I've given myself a couple of DRE's. On the first one, nothing felt unusual. On the second I noticed it felt hard all over. I read that this is an indicator of PCa. Other symptoms = rather sudden ED, inability to orgasm, minor discomfort in perineum area (which could be imaginary) when sitting on hard surface. Urine stream could be considered slightly weak, but not excessively. No pain during urination. Recently had a UTI which I treated with cranberry juice. Anyone have any insight? Does hard prostate indicate a more aggressive or slower type PCa?
Hard prostate: I've given myself a... - Advanced Prostate...
Hard prostate
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jfw657
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After a blood test and PSA of 29, my Uro did a DRE and commented it was firm on one side, which later was confirmed with a biopsy and staged 3tb with seminal vesicle involvement. One thing I noticed about six months prior was lower ejaculate, which made sense because the prostate was diseased.
I'm 63 so I have lower everything anyway. 😕
Tell me about it, I tell all my buddies congrats on turning 60, it's all downhill from here. Go get a PSA test online with Ultalabs.com and take the requisition to Quest for blood draw and go from there, don't need a doc to do that. DRE's aren't that reliable anyway, just corroborating info.
Any PSA history to share? Any docs done a DRE to tell you what they think? I've never heard of a reliable determination of agressive vs. non-aggressive PC via DRE alone. And perhaps you have a prostate problem that is not PC, but a urologist would be better suited to advise on that.
PSA's have always been well within normal range. Last test was over a year ago, though. I'm hoping you're right about it possibly being some other problem. I've been on metformin for over a year, maybe two for T2D and lisinopril for HBP. Both issues under control. A1C = 6.2. As I mentioned, I had a UTI a few weeks ago. Need to see about getting health insurance before I can see a urologist.
Well, at least low PSA suggests lower likelihood of aggressive PC, for now. Don't know much about the hardness of prostate tissue (usually firm anyway, when healthy?), but my tumor is only on one side and THAT side felt harder than the other, and not smooth. So if the prostate felt bumpy and uneven, with nodules or irregular shape, that would be an immediate cause for worry and I would find a urologist. Maybe your state has some program, like the one in California (called IMPACT), that can help men without insurance.
a suspicious DRE increases the probability of significant cancer!
Yes, for sure... but just saying without training, would most men really know what a "hard" prostate is, versus one that is simply firm? I wouldn't. I'd only trust a doc to tell me that "hardness" level was suspicious, since I have nothing to compare to... whereas smoothness or nodules or other worrying signs could be found more easily with more certainty with a self-DRE.
My uro says: "the softer is far better than the more AGGRESSIVE PCa when it's harder."
Yes, I just question whether a self-DRE (without anything to compare to) is always going to be that good at discerning "firm" from "hard." Without any experience one can easily tell if bumpy or uneven, but I would think some training is required to know how hard or how soft a certain prostate is, relative to the norm of others.
Yes...and that's one of the reasons why I -- and others on this forum -- are urgently recommending that you see a urologist.
Have to get health insurance. Stupid Florida refused Medicaid expansion under Obamacare and I make too LITTLE to get govt. subsidy. If SCOTUS does away with pre-existing condition law, I'm screwed.
"Does hard prostate indicate a more aggressive or slower type PCa?"It usually doesn't indicate PCa at all. Most PCa has no abnormal DRE.
In fact, none of what you are describing are common symptoms of PCa (which is almost always asymptomatic at first.
ED and inability to reach orgasm may be linked to psychological causes, diabetes, or antidepressants. You may want to start with your PCP to narrow down the cause.
See a urologist ASAP.
Hard prostate can sometimes be there because of calcification in the gland. Calcified prostate gland is usually a result of long standing chronic infection/inflammation of the gland (chronic prostatitis.) Some small calcification in prostate gland is part of normal ageing. Chronic prostatitis...if not treated can lead to prostate cancer.
I wonder ..did you really touched your prostate.....OR ..you just touched part of your pubic bone ..?
