Can anybody help a distressed traveller?

[George2009]

I've took time off work to do some travelling, which up until 3 weeks ago I was really enjoying. I had sex with a girl I met and the condom split during intercourse.

A couple of days later I felt discomfort in my urethra and a constant need to urinate. I researched on the net and thought I may have an STI most probably gonnorea or chlymidia. I took a course of Zithromax but still felt discomfort so I took a course of docycycline, with no real effect.

3 weeks on and I now feel a burning in my urethra. It doesnt hurt when I urinate but I do feel the need to urinate more often. It isnt so much in my penis I feel it but the area between the base of my penis and my anus. It does get worse when I sit down.

Until I get home and visit the GUM clinic, has anybody any info or advice?

Thanks for your time

[mjbrown]

both antibiotics you took are effective in treating chlamydia and gonorrhea - however, it can take up to two weeks of treatment for either infection to fully disappear. did you obtain these medications from a doctor? it is always best to be tested when you suspect an std. discomfort and constant need to urinate can be caused by many things (including NGU, fungal infection, etc). did you have any discharge before taking the antibiotics? how long did you take each antibiotic and at what dose?

[George2009]

Hi,
I had no discharge at all.
I an to get tested as soon as I get home but I have just been trying to gather info till then.
I took a a 1g single dose of zithtomax and a week long course of doxycycline 2 x 100mg. I obtained these from a chemist on my travels.
Since I last posted the need to urinate constantly has gone but I do still feel urethral discomfort, mainly when I sit down.

[mjbrown]

Even if the woman you were with had an STD (which most people do not), your exposure was brief. Of course there is a risk involved, so you should definitely get tested (especially since you experienced some symptoms). But no discharge is a good sign, and the antibiotics you took could have treated any bacterial STD you might have been exposed to. The urethral discomfort you have may be due to the fact that you are worried about an STD and are now paying close attention to any sensations down there. You will only know for sure when you get tested.

All the best...