PSA Levels????

[SCCWS]

It hopefully is a case of bad timing. I had AVR surgery on 9/5. Because I developed A-Fib several weeks after discharge, my Cardio is treating it with cumadin as well as continuing on lasik. My annual physical came up with my GP so I had all my blood work done for it last week. He was somewhat concerned in that my PSA level jumped from 1.9 last year to 3.5. Since I am 63 , the 3.5 is not a big concern but a jump over 1.5 is. He referred me to a urologist to have it checked who I see in 3 weeks. I was thinking it may be all the meds I am on. Hopefully they all end in 2 weeks. But then I did a little research and saw a UK study from the 90's that saw a correlation between cardiac sugery and elevated PSA levels.
Wondering if anyone had a PSA test in the months following surgery and got a high number????

 

[epstns]

I've been continuing with annual PSA testing since surgery, and have noted no changes at all. I would, however, recommend that you check with your urologist to see if they want to re-do the test. It could be that the most recent test was done at a different lab, or could be an error. I would certainly have the uro look into the test results before I would worry any further.

 

[SCCWS]

Steve: I have an appt in 3 weeks w urologist. It was my GP who ran the test and saw the jump. At that point he felt I should go see the urologist. I hope because the test was only 2 months after surgery that the number was inflated.

 

[anutherbuddy]

My husband had his OHS on Sep 12 and had his annual visit to urologist today - he's been seeing him regularly for several years due to high PSA and has been on Proscar to keep it in check. PSA was only slightly higher (2.0 last year and now 2.4) today and doctor wasn't concerned and said to continue Proscar and "see ya next year". Don't know if that helps you.

 

[tom in MO]

I had my PSA 4 months after surgery and it was normal. Over the years I've had jumps or changes in the PSA that concerned my urologist or GPA. They were due to (a) sex within a day or two of the test or (b) prostitis. For (a), retest w/o sex before. For (b) they put you on antibiotics (Cipro) and retest later. If it is prostatitis you should be having some symptoms (e.g. need to urinate more often, feeling like you have to go, but just went, getting up more often at night, weak stream, straining to start urination, etc.). However, these are all common and your GP should have checked these out with you.

 

[SCCWS]

I had my PSA 4 months after surgery and it was normal. Over the years I've had jumps or changes in the PSA that concerned my urologist or GPA. They were due to (a) sex within a day or two of the test or (b) prostitis. For (a), retest w/o sex before. For (b) they put you on antibiotics (Cipro) and retest later. If it is prostatitis you should be having some symptoms (e.g. need to urinate more often, feeling like you have to go, but just went, getting up more often at night, weak stream, straining to start urination, etc.). However, these are all common and your GP should have checked these out with you.

Thanks Tom. I am still on Lasik so that is distorting my urination pattern somewhat. I did see a study that said coronary surgery can inflate the number which I hope is the case.

 

[tom in MO]

Good luck. I know it's hard not to think about the high PSA, especially as you get older and know people with prostate cancer. Just keep in mind that it's a screening test and most positive results are determiend to be false positives. I've been through it more than once. I put the thoughts in that little place in my mind where we keep the fears that can only be addressed with the passage of time. Like waiting for an AVR

 

[SCCWS]

Tom: Great advice. It took a while to clear up the PSA issue ( late October to this week). My DR in a normal physical did the normal round of tess and found my PSA jumped from 1.9 to 2.5 over 2 years. Somehow they couldn't find my 2011 test or forgot to include it in the script for the lab. Any jump over .75 in a year causes a red flag. So my doc sent me to the Urologist. The Urologist said it was concerning but could be a false readfing. I had to take an antibiotic for 10 day and retest. The PSA dropped to 2.1.................... case closed.

 

[tom in MO]

Glad to hear it came out fine.