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Prostatitis recovery period

Posted , 103 users are following.

max59857
max59857

Hi All, 

So I've been trying to get rid of prostatitis for the last 3 and a half months now, hard to get a diagnosis but eventually got put on 6 weeks of meds (4 weeks levo, 2 weeks doxycycline). After 6 weeks of up and down in regards to progress, a few days after finishing the script the symptoms got better and urine flow improved (no more retention feeling etc.)

Read about only 5% have bacterial blah blah, but my doc seems to think all prostatitis is caused by bacteria at the beginning. Anyway, symptoms improving but I have also stopped drinking, smoking, eating spicy foods, sitting down for longs periods of time and cut down on sex. From your experience If I lapse and do these things will the prostatitis just come back?

thanks

3 likes, 213 replies

213 Replies

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  • jimerskine
    jimerskine max59857

    Posted

    Well Max I've been dealing with this on and off for 12 years

    to ensure the repeat bouts are minor, go easy on caffeine and alcohol

  • jimerskine
    jimerskine max59857

    Posted

    Max, to follow up: after being on antibiotics for over six months and trying various combos of OTC medicine......once the actual flare up has subsided and you are without fever, I'm on 4mg doxadosin and take Swedish flower pollen by tablet. The dox seems to quiet the muscle area around the anus and groin and the Swedish flower pollen works BETTER than flow ax for increasing urine flow with NO SIDE EFFECTS. As I mentioned, heavy alcohol and caffeine triggers a recurrence with me, I've had maybe four recurring episodes in the last 12 years. 

    So, I'm not living pain free but it's tolerable and once you start to feel better you'll appreciate "tolerable"

     

  • Candida_Man
    Candida_Man max59857

    Posted

    Glad I founded this forum. I am in the U.S.A. Way back in 2011 I had all the prostatitis symptoms: burning and other strange feelings in the tip of my penis, felt like I was sitting on a tennis ball, frequency urinating and never feeling like I finished completely. Docs and Uris were pretty useless. I did actually wind up doing 2 courses of antibiotics for a bad sinus infection at that time. The pain and discomfort continued for like 9 months but seemed to go away completely. I lived a wonderful 2 and a half years pain and symptom free but 4 weeks ago it's back with a vengeance. Went to 1 Uro who prescribed me 2 weeks of doxy which I am about to start. He thinks I must have an infection even though urine test was negative. I will be following this thread. Thanks guys.
  • jimerskine
    jimerskine max59857

    Posted

    Whether or not the flare up is originally caused by a bacterial infection is besides the point, you cannot stay on antibiotics indefinitely.

    Exercise, moderate alcohol and caffeine and to keep your urine stream running like a river, take Sweedish flower pollen....no sexual side effects.

    pelvic floor pain may wax and wane but there is no good answer to that symptom at present.

  • Eightydub
    Eightydub max59857

    Posted

    Hey guys,

    I've been dealing with prostatitis for about a year now and I agree that the doctors are completely useless on this issue. Everything comes back negative yet I continue to have pain.

    Ive taken a ton of cypro and a bit of doxy but no luck.

    Anyone else experiencing blood in their semen after lifting weights? Seems lifting aggravates my prostate which makes sense since this all started after I had been seriously lifting for 6 months.

    this is a great discussion and I will be following this for any ideas or input as well as my own as time goes by

    • Candida_Man
      Candida_Man Eightydub

      Posted

      Man I got through this back in 2012. It started in Aug of 11 and went away on its own in about 9 months. It's back with a vengeance for about 4 it 5 weeks now. Did 10 days of doxy which actually made the pain worse. I just saw a new Uro today who does think it is prostatitis and prescribed 14 days of Bactrim. I have to do something so I am starting the Bactrim tonight. The pain is unreal. Burning/pinching feeling in the tip and feels like I constantly have to urinate. I lift weights too and I can't give that up. I lost 19 pounds since this started again in May because of loss of appetite and cutting carbs. I am bordering on losing too much weight.
    • Uno96960
      Uno96960 Candida_Man

      Posted

      Hi,

      I've been diagnosed with chronic prostatis 2 months ago. I had the same problem when I was given Doxy, the pain was unbearable and suffered frequent urination up to this day. I was on Bactrim for 14 days, zithromax for 14 days and cipro for 4 weeks but no improvement. My GP gave up and I'm on my own now. I am currently taking saw palmetto and pygeum, vitamin C, echininacea to support the immune system. Prostate massage seems to help as well. I will try the Chinese herbs that i have ordered onlne and will give feedback soon.

    • Uno96960
      Uno96960

      Posted

      I want to share my status. I feel much better now that I'm taking Zinc picolinate and Saw palmetto with pygeum. My only problem is the frequent urination. I tried flomax but the side effects are nasal congestion and stiff erection when you take before bed time. Any suggestion to ease the frequent urination problem?
    • max59857
      max59857 Uno96960

      Posted

      frequency has been my major problem which in my case was caused by a pelvic floor in spasm.

      Perhaps look into physical therapy and myyofascial release. Another route is retraining the bladder and trying not to go so much which apparently can help to rtrain it once you are used to going so much.

      Any luck with the herbs? CDo you think the zinc and saw palmetto has made a difference or if it down to time?

