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Old Jun 26, 2014, 02:44 PM
MotownJohnny MotownJohnny is offline
Poohbah
 
Member Since: Jul 2013
Location: In the City of Blinding Lights
Posts: 1,458
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Skeezyks View Post
Well, Johnny: Welcome to old age! Of course, what you should do is to have this checked out by your doctor. But I suspect what you're experiencing is having an enlarged prostate. The PSA test only checks for cancer. But, as men age, the prostate gland can enlarge, & obstruct urine flow, without there being any cancer present. It's just a part of the aging process. There are a variety of treatments available for this sort of thing.

Personally, I no longer have a prostate. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer about, oh-h-h, 15 years ago (young for that disease.) And, because I was so young, it was recommended that I have the gland removed. So I did. Anyway, when I 1st saw the doctor, he did the PSA test & I was only at a level 5 as I recall; which is within normal range. However, he decided based on what I had told him, to do a biopsy. The biopsy came back positive. And the rest, as they say, is history.

One word of caution here. It is possible for the prostate gland to become so enlarged it blocks urine flow entirely! This is, as you can imagine, a medical emergency. You have to get in to see your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room & be catheterized so that the urine can be drained... not a fun process! I worked my way through college many years ago as what they used to call an "orderly". And at one of the hospitals I worked at, one of my duties was to cath the old guys who would come in with their "valves" closed. To say they were in pain, & were grateful for my services, would be an understatement. See your doctor!
Thanks, Skeezyks, well, I think, anyway. I thought the PSA test also screened for benign hyperplasia, but I was wrong. Well, the thing is, I have an annual physical scheduled for the fall anyway, I guess at that time, just bite the bullet and get it over with. Sorry you had to go through that ... yikes!