Update since operation

Hello Rod (Rod the Mod) 

Thank you very much for the update on your surgery and I am so sorry to read about your mother - please accept my condolences.

As you say your recovery is slow but you are recovering so things are on the up. People tend to forget that surgery to remove the prostate isn't a "small" operation and recovery can take time and can't be rushed.

I have taken note of the fact your emotions have been up and down - please do remember the Support Line is there for you and your family on 0808 808 00 00 (8am to 8pm 7 days a week) - do give them a call, they are happy to help.

If i can do anything for you please do let me know.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thank you so much, l have found the comments on this forum since joining reassuring and feel like there is someone out the to listen and share with

Hi everyone, it is now 3 months today since my radical robotic prostatectomy. l had a meeting with my consultant on the 18th and a blood test the week before. He said he was happy that he had caught the cancer before it had burst out of my prostate.

But, and there always seems to be a but, he said my blood count was higher than expected. It was 0.09 and he wanted it to be more like 0.02. He sent me for a blood test and 2 days later they rang me as it had gone up to 0.1 He said if it gets to 0.2 they will send me for a full body scan and RT. 

He said if my blood count had been low he would have seen me in 6 months time but because it was higher and still going up, they will now see me in 3 months to monitor me.

Is this normal ? I came away feeling disappointed at the findings but remaining positive and still trying to get back to some normality, my incontinence still restricts me at times.

Kind regards 

Hello Rod (Rod the Mod) 

So with surgery - the cancer and the prostate should both be gone and you should have a PSA of 0.00.

If it's rising and going up - there may be something left - possibly in the prostate bed so he's keeping an eye on you.

If it keeps going up than, yes there's something left and they will "zap" it with RT. All still good and all still on a curative pathway.

I hope this make sense - any questions -fire away.

Best wishes - Brian.

Many thanks for that positive and encouraging news

Hello There

My understanding of PSA levels after prostectomy are that you would not get a totally zero reading as a small amount of PSA continues to be produced by the adrenal glands although yes it would be extremely low due to the absence of a prostate. Only thing is they don't say how low a result you should expect. OH went from contained to locally advanced much to our surprise and the surgeons.

My OH had a Ist reading @ approx 6 week mark was 0.06  than 3 months 0.09 unfortunately they were done at different hospital blood clinics then 3rd one @ roughly 5 months was 0.01 but this was after HT treatment had taken place. We regret not having the third one done just prior to HT as we don't know if HT was the result of this low level or not and the raised one was it a result of different testing centre.From here in we now want to be with a consistent testing clinic so we can gauge the results.Fingers crossed we can request that as we are under 2 separate health authorities and our urologist uses a more sensitive test.

Due to the raise to 0.09 OH was put on HT for 2 years and RT 33gys. Radiotherapy. 

Hello Ann (Ann33) 

Yes i agree there is still a small trace of PSA but in many cases it's undetectable. As you say it depends on the testing, some test to 3 decimal places too.

Best wishes - Brian.