Is this normal GP behaviour?
Discussion
I'm asking because I honestly have no idea as I rarely see my GP.
Background : Late 50's, ex stressful career, enjoy a drink most nights and have done for donkeys years (trying to cut down, 3 weeks no alcohol now). Physically fit, weight good, BP marginally high on my Omron 140/76 territory.
That aside for the last few years I've started getting up to wee anything between 3-6 times a night, sometimes more. No real flow issue, no blood in urine. During the day a sudden urge at times with little net result.
I've also started getting further issues including painful erections. Additionally when my bladders full I feel I need to do a No 2. Lately I've had bouts of crushing lower back pain, emanating to my groin.
Being a numpty I ignore it but then thought sod it. I last had a prostate check 20 years ago and that simple thing is putting me off- what a muppet. So I ring up but its the day after the Chris Hoy news that his prostate cancer has spread and is now terminal. When the receptionists asks I say 'prostate' there's almost a kind of 'its another one' type of response plus 'anything else' ?
That aside I eventually see a young male GP. I regale him quickly of my history and all the symptoms listed above.
I'm literally in there for two minutes. No examination of any sort just a scribbled note with him saying "give this to the receptionist" . The note says "bloods 2-3 weeks". I ask what the blood tests are for and he says "Prostate, liver, etc they'll check everything, I'll text you the result and we'll take it from there, you're probably ok"
I didn't really want it (who does) but I was expecting a quick prostate check, perhaps some further questioning about my raft of symptoms, a bit of poking about, prodding even checking my knob wasn't falling off in light of what I said earlier - how will a blood test check that ?
For any blokes out there who've gone to the doc for anything similar is this normal, just bloods and nothing else or is it a case of bloods first and work backwards. I really should have asked him but christ I felt like I was wasting his time.
Background : Late 50's, ex stressful career, enjoy a drink most nights and have done for donkeys years (trying to cut down, 3 weeks no alcohol now). Physically fit, weight good, BP marginally high on my Omron 140/76 territory.
That aside for the last few years I've started getting up to wee anything between 3-6 times a night, sometimes more. No real flow issue, no blood in urine. During the day a sudden urge at times with little net result.
I've also started getting further issues including painful erections. Additionally when my bladders full I feel I need to do a No 2. Lately I've had bouts of crushing lower back pain, emanating to my groin.
Being a numpty I ignore it but then thought sod it. I last had a prostate check 20 years ago and that simple thing is putting me off- what a muppet. So I ring up but its the day after the Chris Hoy news that his prostate cancer has spread and is now terminal. When the receptionists asks I say 'prostate' there's almost a kind of 'its another one' type of response plus 'anything else' ?
That aside I eventually see a young male GP. I regale him quickly of my history and all the symptoms listed above.
I'm literally in there for two minutes. No examination of any sort just a scribbled note with him saying "give this to the receptionist" . The note says "bloods 2-3 weeks". I ask what the blood tests are for and he says "Prostate, liver, etc they'll check everything, I'll text you the result and we'll take it from there, you're probably ok"
I didn't really want it (who does) but I was expecting a quick prostate check, perhaps some further questioning about my raft of symptoms, a bit of poking about, prodding even checking my knob wasn't falling off in light of what I said earlier - how will a blood test check that ?
For any blokes out there who've gone to the doc for anything similar is this normal, just bloods and nothing else or is it a case of bloods first and work backwards. I really should have asked him but christ I felt like I was wasting his time.
The response is par for the course.
Bloods.
But! That should be the start and you should be expecting proper feedback re the results which I think you'll get.
That could well lead to a prostate examination if levels are raised.
If they are not, it then becomes your call to request an examination - which I think you should.
One of the "words" for the patient to use in these type of circumstances is "want", or similar.
Meaning, if you say this, there will a favourable response in most cases.
Don't ask me how I know.
It's the new NHS, don't you know.
I do hope this helps.
Listening on LBC last week there was someone on talking about psa tests, and if the tests show abnormalities you get an MRI-im nearly 51, have to jump out of bed to have a piss most nights sometimes more than once, my grandfather and my uncle both had prostate problems, do I just ask for a psa test?
RGG said:
The response is par for the course.
Bloods.
But! That should be the start and you should be expecting proper feedback re the results which I think you'll get.
That could well lead to a prostate examination if levels are raised.
If they are not, it then becomes your call to request an examination - which I think you should.
One of the "words" for the patient to use in these type of circumstances is "want", or similar.
Meaning, if you say this, there will a favourable response in most cases.
Don't ask me how I know.
It's the new NHS, don't you know.
I do hope this helps.
Please ignore this ‘advice’. Bloods.
But! That should be the start and you should be expecting proper feedback re the results which I think you'll get.
That could well lead to a prostate examination if levels are raised.
If they are not, it then becomes your call to request an examination - which I think you should.
