Featured Your Riding Gap

Sorry to hear that David. Love the trike, a real beauty. As we get older we become more and more likely to be the unfortunate ones, health wise. This time last year I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Fortunately we caught it early and hormone treatment and four weeks of radiotherapy sorted that bad boy in time for me to ride with two of my sons to an extended weekend in Wales in August. This year is already booked and looking for rideouts to plan. Next year my lads and I will have an opportunity to go to The Island for race week, travelling by helicopter! So my message to all is family must come first but you need to grab every opportunity as if were your last, because you never know. And one last thing, guys, don’t delay go and ask your GP for a PSA test soonest. As Steve Parrish says on the back of his autobiography “Don’t Die Wondering”.

 

The PSA test by itself is not that accurate, which is probably why your GP is reluctant to get it done on it's own. It's more of an indicator than an actual black and white test as you can have high PSA levels, but not have cancer. He said the important bit is to monitor the PSA levels for change, nor necessarily the levels themselves and look at the results together with the DRE and lifestyle results

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/psa-testing/

My GP does a number of tests for Prostrate as a package. This includes a lifestyle questionnaire (if it's in your family etc and how much you pee during the night etc), the DRE (not as bad as you think) and finally the PSA test. I had the package when I was about 61 so the 65 age limit must be a decision that practice/local health authority has made. Make an appointment and get it checked out.

 

Great stories! Love the photos of the long list of bikes owned from Baza! The oldest photo reminds me of the photo I have here of my dad on his 1930's era Harley or Indian in riding leathers and a tie!

Unlike most of you, although I got my license in 1980, I never bought or even rode a bike until 2018 (age 56). Prior to that, career, house, kids (and mortality) made it so I never even thought of a bike. In 2018, I bought my nephew's 2004 Speed Triple, intending to hold it for my son, who was still sorting out his first post-college job. When he bought it from me, I was so enamored that I found and bought a 2011 Sprint GT (pictured with my wife), and proceeded to put 17,000 miles on it, many of which were in the Utah and Colorado National Parks. This past September, I bought the 2013 Trophy SE for better wind protection and a more-comfortable riding position in preparation for some touring. I do still have the Sprint, as it is more agile than the Trophy. That said, the old Speed Triple was still closer to a sport bike and I envy those of you who have more-agile models!

 

I might have been lucky then, I was seeing my GP for something else and asked him about PC as my mate had recently died from it after not getting his back ache checked out. He did it there and then, lifestyle Q&A first, followed by finger up the bum (his finger, my bum ) then as my lifestyle and FUTB exam were fine he booked me in for a PSA test that came back normal. He also said if I got concerned and wanted another it was no problem. His interest is in men's health though.

 

Your GP needs the sack. Yes PSA levels can vary day to day depending on what you’ve been up to, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more. With a family history that is disgraceful. But you can’t monitor it if you don’t test it in the first place.

When I was working, due to the position I held and my age I had a full BUPA MoT every year which included the DRE so have known for years that I had an enlarged prostate. I didn’t retired until I was 70 and after another five SWMBO suggested that I get checked as the father of our son’s mate had been diagnosed and subsequently treated for it 18 months previously. That guy was obviously more advanced when they caught it because he has still not been given the all clear whereas I got the green light at the end of last year. I had 20 radiotherapy sessions he had 37 and is still on hormone treatment. So you need to tell your GP to pull her bloody finger out.

There is a specific charity for this ailment, just click the hyperlink I’ve inserted. Very informative.

The only way to definitely diagnose it is a biopsy which will probably be preceded by a MRI scan. There are two types of biopsy. The transperineal one allows access to more area of the prostate and doesn’t carry the infection risk that the trans-rectal one does. The only downside is it’s a general anaesthetic jobbie. I ended up having both in the end.

The other screening I would recommend is for Abdominal aortic aneurysm. It’s an ultrasound exam, like pregnant mums have. If you are over 65 you can self refer. If it does burst they have 20 minutes to get you on the slab. Both of our fathers died of it.

So don’t delay, get tested.

 

I mentioned a PSA test to my GP a few years ago, I think it was when Stephen Fry went public with his diagnosis and it was in the news. I had no symptoms and the GP more or less talked me out of it saying that high PSA levels can be caused by a number of factors not cancer related and the next step from a high PSA test result was a biopsy which is very unpleasant. I had the gloved finger check, also unpleasant and the result was OK. He did say that if he took a blood sample for a PSA test immediately after the examination it would come back higher than normal after the prostate has been poked and prodded. Much as I dislike anyone poking around in my anus I'm thinking of having another inspection. I've also just received a bowel test kit through the post which I'm told is routine every two years after you reach 60.

Going back to the OP, no riding gap for me in 43 yrs on 2 wheels apart from a 15 year gap in green laning, during which the NERC act was passed which really fecked things up!

 

Again, with AA, family history plays a big part, almost exclusively a male problem. The surgeon that attempted to sew my dad back up asked me if I had been tested and said that if there is nothing untoward by the time you are 60 it is unlikely that it will occur in later years. I remember when father-in-law’s was discovered, purely by accident we had to wait for a whole year before it was at an operable size, about grapefruit size we were told. A year of anxiety for the whole family. The op he had to fix it gave him another ten years.

