Prostatitis (recurring)

I am finally having to admit to myself that I have a problem with recurring prostatitis. I had a cluster, then went a number of years without, and now I'm having another cluster. Currently on antibiotics, but I'm trying to figure out what can be done to minimize risk of recurrence because it ain't fun.

I do have some BPH, but it's in the mild/moderate range for obstruction so that may or may not contribute. Anyone here have any experiences to share with their recurring prostatitis?

Officially prostatitis seems to be kind of a black art, there's not much on it. Yeah, I'm going to either self-evaluate or go in to a PT for the pelvic floor once the prostate infection clears up to just make sure that the pelvic floor is doing OK, and yes I'm asking here because asking a doctor is rather embarrassing (and it's officially a bit of a dark art). I did ask during the appointment to get the Cipro, and the answers were noncommittal about going forward.

I too have endured pelvic floor issues including prostatitis for many years. BPH is now raising it’s ugly head. I have seen a pelvic floor PT, and found her helpful. If anyone, they are the frontline for prostatitis, not a urologist or PCP. As you said, it’s a black art, and I think PTs have the knowledge to help in this area.

As for me, hot soaks, stretching (external and internal 😁)and kegels seem to keep most symptoms at bay. Good luck to you, and go see that PT.

I saw a urologist back in the early 2000’s. His belief was ‘use it or lose it’. Recently, articles are indicating that a minimum of 21 ejaculations a month are very beneficial for prostate health.

In the meantime, stay the course with the antibiotics. Cipro is the gold standard but is not recommended for older patients as it has some nasty potential side effects. I had prostatitis last year but I can’t remember what he prescribed. I think it was a sulfa drug.

Is your doc monitoring your PSA? Apparently, it is a good test to determine if you have prostatitis and if the antibiotic is working. It took almost 6 months and three two week courses of an antibiotic before my PSA returned to normal. At its peak my PSA was 17!

I am not a medical doctor, just someone who has been where you are.

Don't want to "hi-jack" this thread, but @Lefty made a reference in his post about a PT (I assume that's physical therapist) and referred to them as "her"...ALL kinds of questions about that!! Anything of "prurient interest" here, Lefty?

I had a spell of Prostatitis 20+ years ago. I remember passing blood, which drew some alarm from the urologist. As you say it is a black art or syndrome, in other words no one knows much about it or the treatment. I was under a huge amount of stress at the time, a common trigger for endless bad conditions.

I remember my local doctor putting me on the max dosage of an antibiotic for something like 6 months, yes really, which later drew some furrowed brows (though of course no words) from the urologist. The doctor had said that it was hard to penetrate the prostate, hence the massive dose of antibiotics needed, but there must be a shed load of collateral damage to your body from all that. I had an endoscopy into the bladder, in those days under general (not nowadays) with everything 'normal' they said. It's no fun feeling things aren't right down there. You might find prostate massage helps if you can find someone willing to help, or that regular ejaculation helps. I do believe arousal without ejaculation is hard on the prostate, I read a urologist's comment to that effect too. You mention BPH and there are drugs aimed at that, but I'll briefly mention Tadalfil (generic Cialis) which is taken to boost erectile performance but can also help with BPH. Anything is worth a shot when you're getting desperate.

This website is very good for info though sadly is now slowly closing its doors:

https://prostatitis.org/

It states on the front page:

By far, the most common type of prostatitis is nonbacterial prostatitis. Symptoms may include frequent urination and pain in the lower abdomen or lower back area. Causes may be stress and irregular sexual activity.

And nonbacterial means antibiotics are useless. Mine went away eventually, as the stress I suspected was as a major trigger. Good luck.

