22 year old with prostatitis, looking for treatment advice

Men's health
1

I first had symptons of prostatitis back in March 2015, aged 21. I had pain in my testicles and lower back, as well as frequent urination. This started over the course of a few days. I went and got a urine and STI sample, which were all clear, but I took a two week course of Cipro anyway, and all the symptons went away with this.

Symptons then came back in June and I took a two week course of ofloxacin, and it went away then came back again in July. After an ultrasound and cytoscopy proved unremarkable, I took another course of antibiotics, Cipro again, for 4 weeks, in September 2015. Symptons cleared but came back in November, but this course gave me some burning nerve pains in my feet, which I'm led to believe is a very serious side effect. These slowly faded over time.

I saw a very good urologist in January 2016 who gave me a post massage urine culture. There was no bacteria, just some white blood cells and he seemed to think that given all the symptons came back after stopping antibiotics and there was no bacteria growing, it wouldn't be worth taking any more cipro or ofloxacin.

I was prescribed tamsulosin, which has improved but not cleared my symptons, and also tried some alternative antibiotics, doxycycline and trimethoprim, but neither were successful. I have also had a semen culture which showed no growth, although my analysis showed low sperm motility.

Essentially, I'm in a difficult position. Do I take more cipro even though there's no obvious infection and I have suffered side effects, or do I wait this out and see what happens. Life feels in limbo as my symptons have never fully cleared up, and I suffer from a range of problems which have contributed to me feeling very down a lot of the time.

Advice, suggestions would be appreciated?

2

Finally someone is just like me. Everything's start on july. I took Doxycycline for 15 days, and then Cipro 61 days. Every thing gets better very slowly. Then i became without symptom for one week. Then i stopped the antibautics the symptom is start to come back. The pain in my pinas and the pain in my back. But it came and back. My neurologist said the bacteria is dead, but i do not thing so. I will go to him on Friday. He did massage to the prostate and make all the prove everything is negative. I heard from my friends wich he is very good doctor in Germaney. That the cipro is to weak to clear the Infection. Cipro is the first generation of the antibiotic. The best ever is Levofloxacin but no one of the doctor will take chances because it will destroy the good Bacteria in your stomach. But i promise it will finish all the problem one cure for 28 days one tablet every 24 hour. I will ask my doctor about it on Friday. And back to you.

3

When I had recurring urine infections (not diagnosed as prostatitis, however), although my symptoms improved and I and the doctors thought the infection was gone, it returned within days. Eventually my GP put me on the same antibiotic that had worked before, but on a low dose. He called this a Prophylactic dosage. After 3 months, I came off the one-a-day tablets, and have not had any more problem with infections since (now 6 months). Maybe you could ask your docotor to try this approach?

4

Cal,

  There have been good results with an old antiobiotic called fosfomycin.  It hits a different set of bacteria.  A six week course cured 87% of cases.  Apparently a very safe drug.  Good luck.

5

I would stop the antibiotics because they do not stop the problem. Constantly taking antibiotics with no relief will cause you to become antibotic resistant, and may give you life time problems, so one day when you DO need them, they will not work very well.

You are very young for such a complaint. Hopefully, some one on the forum will jump in and offer some advice that may assist you. Maybe a natural remedy that makes your prostate a bit happier is out there.

Geoff

6

Sorry my young friend I have a friend that is 32 he has had it for 15 years.  It took him a while to get on the right meds.  He is fine now Sill takes his pills every day.  You just have to fine what works for you  Ken

7

it just stink that Dr's cant figure this out,  Been dealing with it for 2 years, gets better then comes back. about ready to go see Dr Bahn in Ventura CA

8

Greg,

    Again look at the studies using monurol which is fosfomycin. 

9

I have just looked about it. It is very interesting. But i am very confused now because my symptom not so much and my doctor said it is just inflammation now. I do not what i can do. He do not accept to put me in new course of antibiotic. And i am very afraid as well from using more without doctor.

10

I took Monurol this past spring, It seem to  help, then had back surgury and it came back hard, back on it again

11

Yep, it's worth saying my symptons aren't as bad as they were during my first acute bouts a year ago. I still run regularly, I still sit in the car for long periods of time with little pain. I just have a constant soreness in the testicles and perineal area, and need to go to the toilet 7 or 8 times a day - I'd hate for that to last the rest of my life. It could just be inflammation, but it seems strange it has lasted so long without clearing up, when I am 22 and would expect to have a quick recovery rate. The longer I wait without taking abx, does this make the whole thing more 'deep seated' and difficult to get rid of!?

12

It is so confused, but i think more sex will make the problem better. But i have question for you i feel after sex that is my semen is very low.

13

yes, I have the same problem

14

Hey Callum1994,

It seems as if you have been treated multiple times under the assumption that you have a UTI of some sort.  And, after the first three temporary (two or three months) pain remissions after Cipro, then ofloxacin, then back to Cipro for 4 weeks, it seems that a more systematic process is called for rather than a try-this, try-that approach. I’m surprised at the recommendation to take tamsulosin.  I assume you know for what that’s normally prescribed.  However, it might be useful as a diagnostic tool, to see if it has an effect.  What, precisely, was its effect?   In any case, I would hunt for the underlying problem.

I’m not a urologist; however, I’m a researcher, and have had some urinary problems, myself.  What you’ve posted is well written; however, more detail would probably be helpful for not just posting on this site; but in presenting your case to a urologist.  For example, a year ago I had epididymitis (most likely caused by a badly-handled catheter) which caused pain behind only my left testicle.  And epididymitis typically occurs in only one testicle, so that was a good clue.  Although my urine culture also did not show any bacterial growth (with epididymitis, it sometimes doesn’t), a 10-day course of Cipro seemed to cure the problem.

Hence, a lot more detail about exactly where and when you feel the pain(s) would likely be helpful, as well as any other easy-to-miss symptoms you might have experienced in other parts of your body, such as weight loss, difficulty sleeping, fever, or any other unusual-for-you symptoms.  And when the pain cleared up several times, previously, did all the pain clear up, completely, both testicular and back?  Was anything else unusual going on?

I don’t know what sort of health insurance you have; however, after what seems to be an intractable case, and after an unremarkable US examination, it’s possible that an MRI of your prostate could be helpful; but, I don’t know.  Also, you should note that some bacteria require a week to show up in a urine culture.  If the results of your urine culture were returned in 3 days, it might have missed a class of bacteria.  If a bacteria is identified, then its treatment, obviously, is more easily prescribed.

I agree with others’ sentiment that trying more antibiotics after so many short-term apparent recoveries is probably not a good idea without a specific diagnosis.  And I was also very concerned about Cipro with its neurological and possibly life-threatening side-effects, when I was taking it.  It’s great that the side-effect you experienced fully resolved. 

Did you have any prior sexual activity that might offer clues?  You don’t need to answer that here.  It’s possible that with a more detailed history, your very good urologist might have better clues as to what’s going on.  A better, differential diagnosis is in order.  Maybe this requires another opinion from an even more expert urologist.

Good luck!

Harvey in S. Calif.

15

There seems to be an assumption that chronic prostatitis is a bacterial condition. That's only true 5% of the time, and the rest of the time it's a nerve-muscle-psychological condition. Backed up with published science, fellas.

16

Google "Yoga Balasana Prostatitis" to see if it applies to your situation, and see my previous post of whether your doctor performed a Digital Rectal Examination (DRE).