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STDs (Expert Forum)
Help please
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
This forum does not cover AIDS/HIV issues. This forum is for questions and support regarding STD issues such as: Chlamydia, Crabs (pubic lice scabies), Gonorrhea, Hepatitis (viral), Herpes, HPV, Molluscum Contagiosum, PID, Rectal Infections, Syphilis, Trichomonas, Warts, Yeast Infection.
IMPORTANT
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
Help please
by ltldo, Feb 18, 2008 01:26PM
I am 55 years old and my fiancee id 40. I am engaged to a woman who recently was notified that she was "inconclusive" for Chamydia. Her OB recommended she take the antibiotic therapy. I asked my private physician to test me for all STDs. He did a urinalysis, swabbed my urethra for culture and drew blood. Urinalysis was negative, culture was negative and rpr was negative. The Dr. recommended I do the antibiotic therapy (1X megadose) so I did.
I do have some "tingling" and slight burning in my scrotal area. There is also some pain at the base of my scrotum that radiates down my right leg. The pain is always localized to this right side area.
I have no burning or other discomfort upon urinating. There is no pain in my penis. All discomfort is localized to the scrotum. There is also no discomfort upon ejaculation nor is there any discoloration. My fiancee is also positive for genital herpes (diagnosed 21 years ago) and she is treated with Valtrex. We use condoms.
She had unprotected sex with her ex-husband over a year ago before they separated. Is there any chance she has carried the Chlamydia for a year?
Don't know if it is a concern or not, but I do not where any underwear and haven't for over 6 years. A freind said this may cause the pain.
Do I need to be concerned about the scrotal discomfort?
I do have some "tingling" and slight burning in my scrotal area. There is also some pain at the base of my scrotum that radiates down my right leg. The pain is always localized to this right side area.
I have no burning or other discomfort upon urinating. There is no pain in my penis. All discomfort is localized to the scrotum. There is also no discomfort upon ejaculation nor is there any discoloration. My fiancee is also positive for genital herpes (diagnosed 21 years ago) and she is treated with Valtrex. We use condoms.
She had unprotected sex with her ex-husband over a year ago before they separated. Is there any chance she has carried the Chlamydia for a year?
Don't know if it is a concern or not, but I do not where any underwear and haven't for over 6 years. A freind said this may cause the pain.
Do I need to be concerned about the scrotal discomfort?
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Feb 18, 2008 02:21PM
, Feb 18, 2008 02:21PM
Jumping to the bottom line, you can be sure you don't have chlamydia at present and probably never did. I cannot comment on the likelihood that your former partner's test was reliable or not. Still, your doctor was right to treat you, to be on the safe side.
Aside from your former partner's test result, all other issues are strongly in your favor: 1) Chlamydia is rare in men your age. 2) The tests for chlamydia are highly reliable; your negative test result is strong evidence against infection. 3) The "megadose" treatment probably was azithromycin; you probably took 4 pills at once, or perhaps a bitter tasting powder mixed in water. Azithromycin is highly reliable in curing chlamydia, so even if your test missed it, you would have been cured. 4) Finally, your symptoms are not those of chlamydia. The only symptom of significance in men is discharge of abnormal mucus or pus from the penis; pain or tingling due to chlamydia are rare, if they occur at all in the absence of discharge. Same for scrotal pain.
So if your symptoms persist and you remain concerned, return to your doctor; or consider asking him for referral to a urologist to look into causes other than STD. But most likely the symptoms don't indicate anything serious. Certainly you don't have chlamydia, and your symptoms also are not suggestive of herpes.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Aside from your former partner's test result, all other issues are strongly in your favor: 1) Chlamydia is rare in men your age. 2) The tests for chlamydia are highly reliable; your negative test result is strong evidence against infection. 3) The "megadose" treatment probably was azithromycin; you probably took 4 pills at once, or perhaps a bitter tasting powder mixed in water. Azithromycin is highly reliable in curing chlamydia, so even if your test missed it, you would have been cured. 4) Finally, your symptoms are not those of chlamydia. The only symptom of significance in men is discharge of abnormal mucus or pus from the penis; pain or tingling due to chlamydia are rare, if they occur at all in the absence of discharge. Same for scrotal pain.
So if your symptoms persist and you remain concerned, return to your doctor; or consider asking him for referral to a urologist to look into causes other than STD. But most likely the symptoms don't indicate anything serious. Certainly you don't have chlamydia, and your symptoms also are not suggestive of herpes.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
