4 Months of Penile Pain, Irritation, Dribbling, Rash - No STD or Diagnosis. Help!

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Hello, I am seeking advice! I am 32 years of age and situation has lasted over 4 months. It started when a female at a strip club slid her hands into my pants and rubbed / grabbed my erect penis near the urinary meatus (opening). I felt a sharp pain at the time (not sure why honestly). I feel like perhaps it was due to her rubbing near the meatus.  The symptoms below started almost immediately from what I can recall.

Symptoms:

1. Slight rash on the top of the penis glans (head of penis). It is worse after a hot shower. It comes and goes, and can appear almost like a plaque covering, scaly at times. It sometimes starts at the top of the corona (where head meets shaft) and runs straight down to the urinary meatus (opening) like a stripe.

2. No visible lesions (or blisters) or warts on the exterior skin surface. Does not appear to be any internally as well and doctors have not been able to observe anything.

3. Slight purple on one side of urethra, when the meatus is opened to look inside. A small bump is near the top of the purple, or tip of the meatus; however, two urologists believe it is vein related.

4. After urinating, urine dribbles out of the bottom of the meatus. The meatus opens and closes (at the bottom) and urine drops drip / discharge. I have to wipe considerably. The glans around the meatus looks swollen (more one side) and when I press on it, urine will discharge. It is almost like urine gets stuck in the tip of the urethra.

5. No noticeable discharge, but the penis appears and feels “wet” inside, especially post urination. It seems that I am leaking / dribbling throughout the day, after urinating. Urine color is clear.

6. Pain consistently on the underside of the glans near the meatus. The pain can sometimes be very sharp and burn. I also feel a tickle or tingle sensation in the head of the penis that comes and goes. The entire glans is sensitive to touch. This is extremely irritating.

7. The meatus looks red and inflamed at times. It can be very sensitive or painful to the touch and irritated by clothing. This feeling comes and goes in intensity.

8. The bottom of the meatus opens wide (top remains closed) when the penis has increased blood flow and/or is erect. This is abnormal for my body. You can see directly into the urethra when this happens.

9. When erect, the glans / head region seems larger than it had previously and I would describe it as swollen. There is also an internal pain near the underside of the meatus, where it opens up near the bottom (as described). Feels like it is stretching / pins and needles.

10. The glans has a more prominent reddish rash, during and after an erection. The rash appears like I have scaly / dry skin. Post ejaculation my urethra appears red and inflamed as well, when looking inside the meatus. This subsides after some period of time.

11. Semen color seems to be more yellow that I remembered, prior to this incident. Sometimes I feel like there is pressure on the front of my testicles.

12. The pain and irritation increase throughout the day. When I wake up in the morning the symptoms are not as noticeable, besides a dull pain on the under-side of penis glans. Sometimes there is some redness on the top of the glans area.

Testing:

I have been well tested (multiple times) and am negative for the following STD's; HIV (RNA testing done as well), Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Trich, HSV-2, Syphilis, Mycoplama & Ureaplasma, Hep A, Hep B, & Hep C. Again, all negative.

I found in this process that I am HSV-1 positive and likely have been for some period (so is a large % of the population).  I have had  blisters and a HSV like rash on the bottom of my nose in the past. I don’t think this is HSV-1 as there are no lesions in my genitals and this has gone on too long.

Due to viral load factors, I tested the viral infections (HIV, HSV-2, Hep) at 30 days and again at 95 days post exposure. I assume that I am in the clear based on statistics, but am certainly not a doctor. These tests were unlikely to be positive given the event as there was no intercourse.

Urine analysis looked okay. Red and white blood cell counts were okay, no bacteria infection or UTI found or diagnosed based on urine culture.

Treatment:

I have seen 5 urologists, 1 dermatologists and 1 family practice doctor. I have had 2 cystoscopies, and nothing was found (same urologist).

A family practice doctor thought it was due to some soap or lotion, but referred me to the 1st urologist. He thought nothing was visually wrong.

The 1st and 2nd urologist  said they have no clue as there was nothing outside of normal visual tolerance. The 2nd urologist gave me the 2 cystoscopies (camera up the urethra to the bladder) and nothing abnormal was found.

2nd urologist thought it was contact dermatitis due to the rash as nothing surfaced in either cystoscopy. My prostate was examined physically and was ruled to be okay. He referred me to another urologist and also said I should see a dermatologist.

The 3rd urologist confirmed the inflammation in the glans. He suggested to try Quercetin (there are clinical trials which have shown it has helped the prostate) and then potentially Doxy over a longer period as a next step (can be anti-inflammatory). My fear is taking an antibiotic without having a bacteria pathogen diagnosis could be pointless.

The 4th urologist (who the 2nd urologist referred me to) believed that this was related to nerves in the penis. He is a pain specialist and put me on Nortriptyline.