Thank you for that info. I suppose it's possible I was feeling bone, but it was where the prostate should be and the shape and size was what I was expecting. Couldn't feel anything else around there that would likely be it.
of course you wore a glove???? i think SC will not overturn Obamacare, or pre-existing conditions? You may need to move to a state that cares about EVERYONE having access to medical care......here we have an access plan for folks in your predicament.
in reply to maley2711
No glove 😳
I don't understand how YOU can differentiate a hard prostate from a regular or soft one. See a urologist.
Well, from the descriptions I've read, it's supposed to be firm but not hard. By firm, I assume it means little bit of "give" when pressed. Like a plum, but not outright hard. Of course, I do also understand the perils of Google. Anyway, that's why I came here. To talk to people who know things and have insights I lack. Thanks for the input, though.
Your welcome. Given years on multiple forums, I haven't read of anyone else doing self DRE's. See a urologist.
On another note.... I had been taking a slew of supplements to increase libido, semen production, etc. Maca, Horny Goat Weed, fenugreek, ashwagandha, Tonkat ali and of course, beta sitosterol for overall prostate health. I'm wondering if that daily cocktail had something to do with the ED. I've stopped taking them (except for the beta sitosterol) and my ED seems to be improving a bit.
You need to stop all the guesswork and, as others have said, see a urologist pronto. Much good luck to you.
in reply to jfw657
Jesus...stop with all that garbage.
Get yourself some health insurance as a Christmas present to yourself and have a happy 2021. 🎄
Wow. Very impressive. Have you thought of looking for a job in the circus....
Self DRE?....... Thumb?
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Saturday 11/28/2020 2:12 PM EST
I've got a special glove for my thumb.
Is that the one with the rubber pacifier attached on the front of the thumb of the glove?.... In my day they used to be called "French...." well never mind.....
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Saturday 11/28/2020 4:24 PM EST
The French one is way better than the Greek one. Check Amazon. BOGO. 5 star rating. Refurbished is 20% cheaper, butt they sometimes have a smell.
in reply to j-o-h-n
👍👍
Consult with an urologist. When I was diagnosed the DRE showed smooth surfaces but the gland was hard as a rock . It has been like that for several years. My primary physician did nothing because there not nodules and the PSA was less than 4. Then one day the PSA jumped to 6.5 and I consulted with the urologist, who after the DRE with "hard as rock"prostate did the clinical diagnosis of cancer which was confirmed by biopsy the following week.
Consensus: See a doc. This was a great, funny read. I also admire people who cut their own hair and do their own dental work. The Covid 19 is making us all a little nuts, as Nal said. Of course if you see a Urological Surgeon the odds of you suddenly missing 2 nuts are problematic. The Nutcracker Suite brings back fond memories to some here. I wish you all the best; I need to go and cut my hair now.
Well I need to go to perform my appendix transplant.........
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Saturday 11/28/2020 4:27 PM EST
Who's the donor? Groucho Marx. You Bet Your Life. Hope the duck has a big spatula. You're going to need it.
That's cause I said the secret word "duck" in Chinese.... it's "bend down".....
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Saturday 11/28/2020 7:10 PM EST
That's a 10 pun master. Plus "I love the smell of pysus in the morning." That gives you a bonus. You are in rare form. I need to go pysus. And several times tonight.
in reply to monte1111
👏👏😂😂😂
I mean really....weve resorted to click bait?.....but it was worth the j.o.h.n....shtic (sp?).....get outside buddy your taking social distancing to seriuosly.....
Your prostate has two halves, right and left like your brain. You can have cancer in only one half. One half might be working fine but the other half isn't. And the other half can be cancer free, or just getting started. Cancer in one half is more than enough to make you have advanced cancer. Don't accept that it's hard but smooth so it's OK because it's not. Make an appointment ASAP (Today) with a urologist.
Oh yah ,just us and the pup . It’s Warmer than last year here.. ✌️😎
Come on Fla. ! 🌴
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