The NHS does now have a screening program for this. But I started getting screened before this was in place. The way to go about this, suggested by my GP, who is a near neighbour, was for me to go to him and complain that I was getting these worrying abdominal pains that were most concerning. He would then refer me to outpatients at the hospital for an ultrasound examination, during which I would mention to the examiner that my father had died from an AA and would they be so kind as to have a quick Look at my aorta. I did this every two years until I was 60 and had the official NHS screening done.

Be it PSA or AA Don’t take No for an answer.

 

Your GP was just scaremongering, a biopsy is not very unpleasant but I would rather be riding my bike. As for the PSA level being higher than normal after he’s stuck his finger up your jacksie, what a total pillock. Do the blood test before he fingers you. I have often wondered if the cost of any special procedures instructed by our GPs is, in some way, reflected in their budget entitlement.

So what is higher PSA than normal? This is a direct quote from my oncologist to my GP 1 month after I finished my radiotherapy “his PSA was undetectable at less than 0.1 ug/L which is reassuring”. So the answer is there shouldn’t be any but as I’ve intimated earlier there are circumstances when it can be detected that are well known and harmless.

If in any doubt seek advice from Prostate Cancer UK or Macmillan.

Apologies for banging on about this but when you’ve been there you tend to see things differently.

 

He wasn't intending to do a blood test or advocating that one should be done after the examination, more the fact that things other than prostate cancer can cause a high PSA reading, as you mentioned in your earlier post. Apparently exercise, especially cycling can cause temporarily high PSA readings.

 

Apologies for my misinterpretation of your earlier post but there should be absolutely no reason why your GP should refuse or try to persuade you not to undertake the blood test. The Prostate Cancer UK website says “it is freely available from your GP” and goes on to advise “1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer. If you’re over 50, or you’re black, or your dad or brother had it, you’re at even higher risk.”

For those who may wonder how or why you “catch” cancer Gresham College a charitable trust that has been providing free public lectures on all manner of subjects since 1597 arranged this last month

 

The AAA ultrasound screening is automatically offered to men in their 65th year now by the NHS. It only takes a few minutes and they told me my results there and then. You even get some KY gel spread on you for free ... You also get offered the once in a lifetime pneumonia jab too when your 65. Be silly not to have both

 

Also don’t forget the Shingles jab for all adults turning 65, those aged 70 to 79 and those aged 50 and over with a severely weakened immune system.

This is a motorcycle forum isn’t it?

 

Uncannily I stopped riding around 28 as well due to lack of money, although the bikes were cheap back then, and famil but started again at 56, 4 years ago. XSR 700 first then a CB1100RS and now a Speedtwin. Only ridden it round the block so far as I only got it today. It is rather loud, pleasingly

 

Just a quick update on NHS screening. From 60 to 74 you will automatically be sent a bowel cancer screening kit every two years. Over 74 you can still get it done every two years but have to request it by phoning 0800 707 60 60. This is all FoC of course.

 

A quick update on the subject of men’s health. The Ducati forum now have a pinned thread in the lounge area of the forum on the subject of prostate cancer and othe health concerns. This forum could do well to do the same to spread the word.

One in eight of us will get it and if you are black you are down to one in four. Family history reduces the odds even further.

Prostate Cancer has now topped the most common cancer list in the UK, relegating breast cancer to second place and us blokes can even contract that as well.

 

I had the test late last year and all good thankfully. Apparently, the invasive rubber glove test followed by a biopsy, if required, has been replaced with a blood test and scans as it was felt that the old test was putting guys off getting tested. I can sympathise with that as I had the old test in 2016 and it wasn't pleasant so GET TESTED GUYS! You owe it to your family as well as yourself.

 

The DRE is still used to determine size, texture any lumps to be found. All of which, together with PSA level could point to prostate cancer and the need for further investigation with an MRI scan and biopsy of which there are two types.

The transrectal biopsy is the most common, because it can be done under a local anaesthetic but carries an associated infection risk due to how the prostate is accessed. The transperineal biopsy uses a different access route, avoiding possible infection and can access more of the prostate than the transrectal biopsy but it is more costly because it requires a general anaesthetic. Hence the reason for its less frequent use. However, there is a push to make this the preferred option.

I underwent both and for the transrectal biopsy, my first one, the surgeon didn’t give the local anaesthetic sufficient time to become fully effective and I found it somewhat uncomfortable.

 

Almost getting back on topic…
Being riding continually since passing my motorcycle test at 17. Unfortunately I’m now down to riding somewhere between 8-10,000 miles a year. Taking numerous meds for my health issues means I feel cold nearly all the time so the only Winter riding I do is on the bus.

 

1969 - 1972
Lambretta, Royal Enfield, Triumph, Jawa
My girlfriend, now wife, had a Bantam
1976 - 1981
Honda, Suzuki, Jawa
2011 - now
Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Hyosung, Honda, Triumph

The gaps between were filled with so many cars I can hardly remember - buy, fix, run for a few months, sell, repeat!!