Suspicious of Prostate

busterD1
busterD1 Member Posts: 3

Just looking for a few thoughts form people that know. I get up 2 & 3 times a night to pee, has been 4 a few times. Sometimes its easier to drain my bladder when I sit to pee. I can sit & trickle out 2 or 3 times in a 3 minute span after peeing initialy. I pee more frequently during the day, maybe once an hour. Never any blood . The equipment rarely works in the bedroom anymore. I do have some lower back pain that is not typical of back pain I would normally have. Now I am about 100 pounds overweight so this could be the cause maybe. I am trying to be careful to not fall in the trap of self diagnosis. Im not saying i think I have cancer but I have wondered can a person be overweight & have prostate cancer or issues without it showing the usual signs? Often times when one reads about or hears of cancer, the rapid weight loss symptom comes up. I am 48. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Thank You 

Comments

  • Lucky64
    Lucky64 Member Posts: 29
    Could be lots of things...

    I had a UTI, urinary track infection a few years back and when I researched it I learned that  guy empties the bladder MORE when he stands up, rather than sits down. Assuming you don't drink beer of coffee in the evening, it could be Overactive Bladder.

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    Welcome

    Welcome to your Buster.

    Your symptoms could easily be enlarged prostate, which virtually all men get as they age (called 'Benign Prostate Hyperplasia' [BPH] or the alternative term 'Benign Enlarged Prostate' [BEP]).  The symptoms mostly parallel the symptoms of prostate cancer, so they by themselves don't narrrow things down much for patients or doctors.  But, most doctors will assume that the cause is enlarged prostate, at least until they have reason to take the next step and suspect cancer.

    Most cases of mild or early stage PCa ('prostate cancer') do not cause bleeding, so the lack of bleeding could also be either. PCa does not cause weight loss or back pain except in highly advanced cases, and sometimes not even then.  Another possibility is Prostatitis, a usually very painful inflammatory condition, which can be chronic, lingering for years. I had it for decades, off and on.

    At 48 you are somewhat young for PCa, but the traditional recommendation for beginning annual PSA blood testing was (is) 50.  I reccommend that you go to your family doctor and request a PSA test, to  establish a baseline for your PSA.   And get a DRE ('finger poke').  Most doctors can approximate the size of the prostate via the DRE, which is quick, nearly painless, and as medical tests go, extremely cheap.  Any family doc can do a DRE and PSA draw all in one visit, and the price is cheap, really rendering it priceless.

    max

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 980 Member
    See the Doc

    Hi,

    I would go see a urologist and see what the doctor says.  Could be something fairly simple(you hope) but you need a doctor to diagnose what's going on.

    Dave 3+4

  • busterD1
    busterD1 Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2017 #5
    Thanks Guys

    Thanks I appreciate the feedback, very informative. I think maybe im probably worrying for nothing. 

    Thanks Again

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,285 Member
    Do get a PSA test

    Hopefully it will be in the normal range for your age.

  • ASAdvocate
    ASAdvocate Member Posts: 193 Member
    One more note

    And, when you get a psa result, do not assume that an above-average number means that you have cancer. PSA is an imperfect test, and it's results are also affected by several benign causes. The PHI test is an more accurate blood test. If the psa is high, you may need a biopsy, but do not fear that you have cancer unless a biopsy finds it. And, most intitial biopsies are negative.

  • ramaka
    ramaka Member Posts: 55
    What Max said.....

    I agree with what Max has stated above. My dad was having a tough time passing urine and his PCP just said it is normal due to his age (71 years at that time) and my dad let it be for a whole year. One day he woke up with a very bad pain and further tests revealed he had PCa that was ignored for so long. So, please do not tke this lightly and get to the Dr ASAP. Wishing you the best and parying you do not have PCa!

  • busterD1
    busterD1 Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2017 #9
    Thanks I Will

    Im going to go to the doc eventually when I get insurance. I wanted to do some homework in the meantime. Thanks for the advice & education. God bless you guys!

  • Grinder
    Grinder Member Posts: 487 Member
    Flomax

    If your biopsy turns out negative, and you have symptoms typical of BPH, the doc can prescribe Flomax which relaxes the muscles under the bladder and in the prostate. It does help, and the only side effect commonly felt is low blood pressure causing a little dizziness and sinus congestion when asleep. But your symptoms may not be that bad yet. Also Cialis, an ED drug has been found to ease BPH retention symptoms. As for all the naturopathic herbalist crap, like Saw Palmetto and Tomato et al, save your money. In the case of acute and chronic prostatitis that Max mentioned, antibiotics are usually prescribed. Some work better than others, depending on the particular pathogen infecting the prostate. But again, your symptoms don't sound that bad yet. If you EVER wake up one night unable to pass ANY urine and that goes on for six to eight or more hours and it feels like your bladder is ready to burst but you still can't emit any stream, you will have to go to the ER and have a Foley catheter installed to drain the bladder before the kidneys incur damage. If that ever happens, welcome to the Prostate Misery Club.