Prostate, PSA
 

Started ridin 7 months ago, have ridden approx 1100 miles, lost lots of pounds, feel great, but since last year my PSA has shot up. Waiting on test but just wandering.
Have you ever known bike riding to lead to high PSA. I've been told only cancer cells & inflammation can cause this ?

Exercise (and sex) will cause a slight temporary increase. If yours "shot up", you should watch it. If it's going up faster and faster between tests it could indicate a problem. I had mine out a few years ago. My PSA was about 4, but I didn't have a baseline number to compare it with. The Doc played a hunch, and the biopsy came out positive. No problems since.

36,000 miles mine is .6

Maybe take a gander at the colonoscopy thread, just to be safe? :)

Where is TWL when you need him????

I was hoping that riding would make the PSA go up, but in my case the rise was due to a prostate filled with cancer. The biopsy was no fun, the surgery was less fun, but ignoring it and allowing it to spread would have been the most un-fun of all. Don't take medical advice from us geezers on line. Get thee to a competent urologist. That's just my opinion....I could be wrong.

Uh-oh.

I'm running 3.7. Doc says it's high for my age.

OH CRAP! :eek:

Good to hear you got checked out and treated so quickly. A friend at work's brother in law died yesterday because he waited way too long to get his checked.

Now that's some of the best advice I've seen in a while. The only thing I'd add is don't be afraid to check with two, three or more urologists independent of each other.

I don't know what my PSA is. I get tested regularly, the doc calls about a week later and says "everything looks good". I don't ask for numbers.

My baseline is less than 1 for 4 years. 2 weeks ago it was 4. Have appointment at Vanderbilt next week. I lost my grandfather to this & my father was treated successfully 15 yes ago. I was just wondering, had heard maybe it could be riding, thanks to all.

I did thanks, turned 50 now gotta get it all checked.

Here is a great discussion site for prostate issues. It is like 'Bike Forums' but for prostates.

http://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35

One warning though...the discussion threads go from inquiries about rising PSA, to sad outcomes about guys struggling with aggressive prostate cancer, so it is not always a lighthearted place to be. But if information is what you want, from guys who have been there, it is great.

Good site, thanks.

Plus a million on getting with a medical professional!

Mine went from a 3.8 to a 4.2 over the period of two years. Had the biopsy in August, Gleason of 7, had the surgery in September via the DaVinci robot. There was a 1" tumor confined to the inside my prostate, none had apparently escaped (LUCKY!!). My PSA is now less than 0.1 indicating a probable "cure." All of this was going on as I was recovering from a broken femur (two surgeries, 12 screws, 2 struts and a chunk of cadavar bone). That injury occured on June 28th. It certainly made for some uncomfortable months and made the prostate surgery seem like a walk in the park. 2010 was a tough year, but I'm advised that I can expect a complete recovery from both ailments. Like I said, I'm lucky. This was the first time in my life I had ever been ill, other than an occasional tummy ache or cold. So, I guess I paid my dues.

Next week we leave with our RV to S. CA & S. AZ for the rest of the winter with lots of bike riding and strengthing of my leg. Plan to ride the Cycle Salt Lake Century in May. Wish me luck...

71yo riding 13 years, 0.6 or thereabouts, have it checked annually, stable for years.

I always have the results faxed (mailed if no fax) to me for all medical tests/procedures.

Having A Plan
 

+1 on the advice so far. My dad and older brother both had prostate cancer. I'm at increased risk, so I have my annual bloodwork and digital exam at Johns Hopkins Brady Urological Center in Baltimore, conducted by the surgeon who will treat me if/when the necessity arrives. He is their research director, specializing in therapies which permit the best chances of full function afterward. He did my brother's surgery, too, at our urging.

Good luck and stay positive.

Phil G.

and if you have a family history of prostate cancer or are black, start checking at 40. I was diagnosed and had it out at 48. Still looking down at the sod 10+ yrs later

Surgery to remove the Cancer 8 years ago and a survey was carried out on life styles a few years later. Result of the survey came in and of the 100 in the survey- I was the only "Keen" cyclist. Several who used a cycle- and several that did some form of rigorous exercise. Many were fairly fit through lifestyle and a few were Overweight and a few Obese. So all the survey did was to confirm that those with Prostate Cancer followed roughly the same %age of the "Normal" Population.

Had it from my surgeon that cycling has not caused any of the problems I had. If it did- he would have expected to see all the local cycling club members aged over 40 in the near future. It doesn't happen.

Over here- and I presume it is on the same scale in the US- The docs only get worried when the PSA level reaches 10. OR if a patient that has a regular PSA test has an apreciable rise on two or more consecutive tests. My first test was 16. But 8 years later and it is "0".

I had none of the usual Symptoms of a Prostate Problem- It was just an on the ball doctor that said-"You are of that certain age---Bend Over" So don't trust medical symptoms- If you are of "That Age"-- get checked out.

I have had three biopsies and they can't tell a yes or no -- need to do again soon probably

wpt

Here's a study (more of a short term thing):

The effect of bicycle riding on serum prostate specific antigen levels.

CONCLUSIONS: There is no statistically or clinically significant increase in PSA after bicycle riding. However, the few participants with an initially elevated PSA had an increase after bicycle riding, although this change does not represent the population and more research is warranted to define further its clinical implications.

Last time I saw my doc I told him I had very occasional but significant "slow start" when peeing. He said "Oh, that's the biking, we see it all the time." No digital exam.

I think he's wacko. I've been riding for years, without that symptom.

Get a different doctor.

That's just goofy.

At 57 I went in for an annual physical my PSA was 4, I went in and had a biopsy 6 months later I had my prostate removed. What you want to do if you have a change in your PSA level is get a biopsy. They will tell you what you Gleason score is what is a Gleason score two numbers one is your cancer level two is how agressive it is. I am turning 60 in a couple months feel great, ride all over the place etc. Don't mess around get yourself checked out. In my generation Frank Zappa, Dan Fogleberg, Merv Griffen all died in from Prostate cancer. Don't let people tell you it is slow growing and you'll die from something else. That's a myth. I ridden a bike since I was 2 or 3 years old just my luck to get it and just my luck to have a doctor that found it.