October PSA Results

That's interesting. My PSA on yesterday's test was 19.10 as opposed to 24.04 a month ago.

So it looks like cycling is raising my PSA, but stopping riding hasn't solved the problem.

COVID booster

I had my COVID booster today. That's no. 6

A Cardio Appointment

Nothing to do with my prostate, but another medical appointment. I'm getting slightly bored with seeing doctors, but this one was different.

It's probably not cycling

I had my urologist appointment today. He wasn't convinced by the bike riding theory, but he wrote me a prescription for another PSA test anyway. I'll try get a test on Wednesday next week, that'll give me 10 days since the last ride.

He is trying to make an appointment for me to have an MRI scan. It could be in either Tours or Poitiers.

Is it Cycling?

I've had a worrying (?) thought.

In April last year my PSA level was well under 4.

In July last year I bought a bike.

July this year my level was 17

I get a seriously sore bum when I ride. I know correlation isn't causation, but I'm wondering if I've aggravated my prostate by sitting on my arsebone too long...

September PSA results

24.04, as opposed to 23.01 a month ago.

Follow Up with the Urologist

I had another appointment with the urologist today. We're going the full MRI/biopsy route. I'm not exactly happy about that, nor am I unhappy. I'm having blood/urine tests again in a couple of weeks.

My levels are high enough to be concerning, but there isn't (at the moment) any indications of cancer. The tests in three weeks are to see if the PSA level is increasing at the same rate.

He tells me the biopsy will be 12 samples taken through the bum, rather than cutting through the perineum.

He says "the area" may be sore after, and there will be bleeding in both my pee and semen. Maybe even in my poo*. I'm to avoid sex for 6 weeks. I guess the blood thing could be off-putting.

It all seems rather bleak and grown up all of a sudden. It's like I should feel unwell, but I don't. I guess that's why so many people die untreated - by the time you're sick it's too late.

*I must admit, I never look at my poo. In France we get regular bowel cancer checkups, what we call shit stirring. You receive a paper sling for the toilet, a stick, and a plastic test tube. The idea is you poo on the paper, stir it up a bit with the stick, then put the stick in the test tube and post it off. I had my last test about 6 months ago and it was clear.