Pain near left testicle (Epididymitis)

[fallinlove]

For the past 6 weeks I've been having pain in the tube near my left testicle, which the urologist says is Epididymitis. Ultrasound was clean and so were the STD tests (even though I was having unprotected anal sex with Prep as a top, so that's very surprising....). I was given antibiotics for ten days (Cipro and Doxycycline) and it didn't help at all.

After that, I did a Semen Culture test. The result was "various growths of gram-positive cocci". Any idea what antibiotic I should be taking and for how long? I don't think my urologist really knows what to do and I'm afraid I'll end up trying different antibiotics for months and months.

Also, should I anyway request the treatment for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, even though the urine test for that came negative?

Thank you

 

[KaraBulut]

For the past 6 weeks I've been having pain in the tube near my left testicle, which the urologist says is Epididymitis. Ultrasound was clean and so were the STD tests (even though I was having unprotected anal sex with Prep as a top, so that's very surprising....). I was given antibiotics for ten days (Cipro and Doxycycline) and it didn't help at all.

After that, I did a Semen Culture test. The result was "various growths of gram-positive cocci". Any idea what antibiotic I should be taking and for how long? I don't think my urologist really knows what to do and I'm afraid I'll end up trying different antibiotics for months and months.

Also, should I anyway request the treatment for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, even though the urine test for that came negative?

Thank you

Gram-positive cocci is not an unusual finding. Most of the time, it is because of contamination from specimen collection- either from skin flora on the surface of the glans or from bacteria that were in the urethra.

If your urethral culture (collected with a swab) came back positive for gonorrhea, chlamydia or an atypical bacteria, then another course of antibiotics would be warranted.

Cipro and doxycycline provides very good coverage for most of the bacteria that typically infect the genitourinary tract however it sometimes requires a longer course of antibiotics to address.

I'd consider getting a second opinion. The pain from epididymitis is significant and if your pain level didn't change after 10 days of antibiotics, I would wonder if the original diagnosis was correct.

 

[fallinlove]

Gram-positive cocci is not an unusual finding. Most of the time, it is because of contamination from specimen collection- either from skin flora on the surface of the glans or from bacteria that were in the urethra.

If your urethral culture (collected with a swab) came back positive for gonorrhea, chlamydia or an atypical bacteria, then another course of antibiotics would be warranted.

Cipro and doxycycline provides very good coverage for most of the bacteria that typically infect the genitourinary tract however it sometimes requires a longer course of antibiotics to address.

I'd consider getting a second opinion. The pain from epididymitis is significant and if your pain level didn't change after 10 days of antibiotics, I would wonder if the original diagnosis was correct.

Because of the "gram positive cocci" result in the semen culture, the urologist gave me amoxicillin for 7 days. So far, it's not helping... I can't see any source online saying amoxicillin can be used for epiditymitis. So I wonder if the doc knows what he's doing.

I will get a second opinion. I think if they just put me on a longer course of cipro or another antibiotic, even 20-30 days, it should hopefully work. But is it a guessing game to pick the right antibiotic?

 

[KaraBulut]

Because of the "gram positive cocci" result in the semen culture, the urologist gave me amoxicillin for 7 days. So far, it's not helping... I can't see any source online saying amoxicillin can be used for epiditymitis. So I wonder if the doc knows what he's doing.

I will get a second opinion. I think if they just put me on a longer course of cipro or another antibiotic, even 20-30 days, it should hopefully work. But is it a guessing game to pick the right antibiotic?

Testicular pain can be a very non-specific pain. The term that is used is "referred pain"- the problem is nearby but the pain isn't always coming from the area where the problem is. For example, a kidney stone can feel like the pain is coming from the scrotum when the stone is in the ureter. With epididymitis, the pain is usually very sharp and is often described as feeling like someone kicked you in the nuts.

It's a mixed blessing that your ultrasound didn't find anything. On one hand, anything that would show up on an ultrasound isn't good news. On the other hand, it puts you in the situation where you're being treated for things that it could be, instead of a definitive diagnosis.

The urologist was treating the most logical cause of testicular pain. But if after a few days of antibiotic, there's not an improvement, it's time to go back and look for other possible causes. That's why I would consider seeing another doctor- either an internist or a another urologist.

 

[fallinlove]

Testicular pain can be a very non-specific pain. The term that is used is "referred pain"- the problem is nearby but the pain isn't always coming from the area where the problem is. For example, a kidney stone can feel like the pain is coming from the scrotum when the stone is in the ureter. With epididymitis, the pain is usually very sharp and is often described as feeling like someone kicked you in the nuts.

It's a mixed blessing that your ultrasound didn't find anything. On one hand, anything that would show up on an ultrasound isn't good news. On the other hand, it puts you in the situation where you're being treated for things that it could be, instead of a definitive diagnosis.

The urologist was treating the most logical cause of testicular pain. But if after a few days of antibiotic, there's not an improvement, it's time to go back and look for other possible causes. That's why I would consider seeing another doctor- either an internist or a another urologist.

Yes, I'll make an appointment to see another urologist. I'm reading online that this can become chronic, so I just hope to get treated for it with the right antibiotic (assuming it is Epididymitis).

Just a question - the CDC suggests like 7 types of antibiotics that can treat Epididymitis, depending on the supposed cause. Let's say a doctor keeps getting the antibiotic wrong? How do doctors know which to choose and for how many days? Is it just a guessing game? I'm sure different urologists would prescribe different drugs...

 

[KaraBulut]

...Just a question - the CDC suggests like 7 types of antibiotics that can treat Epididymitis, depending on the supposed cause. Let's say a doctor keeps getting the antibiotic wrong? How do doctors know which to choose and for how many days? Is it just a guessing game? I'm sure different urologists would prescribe different drugs...

The two antibiotics that you were given are the drugs of choice for urinary tract infections- it was a quinolone antibiotic and a drug from the tetracycline family. This would cover anything that would thrive in the conditions of the urinary tract. The fact that you don't feel there was an improvement points to two possibilities: a resistant bacteria (which is less common for this type of infection) or you don't have an infection. I would suspect that you don't have an infection and there's something else going on.

 

[ShadowCat]

With antibiotics and medications in general a lot of it is trial and error! There are some important things to know 1 Get yourself some probiotics I had Azithromycin and Cefalexin and they both did a number on my tummy I had cramps and diarrhea on and off for 2 1/2 weeks. 2 Definitely get a second opinion from another Urologist and repeat the tests. Before the semen test definitely wash your hands well and sanitize don't use any lubrication not even spit this can all screw up a test. 3 STOP HAVING SEX YOU CAN POTENTIALLY PASS IT! Out of curiosity when you're jerking off do you press your taint to try and not ejaculate? This can cause problems. Lots of things can cause testicle issues your balls banging too hard during sex, over zealous masturbation, exercise, sitting on them wrong, Too tight underwear/jockstraps, extended use of cock rings and weights. Have you tried a warm bath? Are you sure you didn't pull your groin? Might it be sciatica? I was getting pains shooting from my heel right up my leg into my left testicle. Also do you do monthly exams not to scare you but it saved my friends life, be managed to catch it early chemo took his hearing but he's alive! Again not trying to scare you just trying to help.