Hi all,
I am a 41 year old male, with a family history of prostate cancer (my father was diagnosed with it years ago, but survived and recovered from it, despite refusing all treatment).
Due to symptoms I've started experiencing I'm scared I might have it now too.
The main symptom started 3 weeks ago after a long bike ride. After being on the saddle for over 6 hours and 100 miles I was a little sore down there, but I'm used to that. Urinating burned, but I've had that before also and read at the time that it's common when riding a lot and it cleared up after a day. However, that night, for the first time in many years, lets say sex with my wife didn't go as expected, I wasn't working and we had to give up - I put it down to being in the saddle too long. The tip of my penis had felt a bit numb so I'd half expected it. However, what I didn't expect was that I later found that I had blood in my semen - it had streaks of blood and was a weird red/pink colour.
Again I put it down to the bike ride, but this has continued for the last 3 weeks, which seems a bit of a long time and I'd expect to have recovered from the bike ride now. I have been on it since, but not long distances.
Other concerning symptoms include increased tiredness, which I've thought not much of as it's usually if an evening - I used to go to bed regularly at midnight or later, all of a sudden over the last few months I've been falling asleep on the sofa by 9pm - I've put this down to getting older up to now (or just seeing it as normal and my late nights and early mornings before were abnormal :-) ). But now adding it to the above symptom I'm now not sure.
I've also found myself getting up in the middle of the night for the toilet more often (only once per night, but it never used to happen often), though in the day I can often go most of the day at work without going. My mates are often surprised at how I don't need to go during a long bike ride - this is still the case. It just seems to be at night.
I don't think it will be in any way related, except possibly with medication, but late last year I had a heart attack - I had a stent fitted and am now on many medications including blood thinners and tablets for my blood pressure. I'm taking these every day. I am recovering well from the heart attack, as my 100 mile ride would probably suggest.
I do have an appointment with my GP next week to talk about my heart attack and whether I'm pushing myself too hard too early, he works in the cardiac department at the hospital I was treated at a couple of times a week so I thought he'd be the perfect person to talk to. So I'll mention the above issues also while I'm there.
But in the meantime I'm just starting a weeks holiday with the family so am away from home, and reading this morning that blood in semen could be a sign any prostate cancer has spread has terrified me, to the point I've started thinking maybe I should go straight back and get checked out - I'm not sure a week would make much difference though?
I'm not asking for a diagnosis - I know only a doctor can give this. Im really just looking for some advice on whether I might be over reacting? Should I go straight back home and see my GP, or would a week not make a lot of difference? Should I just try and enjoy my holiday and follow up on it on my return?
Would really appreciate any advice. I've not been too worried about it up to now as I've assumed it was just the cycling causing it due to the timing of the main symptom starting, but reading about prostate cancer symptoms this morning has got my mind in a bit of a mess, especially as its 3 weeks since the ride that (appeared to have) started it all off.
