[Question #2456] STU concern

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97 months ago
A year ago I had unprotected sex with a friend (once and vaginal), about 5/6 weeks later I started getting pressure on my bladder (needing to wee more), then over the course of the year I have developed; dull ache’s in my sides, groin and testicles (although infrequently), warmth when urinating and a small amount of clear discharge (mostly only in the morning, but sometimes during the day). I also have pain in stomach (lower and upper), constant gurgling in my stomach, excess gas and on/off uncomfortable stomach ache (although no loss of appetite, nausea or weight loss etc). I’m also getting pain in my toe joints (mostly at the base joint in my big toe). I have been to the clinic who told me that they could find no STD's and no inflammation in urethra, I’ve been to the GP multiple times and seen a urologist who carried out a physical exam, checked my prostate, conducted urine cultures (all negative) and a cystoscopy (no concerns). I’ve had an ultra sound showing no inflammation in kidneys, no kidney stones, no inflammation in testicles or urethra. I’ve also had full STD screenings for; chlamydia, gonorrhea, Herpes Simplex I and II, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum/Parvum, Trichomonas, Gardnerella, Syphilis, HIV, Hep B and Hep C. All came back negative. I have checked with the friend I slept with and she has no symptoms of anything and also got checked out with results coming back negative, however my current partner is now displaying the same stomach issues as me (although no other symptoms). Is there something I have missed, maybe another type of mycoplasma? Or could this be some other stomach infection that can be passed on. I’m at a complete loss!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
97 months ago
Welcome to our Forum.  This is a challenging problem and one that we see from time to time.  I will try to help.  You have proven that you do not have a recognized STI as a result of the encounter that you describe and thus I can say with confidence both that you do not have an STI that needs treatment (you do not say if you have tried antibiotics or not but I suspect you have) and, equally important, you are not at risk to future sexual partners.  This is not meant to discount your symptoms but rather to assure you that they are not an STI or a risk to partners.

As far as what is going on, you may have CPPS (Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome - it is well described in Wikipedia) or some other process but what you do not have is an STI.  Occasionally specialist such as us do see patients who have chronic non-infectious urethral discharge.  Unlike you, most such patients do have signs of chronic inflammation as well as recurrent or chronic urethral discharge.  What we can say with confidence is that such patients, following extensive work-up of the sort you describe, do not go on to develop STI complications, nor are their sexual partners at risk. 

My advice to you in this difficult and challenging situation is to find a health care provider who you feel comfortable with and are able to communicate with and to commit to observing this process over time, without further diagnostic tests or treatment unless something changes.  In many persons in similar situations the symptoms resolve on there own while in others, over time, clues develop which lead to an accurate (non-STI) diagnosis.

I hope this perspective and suggestion is helpful to you.  EWH
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97 months ago
Thank you for your reply, it's truly appreciated. In terms of antibiotics I was given a week of cipro by the GP In case it was prostate related, but this didn't have any effect. I then tried a week of doxy which did nothing during the week to change symptoms, but the final day all symptoms seemed to disappear, but then came back a few days later. I tried another week of doxy, which did nothing and then a 5 day course of azithromycin, which also did nothing.

I really want to think it's nothing to worry about, but it seemed too much of a coincidence that it started not long after the encounter and these stomach issues that have now started in both my current partner and myself are worrying (along with the pain in my toes)!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
97 months ago
Your lack of response to the antibiotics you took just serves to confirm what I have said above- that this is not an STI.  The stomach is a long way from the genital track.  In my opinion, the sooner you acknowledge this is not an STI, the sooner you will be able to make progress.  You have proven this is not an STI.  EWH
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