    • Uno96960
      Uno96960 max59857

      Posted

      I think the herbs helps to flush out the pus and combining with other supplements to heal the prostate. I can say taking the zinc picolinate and saw palmetto made a significant difference for fast recovery. I will look into physical therapy and other exercises. I need to recover because I will be traveling in 2 weeks time. Have you tried accupunture? I read that there were success stories with regards to pelvic floor spasm. Anyway, wishing everyone for full recovery. We can surpass this! Will keep you posted on my recovery, thanks.
  • youngman62353
    youngman62353 max59857

    Posted

    Hi max,

    good to hear about your improvement and i agree those stubborn flare ups are a big stress originator.

    The chronic pain and threat of the infection causing irreparable damage has thankfully ceased but continuous sitting does seem to cause discomfort. I think the infection did some serious damage to the pelvic muscles (I say that cause anti-biotics played a major role in eradicating symptoms in my case, so it's a fair conjecture that my troubles had their provenance in some sort of infection). Strangely i found regular running helped with the abdomenal discomfort.

    I think max even i've come to terms wit the fact that this might be a permanent feature now. though I haven't had a major flare-up but it's never been like pre-infection stages. Yup the heavy weights do indeed cause some trouble. Relectanly, but i've made some lifestyle changes which includes weight training with moderate weights, reducing the alcohol intake etc.

    I've been going through some really rough times so can't say stress levels are down but no more access to sex, that means Mr prostate has it wasy. :P

    I've read about people making a full recovery, I hope everyone here falls in that category.

    Cheers guys and have fun.

    • max59857
      max59857 youngman62353

      Posted

      Hi Youngman, 

      I agree with what you're saying and yes I haven't gone back to infection times level of discomfort either.

      I think someone else in this forum topic mentioned that the infection actually causes havoc with the pelvic floor muscles and I agree with this. been working overtime to rectify this (daily stretches and the rest of it). 

      Sorry to hear you're going through rough times. 

      I hope everyone here is recovering and please do share any stories of improvement. 

      Thanks, 

      M

    • rajesh63663
      rajesh63663 youngman62353

      Posted

      I have Prostatitis symptoms since last 5 weeks, reading the net is scary, I can't thank this place enough for a more meaningful insight on what I'm going through and what to expect. Thank you, Max and Youngman! 

      I can't sleep more than 3 hours at a stretch without being woken up to urinate. In the night I'd urinate 2 or 3 times (for 7 hours in bed). During the day, some days are bad (every hour) to others (every 2 hours). I don't have any other symptom. I visited a general medicine doctor and he prescribed 2 weeks of Cipro 500mg. I'm completing 2 weeks today and there is not change in symptoms which got me worried till I read this thread here. 

      I hope situation will improve soon. 

  • Candida_Man
    Candida_Man max59857

    Posted

    I have been dealing with pain in the tip of my penis, balls, and the intermittent feeling of having a tennis ball shoved up my rear for almost 3 months now. 1 Uro gave me 9 days of doxy. The 2nd have me 14 days of Bactrim which I only took 7 and stopped due to tendon pAin. He prescribed 4 weeks of cipro which I did not take. Now a 3rd Uro says he doesn't think it is prostatitis and gage me a script for a PSA test to rule it out but I haven't gotten the test yet. I have had 2 negative urine tests but that's all they did. I am about to throw up my hands and just hope this passes like it did last time . I really have no confidence that a urologist can help any of us. At least I gained knowledge of probiotics and other healthy practices last time. Maybe this time I will learn about inflammation in the body. I have been having a lot of discomfort in my anus and am wondering if that is the problem. I am thinking about seeing a proctologist if the PSA test is normal. I stopped coffee and booze completely with no positive effect. Also skipped the gym for almost 2 weeks with no effect. Today I was back in the gym and started my day with a 1/2 a coffee. I am at the end of my rope.
    • youngman62353
      youngman62353 Candida_Man

      Posted

      Hey Candida Man,

      Sorry to hear about your pain.

      The syptoms you've specified here are those of classic prostatitis. Since you've been away from anti-biotics for 15-20 days I'd say wait for another week (or not if it's too painful to wait) and get your semen culture and routine done along with urine test. Ask your uro to massage your prostate and get the oozing prostatic fluid tested as well (it'll ooze out of your penis).This will give you an idea as to whether the problem bacterial or not and if it is it'll point out the pathogen involved.

      Secondly, one week of antibiotics aren't going to do anything in a prostate infection. As tom mentioned it requires a medication for atleast 12 weeks. I was on antibiotics for six months and my uro insited on completing the course (i'm actually thankful to him for being so punctilious) though he reduced the potency after 4 months (16-weeks). You only start to feel the improvement after 3-4 weeks, i'm sorry but that's the nature of this wretched disease.

      I would also suggest to cut coffee, alcohol and smoking out of your routine completely for atleast 6 months. Trust me it'll help. Drink lots of citrus fruit juices, again it'll help the urinary canal.

      also the pain on the tip of the penis and tennis ball syndrome are indications of a swollen prostate. Get prostate supplements like SAW palmetto and pumpkin seeds extracts. They actually worked for me and for lot of other folks i've spoken to. I took the GNC ones and am completely satisfied.

      This disease wreaks havoc on pelvic muscles which further infuriate the prostate. So i'd suggest stop long hour sittings, if you're a student try studying lying down it'll help. Look for pelvic floor exercises on the net or contact a physio for pelvic muscle strengthening, again I'd suggest someone who has in the past worked with such cases or has experience with post-natal physio for new mothers cause they generally require pelvic muscle strengthening.

      Go easy on jerking off and sex, it's like kicking the prostate in it's figurative nuts in such a scenario.

      Only sustained efforts and medication are going to produce results in this ailment my friend. I wish you a quick recovery. Keep us posted about the improvements.

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