Help Me :'(

Hi, I have been having some problems lately and I feel that I have contracted an STD. I have pain when urinating, the skin at the type and also the inside tip of the penis feels itchy "some times". There was an discharge but it went away. I have not had sex since the last week of June and I started feeling symptoms at the beginning of August. I have some testicular pain also but it's not really bad, just uncomfortable. I also sometimes feel like I have to use the rest room but I really don't, also I kind of feel constapated but it's not diarrhea. I have only had sex with one girl recently, she has not noted any symptoms. Now that I think about it we did have unprotected sex when she was on her period but I'm not sure if that's meaningful. Please help me, I would greatly appreciate it.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the STD forum.

It sounds like you have a mildly symptomatic case of urethritis, i.e. infection/inflammation in the urine passage.  The discharge is the main clue, but itchiness in the urethral opening and occasional pain when urinating also go along with this.  My guess is that if you examine yourself closely when you first awake in the morning, i.e. when you haven't urinated for a few hours, you will be able to squeeze a little mucus-like discharge from your penis.

The most common cause is nongonocccal urethritis (NGU), a catch-all for several possible causes, including chlamydia.  Gonorrhea is less likely, because the symptoms usually are more severe.

However, there is one big atypical feature here -- the delayed onset of symptoms.  NGU, chlamydia, etc usually cause symptoms within 2 weeks of sexual exposure, but it sounds like your symptoms were delayed as much as 2 months since last sex.  This raises other possibilities, such as non-sexually acquried urinary tract infection.  UTIs are uncommon in healthy young men, but still can happen.  They increase in frequency beyond age 35 and especially after age 40-45.

You need to see a health care provider to sort this out.  Please do so promptly.  Even though your symptoms are fairly mild, serious problems should crop up if it isn't properly diagnosed and treated.  Please see your primary health care provider as soon as you can get an appointment.  And it would be a good idea for your sex partner to see her provider (or go together to the same clinic or doctor) for routine STD testing.

Let me know how this turns out.  Best wishes--

HHH, MD

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I meant to add that sex during menstruation has nothing to do with this.  That doesn't increase the risk of STDs or other infections.

[Smithboomer]

Yes I actually have woke up a couple of mornings and been able to do that.Thanks you have been a great deal of help and I will be sure to let you know how it comes out.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Then you definitely have continuing urethritis.  Most likely NGU, possibly chlamydia; conceivably gonorrhea but I doubt it.  Definitely get it checked out and definitely suggest to your partner that she join you or otherwise get tested for common STDs.

Try to avoid urinating for several hours before you are examined, ideally early in the day before urinating (you can hold off on fluids the previous evening to help you hold your urine).  Diagnosis is easier and more reliable when there is visible discharge, without having to rely on urine testing etc.