Aa
Very Confused & Anxious
I am a 33yo male, Type 1 diabetic. I am in a monogamous heterosexual relationship. Monogamous, that is, with very recent exceptions. Within the last 2 months I have had protected oral/vaginal with 3 professionals (2 escorts and 1 massage parlor). The most recent was exactly 2 weeks ago. The other two times I'm not exactly sure of the dates. During none of these encounters did a condom tear.
Last week, almost exactly a week after the last encounter, I started to experience the sensation of constantly needing to pee. Then followed frequent urination, incomplete urination, and slight (very slight, more like a pressure sensation) burning. The burning was really not that bad. I did not experience any discharge, foul odor, fever, back pain, etc...
Had dipstick test at the doctor for UTI the following day, (6 days ago). Nitrites were detected. I was put on a regiment of 1000mg Cipro twice a day for 5 days. Symptoms mostly subsided, never got worse. I got the phone call back from doctor 3 days later to discuss the culture. Culture didn't show anything. Doctor recommended visiting urologist for potential prostate issues. Taking my own dipstick tests at home revealed that nitrites were gone after 4 days. Nitrites & Leukocytes were gone by the 5th day. (I don't know about their accuracy considering I was taking antibiotics & a ton of cranberry type stuff).
The urine retention issue has pretty much gone away, but for some reason it comes back. In the morning I feel fine. I can pee with no lasting retention. Throughout the day however the condition gradually returns to some extent. During the antibiotic treatment I abstained from caffeine (soda & coffee) and alchohol.
What should I do now? How does being diabetic affect this situation? Should I continue with an STD test? If so, what do you think I should be looking for? From reading previous posts I'm aware that the chances of me having contracted anything are relatively low.
Thank you for your input.
Last week, almost exactly a week after the last encounter, I started to experience the sensation of constantly needing to pee. Then followed frequent urination, incomplete urination, and slight (very slight, more like a pressure sensation) burning. The burning was really not that bad. I did not experience any discharge, foul odor, fever, back pain, etc...
Had dipstick test at the doctor for UTI the following day, (6 days ago). Nitrites were detected. I was put on a regiment of 1000mg Cipro twice a day for 5 days. Symptoms mostly subsided, never got worse. I got the phone call back from doctor 3 days later to discuss the culture. Culture didn't show anything. Doctor recommended visiting urologist for potential prostate issues. Taking my own dipstick tests at home revealed that nitrites were gone after 4 days. Nitrites & Leukocytes were gone by the 5th day. (I don't know about their accuracy considering I was taking antibiotics & a ton of cranberry type stuff).
The urine retention issue has pretty much gone away, but for some reason it comes back. In the morning I feel fine. I can pee with no lasting retention. Throughout the day however the condition gradually returns to some extent. During the antibiotic treatment I abstained from caffeine (soda & coffee) and alchohol.
What should I do now? How does being diabetic affect this situation? Should I continue with an STD test? If so, what do you think I should be looking for? From reading previous posts I'm aware that the chances of me having contracted anything are relatively low.
Thank you for your input.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I have no advice except on STD issues, which you don't have. I recommend you follow your doctors' advice in all respects and certainly a urological evaluation seems to make sense.
Thank you very much doctor. That puts my mind at ease. That said - should I still plan on visiting a urologist? Got any advice for treatment?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The opening comments were meant to say "condom protection for both vaginal and oral sex", not anal. Sorry for any confusion.
Another aspect is that STDs rarely if ever cause urinary retention is extremely rare, but is common with prostate infections.
Another aspect is that STDs rarely if ever cause urinary retention is extremely rare, but is common with prostate infections.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
Almost certainly you have no STD, and almost equally certainly your symptoms are unrelated to your non-marital sexual exposures. With condom protection for both vaginal and anal sex, there is no realistic chance you acquired a urethral/urinary STD; and in any case, those STDs primarily cause discharge; painful urination can occur with discharge, but usually not by itself. Also, urethral STDs generally do not cause frequent or urgent urination.
Rather, your symptoms and the lab findings are typical for a bacterial urinary tract infection. Although UTIs are relatively uncommon in most men, they are quite common in diabetics. Often there is a focus of infection in the prostate gland (with or without prostate-specific symptoms), and if that localized infeciton flares up, the infection spreads into the urinary tract, i.e. bladder etc. Based on your symptoms, the urinalysis findings, the treatment prescribed, and the plan for urology evaluation of your prostate, this is what your doctors believe is going on. And so do I. The only atypical feature is your apparently negative urine culture, but that could simply mean that the infection was still limited inside the prostate gland; and some cases of prostatitis are due to unknown bacteria.
There is no point in STD testing at this time. Even if you had been infected (which I do not believe at all), the ciprofloxacin would have cured it and at this point the tests would be negative.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Almost certainly you have no STD, and almost equally certainly your symptoms are unrelated to your non-marital sexual exposures. With condom protection for both vaginal and anal sex, there is no realistic chance you acquired a urethral/urinary STD; and in any case, those STDs primarily cause discharge; painful urination can occur with discharge, but usually not by itself. Also, urethral STDs generally do not cause frequent or urgent urination.
Rather, your symptoms and the lab findings are typical for a bacterial urinary tract infection. Although UTIs are relatively uncommon in most men, they are quite common in diabetics. Often there is a focus of infection in the prostate gland (with or without prostate-specific symptoms), and if that localized infeciton flares up, the infection spreads into the urinary tract, i.e. bladder etc. Based on your symptoms, the urinalysis findings, the treatment prescribed, and the plan for urology evaluation of your prostate, this is what your doctors believe is going on. And so do I. The only atypical feature is your apparently negative urine culture, but that could simply mean that the infection was still limited inside the prostate gland; and some cases of prostatitis are due to unknown bacteria.
There is no point in STD testing at this time. Even if you had been infected (which I do not believe at all), the ciprofloxacin would have cured it and at this point the tests would be negative.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
