restlessswind

So my PSA is very high. Anyone have this and try recumbent bikes? My urologist says bike saddle shouldn't be a problem, but I think she may not be correct in that assessment. Anyone else have enlarged prostate and rectify it with a recliner bike?.

debade

I rectified it with an operation. Pills to begin with. They worked for years. Then the highest dose no longer worked. They had to operate. Took care of the urinating problems for the most part. Left some minor side affects that were suggested could occur. A worthwhile trade-off for me.

Perhaps a bicycle saddle can cause a problem, but I do not think so. I am not a doctor. But, on a bicycle forum, I can provide my medical opinion.

zandoval 

Elevated PSA or Cancer? That's the question. If it's cancer get it out. If ya can't piss there are other options. I have tried Recliner bikes and they are not for me, but if I did not have a choice I would learn to like them...

downtube42

I switched to a recumbent twenty years ago due to lower back problems. Since 2010 I've gotten into ultra and randonneuring, riding a half dozen 1200km rides and several 24 hour races. I'm well over 40,000km randonneuring. No issues from all that. A year ago I got the wild idea of trying rando on an upright. I have about 5,000 miles including one 1200k upright. Now I'm up four times a night. Is that a coincidence?

raceboy

Like so many other questions around PSA results, the answer to to the bike riding theory from the urologists I’ve talked with is maybe yes, maybe no. My PSA didn’t go down any after an otherwise successful BPH surgery. I told the doc about my cycling obsession and he said to stop riding for four days before the repeat test. Also no sex for four days. The repeat test result was a tad lower. I’m now on an annual check to keep an eye out. Biopsy 10 years ago was negative as was an MRI before the BPH surgery. It’s all an educated guess…

I’ll tell you what. It’s great to not be running off and peeing all the time!

cb400bill

My urologist said that anyone who thinks that cycling affects their prostate doesn't understand human anatomy.

OldTryGuy

Been dealing with PCa -- Prostate Cancer for 6+ years and my doctors have told me that before testing and procedures it's best there be no biking, sex, riding horse/lawnmower, heavy lifting ...

JohnDThompson 

Yes, all those activities are known to elevate PSA levels, even in the absence of prostate cancer.

JohnDThompson 

Elevated PSA is not in itself a problem, and can happen even in the absence of prostate cancer. PSA is considered a screening test for prostate cancer, not a diagnostic test. Elevated PSA can suggest that further testing is warranted, i.e. prostate biopsy, the definitive diagnostic test for prostate cancer. A single elevated PSA level is not necessarily a concern, but repeated elevated and/or increasing PSA levels can be. I had an elevated PSA when it was done during the biking season. A later off season test showed normal PSA. I now take care to avoid activities that might misleadingly increase my PSA in the days prior to the lab work.

VegasTriker

I doubt that using a recumbent bike or trike will reverse the effects of having an enlarged prostate. I've been riding them for over two decades and it has had no effect. It sure is a heck of a lot more comfortable than riding a DF bike. From what I have read, nearly all men will get enlarged prostates if they live long enough and many will get prostate cancer before they die (of other causes) and not even know it.

JohnDThompson 

No, it won't reverse the effects of an enlarged prostate, but it might reduce the irritation to the prostate that can lead to misleadingly high PSA levels.

restlessswind

I've had 3 biopsies in the past 4 years, all negative. I have been riding a bike regularly the past 5 years. My PSA is 15. It should be closer to 2. The last biopsy was an MRI overlay. I am getting another this winter. I have not withheld riding before any PSA. I purchased a RANS recumbent and I will ask for another PSA test in a few months to see if the number drops before proceeding to make my prostate swiss cheese for the 4th time!

restlessswind

My PSA is 15, my age is 54.
3 biopsies, all negative.

OldTryGuy

A MRI guided biopsy is not the most complete biopsy that can be performed. Dr. Gary Onik's Saturation Transperineal 3Dimension Prostate MAPPING Biopsy is the Platinum of all biopsies when the prostate is still in the body.

