Am I really this old? Prostate Question.
Ok, I am 29, but it seems to me that I may have a prostate problem. This is an uneducated guess but looking up my symptoms online it appears I may have an enlarged prostate.
I have had this problem for probably close to two years now. I have to go frequently especially at night. I always thought it was because I drink alot of fluids during the day. I have been cutting back on any liquid before turning in and still have to get up 3-4 times at night.
I usually go to bed at 10ish and get up at 4 to go to work.
I also have trouble starting and often feel like I need to go again immediately after finishing. This has cut into my sleep drastically. Last night was one of the worst. I knew I didn't have to work today and had about 6 beers by 7 and then stopped. I went to bed at 10 and got up so frequently and had such urges that I got up at 12 and never went back to bed.
It seems to be getting worse, but sometimes seems to go away and not bother at all.
I have no health insurance, self-employed and can't afford it. I also cannot afford to see a doctor right now, hopefully in a couple months but not a possibility now. Yes, I plan to see one, but just when funds allow it.
Guess i'm just wondering if you can get this at 29?
Also does Saw Palmetto work?
What else could this be? I have ruled out infections because it has gone on so long, but a doctor would have to rule it out for sure.
I have had this problem for probably close to two years now. I have to go frequently especially at night. I always thought it was because I drink alot of fluids during the day. I have been cutting back on any liquid before turning in and still have to get up 3-4 times at night.
I usually go to bed at 10ish and get up at 4 to go to work.
I also have trouble starting and often feel like I need to go again immediately after finishing. This has cut into my sleep drastically. Last night was one of the worst. I knew I didn't have to work today and had about 6 beers by 7 and then stopped. I went to bed at 10 and got up so frequently and had such urges that I got up at 12 and never went back to bed.
It seems to be getting worse, but sometimes seems to go away and not bother at all.
I have no health insurance, self-employed and can't afford it. I also cannot afford to see a doctor right now, hopefully in a couple months but not a possibility now. Yes, I plan to see one, but just when funds allow it.
Guess i'm just wondering if you can get this at 29?
Also does Saw Palmetto work?
What else could this be? I have ruled out infections because it has gone on so long, but a doctor would have to rule it out for sure.
0
-
I think that the messages are:
GO SEE A DOCTOR - NOW!!
Doug0 -
"why would you not check for underlying disease like diabetes, thyroid,"
First of all, he is not exhibiting any symptoms of hypothyroid.
Second, the thyroid blood test is another test that is woefully inaccurate.
I had the thyroid blood test, got a false negative, and even though I was telling the doc four classic symptoms of hypothyroid, she treated the test results rather than listening to the patient. I suffered for two more years before I finally got treatment.0 -
prostate problem
Sorry young'son, but unless y'all like finger'bangin y'alls self for the heck of it...go see a male finger'bangin specialist...'Course that 6" 'round flashlight ain't romantic...0 -
quote:Originally posted by bobski
go to a doc now. its what doctors are paid to do.
btw, has your seman discharge decreased lately?
Isn't a lobster fisherman a seaman?0 -
Definitely follow the excellent advice here. My recent PSA test showed a 8.5. The doctor retested three times over a three-month period, because false results are common. My level did not decrease, rather increased to 8.6 over the period of testing.
The Doc then did a prostate biopsy which revealed cancer. I've got a radical prostatectomy upcoming. Radiation is not indicated in my case - special (uninteresting to you guys) circumstances.
I'm older than you - 53 - but my Doc said that he just finished treating a guy who had prostate cancer at 34.
RUGERGUNZ Do not dilly dally, man! Get yourself checked!0 -
quote:Originally posted by bpost1958
It could be a lot of things. One is an infection that could leave you sterile or imptoent. Another one is cancer that if found early is easy to cure. If you wait a few months I might be able to get some Ruger Guns real cheap.
Never let the cost of a check up stop you. Call the local hospital and tell them what is up with the money issue. Ask to set up a pay plan so you can get checked out.
The symptoms you have are not common in younger men that is why it is imperative to get it checked out NOW not in two months.
If you happen to be an illegal alien just go to the best doctor in town everything is free for them.
You do not have to be an illegal to receive free medical treatment at an ER Just lie about your name and say you are "passing through" They may give you some static about it but they will eventually take you in.
Transients do it all the time.
Suggest you don't drive up in your new vette though! [}:)]
No matter how you do it..get it checked out!
Allen0 -
You can't afford NOT to have this checked out. Better to have to pay on a medical bill than have your family pay for a funeral. 0 -
Maybe if funds are really limited you can skip the GP and go straight to a urologist. Urinary problems and prostates are their specialty.
Find a good one and make haste getting to him.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Rocklobster
Definitely follow the excellent advice here. My recent PSA test showed a 8.5. The doctor retested three times over a three-month period, because false results are common. My level did not decrease, rather increased to 8.6 over the period of testing.
The Doc then did a prostate biopsy which revealed cancer. I've got a radical prostatectomy upcoming. Radiation is not indicated in my case - special (uninteresting to you guys) circumstances.
I'm older than you - 53 - but my Doc said that he just finished treating a guy who had prostate cancer at 34.
RUGERGUNZ Do not dilly dally, man! Get yourself checked!
