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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Prostate Cancer / August 2005Waiting for PSA test after 5 or 6 years
Hello, We are never free.....I had to get my Dr. to prescribe a blood test. After 5 to 6 years this should not be a shock. Anyway, my blood vessels closed up tight....small veins. The people did not want to take a test unless diagnosis...I was not happy, had a Dr. prescribed draw, and the Lab wanted a diagnosis....I said I had prostate cancer and needed a blood draw for a PSA... To make a long story short. I just wanted a PSA I have been 5 years now.....I just wanted a PSA Finally the Dr. or nurse called and said it was Prostate Cancer... DAhhhhhhhhhhhh So they took my blood......... Jees........what we have to go through......I hate it! John Loomis Don't get me started here, John! I hate insurance companies! Would be cheaper for them to just allow us to walk in and have blood drawn in a lab and get the results. But no..... they expect us to see the doctor, pay for an office visit and a *diagnosis*... then go to the lab with the prescription and have the blood work done. Duh!! It's costing them more.... and an unnecessary pain for us patients. Take care.... MikeH > Hello, > We are never free.....I had to get my Dr. to prescribe a blood test. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Jees........what we have to go through......I hate it! > John Loomis This might just be one of those situations where those of us in Australia have a slight advantage re PSA testing. For starters, our Federal government (the one that pays for health care) hates PSA screening, but will allow 1 per year. More than that and it is user pays. However, once you win the jackpot with a PCa diagnosis, the sky's the limit. I can have as many PSA tests as I like. No questions. No problems. My primary care physician merely requests a PSA test and adds the magic words: "post RRP". (I'm sure there are similar magic phrases that cover other types of treatments.) For the past 5 years I have had a PSA test every 6 months. With the 5 years officially up in December, I'll probably get one every year or so. Ray Walsh Perth, Australia > > Don't get me started here, John! [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >>Jees........what we have to go through......I hate it! >>John Loomis Hmmm, a big sore point here in Canada. The only free PSA tests are those done in hospitals with a doctor's request. Otherwise it is $27, period. As Ron hates hospitals, he would rather pay for the test. But there are no freebies either with or without Pca. And that just ain't right!! Our oncologist is rather ticked. As he says, all sorts of cancer tests are performed free.....but not the PSA one. Time to do some testy letter writing, grin. He is urging me to do that. He must have seen how well I did with the Government Passport Office problem!! (VBG) Sorted them out in a hurry!! (now the local politician is taking credit for it.....will deal with him as well) Cheers.....Heather > This might just be one of those situations where those of us in > Australia have a slight advantage re PSA testing. [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > >>Jees........what we have to go through......I hate it! > >>John Loomis > Hmmm, a big sore point here in Canada. The only free PSA tests are those > done in hospitals with a doctor's request. Otherwise it is $27, period. > As Ron hates hospitals, he would rather pay for the test. But there are no > freebies either with or without Pca. And that just ain't right!! [snip] > Cheers.....Heather That has not been my experience. I went to a local lab (Gamma?) and they were going to charge me until they saw the requisition was from the Ottawa-Carleton Cancer Centre, then said it's free because of that. The requisition was from my radiation oncologist. Larry > That has not been my experience. I went to a local lab (Gamma?) and > they were going to charge me until they saw the requisition was from > the Ottawa-Carleton Cancer Centre, then said it's free because of that. > The requisition was from my radiation oncologist. > > Larry Perhaps it is that particular lab.....I know there used to be one that didn't charge cancer patients. But the requisition was from our medical oncologist at the hospital and the private lab charges for them. Ditto the ones from our radiation oncologist......unless we had them done at Sunnybrook Hospital. Dr. Reingold pulled out a form that I didn't quite understand and asked if I wanted to *get into the fray* by writing the newspapers. It listed just which types of cancers the Health Dept. would pay for. And there were not many. Segue here......one of my neighbours is buying a plastic bracelet (a la Lance Armstrong, etc.) which is for prostate cancer. Not quite sure where he is getting it from.....his father has Pca, btw. Are they doing that sort of thing in the US?? It sure needs the publicity!! Heather > Segue here......one of my neighbours is buying a plastic bracelet (a la > Lance Armstrong, etc.) which is for prostate cancer. Not quite sure where > he is getting it from.....his father has Pca, btw. Are they doing that sort > of thing in the US?? It sure needs the publicity!! The bracelet idea was neat for awhile, but we here in the US are now inundated with them... even schools are having them made for their students. My nephew is walking around with 8 of them on his wrists (and looking a bit effeminate, I might add). But, I have not seen any for prostate cancer. Nor have I seen the well-worn 'ribbon' magnet come out for prostate cancer yet.  SignaturePSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46 Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins PSA .1 .1 .1 .27 .37 .75 EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47 PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32 Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 (4 mo), 12/03, 4/04, 09/04, 01/05 PSA .07 .05 .06 .05 non Illegitimi carborundum On August 13, Steve Kramer replied to Heather: (snip) > The bracelet idea was neat for awhile, but we here in the US are now > inundated with them... even schools are having them made for their students. > My nephew is walking around with 8 of them on his wrists (and looking a bit > effeminate, I might add). But, I have not seen any for prostate cancer. > Nor have I seen the well-worn 'ribbon' magnet come out for prostate cancer > yet. See: http://www.psa-rising.com/ribbons/index.html I wear a blue-ribbon pin everywhere I go, and am on a hair trigger for my PCa lecture in short or long form as appropriate. Just yesterday, I met a 60-year-old man who has *never* had his PSA tested. He got the long form. Seemed to appreciate it. I may even have moved him to act. Regards, Steve J "Never -- never -- never give up! Never go gently. There will be plenty of gentle after we die, so until then -- fight -- control the rhythms and tempo of the dance, even when you have to let the PCa dancing bear lead for awhile -- even when you have to wear the lead suit as you dance -- never let the bear set the rhythm and tempo of your dance with life -- when the bear finally takes control, it will be a very hollow feeling for him, because I will be gone -- dancing in a better place." --E. B. (Burns) Mixon, PCa survivor, June 14, 2005 on The Prostate Problems Mailing List Thank you, Burns. Live long and prosper. Sorry, Stephen. No intention to offend. I was talking about those plastic ribbons with magnetic backings on the back of cars. Started out as yellow ribbons to support our troops. Now there are 100 varieties, none of which have anything to do with our troops. SignaturePSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46 Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins PSA .1 .1 .1 .27 .37 .75 EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47 PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32 Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 (4 mo), 12/03, 4/04, 09/04, 01/05 PSA .07 .05 .06 .05 non Illegitimi carborundum > On August 13, Steve Kramer replied to Heather: > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > Mailing List > Thank you, Burns. Live long and prosper. On August 13, Steve Kramer responded to me: > Sorry, Stephen. No intention to offend. I was talking about those plastic > ribbons with magnetic backings on the back of cars. Started out as yellow > ribbons to support our troops. Now there are 100 varieties, none of which > have anything to do with our troops. No offense meant; none taken. ISTR that I've seen one count 'em one blue ribbon on a car. But I'm on ADT :-( Regards, Steve J I've seen two blue ones. One was for spinal column diseases and I couldn't read the other without colliding into his minivan. SignaturePSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46 Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins PSA .1 .1 .1 .27 .37 .75 EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47 PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32 Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 (4 mo), 12/03, 4/04, 09/04, 01/05 PSA .07 .05 .06 .05 non Illegitimi carborundum > On August 13, Steve Kramer responded to me: > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Steve J I have a few extra prostate cancer bracelets for you if you'd like them. Just write to me and tell me where to send 'em. As I told Steve in an e-mail...Dominicks's here in Chicago was offering them for donations but they didn't have much interest...so...write me and I'll send 'em out Monday morning...no charge to you, of course. Ron B. Chicago I've got a blue one for prostate cancer. Biff gave it to me when we caught up to him in Richmond, VA one day. Bev > > Segue here......one of my neighbours is buying a plastic bracelet (a la > > Lance Armstrong, etc.) which is for prostate cancer. Not quite sure where [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Nor have I seen the well-worn 'ribbon' magnet come out for prostate cancer > yet. We have the PCA bracelets in Texas. I agree the bracelets themselves are on overkill, but I was really happy to see something to promote PCA awarenessand research. Got them at Tom Thumb for $2.00 each. Sandy > I've got a blue one for prostate cancer. Biff gave it to me when we caught > up to him in Richmond, VA one day. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >> cancer >> yet. Cost was not the problem for me. My primary care doc explained about the false positives and I just stuck with the annual DRE (I was a T1c). My cancer was discovered when I had a nurse physical for an insurance policy application. Got turned down for the policy, but they found the cancer early. Thank goodness for Universal Life policies that crap out as you get older. > Hello, > We are never free.....I had to get my Dr. to prescribe a blood test. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Jees........what we have to go through......I hate it! > John Loomis > Hello, > We are never free.....I had to get my Dr. to prescribe a blood test. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Jees........what we have to go through......I hate it! > John Loomis Geez John what's worse, going through this BS or waiting for the results? SignatureJK Sinrod Sinrod Stained Glass Studios http://www.sinrodstudios.com/ Coney Island Memories www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories/ Maybe they do it deliberately to distract you from worrying about the results. :-) SignaturePeter Headland |
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