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Hi all,
If you have seen my previous posts you know that i have had ED for about ten years, none of the usual meds have worked and I use a pump. Thanks to this forum I have found that this works well for me and mine. Thanks all for your advise.
Just having investigations for poss Prostate cancer, quite surprised to find that ED can be a marker for this disease.
A simple routine blood test called PSA can pick up any poss prostate disease, so if you have not had one recently please see you doctor. My dad his two brothers and my cousin have all had prostate cancer. Two of them died with the disease and two died because of it. I know that more than a few on the forum have ED caused by prostate surgery and I am sure that they would urge you to get regular checks cause if they get to it early you have a good chance of a long life

phil123 wrote:A simple routine blood test called PSA can pick up any poss prostate disease, so if you have not had one recently please see you doctor. \

I recently asked my PCP why he was no longer ordering PSA tests. He told me it was no longer recommended. Actually, I think the issue is more complicated, but here's a link to differing viewpoints:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-cond ... 48087?pg=2

And:

http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforc ... inalrs.htm

My Uro does not agree that guys should NOT get PSA tests. He says he thinks it is an effort to cut back on healthcare, especially to guys, plain and simple. If guys don't know they have PCa until it is too late, then the government has one less person living into their 80s and 90s.

phil123 wrote:Hi all,
If you have seen my previous posts you know that i have had ED for about ten years, none of the usual meds have worked and I use a pump. Thanks to this forum I have found that this works well for me and mine. Thanks all for your advise.
Just having investigations for poss Prostate cancer, quite surprised to find that ED can be a marker for this disease.
A simple routine blood test called PSA can pick up any poss prostate disease, so if you have not had one recently please see you doctor. My dad his two brothers and my cousin have all had prostate cancer. Two of them died with the disease and two died because of it. I know that more than a few on the forum have ED caused by prostate surgery and I am sure that they would urge you to get regular checks cause if they get to it early you have a good chance of a long life

That's the first time I've ever heard that ED is a marker for PC. ED is usually is a result of prostate cancer treatment. But I'm not a doctor.

"Two of them died with the disease and two died because of it." < What's the difference?

"I know that more than a few on the forum have ED caused by prostate surgery and I am sure that they would urge you to get regular checks cause if they get to it early you have a good chance of a long life." < I'm not quite sure what this means. In its early stages there are usually no symptoms of PC. It is only caught by a PSA test or digital exam. If PC is suspected then a biopsy is next, and if that shows the patient to have PC, then -- if they choose the surgical route -- they have the prostate removed. ED is a result of having the surgery. After that you have regular PSA tests to determine if the surgery was successful.

As far as PSA tests go: They are just a tool. The number itself may or may not mean anything *IF* you still have your prostate, BUT, after the prostate is removed they are very accurate.

I had a 1.98 PSA, which isn't unusual, but my doc felt a hard bump on the gland and I did have PC per a biopsy. Had they just gone by my PSA number the cancer wouldn't have been suspected and I would probably have untreatable PC right now.

If they have suspicions and have you come back at 3 or 6 month intervals for PSA tests and the number rises significantly each time, then it probably means something and they would likely suggest having a biopsy.

After PC treatment the PSA should be undetectable. My last test was a month ago and it was .02, which they consider zero because they can't really measure that close.

At any rate, this is my understanding of this cruel disease.

My father and his elder brother both had prostate cancer, dad died from complications after a fractured femur aged 87 his brother died from a respiratory illness. They died with prostate cancer not from it. The PC did not play a part in their deaths but could have done given more time.
My other uncle and one of my cousins both had an aggressive prostate cancer, they died because of the cancer. Therefore two died with cancer and two because of it.
If we live long enough most men will develop a prostate cancer and in most cases it is not life threatening and so we eventually die with it but not because of it.
A raised PSA will not always be caused by cancer but a test will establish a base line if the level starts to increases then further tests will be needed. Riding a bike, a vigorous work out and sexual intercourse among other thing can raise PSA levels so you need to refrain for a couple of days B4 testing.Make the decision for yourself its your health

phil123 wrote:My father and his elder brother both had prostate cancer, dad died from complications after a fractured femur aged 87 his brother died from a respiratory illness. They died with prostate cancer not from it. The PC did not play a part in their deaths but could have done given more time.
My other uncle and one of my cousins both had an aggressive prostate cancer, they died because of the cancer. Therefore two died with cancer and two because of it.
If we live long enough most men will develop a prostate cancer and in most cases it is not life threatening and so we eventually die with it but not because of it.

Okay, yes, many older men have prostate cancer cells in their prostate, but because prostate cancer is usually very slow-growing they die of old age or something else. Not unusual at all. The way you previously worded it I didn't know what you meant.

A raised PSA will not always be caused by cancer but a test will establish a base line if the level starts to increases then further tests will be needed. Riding a bike, a vigorous work out and sexual intercourse among other thing can raise PSA levels so you need to refrain for a couple of days B4 testing.Make the decision for yourself its your health

That's all behind me now. With no prostate gland, my PSA levels will be undetectable unless the cancer comes back, which I'm not really worried about.