The dermatologist (urologist said I should see one) also saw inflammation and diagnosed the rash as a non-infectious seborrheic dermatitis. He prescribed a topical antibiotic / corticosteroid, which I used. I also tried a steroid. It has reduced some of the redness but not relieve any of the described pain or urine dribble. I am concerned about the use of a topical for an extended period (skin thinning) and have stopped using it. I have a follow-up visit with him scheduled.

Medication:

1. Doxycycline 100mg x2 times a day for 10 days, initially when symptoms started. No relief.

2. Topical cream for rash: Ala-Quin initially for 4 weeks, then tried another steroid cream. Has somewhat resolved the rash issue (not totally).

3. Metronidazole (Flagyl) 2g, x 1 dose for Trich as there is not a great test for this (urine apparently has weak sensitivity). Trich can cause swelling, come and go symptoms, etc.

4. Nortriptyline 20mg every day to resolve nerve issue. I just started this.

5. Supplements currently taking: 1g of Quercetin daily (shown to reduce inflation in clinical trials), Multivitamin, AHCC, Folic Acid, Vitamin E and B12.

The symptoms continue to persist and these treatments have not worked.

My Questions:

1. Does this sound like an STD? Could it be another bacteria pathogen or NGU?

2. If this nerve related due to some trauma, would it cause the rash?

3. Are there any ideas regarding further testing or a diagnosis? I was considering a semen culture but don't know where to have this done.

4. Would a HPV virus cause these symptoms? In men, I believe the HPV virus is typically asymptomatic and/or presents itself with warts.

5. How can I test for HPV other than a biopsy of the penis or penis scrape (which most doctors don’t perform)?

6. Could this be yeast related based on the symptoms? I have noticed an increased coating on my tongue which scrapes off and dry mouth symptoms. I have also noticed the coating and dry mouth is much worse after drinking alcohol or eating sugar (yeast related).

I should mention that my anxiety over this is through the roof and am aware of some changes in my body as a result of it (anxious, no hunger at times, weight loss, etc.). I also think the dry mouth could be related to anxiety.

Please, I am looking for some help! I know there is someone out there that can help me as this has gone on for so long. This is such a struggle and always on my mind.

Further, I am terrified about infecting a new person who I just started dating. A couple doctors indicated that I was safe to have intercourse as I was well tested, but I don’t feel right about having intercourse with the symptoms persistent.

Thanks all for your help. - Steve

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  • Posted

    Steven, any updates? very interested. my similar symptoms came after a bj with a very promiscuous girl in June. inflamed and painful meatus, scaly texture on the head, feels like urine is "stuck" in the tip, urine dribbles everywhere after p*****g. it's now december... 6 months with no diagnosis.

    I've seen multiple dr.s... been to 3 different std clinics at various time intervals, and been tested for everything. all negative. have tried many anti fungals both OTC and prescription, topical and oral tablets, for months. tried steroid cream, and it flared up worse.

    just saw a dermatologist on monday, she said it looks like psoriasis, and has prescribed tarcrolimus .1% and calcipotriene .005% ointments every day for a full month.

    I kinda feel like it's a similar generic diagnosis to when my primary care physician chalked it up to "dermititis"

    ...but I can let you guys know how that goes in a month, I suppose.

    please everyone keep at it. this is a really s**t situation we're all in.

    • Posted

      Have you been tested for HSV-1 and HSV-2? Its so crazy how so many of us have this problem that is apparently unheard of in the medical world. I relate this to the male equivalent of vulvodynia in women. Do you have normal bowel habits?

    • Posted

      so many of us had this come up after oral sex that I can't believe it's not related in some way....did you have any kind of trauma or anything like that? or was everything seemingly normal?

    • Posted

      Its been recently confirmed by my urologist that I have prostatitis. he said that this is a symptom of that. i am now taking a new antiobiotic for the prostatitis. before i started taking this is seemed to be getting better. hardly red or noticeable and less burning or pain when peeing but now it seems to be back again. especially burning when i urinate. the urologist said he didnt see anything out of the ordinary when he looked at my penis but its because when im completely soft you cant see it as much. its usually worse after i pee or masturbate. i also started masturbating more regularly again which im afraid seems to irritate more. its always up and down, sometimes better and other days worse again. i just dont get it. its taken a toll on my mental health as well. im also taking anti anxiety medication now to help me deal this and i often tend to get down in the winter months as is. its helped a bit but i still wish this would just go away.

      if anyone would like to reply to these id just like to compare with others for example do you smoke?

      i smoke sometimes and vape sometimes as well.

      whats your diet like? what kinds of things are you eating?

      do you drink alcohol much?

      have you been checked for prostatitis?

      I myself really dont believe this is anything sexually transmitted. but homestly we could all be dealing with different things. its really hard to say.

    • Posted

      Mike,

      Did you actually have a positive bacterial culture from testing your prostatic fluid? If so, then perhaps you're in luck and the antibiotics will be your cure.

