Yes well done Fortyodd for bringing this
not-often-enough-talked-about-man's-subject out again...
Being a bit more anatomically aware than some, and not too shy to talk to sundry GPs, I have had concerns about my prostate on and off throughout my forties having felt that it was sometimes enlarged (and being proved right), and having sometimes less than ideal bladder function (sometimes needing to go two or three times during the night, and noticing sometimes small leaks of a drop or two after returning to bed, but nevertheless still able to drink beer in respectable UK quantities and company without being the first to the toilet...
)
I nevertheless have had a pervading image in my mind from a US made movie I saw two or three years ago (can't remember the name) in which the lead actor's father suffered from prostate cancer, could not afford the medical bills, and as it got worse, found himself sitting lady's style on the toilet, straining in pain to empty his bladder...I wouldn't wish that upon anyone...least of all me...
Despite two or three visits to specialists after renewed 'episodes' of things 'not seeming quite right' over the last ten years, including recently an endoscopy under local anaesthetic (not as uncomfortable as I imagined and quite interesting to watch on tv
), plus PSA and flow tests, I have been given no adverse feedback. I haven't been told that there was nothing to worry about, just not told anything informative at all basically. I do rate the head of practice at my GP's surgery too ... but the low key approach seems to be the UK way unless you make a nuiscance of yourself. Not necessarily good in my opinion. Seems to fit with an old-fashioned 'work until you drop' type culture, but doesn't seem to sit well with 'planning a long leisurely retirement' kind of thing...
My view is that disorders of the Prostate gland are amazingly still very much a cloudy subject in the United Kingdom if not worldwide, and only remain so because UK GPs and specialists are not ready to get into the oncosts of pro-active preventative regimes at the moment. Probably eats far too far into their precious budgets.
Having seen this thread, whilst also recognising that simple PSA tests are notoriously rough and ready indicators, I think I'll call my GP in the morning and just check to see what the numbers actually are for my tests.
Best wishes to Fortydd with the recouperation, and thanks A2QFI for the link to the report about the new test.