One of the "words" for the patient to use in these type of circumstances is "want", or similar.
Meaning, if you say this, there will a favourable response in most cases.
Don't ask me how I know.
It's the new NHS, don't you know.
I do hope this helps.
All I can tell you is they rely heavily on the blood test these days. Unless you have "other symptoms" or "a significant recent change in symptoms" they don't want to know.
Which leaves you wondering, "what are other symptoms or a significant recent change in symptoms???" I haven't been able to find a sensible answer to this although "pain" and/or "blood" appear to ring significant alarm bells.
Which leaves you wondering, "what are other symptoms or a significant recent change in symptoms???" I haven't been able to find a sensible answer to this although "pain" and/or "blood" appear to ring significant alarm bells.
It does sound like a bit of an offhand consultation but lots of things can cause nocturia - so blood tests for several things are a good place to start. Hopefully PSA as well but that isn't a surefire test for BPH or prostate cancer either, a series of other tests are required for those - physical examination, ultrasound, CT scan, etc.
But I agree you might have to be persistent.
But I agree you might have to be persistent.
Badda said:
The finger up the bum prostate check not only puts off a lot of men getting checked, it’s also a poor prognosticator for prostate CA. Bloods are a much more sensible and reliable method, be grateful you have a progressive gp and good luck.
Thanks for the replies and yes the thought of a physical prostate check has put me off for some time. So bloods first and take if from there, righty ho. If only he'd explained things a little better. I went to the GP for the first time in my life recently for something different and basically got told I'd need to be dying/severly debilitated if I was to get a referal to a consultant (hernia surgery).
The experience has left me looking for private medical insurance so I have somewhere to go if I have another issue in the future and actually want it sorted before it becomes a problem.
The experience has left me looking for private medical insurance so I have somewhere to go if I have another issue in the future and actually want it sorted before it becomes a problem.
brother in law was diagnosed with prostate cancer a couple of years ago.
he had a great GP. Bloods apparently are best as the finger yup teh arse only allows you to feel one side of the Prostrate anyway.
big thing we discovered then was if they give you Radio and it doesn't work, they can;t then remove teh Prostrate. He had his removed straight off the bat.
No adverse issues from that so far.
the peeing a lot in the night could be simply the quantity of fluid. I always find a couple of beers at night makes me beer all night. where as 1 or a glass of wine does not.
The other symptoms however sound more worrying
he had a great GP. Bloods apparently are best as the finger yup teh arse only allows you to feel one side of the Prostrate anyway.
big thing we discovered then was if they give you Radio and it doesn't work, they can;t then remove teh Prostrate. He had his removed straight off the bat.
No adverse issues from that so far.
the peeing a lot in the night could be simply the quantity of fluid. I always find a couple of beers at night makes me beer all night. where as 1 or a glass of wine does not.
The other symptoms however sound more worrying
DT1975 said:
Thanks for the replies and yes the thought of a physical prostate check has put me off for some time. So bloods first and take if from there, righty ho. If only he'd explained things a little better.
Went with similar last month, 1-2 wees a night and my GP got me to do bloods but also did a prostate check (esp as my dad had some of his removed...) It was ok, lie on side, bit of lube and a quick finger - result was slightly enlarged, monitor. Bloods normal. I also had one 10 years ago from a consultant in hospital and it was how to describe it.... like mixing batter in a bowl!!! F'ing rough. Still makes me wince
Going back 10 years (I’m 65 now), my GP insisted that I had the rectal exam before he would refer me for a PSA test. I suspected that it was a way to deter some men from asking for the blood test. In addition, he explained that it would give him a baseline for any changes further down the line, by comparing the results of the rectal exam and PSA results. In the last 10 years, my PSA values have been up and down. Had an MRI test a couple of years ago when the PSA score suddenly went up. Turns out it was an infection. Back to “normal” now, but PSA tests every six months.
Keep going OP push for what you want doing.
Keep going OP push for what you want doing.
cheeky_chops said:
Went with similar last month, 1-2 wees a night and my GP got me to do bloods but also did a prostate check (esp as my dad had some of his removed...) It was ok, lie on side, bit of lube and a quick finger - result was slightly enlarged, monitor. Bloods normal.
I also had one 10 years ago from a consultant in hospital and it was how to describe it.... like mixing batter in a bowl!!! F'ing rough. Still makes me wince
Thanks guys, some great replies that certainly make me feel better. Bloods are booked for 6th Nov. My one and only prostate check 20 odd years back was similar to your consultant one, the doc had hands like shovels . I then had a cystoscopy (all clear) which felt like they shoved a 35mm camera up there hence slight reluctance to go back down this path of tests but needs must. Just need to man up ;-)I also had one 10 years ago from a consultant in hospital and it was how to describe it.... like mixing batter in a bowl!!! F'ing rough. Still makes me wince
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