2 Year Journey with Prostatitis

Hi everyone,

I'm a 24M and have been a long-time reader of this thread. I've been dealing with "prostatitis" for 2 years after I contracted chlamydia. I've tried so many things at this point, but I'll do my best to recount my journey.

When I first had symptoms, they were quite mild, I had increased urinary frequency and slight burning. I went to the doctor to get a piss test and was positive for chlamydia (which was what I figured). I took a dose of azithromycin and after 2 days I felt completely normal again.

About 2 weeks later my symptoms came back much stronger, to the point where I couldn't hold my pee for more than 20 minutes. I was having painful ejaculation, swollen/red meatus, and intense urinary frequency, as well as the inability to void/ hesitancy.

I went back to the doctor, and they prescribed me doxycycline for 7 days, after about the 5th day I was feeling almost normal again, but when I stopped my symptoms returned to their more aggressive state. After this, I tried a few different antibiotics which resulted in the same thing, of feeling a little better (probably because of the antiinflammation effects) and then went back to more severe pain.

I was prescribed and tried:

  • Doxycycline (6 weeks)
  • Bactrim (4-6 weeks)
  • levofloxacin (7 days)

I received multiple more urine tests, blood tests, swabbed the urethra and was negative for all STI's.

At this point, my family doctor referred me to a urologist (which I waited a year for me to see because I live in Canada). While I waited to see the urologist this is what I tried:

  • Elimination diet (whole foods to decrease inflammation, did not help)
  • 24hr fasts (did not help)
  • No fap/ no sex (helped slightly in the beginning, but no significant long-term change)
  • Pelvic floor physio for 2 months once a week, both internal and external, (maybe made it 5% better), stopped going because of the cost and of its lack of effectiveness.
  • salt baths
  • stretching routine, I also lift weights regularly and always have.
  • I've tried amitriptyline, tadalafil, terazosin, tolteridine, phenazopyridine, as well as many other natural supplements (quercetin, vitamins, magnesium, zinc) to "calm down" the bladder. (can't think of the names right now), which all have had little effect on my pain.

In the last 5 months, I've finally gotten into a urologist, and this is what I've had done:

  • Ultrasound on my bladder (normal)
  • Ultrasound on my testicles (normal)
  • Cystoscopy (said everything looked normal inside, despite my swollen inflamed urethra)
  • Urodynamics test (waiting for the results, was conducted about 4 weeks ago)

The urologist isn't very receptive to anything that I suggest and couldn't even be bothered to listen to my symptoms and what I've been experiencing, instead he just gave me a cystoscopy, said nothing was wrong, then left. Since then, I emailed the office back to get a urodynamics test done and have been waiting for the results for about a month. I guess he will contact me again when the results are in.

Symptoms I have today:

  • Severe constipation (I take metamucil, senokot and prune juice) just to have a bowel movement. If I don't completely empty my bowels I'm in much more severe pain, so I basically give myself diarrhea to avoid this.
  • Constant burning in my bladder, and "golf ball" feeling in my perineum, even though it doesn't always necessarily feel like I have to urinate, the burning is still there.
  • Swollen red meatus, sometimes even discolored or blue-ish head of the penis, and feels cold to the touch, as If I'm not getting blood flow to it.
  • No real pain during intercourse, but burning becomes much more intense after ejaculation, (I take advil before sex for this reason)
  • premature ejaculation
  • lower back pain
  • burning while urinating
  • frequency/urgency to urinate
  • leakage after urinating
  • Itchy anus
  • Always feeling like I’m constipated, even though I had a full bowel movement

Triggers I've noticed that make it worse:

  • Foods: I have many food allergies/intolerances, and If I accidentally eat something I'm allergic to it makes my symptoms way worse
  • stress: I'm a somewhat anxious person and it has only gotten worse since this has happened to me. Stress is a huge trigger.
  • Alcohol/caffeine: inflames the body and makes it worse
  • sitting: sitting at work makes it significantly worse, I have a donut cushion pillow and a standing desk which has helped slightly; however, it's like when I'm not moving around there isn't much difference.
  • ejaculation: makes symptoms much worse.
  • constipation, as I mentioned above, makes my urinary symptoms and the burning much more intense.

I'm at the point where I'm feeling discouraged, as I know most of you have probably felt. What I don't understand is the fact that most of you have had a lot of success with pelvic floor physio, stretching, ect; which have had very minimal positive effects on my symptoms.

I'd appreciate your thoughts/insights on what route I should go next. I've considered that it might be a good idea for me to see a gastro doctor, as my stomach/bowel issues are as worse as they've ever been during this 2-year journey. If my urologist once again says nothing is wrong with me after the urodynamics' test results are in I'm going to go to the states to get an MRI done.

If there's any advice you have on my situation it would be greatly appreciated! (sorry for the long post)