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Negative STD tests do i have NGU?
Hi I have a regular girlfriend of 5 years. We had not slept with anyone else prior to being together. We broke up for a period of 3 months between July - September. During that time I slept with 4 CSW's. All protected exposures apart from maybe 5 -10 seconds if that of unprotected oral on 2 occasions.
My Girlfriend and I got back together in October. She has not slept with anyone else. I started to have more increased urinary frequency and maybe, maybe a slight sting after urination.
I tested for Chlaymdia and ghon on a urine test which was negative. There was also no signs of white blood cell counts or infection in my urine. I was treated with Zithromax anyway. 10 day later I resumed sex with my GF and symptoms seem to come back. I took more tests, all negative and was not retreated. About a week later my testicles were sore but not swollen. I had been constantly touching and examining them. A scan showed possible epididymitis. I was then retreated with Zithromax and Cipro. The testicle pain went away. Meantime my gf was tested for Chlam and Ghon with a swab test and negative. Since this time we have only had protected sex. After finishing my antibiotics my urine frequency has come back so I have started a 2nd course. I have asked my doctor about NGU and whether my gf should be treated? Based on the lack of white blood cells in my urine and low risk exposure they say no. Should my GF be treated and or is it safe to resume unprotected sex?
My Girlfriend and I got back together in October. She has not slept with anyone else. I started to have more increased urinary frequency and maybe, maybe a slight sting after urination.
I tested for Chlaymdia and ghon on a urine test which was negative. There was also no signs of white blood cell counts or infection in my urine. I was treated with Zithromax anyway. 10 day later I resumed sex with my GF and symptoms seem to come back. I took more tests, all negative and was not retreated. About a week later my testicles were sore but not swollen. I had been constantly touching and examining them. A scan showed possible epididymitis. I was then retreated with Zithromax and Cipro. The testicle pain went away. Meantime my gf was tested for Chlam and Ghon with a swab test and negative. Since this time we have only had protected sex. After finishing my antibiotics my urine frequency has come back so I have started a 2nd course. I have asked my doctor about NGU and whether my gf should be treated? Based on the lack of white blood cells in my urine and low risk exposure they say no. Should my GF be treated and or is it safe to resume unprotected sex?
Thank you for such a speedy result. You are truely kind. I hope you have a wonderful festive period!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Based on your symptoms, as well as the overall story, I don't think you have any physical illness; see my original reply, in particular my speculation about genitally focused anxiety. For sure "male thrush" would not cause this.
Not all symptoms mean disease. Sprained ankles hurt long after the orthopedist pronounces cure, low back pain is part of the human condition, and everyone gets tension headaches or unexplained abdominal pain from time to time. Mostly we ignore such symptoms and go on with our lives. But the genitals probably have a special place in our psyches, at least for some people. But when all reasonable attempts have been made to assure nothing serious or easily treatable is present, it is time to suck it up and move on. I'm confident no harm of any kind will ever come to you or your partner. Once you come to accept and understand this, you may find your symptoms fade away -- just as they usually do with the back pains, headaches, and sore joints most humans live with or ignore.
In other words, no: this information doesn't change my opinion or advice.
That will end this thread. Do your best to move on without worry.
Not all symptoms mean disease. Sprained ankles hurt long after the orthopedist pronounces cure, low back pain is part of the human condition, and everyone gets tension headaches or unexplained abdominal pain from time to time. Mostly we ignore such symptoms and go on with our lives. But the genitals probably have a special place in our psyches, at least for some people. But when all reasonable attempts have been made to assure nothing serious or easily treatable is present, it is time to suck it up and move on. I'm confident no harm of any kind will ever come to you or your partner. Once you come to accept and understand this, you may find your symptoms fade away -- just as they usually do with the back pains, headaches, and sore joints most humans live with or ignore.
In other words, no: this information doesn't change my opinion or advice.
That will end this thread. Do your best to move on without worry.
Hi Doctor
Forgive me If I am/have tried your patience. Its has been about 2 weeks now since resuming sex with my GF. We have had relations about six times. In the last week I have noticed the occasional pains in my testicles, some frequent urination at times( say every 2 hours or so) twice a night. My penis has also had a strong odour over the last two weeks. Today my meatus is inflamed and sore and I feel a bit of a stinging after urination.
Any ideas? Male thrush? More importantly does any of this change your advice on this being NGU/Chalmy/Ghon in light of both of us testing negative for Chalm and Ghon?
Forgive me If I am/have tried your patience. Its has been about 2 weeks now since resuming sex with my GF. We have had relations about six times. In the last week I have noticed the occasional pains in my testicles, some frequent urination at times( say every 2 hours or so) twice a night. My penis has also had a strong odour over the last two weeks. Today my meatus is inflamed and sore and I feel a bit of a stinging after urination.
Any ideas? Male thrush? More importantly does any of this change your advice on this being NGU/Chalmy/Ghon in light of both of us testing negative for Chalm and Ghon?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I'm glad to have helped. Happy holidays.
Hi Doctor
Thanks to your kind advice, I have resumed normally sexual relations with my GF and so far so good. Occasionally I "think" I get phantoms pains in my testicles but I am doing my best to move past it. Rereading your thread helps greatly when feeling anxious about the situation. One question when my when my GF was tested the doctor allowed her to self swab. Would this have meaningfully affected the accuracy of the results?
Thank you once again I mean it when I say your expert advice has made a big difference in improving my mental health.
Thanks to your kind advice, I have resumed normally sexual relations with my GF and so far so good. Occasionally I "think" I get phantoms pains in my testicles but I am doing my best to move past it. Rereading your thread helps greatly when feeling anxious about the situation. One question when my when my GF was tested the doctor allowed her to self swab. Would this have meaningfully affected the accuracy of the results?
