1:19 PM (GMT -7)
David, maybe I am blessed or maybe I am cursed. Either I truly live the "Every day is a bonus" mentality or I am one really dumb son of a gun.

The PSA tests have never bothered me and I somehow seem to never angst over them. In fact in the last year most of my tests have been on my initiative, just so I know what is going on. The results never seem to bother me one way or the other.

The results only seem to tell me it is time for additional info gathering and decision making or time to do nothing at all.

I consider this a blessing for sure. I know that not many can adopt this mentality, but I am here to tell you that if you can, life sure becomes much more enjoyable and stress free.

Sonny
Posted 4/26/2011 1:32 PM (GMT -7)
It has been over three years since my father's diagnosis and treatment and I still get anxiety over his PSA tests. I will forget about them and then I always seem to get a sick feeling in my stomach when it is approaching the time of his results. My body seems to know :) It does tend to move from the forefront of your mind to the rear as time passes, but for me, it is never completely gone. I think it is about finding the balance. Live life, enjoy, but sleep with one eye open :) Best wishes for a lifetime of undetectable PSA's!!!

DD
Posted 4/26/2011 1:36 PM (GMT -7)
You never get relaxed about psa testing. I've been doing it for 12 years and thought my anxiety levels were under control. I had my blood pressure checked before the Dr gave me my psa results two weeks ago and it was 149 over 94. Five minutes after my results were given to me it was 134 over 80 which is normal for me. Even if you fell no anxiety your body does. You will have psa anxiety for the rest of your life.
JT
Posted 4/26/2011 1:44 PM (GMT -7)
My GP's office called yesterday - reminded me it was time for my 6-month cycle of general blood tests. Drew blood today, and threw in an ultrasensitive PSA (my uro only does standard 0.x) as well as Vit. D and a T-level (never had one, but guess I should set a baseline - they warned me that it will be $200 plus by itself). So now I'm nervous - have had two theoretical (i.e values < 0.1) increases, but I'll know Thursday. The uro will do another in June, I guess. 

But no, I don't really worry too much. It won't change anything. Except that my ultra-high deductible will be satisfied.

And although my uro would move to yearly tests next year, my GP and a well known surgeon both insist I should stay at 6-months interval forever.

Posted 4/26/2011 1:51 PM (GMT -7)

David - since there isn't a gosh darn thing you can do about the test... just go for it and you'll deal with the results however they turn out.

Course it doesn't hurt to keep the fingers crossed.

Posted 4/26/2011 1:51 PM (GMT -7)
I guess because this is still new to me ,I worry about tests all the time. My wife calls me a worry wart,my GP had to adjust my blood pressure meds. Some times I just over think stuff and make myself nuts!
Posted 4/26/2011 1:57 PM (GMT -7)
I was extremely anxious after my first 3 month test, but a bit less at 6 months. Hardly thought about them for the 9, 12, and 15, and they were all undetectable. But then I began to get anxious before my 18 month for no good reason. As it turned out, my PSA was up on that one to .05. Still "undetectable" but a far cry from the previous <.014. I don't know what this means, maybe we create our own reality?
Posted 4/26/2011 3:29 PM (GMT -7)
I found it difficult starting 2 weeks before my test.

Of course, my PSA started increasing from the get-go, so that didn't help.

I think my next one will be 3 months after the conclusion of my SRT (in 2 1/2 weeks)

Mel

Posted 4/26/2011 3:41 PM (GMT -7)
David,

It is a widely held, but incorrect, belief that PSA stands for Prostate Specific Antigen.

In reality, PSA stands for Permanent Stress Aggravator

Larch
Posted 4/26/2011 4:04 PM (GMT -7)
I no longer has PSA anxiety. Ever since my SRT failed, I have resigned myself to steady rises, all the suspense is out of the game, and I know there's no longer a curative means. My PSA rapidly rose prior to dx, doubled in 6 months after surgery, etc. I think if one's number is holding good, I can see where there would be anxious moments, or if one sees the number slowly creeping up, little by little.

Just my take.

David in SC
Posted 4/26/2011 4:54 PM (GMT -7)
I no longer worry about PSA tests either. I have another due in about a week, and I see the uro a week after that, and will wait to til I see him to find the result. To me it's nothing more than an interesting number.

I have a rising PSA, doubling every 6-7 months, so expect that my next will be 0.6. If more than that, it just means that I'll be on HT sooner than I would expect. If less, it's party time!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply