Completed Doxycycline, but symptoms still remain

[LAworried]

Ten days ago I tested positive for Chlamydia, negative for Gonorrhea. My doctor gave me a ten day treatment of doxycycline. I have taken the medication as instructed, however, ten days later I am finished with the medication, but my itching and burning still remains. It is not as bad as it was when I went to the doctor, but it still remains. This worries me. Is this normal? What should I do? I have an apt. scheduled for next week, but I am worried in the interim. How long do the symptoms usually last? Is their a possibility that the doxycycline didn't work?

[LAworried]

I posted on 10/13 regarding Chlamydia. I went back to the doctor on Monday after my symptoms persisted over the weekend and on Monday morning. He prescribed me 1000mg of Zithromax and retested me. Today, I was told by an office worker that my test came back negative. I asked her to have the doctor phone me, because my symptoms are no better 48hrs after the Zithromax (which I am not sure what to think about this since I tested negative). He has not called me, and I am becoming worried. I had a large discharge from my penis during a bowel movement over the weekend, I have the feeling of pressure in my groin (as in the sensation you get when the pain of being kicked in the groin is fading away), and my penis itches on the tip and what seems to be inside the head area. The pressure seems similar to when I prostate problems. I followed your previous advice and asked that I be tested for Trich. He took a urine sample, looked at it in his office lab, and said that I did not have Trich. Should he have sent that to a lab? Where do you suggest I go from here? I am growing ever dissatisfied with my physician. He seems not to be concerned. Should he be? Should my symptoms last two weeks after the first day of treatment w/ Doxy and then 48hrs after Zithro? Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated. Do you think I may have some other problem? What would it be? I seem to have to specifically ask my doctor what to test for, so what would you advise? I also thought I might ad that my girlfriend was treated and is now symptom free. I find that a little more preplexing.

[Brian123]

"my" suggesstions...and once again..."suggestions":

(a) If you are not comfortable dealing with your current GP, research and find another one you can talk to.
(b) maybe the symptoms are of UTI related to yeast infection? (best guess)
(c) your symptoms would not have persisted beyond 2 weeks if Doxy was used and chlamydia was the culprit....symptoms clear up a couple days later when medicine is taken and the individual needs to complete the ENTIRE 14 days of medication. Did you?

Brian

[deeplyconfusedgirl]

A related discussion, Doxycycline was started.

[sparkeler]

I would suggest you go back to the doctor and tell him.  Retest, make sure you are negative.  It's rare but possible that you haven't been cleared completely.  You may need to be on the medicine a little longer.  Good Luck!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Doxy is 100% effective against chlamydia.  But in about 10-20% of cases, symptoms persist despite treatment, probably because some people have additional infections that don't show up on routine testing, like trichomonas or other causes of NGU.  But even with chlamydia alone, symptom resolution can be quite slow.  If things clearly have improved on treatment, I would sit tight for another week or so; your symptoms probably will continue to fade.  If no better in a week, or if they start getting worse again, keep the appointment with your provider.  In that case, the recommended approach (per CDC's recently revised STD treatment guidelines) is treatment with a drug against trich (metronidazole or, preferably, tinidazole) plus azithromycin.  In the meantime, no sex until it's all sorted out.

Good luck--- HHH, MD