I assume you know that they can tell your wife if you want them to.  HIPAA
is just bad law, but many medical 'professionals' make it so much worse than
it really is.

Leonard, I know what you mean about being nervous about calling to get
the PSA results.  I've been nervous for 13 years.  I think most of us
deal with varying levels of apprehension about that.

I once had a nurse tell me that my results were "normal".  The phone
lines probably got pretty warm during the ensuing exchange.  Later, I
complained to the Doc, who apologized.  What is "normal" for a guy who
has already had RP and SRT?  I was livid!

My HMO uses the Bayer Centaur method, also.  The results I got last
evening (via the Internet) was 0.18.  They always report to two
decimal places.  Maybe there are different types of "Bayer Centaur
Methods"?  Or, maybe they are just "rounding"?  

I'm sorry, but I can't help you there, Leonard.  Back in the days when
I was getting "undetectable" readings, the actual lab reports were
saying <0.06.  I understood that 0.06 was the lowest reading possible
for that test.  But, I really have nothing to substantiate that.

BTW, Congratulations on seven years of undetectables!  That's GREAT!

Burney
RP in 1995 (age 52)
RT in 2000
ADT (Casodex) 10/06 - 8/07
Latest PSA - 0.18

burney dot huff at mindspring dot com

On January 30, Len wrote:

(snip)

Search on www.pubmed.gov using the criteria bayer centaur psa. Eight
clinical studies will come up, mostly comparing various lab regimens.
There seems to be a fairly wide variance between them, unfortunately.

A year ago, my lab changed from the DPC Immulite to Roche Electrosys,
don't ask me why. They offered to cross-check so the results on one
specimen could be compared.

My onc's staff failed to tell me about this. I learned of it only
because I had made sure that the lab had been instructed to send copies
of all test results directly to me.

That is one reason why I recommend that pts do not rely upon the medic's
clerical staff to do the necessary. Current example: I had a PSA draw
last Thursday. The medic's shop has the report by now, but the clerical
staff has so far failed to call me as they know is their duty.

Occasionally, the lab fails to send a copy. I thereupon contact a VP in
charge of customer service and politely raise hell. That hellraising
flows down to the staff and I get immediate results.

Sometimes it helps to be cranky. After all, what's involved is our very
lives, and I make no apology.

(snip)

So far as Bayer is concerned: There seems to be several automatic lab
devices under various names involving Advia and Centaur. I'm unable to
establish which is involved or where to find technical information.

I wonder whether Len would make progress if he called someone at the
lab......

Sorry, not very informative. But then we're merely patients, dontcha know.

And lastly, undetectable PSA is =/< 0.05 ng/mL. And that's not just
nasty ol' Strum the "outlier," but several others as well such as
Scholz, McDermed, Bagley, Myers, et cetera.

Regards,

Steve J

"Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path
and leave a trail."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I know the feeling well.
I am on a yearly basis....
The last test in Aug. came up less than 0.02
Other tests came up less than 0.01  or something like that....
The Dr. said it is the test that creates the slight difference......hum.....
I get the test done up in a rural town, and not down @ the big city.......
Apparently they have a finer grading test @ Stanford.........hum?
Good wishes,
jloomis

I used to make my wife do it, but the doctor's office won't tell