Falling PSA

I have not been officially diagnosed yet. My only symptom was a reduced urine flow. In October I had a DRE and my prostate was "slightly enlarged". The doctor didn't check my PSA but started me on 10 days of cephalex (spelling?) to treat me for prostatitis. I went to a urologist on December 14 for an unrelated matter (complications from inguinal hernia repair) and he also checked my prostate. It was still slightly enlarged. No bumps, lumps or hard places. However, he drew blood immediately after the DRE and my PSA came back at 35.8. Needless to say, I was was floored. I literally went to bed and did not eat for 3 days. When I did start back eating, I started back with a ketogenic diet and I've adhered to it very strictly. I went back for a second test on December 27 and my PSA from that test was 28.7. On Friday, December 29, I went to the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Atlanta. The first day was paper work and labs. They also did another PSA and it came back at 23.4. Is it possible a ketogenic diet can reduce PSA levels like that? I return to Atlanta Tuesday and will speak to a urologist then. I hope they will run tests and do a biopsy so that I know what I'm dealing with. Not knowing is so hard. I can't help but expect the worst, especially after reading stories and statistics. One last thing to note, my urinary symptoms have become more noticable. I don't have any blood in my urine or any pain when I go. I do not have to go pee at night either. But my flow has decreased noticeably in the past 2 weeks.

[Roland632017]

Hi dale339

Hope you are coping well. I reckon you did anxiety treatment not a cancer treatment from the test results that you have put out.

Ours is Advanced Prostate Cancer but since you are curious you might get some information to help clear your nerves.

Follow my bios as I am hoovering around your PSA mark.

It is incredible for me as my condition is Aggressive and Advanced Stage 4 Prostate Cancer.

Good digging and a Happy New Year,

Roland

[Hidden in reply to Roland632017]

I'm sorry, Rowland. I very well could find myself in your shoes, I just don't know yet and that is what weighs on my nerves. I will check out your bio. Thank you.

[peterman in reply to Hidden]

Dale, the not knowing is hard to deal with. While my diagnosis is not severe, as soon as I heard the 'C' word I've been dealing with the stress of the unknown. Be aggressive with getting your tests done and see a bunch of doctors for differing opinions. I've learned more about my prostate and prostate cancer since being diagnosed back in October. I am coming to grips with things through my education. Hang in there.

[steinmother]

This story is all too familiar. Over the past 5 years, my PSA topped 5 several times. Family Doc put me on antibiotics each time and repeated the PSA. It would drop slightly to below 5 and I was told all is well. This year the PSA was 7 and the antibiotics did not work so I went to the urologist, biopsy cancer throughout the gland with a positive lymph node. This business of telling the patient he has prostatitis repeatedly, treated with antibiotics is so routine for these docs they don't even think twice. How about a digital exam, milk some fluid and do a culture?? Forget antibiotics and the easy answer...."prostatitis". Put the damn rubber glove on and do what a doctor is taught in medical school or send the patient to a doctor who will!

[Dekrib]

How old are you? A PSA under 5 is not considered to be concerning for a man in his 70's , whereas it might be of great concern for a man in his 50's!

[Hidden in reply to Dekrib]

I'm 55. My PSA was 35.8. It dropped to 23.4 in 2 weeks. Still high. Hope to find out something Tuesday.

[Dekrib]

A PSA should NEVER be taken immediately after a digital rectal exam. That is an indication of incompetency on the part of your Urologist! Also a PSA should not be taken for at least 48 hours following sexual activity or any vigorous exercise affecting the pelvic area. I found out the hard way that you must wait at least four weeks, and preferably six weeks, following a urinary tract infection to get an accurate PSA reading! My personal physician apparently was unaware of that! Unbelievable!

[Hidden in reply to Dekrib]

I've read DREs and sexual activity can elevate the levels some, but not that much.

[Dekrib in reply to Hidden]

Probably not, but it is just an indication, as if we needed one, of incompetency on the part of the medical community! Like my doctor doing a PSA test right after I had a UTI. My PSA shot from a base level below 4 to up in the 50's! Six weeks later it is down to 7 and I am scheduled back for anioher test in two months. My Urologist wants to see it under 4. I am 73 years old. Good luck to you and Happy New Year!

[Hidden in reply to Dekrib]

Thanks. You too.

[bigbassman]

I imagine you will be scheduled for a prostate biopsy soon. If you can't get an MRI-fusion biopsy, I'd recommend getting an MRI first. My PCa was first made apparent that way. I had BHP and normal DREs.The MRI data can be used with a standard TRUS biopsy, which makes biopsy results much more accurate. TRUS biopsies can miss cancer or give false results in up to 35% of cases. Good luck, and try not to worry for now.

[Hidden in reply to bigbassman]

Thanks.

[MelbourneDavid]

I think the diet change plus not taking it right aftera DRE can reduce the PSA that much. In men with prostate cancer it doesn't mean it's affected the cancer much, just how much PSA it is pumping out.

There are men with PSA that high with no prostate cancer. Unfortunately it's also common to have no symptoms with prostate cancer at that level.

[PJDellas]

Well, it has been at least one year since you posted this here. I would be very interested in knowing how things worked out a year later. I am dealing with a similar set of circumstances and am being treated for prostatitus. After a PSA of 27 then 30, the last one came down to 22.8. I am scheduled for another PSA in about a month after I complete this round of antibiotics.

I have changed my diet to only vegetarian--with lots of broccoli--and salmon (either poached or raw like sushi for the omega III), lost some weight (about 13 lbs so far), fast for 48 straight hours each week, exercising and taking a bunch of supplements ALONG with this THIRD round of antibiotics. The antibiotics were 3 weeks of smz tmp, 30 days of levofloxacin and currently on 30 days of doxycyclene. The rationale is that these 3 antibiotics all use different mechanisms to attack the bacteria, hopefully killing off any resistant strands that the others missed. The supplements are zinc, selenium, turmeric, saw palmetto, Graminex flower pollen, and garlic. I am also on daily alfuzosin (an alpha blocker).

I will post a follow up in April once I have done the PSA and have some idea where things stand. The regimen I am on comes from my own readings at the NIH website using various studies as its basis. My urologist wanted to go for MRI and biopsy immediately after round II of antibiotics. I convinced him to prescribe the third round and to give me another month before taking that step.