I have had chronic prostatitis. Symptoms were urgency and frequency and occasionally burning. Sometimes rectal pain, like a ping ball stuck in my anus. I went to my urologist and she checked my prostate and said it felt spongy and she thought that was the issue. She did a prostate massage for a few minutes and collected a few drops of liquid from the tip of my penis to send away for a culture. It eventually showed infection. Had to take an antibiotic for 6 weeks and go to a pelvic floor physical therapist. She basically had me on my back undressed from the waist down covered by a sheet. I had to bring my knees up and separate them while she inserted her index finger into my annus and massaged the muscles around my pelvic floor. I found that to be rather pleasurable and almost always had an erection and often thought I would orgasm. After a couple of months I was great. No problems at all. I might add that my orgasm are now better than they have been for years My urologist did recommend frequent ejaculation to prevent a reoccurrence

Don’t get your prostate massaged if it is a bacterial infection as that can spread the bacteria to other places. Wait until this episode is over for that. You don’t want a bladder or worse yet a kidney infection too.

I went through this not too long ago - it’s seems to b under control, at least for the time being. I have done the 3 beaker test, antibiotics etc. everything helps a bit, but nothing worked completely and nothing prevented reoccurrences. My doctor recommended a special diet, daily masterbation and weekly prostate massages. The idea is to keep flushing and squeezing the infected fluid out of the prostate while promoting blood flow and good prostate function. Also he gave me a 3 month course or prosturol suppositories. It took a while but that seemed to do the trick. Empty pipes, and meds from both ends. Good luck man, I know it’s not comfortable and affects quality of life

My husband has been prone to this. I guess that is why I give such a great prostate message. He is also prone to levator ani syndrome too. I have a lot experience in these two areas. Yup, each prostate exam the doctor would say it was boggy.

Don't want to "hi-jack" this thread, but @Lefty made a reference in his post about a PT (I assume that's physical therapist) and referred to them as "her"...ALL kinds of questions about that!! Anything of "prurient interest" here, Lefty?

@duhwizard:

Nothing of "prurient interest" at all. The fact is almost all of pelvic floor PTs are women. Trust me, if you are being examined or worked on by a pelvic floor PT, you are there because something hurts or you have a medical condition. "Prurient" is not on your mind at that point.

Timberwolf 421: What was the procedure they wanted to perform that would have you in pain for 6 weeks? There is a relatively new procedure out called Urolift. I am wondering if that is the procedure you have reference to?

@Protoc99 The procedure that I was referring to that the urologist said would have me in pain for 6 weeks is the Rezum procedure, where they use water vapor (steam according to that urologist) to remove prostate tissue. I am actually scheduled to have the Urolift procedure done this July. Unfortunately, I have to satisfy the insurance company so that they will approve it. So that means that I have to get another cystoscopy, six months after the last one. From what I have read about the Rezum procedure, I plan to steer clear of it.

Never heard about the Rezum procedure before. What I found was that those who promote it say it is minimally painful and effective. Those that promote the urolift claim it to be superior to the Rezum. Do due diligence and talk to your docs, mabe second opinions, and go with what you find/believe to be the best path. Sounds like you're doing that! Best of luck.

This topic is not for offering medical advice and/or advising specific treatments. It is asking for personal experiences only. Please keep replies to personal experiences.

The fact is almost all of pelvic floor PTs are women.

First I've head of a "pelvic floor PT", most interesting.

First I've head of a "pelvic floor PT", most interesting.

I've been to one a couple times. If you look at an anatomy diagram of the pelvic floor you will see a number of layers of muscles. If these are too weak or too tight you run into issues, they can be pain, issues with urine flow or constipation, or even sometimes issues with walking (if it spills over into the muscles that link between the pelvis and the femur - usually not the major ones, more often the ones that rotate it). The "shorthand" thave everyone has heard is "Kegels" but that is a gross oversimplification.

My experience has been with overtight ones, and it isn't fun. I developed it with a combination of guarding and stress. Pelvic PT helped - you get some stretching and also if it's more than minor probably some internal release work, think heavy duty massage but from the inside. And yes, as Lefty says, it isn't sexual or purient. By the time it gets to that level you're probaby not thinking sex much. I fear that there may be some men abusing the system though, as there are many more "women only" pelvic PTs then ones who see men around here.

