High PSA Test

[[Be...]]

Is it possible that anxiety and muscle spasms from w/d could affect a prostate PSA test?  I'm having lots of spasms in my pelvic area and my PSA numbers are high.

 

I have had 2 tests that were 1 month apart.  PSA numbers where in the grey area between 4 and 10, which is not good.  My Doctor wants me to take 3 weeks of Bactrim antibiotic, but I don't want to take it unless it is a life or death situation due to the w/d.

 

Also, I know PSA tests are almost meaningless anymore.

 

Has anyone seen their PSA number fluctuate during w/d?

[[Ho...]]

Bactrim won't do anything but make you worse. It's very unlikely it's bacterial but it is possible. "Prostatitis" is a bogus term because the prostate is not the root cause. CPPS can raise PSA but not usually that high. I would get some prostate tests done. Maybe a TRUS and DRE to start. Then a biopsy but it's invasive and can cause pain.

 

Sexual activity and having a DRE right before your PSA can give you a false reading.

 

If it is Cpps then stay away from sexual activity and see a physio. Do stretches everyday.

[[Be...]]

Thanks Hootie,

 

I've had the DRE.  Prostate was enlarged a little but otherwise OK.  Doctor also wanted me to take 2 advil per day to bring down inflammation, but advil does rev up my symptoms so I've only take a couple.

 

I'm going to get 1 more PSA test then consider the TRUS.

 

The biopsy has a lot of risks.

 

[[Ho...]]

When you go through withdrawal, it causes your muscles including your pelvic muscles to tense up which can cause chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Chronic tension of the pelvic muscles can inflame the prostate but the prostate itself is not the cause of the inflammation. This has been proven at Stanford yet most doctors are still relying on data from 50 years ago. CPPS usually causes a minor elevation in PSA between 1 and 2.

 

There could be many reasons for a higher PSA but you have to rule out prostate cancer as a precaution.

[[Kg...]]

Instead of asking on this web site what to do how about you go for a second opinion to a physician who specializes in this area.  Sometimes it is not the benzo as many of us can attest and you actually have a medical issue which should be treated. 

[[Et...]]

It's rare to have results out of the ordinary in withdrawal, that said it does happen and most of the times it goes away. I agree with Kgirl and you should definitely get a second opinion and follow up tests, that is standard for anything you feel of on withdrawal. 4-10 isn't to bad but definitely get it double and triple checked ASAP so you can be confident is't nothing bad.

[[Da...]]

Please please please ask for a second MD's opinion rather than ours, we're not doctors.

 

I lost my stepdad to prostate cancer, so anything to do with the prostate is of high importance. It's NOT likely to be cancer, but other conditions that can be just as nasty can affect the prostate.

 

I think you need to see a urologist. Ask your doctor to refer you. Say you would like a second opinion by a specialist. It's your body, you have to advocate for it.

 

The first thing a urologist will do is another full blood work looking for any conditions that can effect the prostate, which they may tailor to your hormones and other male body chemestry and a DRE, these two simple tests will tell them a lot about what is going on in the gland.

 

Then they may be able to do some scans to get a full image of your prostate, and it will probably boil down to some mild inflammation caused by some unknown cause.

 

I had both my breasts leak fluid a couple of months ago, and a quick visit to the doctor made sure I was ok.

 

I put that down to withdrawal, yours may just be a fluke, and may somehow be related to withdrawal too, but please don't delay in getting a second opinion, and yes, you're right to avoid meds that may not be needed at all. Say you do not want to take any medications until they know what has caused this.

 

 

 

 

[[tr...]]

I have worked as a nurse, in Sweden, at the clinic for urological diseases. Here, your value is considered to be just above the normal value. It is often affected by inflammation of the prostate. In Ashton's manual, you can read how the withdrawal creates problems in the immune system. Age, can also be decisive for the value. If you are over 60, it's higher than for the young one.

 

My husband had cancer in the prostate, and his value was around 200. IF, it would be somewhat pathological, and detected in time, the forecast is very good. But, it can be a problem if it is discovered late. You also seem to be in very good hands, and are being controlled. So I would feel calm.

 

ASHTONS MANUAL:

Immune system. "Why do I get so many infections?" This question is commonly asked by patients withdrawing from benzodiazepines. They seem to be prone to colds, sinusitis, ear infections, cystitis, oral and vaginal thrush (candida), other fungal infections of the skin and nails, cracked lips, mouth ulcers and influenza. Also common are complaints of adverse reactions to antibiotics used to treat some of the bacterial infections.

 

It is not clear whether there really is an increased incidence of infections in people undergoing benzodiazepine withdrawal, because there have been no comparisons with otherwise similar populations who have not been exposed to benzodiazepines. However, many factors affect the immune system. One of these is stress, with increased output of the stress hormone, cortisol, which inhibits immune responses. Another factor is depression, also related to stress and associated with increased cortisol secretion. Increased cortisol levels can reduce resistance to infection and also cause flare-ups of incipient infection. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can clearly be stressful but, strangely, in patients that I have tested, blood cortisol concentrations have been low. So this subject remains a mystery and probably merits further research.

[[Ho...]]

I'd be very surprised personally if it was an infection but it's possible. If so then have a semen culture analysis. Very easy to do.

 

How old are you?

[[tr...]]

Hootie: When you suffer from withdrawal, life is hard anyway. Therefore, I think it´s unnecessary to "paint the devil on the wall" as we say in Sweden. Of course, we hope for the best. BenzoBGone is checked, and that´s the most important. So, much more I don´t have to say.