I'm a 31 yr old male. I've had trouble urinating for 10+ yrs. Symptoms include: slight burning while urinating, frequent urinating 11+ times per day, trouble starting (takes anywhere from 30-90 seconds or more), lots of dripping at the end of urination, cannot control flow (I can start or stop the flow but cannot control the pressure of the stream), weak flow, sometimes urine comes out when I cough or laugh.
I've seen 3 urologists and 2 natural health care practictioners over the past 10 yrs. One of the urologists I've seen is touted as the top urologist in Houston. In fact, a 4th urologist declined to see me because he sends his patients that he can't help to the top urologist that I've seen.
The first urologist I saw assumed I had a stricture. He performed a procedure on me which he claimed would "allow him to look inside of me to confirm that I had a stricture, and if so, to leave the catheter inside me which would open up the stricture". (He called this procedure a cystoscopy, which i later found out this was not a standard cystoscopy) He claimed to have found very little stricture inside me but left the catheterr in me anyway for a full day or two (2004). His diagnosis was that I had a "spastic bladder," when i asked him about this on my follow up visit he replied that "It is not a spastic bladder, you have a 'spaz in your bladder' " (whatever this means?)
After this first doctor removed the catheter I was bleeding whenever I urinated for about 3 weeks. He told me this,was normal; however, my symptoms have been much worse since this procedure was done. It was after this procedure that I lost control of my flow and started having difficulty stopping urination. The procedure that was performed only added to my existing condition. I discontinued treatment from this doctor and have had no contact with him since.
I then went to a second urologist. He checked my prostate (the first doctor did not do this before or after the procedure he performed). The second doctor said my prostate was fine. He said the only way to determine the problem was to perform a cystoscopy. I decided not to do this because of the disastrous results I previously experieced.
I then saw a Natural Helath Care Practitioner. He was a medical doctor for many years before switching to natural medicine. He helped me with my diet and gave me supplements to take. After around 6 months to a year he suggested that I see a 3rd urologist, the best one in Houston.
I did as he suggested. The 3rd Urologist performed a cystoscopy on me (which I learned was a very simple procedure which allowed the doctor to look inside of me). The doctor said I was fine, and that there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. I asked him "Then why am I suffering these symptoms?" He then chuckled and said "Nerves" and then dismissed me.
While I was relieved to know that there wasn't anything wrong with me, I was still troubled because of the symptoms.
I then went to another Natural Health Doctor and he told me if after 12 weeks I wasnt getting any results with him, he would make an assessment of what to do next.
12 weeks went by and he wasnt able to help me either, he then referred me to a 4th Urologist. I called to schedule an appointment and they refused to see me because I was previously a patient of the 3rd Urologist and they didnt want a conflict of interest.
I'm at a loss of what to do. I feel I've exhausted my efforts and I don't want to keep spending money and keep having doctors performing cystoscopys on me. These symptoms are very real and are not fabricated. I never had troble urinating in my teens and I know how it feels to urinate normally. This is not normal. I cannot recall any type or traumatic injury or infection that may have caused this when I first experienced these symptoms when I was 18-19.
I am writing here in the hopes that someone has seen this problem before or has possibly had this problem before and has had successful treatment. None of my 5 doctors have been able to find what is causing this and it has been very uncomfortable physically and mentally to live with.