Fortunately, I don’t have any experience with prostatitus and never had a reason to consider it. Pelvic floor therapy is more prevalent in post partum women due to stretching of the muscles that support holding the bladder etc, in place. It can also be beneficial to men in selective cases. That probably explains why more women than men undergo or are recommended for it.

I have had two confirmed cases of acute bacterial prostatitis, and one recent suspected one, for which I've been given antibiotics. One case 7 years ago was so bad I was nearly hospitalized for it, thought I had the flu (in July) and then noticed it burned when I tried to pee and a 102 degree temp, white blood count almost 20k (bad). Antibiotics will cure or at least arrest the acute bacterial cases, but my research indicates most prostatitis is chronic and non-bacterial and will not respond to antibiotics. Pretty sure that is where I am. I too have mild BPH and am currently being evaluated for elevated PSA as well. I had a 12 week course of pelvic floor physical therapy last year that did improve my condition. I don't really have symptoms, except some intermittent slightly delayed ejaculation, and some very minor testicular pain on one side. You are right, there is not a lot of information on it and I have seen two urologists in the last 6 months trying to get them to do something definitive in the way of diagnosis without much success. Theoretically, bacterial prostatitis can be diagnosed either by expressed prostatic secretions or a semen analysis. I had both back in the '80's after my first bout with ABP, but modern urologists don't seem to want to do those tests...or any other hands-on examinations, if they can avoid it. I hope within the next set of appointments I can get one of them to do a transrectal ultrasound and/or a prostate MRI to at least rule out cancer. It's like pulling teeth, but you've got to be your own advocate or you'll get nowhere. Good luck!

If embarassed about discussing medical issues with your doctor it might be time to find a different doctor. Unless a zity member is a practicing physician it might be best to take medical advice offered here with a healthy dose of skepticism.

I am NOT advocating curtailing discussions on medical issues, but I am pointing out that following medical advice from non-medical practitioners could cause a problem to worsen rather than improve. Could? "Probably" might better describe the outcome.

ANY infection left untreated can rapidly turn deadly. On a Friday afternoon many years ago my older brother, a Yoga, was demonstrating a pose when he felt something "click" in his lower back. Friday evening he was eating NSAID's like candy. Saturday he was bedridden. Sunday morning he was barely able to dial 911. The ER doctor told my brother had he waited even 2 more hours he would have been taken to the morgue rather than the hospital. The "click" was one of the disks in his spine trying to do something it is incapable of doing and it became inflamed. The inflamation opened the door to an infection that rapidly took over his spine. He spent nearly two years in rehab learning to walk again.

Even if it embarasses you, discuss this with your doctor.

If embarassed about discussing medical issues with your doctor it might be time to find a different doctor. Unless a zity member is a practicing physician it might be best to take medical advice offered here with a healthy dose of skepticism.

I am NOT advocating curtailing discussions on medical issues, but I am pointing out that following medical advice from non-medical practitioners could cause a problem to worsen rather than improve. Could? "Probably" might better describe the outcome.

And I'm going to repeat the position previously stated by another moderator - that on Zity.biz, medical advice will neither be requested or offered by members.

Any such discussion will be summarily removed.

Please confine discussion to personal experience.

Clarification: I have the antibiotics. Taking them. They're helping starting on about day 3. Asked doctor about what might be leading to this and doctor had no interest in discussing it (literally said a variant of "ask someone else"). Looking for people's anecdotes and experiences, and no I'm not going to do anythign without looking into it thoroughly. With something such as this a bit of anonynimity is a plus, and "hi, person I have never met, let's talk about my urogenital system" is not high on my list of things to do. I suppose Reddit may be the current go-to spot for this, but TBH "here's a nice picture of John Oliver with a frog" isn't a useful answer or pointer.