I’ve had the PSA blood test twice March 2025 Prostate-specific antigen level 0.33 ug/L March 2023 Prostate-specific antigen level 0.27 ug/L But my peeing habits have changed, my flow rate is down, I often don’t empty my bladder properly and I’m up 3-4 times a night. In July as my HbA1c has come down to 50 I stopped taking Empaglifloxin which works by excreting glucose through urine. Previously stopping Empaglifloxin reduced the number of times I needed to pee in the night. Yesterday I asked the diabetic nurse if I could change my blood pressure tablets as it’s now 117/71 and get a proper prostate examination, so I’m off to see my GP for digital intrusion. I have two close friends who are going through prostate cancer journey and PT at the gym has recovered from it. This is just a reminder to many of you to stop putting it off, if nothing else try the risk checker, link below. https://prostatecanceruk.org/risk-checker
OP...thanks for posting. I don't know why the medical community is moving away from PSA testing as a matter of routine. But in your annual physical, please ASK for this if it's not part of the routine panel. Furthermore, isolated PSA levels are not worthwhile, it's the trend that has to be monitored. I just don't see the downside to screening.
controversially it's the cost factor here in the UK texasdw - i am living with deep vein thrombosis after an accidental discovery (!) when a physiotherapist insisted i have it checked despite several earlier refusals. Do you think i can get an ultrasound review to see how bad it is now 5 months later under our NHS? (no chance..).
I see. Things are different in the UK then. I suppose we'll all eventually move to cost-based algorithms. But I think the US will only slowly lurch toward that model. Good and bad though. Lots of futile care being shoveled out in the US, with absolutely no concern for cost. There's probably a middle ground somewhere.
My strategy is to ask/insist for the test during my annual check when blood is taken, the clinician has always been happy to add it to the list of checks to be performed at the lab. It's only GPs' that have been resistant IME.
regarding the UK, all the details are here in this thread, If you have enough relevant concerns that are prostate specific, then I'm sure a GP will test further. I had blood in my urine for over three years and they never found the cause. going by the checklist, the way my prostate is behaving (again for several years) I ought to be asking for a PSA test regularly!
The general consensus in the medical world is that the PSA test is a very poor test. Digital insertion is a better test but its one of those things the medical science has not yet found a definitive way of finding the problem early.
I shall be getting a PSA blood test next week. This is to see whether a metastasis from my cancer, removed surgically several years ago, is growing significantly or not. A digital insertion test would be utterly useless, and would prove nothing.
need to add, my "agree" was with the first sentence, even the "puncture" test is not that reliable but it did find cancer immediately with one of my family.