      Prostatitis (non-bacterial) is pretty much the blanket term used for unexplained tip of the penis pain/pelvic pain (especially if there's other issues involved such as urination issues or additional pain brought on by ejaculation). I've learned that a doctor saying you have prostatitis doesn't really mean anything though - especially if you have all the same issues as everyone else on this forum.

      I was treated with 3 different prostatitis protocols (two types of antibiotics, doxy and cipro, as well as a whole anti-inflammatory regimen) and none did much for me. I'm now 12 months into this and while some issues are improved (mostly urination), the pain is still very real and life altering.

      I used to drink a lot before this started up but I barely do anymore. My diet has always been clean. I've never smoked in my life. This all came on for me the same week as a new sexual partner. I agree that it is unlikely that every one of us has the exact same thing. However, I think there may be sub-groups of us who are dealing with the same things. Regardless, the doctors don't seem to be much help...

    • Posted

      dan, yes. got tested for both hsv1 and 2... had to demand this test because it's a non-standard test (and visually it doesn't look herpetic) the doctor recommended against it, but I demanded it for "peace of mind"

    • Posted

      allan, the doctor and dermatologist are both convinced the oral is unrelated and are adamant that it's just a coincidence my symptoms started at the same time as the b*****b... I personally think it's crazy weird that I am fine for my entire adult life and then I get all these symptoms that are lasting months and months right in the spot that a girl had her mouth. I too find it astronomically hard to believe I "spontaneously" developed an ultra rare skin condition... but I mean how many doctors am I supposed to not believe? I've seen 5 now already.

      I do have a little cyst that I have noticed since the b*****b about a few millimeters below the head on the shaft on the left side (it feels like a tiny little pebble) ...the doctors don't know what that is either, I suppose it could be an indication of some trauma. (although I don't recall it being an ultra rough bj or anything)

    • Posted

      The inflammation is still there but the pain is gone. I do still get some stinging and discomfort from time to time - mostly after urination. I still feel like urine remains trapped in my glans and it does not fully empty, unless I express it (pinch on the glans). When this happens, I notice some redness and inflammation in the area. I can go through long periods of the day where I do not notice it at all, whereas before I was always dealing with a constant dull pain. As far as anything that helped...I swear it is just time.

      I have used steroid creams, anti-fungal creams, antibiotics, neuro drugs, Vaseline, coconut oil, AHCC and so many other supplements. I have seen 6 urologists, 2 dermatologists and talked with infectious disease doctors, just to be sure. The current urologist I am seeing now believes it is nerve related. I do think maybe the neuro drug (but it made me ill) eventually helped it all to calm down, to where I am today. That being said, things are not the way they were before this all happened.

    • Posted

      Yes, it was confirmed that it was bacterial prostatitis after the doctor did a "localization test" whereas you undergo a very unpleasant massaging of your prostate by the urologists finger until fluid comes out of your penis and then is collected into a cup along with urine samples before and after. Im now on cefuroxime for prostatitis for 20 days and halfway through the treatment. lets hope this helps . fingers crossed

    • Posted

      steven, how bad on a scale of 1 to 10 was your pain when this all started? Does anyone believe this to maybe be an expression of complex regional pain syndrome? How long from when this started to where your at now?

    • Posted

      Hmm, thanks for sharing steven. That's actually pretty unfortunate and disheartening, as it seems I'm heading down a similar path... With each new doctor I see it seems like we've exhausted all the obvious options. I've also been on a regimine of various antifunglas and sterioids, None of the doctors I've seen so far will perscribe any antibiotics or anti viral as they are convinced it's fungal or simply some sort of eczema or psoriasis that has just coincidentally and spontaneously developed. Glad the pain has eased up. I plan to continue seeing doctors until someone can definitively diagnose the situation.

    • Posted

      it was a 7. stinging, sharp pain. sometimes throbbing pain at night. there was a reddish rash and i had the other symptoms noted in my op. it has been over 1 year now.

    • Posted

      Thanks for the follow yo Steven. I believe the majority of our issues seem to be nerve related. That is the only explanation for our symptoms absent other obvious indications of something being wrong. Have you considered the possibility of complex regional pain syndrome?

    • Posted

      hi, i have had similar issues for 3 months. using every cream under the sun. now thing are almost better (apart from slight leakage after i pee and a red patch on penis head which is nowhere as bad as it was), and i stopped the cream and stopped thinking about it. i think it was a mixture of anxeity, stress and a bit of contact dermititus. Easier said than done, but try not to think about it for a while and see what happens. hope this may help.

    • Posted

      hi iain, well said buddy, ive been very silent on here as ive been adopting the ignoring it all approach, just wanted ti say I agree with you. im still having good days and bad in fairly equal measure, will post my own updates when im happy ive got a definite handle on it, but anxiety is almost the worst symptom (or indeed cause) of this

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