I have had 2 of Dr. Onik's 3D PMB with the first yielding 100+ core samples for review and the second that was mainly for my left half of prostate yielding 64 core samples. At no time did my prostate feel like a pin cushion and the fact is that 2 days following the 2nd biopsy I bicycled 126 miles in 10 hours for our Overnight 2016 Relay For Life event at almost 66 years of age. BTW, you can have a PSA done anytime by going online and ordering through one of the lab providers.

Instead of a biopsy you can also avail yourself of one of the NON INVASIVE blood or urine tests that can provide helpful information as to whether a biopsy might be advised.

https://www.exosomedx.com/patients/e...iAAEgKDuvD_BwE

restlessswind

I am limited to my health insurance provider. But thanks for the info. I will forward to my urologist

OldTryGuy

Completely understand.

Wildwood 

My primary care Dr, told me to see a urologist when my PSA increased to 5.4 from 2.9 about 3years ago.
I do not remember what physical activity i did in the days before the blood test, but no cycling (or horsebacking or sex ).
The urologist did a biopsy yesterday, 12 snips.

I forgot to ask how long to stay off the bike, but I assume it is strictly a comfort issue.

If cycling causes prostate cancer, I would be long dead.

scozim 

Pretty much where I was at. I dealing with the enlarged prostate but biopsy last June after the PSA jumped up 4 pts in a year showed cancer and was given a Gleason score of 3+4. I didn't get to ride much last year and when the PSA went up another 2 pts in November I decided on surgery. The decision turned out to be the correct one as the surgeon found cancer cells had started going out of the prostate but was still contained to the seminal vesicles and another piece of odd tissue coming off the back of the prostate. The surgeon said it was definitely the right decision and the cancer was more aggressive than he expected. The Gleason was revised to 4+3 after surgery. I can't ride until April - which is 3 months after the surgery. I just had my 6 week PSA and it went from 9.48 in November to .022.

My advice is not to mess around with it. Go through the protocols and tests even if you think it's just an enlarged prostate. Everyone is different but my two younger brothers also with prostate cancer are re-evaluating their situation based on what happened with mine.

Wildwood 

It was actually 16 snips (core samples?) according the results. 2 samples positive.

So cancer can occur with a PSA of 5.2. Presumably, mine has been diagnosed early, but a better understanding with come with oncology consults? Could there be a good reason to postpone prostate cancer protocols? Not even thinking holistic. the least side effects seems maybe proton beam? Hoping to avoid chemo given early diagnosis.

I hate to face declining health. Again. From a new unexpected direction.

OldTryGuy

What are your GLEASON SCORE numbers for the 2 positive???

p.s. -- if the biopsy method performed was a *TRUS* understand that that method is ANCIENT AND UNRELIABLE as far as actually showing what is in the prostate.

Wildwood 

3+3

OldTryGuy

You must also have a % (percentage) number BUT A 3+3 is being considered by MANY WORLD WIDE DOCTORS to be INDOLENT and therefore NOT A METASTASIZING CANCER so treatment can very well be NOTHING MORE THAN AS - Active Surveillance

Wildwood 

That has been an option from the urologist, but have yet to speak with oncologists.
Thus my question = restated, Could there be good reasons not to remove the cancer?

OldTryGuy

yes -- YES YES --

A 3TmpMRI SHOULD BE DONE and additional non-invasive testing (genome, urine sampling) can further indicate severity.

NOTE -- those many doctors are trying to have the CANCER removed from Gleason 3+3 because IT DOES NOT METASTASIZE AND KILL

OldTryGuy

My PCa (Prostate Cancer) is 5+5 >> the most aggressive AND MAN KILLER TYPE. Only 5 in every 100 men diagnosed with PCa have 5+5. The 3+3 is the MOST COMMON.