I had a friend who had this procedure done at Stanford hosp in CA and he came out fine. All functions are back to about normal within about 8 months. He now uses a small amount of cialis but things are working fine. Good luck with your procedure.
Make sure you have an experienced surgen to insure nerves are not cut or damaged.0 -
Get your urine checked for protein. Do your ankles swell up during the day? This could be a few things.
Good news, if you aren't experiencing this during the day it could well be that it isn't a prostate problem.
Bad news is that it could be something worse, Circulatory problems including CHF, low albumin, even something called SIADH. How's your blood pressure? You should get to an MD you trust. Get some labs drawn and have them check your urine for protein. An echocardiogram may be indicated.
Same thing here (53) and I had them start me on an Ace inhibitor. Problem is somewhat better. I was happy to see my renal labs normal, as well as my albumin.
It could also be a problem with an electrolyte imbalance. With low serum potassium levels, potassium is drawn out of the surrounding tissues to compensate. Your serum potassium may be normal while your intracellular potassium may be low. As it drops, your sodium level increases, causing fluid retention in the tissues. When you lie down, gravity makes your body excrete the fluids. An old New Englander's remedy for this is cider vinegar and water.
My dad used to make Switchel, old time gatorade. Tastes like hell but on a hot day you can't get enough. Mostly cider and water with sugar and ginger. I wish I had the recipe.0 -
quote:Originally posted by RUGERGUNZ
Guess i'm just wondering if you can get this at 29?
Also does Saw Palmetto work?
What else could this be? I have ruled out infections because it has gone on so long, but a doctor would have to rule it out for sure.
Saw Palmetto can alter your PSA levels. If you do take saw palmetto, inform your doctor of this fact if you go in for an exam. This is especially important for any man who is getting screened for prostate cancer, saw palmetto can mask the presence of prostate cancer from detection by lowering your PSA levels, making it appear normal when in fact there is a problem.
The effectiveness of saw palmetto as a treatment for Benign Prostratic Hypertrophy is somewhat disputed. Some studies show that it helps, some indicate that it does nothing.0 -
quote:Also does Saw Palmetto work?
It worked for me. I can't say it did for anyone else.0 -
"The effectiveness of saw palmetto as a treatment for Benign Prostratic Hypertrophy is somewhat disputed. Some studies show that it helps, some indicate that it does nothing."
Europe is way ahead of America when it comes to utilizing health food stores.
When my prostate problems developed in 1990, there were no prescription drugs to help. Saw palmetto was not advertised all over the place, like it is today. It was not advertised at all.
Over a 9 month span, I went to 5 urologists, including the best ones in the state at the Emory Clinic. They could do nothing for me.
Then a nurse at the hospital where I worked told me about saw palmetto.
I thought she must be nuts. If it were any good, surely my urologists would have told me about it.
She directed me to some German studies, which showed that 93 percent of men got relief using saw palmetto. There were virtually no side effects. It was cheap. German doctors routinely prescribed it for patients.
I bought some saw palmetto during my first ever visit to a health food store. In about a week, my symptoms were reduced by over half. This stuff was a real wonder drug for me.
I realized that something was wrong with the American health care system, when doctors would not tell patients about remedies from the health food store.
I heard about these recent studies that purport to show that saw palmetto is ineffective. I don't trust these studies, since they contradict the German studies, and since they contradict my own experience, and the experiences of two friends of mine. I heard an interview with the MD who did the study, and the last sentence he said was, "Someone might want to do another study with saw palmetto, and try different doses."
This gave the game away for me. The MD deliberately underdosed the subjects in the study. This way, he can say that he had a double blind study, top grade saw palmetto was given, but it didn't help anyone. I bet this bogus study was funded by the big pharmecutical comanies that make prostate drugs, because saw palmetto sales are cutting into their profits.
Likewise, a study about 6 months ago purported to show that glucosamine and chondroitin are of no help for arthritis. Well, I know 5 people who swear by these drugs, including my mother. I know of no arthritis sufferers who are not helped by glucosamine and chondroitin. My dog's arthritis is helped a great deal by glucosamine and chondroitin.
At the end of the report on this study, they said that glucosamine and chondroitin are the seventh biggest selling products at the health food store. That was all I needed to know. The multimillion dollar sales of glucosamine and chondroitin are cutting in to the profits of the big pharmecuticals, they simply funded a bogus study where they underdosed the subjects.0 -
Thanks guys.
I have cut back on the caffiene and such and have gotten a little better.
I have pulled some strings with freinds who work in the Hospital and have had a Urine test. It showed nothing, I don't have an infection and showed no signs of sugar or anything else.
Tomorrow I am going to get blood drawn and have it tested for just about everything. Diabetes and PSA levels mainly. If this shows anything I will try to get an appointment with a doctor or urologist.
The reason I am doing these two things before seeing a doctor is that I am getting them done for free. Before I go spend money I would like a headsup of what to look for.
Thanks again.0 -
You got the urine test and it showed that you don't have an infection.
Having ruled that out, it is almost a certainty that you have BPH, or benign prostatic hypertrophy. You are exhibiting the classic symptoms, which I know well, as I have the same thing.
Doctors don't have all the answers. I would head down to the health food store and get a bottle of saw palmetto. If, in a week or two your symptoms are alleviated, you have proven that you have bph.
I notice you cut back on the caffeine, but not the booze? Bad boy.
Same thing I did.0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
45 comments