Hello all. Wishing everyone healthy, happy holidays.
I had a prostate biopsy on 6/2/22. Prior to that I had a "high" PSA reading of 5.627 on May 18. After the biopsy, two urologists told me that I needed to have a prostatectomy or brachytherapy, no questions about it. Long story short: On 9/6/22 I met with the urologist/surgeon who would have performed the brachytherapy. After he reviewed all my information, it was his suggestion to just observe my situation and not do anything rash. Since he had been referred to me by 3 doctors (including the two who had told me I had to have some procedure done), I decided to trust what he said. Jump ahead to 11/24/22. I had a blood test and it revealed that my PSA was 4.45. This made absolutely no sense to me, but the urologist was quite happy about it and decided for now that we will do AS, with my next blood test schedule on 3/23/23. on 12/7/22 I saw my regular doctor (a cardiologist who is the head of the hospital I go to). He thought this was great news as well. I asked him what would have caused the PSA to go down. I specifically said, "Isn't it the case that if there is cancer present in the body that it naturally grows? And by growing the PSA score would be higher?"
He said that the biopsy is seen as the body as a kind of "injury." (Which, for those of you who have experienced it, I'm sure you would agree.) He said the white blood cells would have rushed in to "heal" the area and that that may have had an impact on the PSA level. He said he thought the AS was a good choice for now, and he said that unless I planned on living till I was 120 (I'm 68), that I needn't worry about it.
I am a worrier by nature, and it will be on my mind, but this is all quite shocking to me. The 4.45 reading is lower than 3 readings I've had in the past over the last few years. Yes, there will be ebbs and flows in the readings. And I hope to God I do not have to have another biopsy. But for now, I end this year with gratitude, as opposed to how I started it, which was in abject fear.
I wish you all well. Would love to hear from anyone who's had a similar experience with a lowered PSA score.
