Can Epididymitis come back after doxycycline treatment?

I was diagnosed with epididymitis about 2 months ago and after 10 days of  doxycycline (1 pill a day) from my urologist the pain in my left testicle was completely gone.

After one week of pain free, a mild, more of a aching soreness came back on the left testicle and also a mild shooting pain by my left leg (not sure if it's related, but I did go to the gym the week I felt better)

Does epididymitis just take a while to heal, or is this a recurrence?

[Touchet]

William, I am no doctor, but I can feel your pain.  Since 2003, I have been having the same issue.  I changed doctors, who seems now to think its my prostate and since has put me on levaquin (here we go again).  I have been on almost every antibiotic, it seems to help at first, but the pain has now started to come back.  I don't think the antibiotics help at all.  I think they make you baby yourself, but the injury returns the second you start to become normally active again.   At least that is what happens in my case.   Its either a sports hernia or the real deal.

It seems to come in episodes directly corresponding to heavy activity of any sort.  I have had a colonoscopy, CT scan, ultrasound of my testicles twice.  The first time nothing.  The second time they found a varicocele AFTER i contracted my abdominal muscles.  Both doctors insist that the pain i feel is NOT from the vericocele.  They may be right as I will explain, but their education tells them its not a hernia, cause there are no phyical indications of one.

I can tell you the history you will have.  They will do tons and tons of tests and never find anything.  Eventually you will just have to live with the pain and the doctors will stop giving you meds.  You will be told, "I just don't know what else to do".  Its a sad sad situation.  Sometimes people find doctors who have some sympathy and will at least give them pain meds to cope.  99% of the time, this isn't the case, and the doctors leave you in pain and without any diagnosis for pain treatment.  In any case, living on pain meds just makes you fat, lazy, and addicted to them.  The pain goes away, you get off the meds, then you start to live again, and BAAM, back to the pain.

Many cases, like mine, leave you feeling depressed and hopeless.  Please don't get that way.  Know that there are many like you.  In most of the cases, they NEVER due an ultrasound of the canal with observation of it during muscle contraction.

I found this forum about a guy who had similiar issues and he eventually demanded to get an ultrasound done of his inguinal Canal.  When he bared down, it become evident that he had a slight hernia.  Even then, the surgeon told him NO that the radiologist was in error.  That such a small hernia wouldn't cause his pain.  He had to pay for another one, and then demand a third, in order to validate himself (yes this is the state of medical care).  He had hernia repiar, and from his last post, he is doing 100% better....no pain.  I believe what happens is that the hernia is very slight and upsets the nerves there during periods of heavy activity.


There seems to be a lot of people having this same issue.  The ultrasound is ALWAYS done of the testicles and in many cases they find  vericocele.  From my research, sometimes they can misdiagnose a vericocele for a small hernia.  

My suggesting to rule out a typical "sports hernia" from a real one is too demand that the doctor due an ultra sound of the canal with observation during muscle contraction to rule out hernia.

I just found this guys story after months of searching.  Please, before you spend ungodly amounts of money, ask your doctor nicely (at first) to schedule an ultrasound of your abdomen to check for hernia.  I have my doctors appointment on the 9th.  I am going to discuss it with him and insist that he push it through.  For my own piece of mind.  i am even going to bring in the forum post that i have printed out for him.

BTW, lyrica works quite well for the nuerology of it.

Good luck to you.

guys story:

http://forums.wrongdiagnosis.com/showthread.php?t=29492

Can't remember where I got the info for the misdiagnosis of veriocele for hernia and vice versa.  Just do a search for yourself.

[william520]

Thanks for the informative response. I've done a ultrasound with no apparent hernia and my urologist wants me to do a CAT scan and provide a specimen. I'll request your recommendation to observe my canal during muscle contraction to rule out hernia.

Is your appointment on August 9th 2010? I saw your posting date and it's from 06-02-2008. Have you already gone?

[freeman10]

I have the same pain too in my left testicle plus a hard pain on my buttoak and lefs .. burnning like a sharp nerve....
Did you check your STDs ? herpes ?

Thank you.

[william520]

Yes, I had a negative chlamydia test and my urologist ruled out std and most likely a bacterial  infection. I also went ahead and did a entire physical test, including a full std screening (waiting on results).

[Touchet]

No I posted this morning.  I don't know whats up with the date.  Maybe a server side error or setting in the account.

Yeah my appointment is on august 9th 2010.  The doctor wouldn't tell me what he has in store for me.  Only that he has other "regimens up his sleve".  At least this doctor is willing to try different treatments rather than just send me home and take my money.  I have a feeling this doctor has been researching in the meantime.  Thats a good sign.

It could be a just a sports hernia (not a real one just mucle damage).  Sometimes those require surgery if they don't get better with physical therapy or rest.  Just hang in there and switch doctors if your regular doctor tells you he has "run out of options".

[freeman10]

Did u test for herpes? It could be a genitle herpes outbreak

[william520]

I just did and am waiting for results. I've had these symptoms for about 2 months, would herpes outbreak last that long?

[rmprdl1964]

Hi,

I used to come down with epididymitis about every 3 to 4 months for many years. Most of the time I had a UTI as well. I than read that they used to give males undergoing prostate surgery a vasectomy to prevent infections from spreading to the testicles. My wife and I had 4 children and we had decided that I should try this. Vasectomy had complications and about a year later I lost my left testicle as a result of a staph infection for which I had an emergency left orchiectomy. After several months before the scrotum healed I have had no further infections of the remaining right testicle. I had the orchicectomy in 2000 and have been without orchitis or epididymitis since.
Two years ago I discovered that I have a fistula between the prostate and rectum. From this I have had further problems with UTI and kidney infections. It was allways thought that my problems originated from prostatitis. I now wonder if the fistula was a weakened area causing bacteria from the bowel to migrate into the prostate and testicles.
Now I'm about to find out if I need a major surgery to correct the fistula. I have had at least 2 UTI in the last 6 months. I'm convinced that this infection would have migrated to the testicle had I not had a vasectomy. Non the less I'm now faced with more serious problems.

All the best,

Ron

[william520]

Hi all,

I've got my tests back from the CAT scan and specimen and they found bacteria in my semen. The doctor said it's a common thing to happen and is putting me on cipro for 2 weeks. Getting rid of bacteria in that location is challenging. He also mentioned there's no risk of infecting my partner during sex.

So to all out there with similar symptoms, it may be a good idea to request a specimen analysis. Thanks for all of the possible causes. Hopefully this will clear up after treatment.

[william520]

I've also just got my results for STDs and they all came back negative. Now lets wait and see on cipro...

[freeman10]

Becareful becasue Cipro have many side effects... do not drink milk with it or do any hard active live .

[rmprdl1964]

Hi,

I have been on Cipro on and of for about 16 years now. From 1994 up to 2003 I used to work as a heavy duty mechanic. I never had any serious problems while on Cipro.
Each drug prescribed has several different side effects. The worst one for me were Vesicare and Flagyl.
Flagyl effects the meylin on nerves for those with nerve conditions.
In 2000 I received Flagyl after having been diagnosed with a staph infection. Without the Flagyl, I most likely would no longer be here, however neurologically I detriorated some more.
Doctor who prescribe drugs do so because they feel that the benefits of a drug outweigh the side effects.

[freeman10]

But cipro still can give a nerve problem too...right?

[Touchet]

I took cipro for almost a month, didn't have any side effect from it.  However, the levaquin (in the same class) most definately has side effect.  Youre bones pop, and you feel this weird neverousness like your skin is crawling.

I usually take it at bedtime so i don't feel the symptoms of it.

[Touchet]

Just got back from the doctor.  While the testicle pain has subsided.  My left leg and abdomen pain is till there, especially after sitting or lying for a while.  He thinks that my issue is muscular with the Sciatic nerve being compressed.  He showed me some exercises to do.  He suggested Yoga exercises.

Like the guy above, I suggested to him an ultrasound for a hernia.  I explained to him the post.  I am lucky enough that he went on the computer right in front of me and looked up the medical journals on it.  He agreed that out of 144 cases of unexplained abdominal pain after CT scan showed normal, 22 cases showed hernias using the us with bear down maneuver.  He calls it Vulsulva maneuver.  Can remember right now.  So he entertained me, and wrote me an order for the US.  I'll try to go to the outpatient services tomorrow and get one done and post back with the results.

[streetbob]

I have been experiencing close to the same symptons that you have stated above. I too have been feeling this on and off pain for the last 7 years. I always seem to have this start up when I reach or lean awkardly without leverage. I have had cat scans, mri's, scrotal sonorgrams,etc, without anything showing up. They still keep telling me this condition is epididymitis. But I don't think so. I still think this is a hernia of some sort. After reading your post, I am taking this information to my doctor and insisting on an ultrasound with this Vulsulva maneuver. Please keep me informed on how your ultrasound went. Thanks

[Miguel1995]

I am 17 years old I have my epididymis infected too. I can feel the tube from the back of my left testicle up to my anus hole. I have been abstinent for all my life. I did get it because I didn't go to the men's bathroom before jogging many times and now i regret it. I am hopeless because I don't want to be a burden to my parents which my mom is already very sick.Are there any stories out there who have had this same problem and got rid of it without going to the hospital and spending a fortune. Can I drink lots of water and urinate more often to purify my body?.Please lift my spirit. I still jog for my track team because its my senior year and I want to do it to be in my yearbook and I don't get pain while jogging but do get it after but I can take the pain.I have a feeling that I will probably have this problem worsen and get it for life and probably will die because of this. I just hope I am overreacting.:(