Sometime ago, Helen put up a post regarding reasons for getting back in the saddle. I’ve been meaning to post for sometime but for various reasons work and health haven’t found the time.

Around 2 1/2 years ago or when I first joined on here to seek advice on a Vulcan that I bought from Halfords , not knowing anything about E bikes thinking I’ve done a good deal getting a new pre-2019 Vulcan with most of the parts missing I naïvely thought I could just replace them and save some money how wrong I was!!!

So I was selling solar systems at the time, but I had started working a few miles away from my home at an architect house where I sold a solar system but then got involved with other building work on his house in Queens Park London NW6.

I started using the lime bikes to get to and from work as parking was a real pain and a roofer I had working for me has been on cycles for many years as he is not allowed to drive and I was very very unfit.

So getting to and from work on the bike going up and over a roof on a gantry pulling materials up and down just not used to it. I ended up in A&E at the Royal free with pain in my chest and breathing difficulties.

I went to my doctors and a new doctor told me to go up to A&E. I didn’t go and basically put off going around a week later. My regular doctor phoned me was very annoyed with me and said his colleague had sent me as he thought I might have been having heart problems.

So I went to A&E at the Royal free after a 12 hour wait I won’t go into what was going on there just yet but eventually head ECG , CAT SCAN , MRI , X-RAY , BLOOD TESTS and more .

They could find nothing wrong apart from a node on my lung so I was referred to the lung department even after I told them I had been diagnosed with arthritis in the top vertebrae of my spine and the bottom part of my spine in 2021.

So after about six months and more CT scans where I have to ask the radiologist to check the top of the spine. I eventually gave me that all clear. I think that they was looking for cancer.

During this time I went back to my doctor and asked them to give me a PSA blood test as I was having some symptoms i.e. needing the loo when getting into a car getting up in the night not serious but enough to make me going out for a blood test with the campaign on the TV .

The PSA blood test came up as negative.

So as part of getting myself fitter, I’m trying to slow down the arthritis I got into e-bikes and as I do with most things my latest thing is trying to find 100% monk fruit extract to sell just on the side as I’ve been using it in place of sugar and it’s 100% natural the body doesn’t recognise it as sugar. I am amazed at how sweet is..

So I found myself from buying that first of Vulcan coming onto this site and doing a and putting a kit on it because of the price Suntours parts buying mainly Carrera bikes and selling used spares on eBay as doing builds has not really that viable although I do do a few few here and there.

Anyway, I were the last two years the symptoms regarding prostate problems got worse I went back to my doctor. He done a urine test and said I had prostatitis and gave me antibiotics well after two courses of antibiotics with no improvement apart from no blood in my urine quite sort of simple what are you going to do now?

He did not do a PSA blood test at this point because he said with an infection it would be unreliable.

So you sent me down for a ultra sound at Saint Mary’s Paddington, the first on the testies as I had lumps he also told me to stop riding the bike until this had cleared up while I was in the hospital .

I asked them in the hospital to look at my prostate as I was getting pain they said they wouldn’t because my doctor hadn’t asked for that.!!!! this test came back as some cysts that they wasn’t worried about.

By this time, I’m now getting up 3 to 4 times a night to use the loo.

The doctor they’re now gave me a PSA blood test as my urine was clear of blood. This comeback is negative.

So now I said what now something’s wrong he then sent me to a clinic that usually does private medicine in Chiswick they done a full ultrasound on my prostate and came to the conclusion. My bladder was not emptying fully.

Upon hearing this, my doctor then sent me straight back to urology at the all free.

Where they done more PSA blood tests and a full biopsy on my prostate which came up that I had advanced prostate cancer and further MRI showed that it had already gone into the bone.

So guys, if you’re getting any symptoms, please do not rely on PSA blood tests as they are unreliable.

My dad died of bowel cancer so I’ve had regular procedures for this not looking at my mum side of the family. All the men have had prostate cancer.

Bupa have given some of my cousins biopsies as part of screening so recently the government decided not to offer screening like this for men. I find this outrageous because of the amount of money then takes to treat men like myself when it’s too late.

I I am now on a clinical trial with the Royal Marsden at the Royal free which is so far holding the cancer at back unfortunately so far I missed out on getting Lutishan target radiotherapy this costs around £100,000 per course. I am hopeful that it will be available soon on the NHS.

Getting back into the saddle has helped me lose 10 kg by the end of last summer with what I call a cancer diet won’t go into it now leave that for another post.

Through the winter, I’ve managed to keep my way the same horrendous horrible winter we have had I’m now back in the garden working on the bikes under my show quality gazebo which I enjoy although my garden is looking like a scrapyard. I’m going to sort this in the coming weeks to make it into a nice place to do a bit of work.

