elavated psa values

[renegade70]

i have had elavated psa since 9/20.at that time psa was 5.4, no free psa test was done. was referred to a urologist and due to covid pandemic did not have in person visit until 4/21. at that time dre was normal , psa again 5.4, free psa 16. we decided to re test in 6 months. that test was 2 weeks ago and psa is now 10.5, free psa is 0.68. urologist said he had never seen such an increase in such a short period of time which to say at the least freaked me out and has caused severe anxiety. just wondering if anyone has heard of an increase like this?? will be having a biopsy in mid - late jan. 2022. in the meantime my urologist has moved on to another job. feel like ive been left in limbo. hospital did assign me a temp. urologist. after i basically demanded this. i would appreciate your thoughts on this situation.

[Zigzagzig]

I am sorry it is scary. I don’t know much about PSA levels but I do know I got one that was an error. Mine went from 1.9 to 4.2 in 4 months. I immediately demanded another test and it came back at 1.9 You know the saying about 2nd opinions. It applies to tests that come back like that too. If I get a scary test no matter what for I demand another one. I have had a thyroid test that the doctor tracked me down to put me on medication the test was an error. I demanded another test first. I have had others lab errors. Labs make mistakes sometimes. I hope that is your situation.

Incase your numbers are really that high you should never let time slide by just Incase.

Good luck. Stay on top of it. You are your own best advocate

I am disappointed your doctors are so lacksie Daisy. I hope your new one has pride in his training and excellence.

[TakeMeAway02172]

Hang in there and try to keep perspective. I had almost the same journey as you, with a 5.4 and then a free PSA of 14. I then had an MRI (PIRAD 4 lesion) and then a biopsy. Ultimately, I was diagnosed with Gleason 6 (3 + 3) in May, 2020.

My PSA tends to move around a lot. In September, 2020, I happily scored a 3.7 but a few months later in February, 2021 (5 months later), I hit my high of 6.9. I immediately retested and scored a 6.7, so these high readings are legitimate. My most recent PSA in November, 2021 was 4.9, so I felt some measure of relief.

I agree that it's important to have your clinical team in place . . . try to get a clinician with a goodly amount of experience. I also started with a urologist but was shifted to a doctor with more experience with prostate cancer when my PSA shifted markedly upward. Do some research in your local area and investigate potential candidates.

Good luck.

[NYC_talker]

Sorry about your experience. I, too, had the anxiety of rising PSA over many months until a biopsy confirmed I had PCa and I could get on with researching treatment. Others have found a rising PSA meant something else. So it's the biopsy -- or if you can get an MRI -- that will guide you at this point.

As others have said, you need a good and caring urologist. I'm not sure where you live but ask others who might know for recommendations. Ask the hospital thoroughly about the urologist to whom they are referring you.

There are a number of reasons PSA can rise, so take a deep breath. If a biopsy does confirm cancer, however, take another breath and whatever the doctor tells you get a second opinion. Often urologists will steer you toward surgery while minimizing side effects without explaining that there are equal and excellent outcomes from radiation therapy , of which there are many options.

[jctaylor]

If you are looking for a new urologist, by all means consider going to a prostate cancer center of excellence. You should get the best care available at those facilities.

[Tall_Allen]

It could be prostatitis, which jumps up like that but usually jumps back. Before your scheduled biopsy, ask for a Prostate Health Index (PHI) test - it is less sensitive to prostatitis.

For your biopsy, try to get a transperineal biopsy if you can - it has lower rates of infection. Make sure that the urologist does a nerve block.

[Darryl Partner]

Here's a video about the transperineal biopsy, the type of biopsy which is suggested by Tall_Allen youtu.be/ChgRTrtuFds(Not working as expected?)