Thank you once again I mean it when I say your expert advice has made a big difference in improving my mental health.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Don't do that any more. Quite frequently, vigorous squeezing can create inflammation and discharge, leading to very confusing and uncertain outcomes -- so hands off! Any discharge that matters will appear on its own.
That should end this thread. Take care.
That should end this thread. Take care.
I squeezed the life out of my penis looking for discharge, so I definitely had no discharge.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for the kind words. This expanded information reinforces my original opinion and advice.
Asymptomatic NGU isn't a recognized clinical entity. If you're not having a discharge you can see, you can confidently conclude you don't have NGU. And it probably doesn't matter anyway. Except for chlamydia, most NGU is probably harmless, with no long term or important health problems for either affected men or their sex partners. In any case, you've been treated more than adeauately in the event NGU had been present earlier.
Asymptomatic NGU isn't a recognized clinical entity. If you're not having a discharge you can see, you can confidently conclude you don't have NGU. And it probably doesn't matter anyway. Except for chlamydia, most NGU is probably harmless, with no long term or important health problems for either affected men or their sex partners. In any case, you've been treated more than adeauately in the event NGU had been present earlier.
Hi Doctor
Thank you for the fantastic service. We lay people clearly underestimate the power of the mine! You are correct I have also had lower abdomen pain as well which comes as go as does the feeling of soreness in the testicles. Some soreness in the legs as well. The antibiotics would ease symptoms initially (probably a placebo effect) but then they would come back towards the end of the antibiotics or after I finished the course of antibiotics. Also prior to the scan I had more soreness in my testicle that came up normal on the scan. I guess my underlying fear is causing either of us to become infertile.
I suppose I was concerned that I had a predominately asymptomatic NGU infection. If there is indeed such a thing as many websites claim is possible in males?
On your advice and my own doctor (who is not an std expert) I will attempt to resume normally sexual relations with my girlfriend as I will admit it has now become a physiological issue.
Thank you for the fantastic service. We lay people clearly underestimate the power of the mine! You are correct I have also had lower abdomen pain as well which comes as go as does the feeling of soreness in the testicles. Some soreness in the legs as well. The antibiotics would ease symptoms initially (probably a placebo effect) but then they would come back towards the end of the antibiotics or after I finished the course of antibiotics. Also prior to the scan I had more soreness in my testicle that came up normal on the scan. I guess my underlying fear is causing either of us to become infertile.
I suppose I was concerned that I had a predominately asymptomatic NGU infection. If there is indeed such a thing as many websites claim is possible in males?
On your advice and my own doctor (who is not an std expert) I will attempt to resume normally sexual relations with my girlfriend as I will admit it has now become a physiological issue.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks fo ryour question.
The symptoms you describe are not typical for urethritis (NGU, chlamydia, gonorrhea) -- all of which primarily cause discharge, with or without discomfort on urination. Symptoms like yours usually arise from a higher level in the urinary tract, i.e. bladder muscle tension or spasm, which in turn is often the result of genitally focused anxiety in men who are nervous about or regret sexual exposures or decisions. (It's basically the same physiologic mechanism by which stress causes tension headaches.) Often there is also vague discomfort or pain in the lower abdomen, testicles, etc. Also, sexually acquired epididymitis always has obvious urethritis, and is caused only by gonorrhea or chlamydia -- not NGU without chlamydia. Absence of WBC in your urethra or urine also argue against both NGU and epididymitis.
Therefore, I doubt you had epididymitis and I'm not at all surprised that your STD tests were negative and that your symptoms didn't clear promptly with antibiotics. Had you really had NGU or infectious epididymitis, your symptoms would not have recurred. Ultrasound (your "scan") is very imprecise in diagnosing epididymitis, so that borderline result doesn't change my view on it. Had you been my patient, I would not have done that test.
In other words, I doubt you had any STD at all. If the diagnosis of epididymitis is correct, it isn't from an STD or any other infection from the sexual exposures you had outside your primary relationship. Based on all the information available, I see no need for your partner to be treated and would recommend you resume unprotected sex with her, if you haven't done so. (In my experience, resuming normal sexual relations often helps symptoms like yours to clear up.)
I hope this has helped. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
The symptoms you describe are not typical for urethritis (NGU, chlamydia, gonorrhea) -- all of which primarily cause discharge, with or without discomfort on urination. Symptoms like yours usually arise from a higher level in the urinary tract, i.e. bladder muscle tension or spasm, which in turn is often the result of genitally focused anxiety in men who are nervous about or regret sexual exposures or decisions. (It's basically the same physiologic mechanism by which stress causes tension headaches.) Often there is also vague discomfort or pain in the lower abdomen, testicles, etc. Also, sexually acquired epididymitis always has obvious urethritis, and is caused only by gonorrhea or chlamydia -- not NGU without chlamydia. Absence of WBC in your urethra or urine also argue against both NGU and epididymitis.
Therefore, I doubt you had epididymitis and I'm not at all surprised that your STD tests were negative and that your symptoms didn't clear promptly with antibiotics. Had you really had NGU or infectious epididymitis, your symptoms would not have recurred. Ultrasound (your "scan") is very imprecise in diagnosing epididymitis, so that borderline result doesn't change my view on it. Had you been my patient, I would not have done that test.
In other words, I doubt you had any STD at all. If the diagnosis of epididymitis is correct, it isn't from an STD or any other infection from the sexual exposures you had outside your primary relationship. Based on all the information available, I see no need for your partner to be treated and would recommend you resume unprotected sex with her, if you haven't done so. (In my experience, resuming normal sexual relations often helps symptoms like yours to clear up.)
I hope this has helped. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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