I’m also now back on my Diet breaking it over Christmas and Easter and hope with the aid of cycling to get another 10 kg off soon however the 48 V bike with the torque is handy I am shortly going to put the throttle back on so that I can ghost pedal as I have been advised in previous posts that it is fully legal to do so.

But I still intend to ride the Giant Entour as this bike certainly helps with getting and staying fitter as my arthritis, which incidentally I have in hips and the lower spine has eased now the cold very wet weather seems to be behind us so arthritis and cancer in the same places!!!!!!

So again, guys, please do not rely on PSA blood tests. They are not reliable, especially those who are over 50..

Cheers

Baz

And do not use the voice function with spell check when posting without checking or you will get grammar like in my previous post but hey Tech is great I want to get into flying Drones next .

Sorry to hear of the Cancer, Glad you have a positive attitude and are fighting.. This end i have lighter issues with the GP, every visit for the last few decades seems to be the opportunity for a new GP to stab a finger where no sun should every shine.. By my reckoning Im owed at least 20 slap up dinners.. Drinks at the minimum!!

12 minutes ago, thelarkbox said:

Sorry to hear of the Cancer, Glad you have a positive attitude and are fighting.. This end i have lighter issues with the GP, every visit for the last few decades seems to be the opportunity for a new GP to stab a finger where no sun should every shine.. By my reckoning Im owed at least 20 slap up dinners.. Drinks at the minimum!!

Seems to be part and parcel of getting older at least the young lady who done the Biopsy had a good out look on life considering her words “ down at the business end most days “ 😂😂😂 a bit like a saddle

2 hours ago, Baz the balloon man said:

Sometime ago, Helen put up a post regarding reasons for getting back in the saddle. I’ve been meaning to post for sometime but for various reasons work and health haven’t found the time.

Around 2 1/2 years ago or when I first joined on here to seek advice on a Vulcan that I bought from Halfords , not knowing anything about E bikes thinking I’ve done a good deal getting a new pre-2019 Vulcan with most of the parts missing I naïvely thought I could just replace them and save some money how wrong I was!!!

So I was selling solar systems at the time, but I had started working a few miles away from my home at an architect house where I sold a solar system but then got involved with other building work on his house in Queens Park London NW6.

I started using the lime bikes to get to and from work as parking was a real pain and a roofer I had working for me has been on cycles for many years as he is not allowed to drive and I was very very unfit.

So getting to and from work on the bike going up and over a roof on a gantry pulling materials up and down just not used to it. I ended up in A&E at the Royal free with pain in my chest and breathing difficulties.

I went to my doctors and a new doctor told me to go up to A&E. I didn’t go and basically put off going around a week later. My regular doctor phoned me was very annoyed with me and said his colleague had sent me as he thought I might have been having heart problems.

So I went to A&E at the Royal free after a 12 hour wait I won’t go into what was going on there just yet but eventually head ECG , CAT SCAN , MRI , X-RAY , BLOOD TESTS and more .

They could find nothing wrong apart from a node on my lung so I was referred to the lung department even after I told them I had been diagnosed with arthritis in the top vertebrae of my spine and the bottom part of my spine in 2021.

So after about six months and more CT scans where I have to ask the radiologist to check the top of the spine. I eventually gave me that all clear. I think that they was looking for cancer.

During this time I went back to my doctor and asked them to give me a PSA blood test as I was having some symptoms i.e. needing the loo when getting into a car getting up in the night not serious but enough to make me going out for a blood test with the campaign on the TV .

The PSA blood test came up as negative.

So as part of getting myself fitter, I’m trying to slow down the arthritis I got into e-bikes and as I do with most things my latest thing is trying to find 100% monk fruit extract to sell just on the side as I’ve been using it in place of sugar and it’s 100% natural the body doesn’t recognise it as sugar. I am amazed at how sweet is..

So I found myself from buying that first of Vulcan coming onto this site and doing a and putting a kit on it because of the price Suntours parts buying mainly Carrera bikes and selling used spares on eBay as doing builds has not really that viable although I do do a few few here and there.

Anyway, I were the last two years the symptoms regarding prostate problems got worse I went back to my doctor. He done a urine test and said I had prostatitis and gave me antibiotics well after two courses of antibiotics with no improvement apart from no blood in my urine quite sort of simple what are you going to do now?

He did not do a PSA blood test at this point because he said with an infection it would be unreliable.

So you sent me down for a ultra sound at Saint Mary’s Paddington, the first on the testies as I had lumps he also told me to stop riding the bike until this had cleared up while I was in the hospital .

