Doctor's Orders: no ejaculation for 5 days

Every year at this time I have to prepare for my annual PSA test. I do this by refraining from ejaculation for 5 days. My urologist insists this is necessary for accurate test results.

Although fall is my favorite time of the year, I'm not looking forward to the next 5 days lol.

I go for the PSA blood work on Monday, then the urologist appointment in mid October. I'm hoping for the usual exam: vitals, conversation, and the DRE, which I always receive being bent over the exam table with my pants at my knees. This doctor always spreads my buttocks for a good look at my anus, then inserts his stubby finger quickly; it would be more pleasant if he entered more slowly . His finger is not inside very long, and I am pulling my pants up soon after I dropped them . Hoping for good test results.

Do the "doctors" here have a recommendation for how long a patient should abstain from ejaculation / masturbation prior to an examination? does it affect arousal during the examination? does it affect the extraction of a semen sample? and how does it affect the examination if the patient has not abstained for the required time?

also was anyone else as a youth told by a Dr not to masturbate?

I don't see any direct connection between the PSA blood test and ejaculation before the blood draw...

My doctor has also never mentioned NOT having ejaculation five days before because of the PSA test...

From what I’ve read, there is a possible slight increase in PSA count if ejaculation occurs within 24-48 hours prior to the test. 5 days seems excessively cautious.

Yes ejaculation DOES increase your PSA count, I masturbated the night before draw. Lied and told Dr. I had sex the night before but I had masturbated. He told me it does raise your count so get another draw in a couple weeks. Didn't masturbate for 5 days before draw, secound count was just fine. Been there done that.

I made the mistake of having a rather enthusiatic session with my Aneros the day before my PSA. It was through the roof. The Doc assumed it was a lab error, told me to repeat it ina week. After behaving myself for that week my PSA was nice and low.

I had a PSA test in June. The blood draw was at 8 a.m., and at 6:30 a.m. I had intercourse with my wife, including orgasm and ejaculation. The PSA level was 0.535.

I prefer to err on the side of caution. Id rather go without for a few days than worry about a high PSA score.

In this case I choose to listen to my doctor, not advice I get from the Internet.

My PCP orders my PSA every year, and I am always told not to ejaculate at all for at least 48 hours, but preferably 72 hours. The one year it went up I had the opportunity to have sex and decided the sex was more important and my result was 2 points higher but still not a bad result. I did admit to my doctor that I had "forgotten" not to have sex prior to my lab draw.

I had no idea this was a thing and gave hubby an (if I do say so) amazing blowjob with prostate massage that literally made his eyes bug out the night before his physical. Needless to say his PSA was a LOT higher than it usually was which scared him until his doc asked if he had abstained prior to the test. They retested him (without the blowjob) and it was back to normal.

I tease him about that. A lot 🤣

Oddly, my urologist and ChatGPT both say 48 hours is sufficient.

I will ask my doctor if I can possibly get a lighter sentence next year lol

When I take the PSA test, I abstain for 48 hours without ejaculation.

The common medical opinion is 48h. But any pressure on the prostate does increase the PSA value as well. Hence the blood draw should always be before the DRE and/or TRUS.

I just had my annual urologist appointment on Monday morning at 8.30a. I abstained from ejaculating for three days, but I rode my bike for 2hours on Sunday at 4p I played with my anal plug on Sunday night and rode my bike to the urologist appointment.

Today the urologist office called me that O had a higher psa value than last year and I should have a second blood draw in December…

I won’t play with myself nor will I ride my bike the weekend before I go to get my next blood draw, hoping that the value will be lower.

I just had my annual urologist appointment on Monday morning at 8.30a. I abstained from ejaculating for three days, but I rode my bike for 2hours on Sunday at 4p I played with my anal plug on Sunday night and rode my bike to the urologist appointment.

Today the urologist office called me that O had a higher psa value than last year and I should have a second blood draw in December…

My doctor's orders were no ejaculation or heavy exercise for 48 hours...

This seems to be a no brainer if using the brain not the one between your legs. Obey the doctor's order!

@intruder , I learned that now too. Read about it a bit and especially cycling is an issue.

Anyway, I give them another blood sample and hope for the best. Unfortunately there won’t be another DRE or rectal ultrasound involved.

Interestingly, I have never had a doctor tell me not to ejaculate before a psa draw. I learned this important information somewhere on the web when researching why my psa numbers seemed to bounce up and down so much from year to year. Now I refrain for 48 hours and my numbers are routinely normal. Why would my medical providers not mention this? Is it too embarrassing for them to mention it?

I have had an annual PSA test for several years now at two different practices and have never been advised to avoid ejaculation beforehand. I have begun doing so after reading about the recommendation from several other sources. My PSA level has always been within the normal range but I have noticed a slight upward trend in recent years. My question/concern now is does the constant state of horniness induced by several days of forced abstinence have an impact on the PSA score? The blue balls and steady ooze of precum during those days leading up to the blood draw can’t be doing anything toward lowering the test result?

My score was higher than normal two years ago but my doctor never questioned the possible cause being recent ejaculation. I did my own research and now know better. This year I discussed PSA results with my female PA. I told her that the first question my previous provider should have asked was when was your last ejaculation. She then asked me when did you last ejaculate.

I, too, have never been told not to masturbate before a PSA exam. I literally have masturbated upon waking up the morning of a blood test, so just a few hours before hand. Never caused a problem.

@Tighty_Whiteis_Now if you ALWAYS masturbate before the blood test you’d just come off a different base line. And if your PSA value is well within the range after an ejaculation that should not be a problem. But if you don’t ejaculate when they set your baseline and then you do when you have your next test, there could be a relative increase of PSA vs your base value and that may trigger a follow up blood draw. So, consistency is key 🤣

I had a PSA test about 6 months ago.. and I don't recall I took such a precaution. The test returned normal.

Same here, no precaution whatsoever. I only had such precautions before actual semen testing exams

@FDNM-patient yes, for my sperm testing I was also given the instructions not to ejaculate for three days prior to producing the sample.

I am the op, and got my test results back today. The value is . 9, so I am happy with the results.

I am the op, and got my test results back today. The value is . 9, so I am happy with the results.

@Russianbare Glad to hear it’s in the “safe range”.

My PSA ran at 1.0 for years. Then it jumped to 1.5, and six months later to 2.0. Doc was concerned about “PSA acceleration” and sent me to a urologist. He check my prostate and said let’s keep am eye on this. I’ve no idea what my sexual activity was prior to any of those tests, never paid attention nor was I warned. I read the brochure in his office, that mentioned PSA changes due to sexual activity and made sure I abstained for day or two before my next blood test. It returned to 1 point something. 30 plus years later it’s hanging around 1.5. I think I’d be proud now if I could raise it by having more sex !

@FDNM-patient @tslave Maybe this is indiscreet.. Why did you have to take a semen test? After vasectomy? Or due to infertility?

@Jacana fertility testing. I can only recommend every young man to have their fertility tested early on.

My very first PSA test was at age 66 and it was 1.3, well within a normal range. It’s been checked for the last six years since then and it’s consistently a 0.8 or a 0.9. I have never been told to stop sexual activity before a PSA test and many times the night before the test I have shot my wad. It’s always been my understanding that normally PSA tends to increase as you age, mine decreased and I have no idea why it did.