I asked them in the hospital to look at my prostate as I was getting pain they said they wouldn’t because my doctor hadn’t asked for that.!!!! this test came back as some cysts that they wasn’t worried about.

By this time, I’m now getting up 3 to 4 times a night to use the loo.

The doctor they’re now gave me a PSA blood test as my urine was clear of blood. This comeback is negative.

So now I said what now something’s wrong he then sent me to a clinic that usually does private medicine in Chiswick they done a full ultrasound on my prostate and came to the conclusion. My bladder was not emptying fully.

Upon hearing this, my doctor then sent me straight back to urology at the all free.

Where they done more PSA blood tests and a full biopsy on my prostate which came up that I had advanced prostate cancer and further MRI showed that it had already gone into the bone.

So guys, if you’re getting any symptoms, please do not rely on PSA blood tests as they are unreliable.

My dad died of bowel cancer so I’ve had regular procedures for this not looking at my mum side of the family. All the men have had prostate cancer.

Bupa have given some of my cousins biopsies as part of screening so recently the government decided not to offer screening like this for men. I find this outrageous because of the amount of money then takes to treat men like myself when it’s too late.

I I am now on a clinical trial with the Royal Marsden at the Royal free which is so far holding the cancer at back unfortunately so far I missed out on getting Lutishan target radiotherapy this costs around £100,000 per course. I am hopeful that it will be available soon on the NHS.

Getting back into the saddle has helped me lose 10 kg by the end of last summer with what I call a cancer diet won’t go into it now leave that for another post.

Through the winter, I’ve managed to keep my way the same horrendous horrible winter we have had I’m now back in the garden working on the bikes under my show quality gazebo which I enjoy although my garden is looking like a scrapyard. I’m going to sort this in the coming weeks to make it into a nice place to do a bit of work.

I’m also now back on my Diet breaking it over Christmas and Easter and hope with the aid of cycling to get another 10 kg off soon however the 48 V bike with the torque is handy I am shortly going to put the throttle back on so that I can ghost pedal as I have been advised in previous posts that it is fully legal to do so.

But I still intend to ride the Giant Entour as this bike certainly helps with getting and staying fitter as my arthritis, which incidentally I have in hips and the lower spine has eased now the cold very wet weather seems to be behind us so arthritis and cancer in the same places!!!!!!

So again, guys, please do not rely on PSA blood tests. They are not reliable, especially those who are over 50..

Cheers

Baz

All I can do is wish the best for you. I've been through exactly the same with exactly the same symptoms, except that I have high PSA and the MRI scan confirmed my Prostate is enlarged to double the size. I've had the camera up my knob, which was very painful and bled for a week. A few weeks ago, I had the biobsy, or 16 biopsies to be precise, so my prostate has been cut to ribbons and I'm still pissing blood after three weeks. As always (with me), the result of the biobsy has come back as negative, so either I'm one of those rare cases where I have an unknown twin brother somewhere, who has the problem and no symptoms, and I have the symptoms but no problem, or they missed something somewhere. Anyway, we're still here alive and kicking.

On 14/04/2026 at 10:38, D8veh said:

All I can do is wish the best for you. I've been through exactly the same with exactly the same symptoms, except that I have high PSA and the MRI scan confirmed my Prostate is enlarged to double the size. I've had the camera up my knob, which was very painful and bled for a week. A few weeks ago, I had the biobsy, or 16 biopsies to be precise, so my prostate has been cut to ribbons and I'm still pissing blood after three weeks. As always (with me), the result of the biobsy has come back as negative, so either I'm one of those rare cases where I have an unknown twin brother somewhere, who has the problem and no symptoms, and I have the symptoms but no problem, or they missed something somewhere. Anyway, we're still here alive and kicking.

Sorry for late reply I just saw this you have been through it too .

I see this post should have been in the Anything els section just getting my head round the new layout .

Have you heard of Targeted Lutishan. Radiotherapy? I was got not to get it as part of the stampede to trial being run by the Royal Marsden however I am under the head of oncology at the Royal Free Hampstead more by luck because of where I live.

It makes sense to me that the government should know that PSA blood tests are unreliable. My diagnosis could have been made sooner if my doctor’s had not got it wrong saying it was an infection that renderers a PSA blood test unreliable seems to me that the recent decision by the government not to screen men over 50 with family history of cancers is very poor one.

They need to cut in NHS waste they are pouring millions down the drain and nonsense not taking away the fine work that most NHS staff do.

Hope it all goes well for you in the long run they seem to be getting better at holding it back from what I have read.

I will post in anything else section what I call my new cancer diet. It’s making me more healthy anyway whether it’s helping with the cancer or not.!!

Gutted not got