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Hi,
I think I have it. It started a month or so ago and I thought the burning I got when peeing was from a detox program I was on.
I got some D-Mannose and took that in case it was a UTI. The MD I went to last week said I have no infection present.
I'm going back to the MD to diagnose the burning I still get while peeing. I'm pretty sure it's my prostate being enlarged. I can feel it. It's sore. I had my annual physical last January and had a prostate exam then and all was normal.
Any tips on prostate? I looked in the archives and saw Walt say "use it or lose it". Whether I "use it" or not, it's sore.
I don't think that my riding my bicycle today helped it much. I think I need to reduce my bike riding and get my exercise by walking/jogging, etc.
Thanks for any input.
Lurch
In Reply to: Prostatitis posted by Lurch [1574.1228] on July 28, 2004 at 15:45:37:
Hey Lurch,
My husband suffered from bouts of prostatitis for years and the MD just wanted to do biopsies and give him Cipro. Well, he started on Saw Palmetto and Cranactin and in 3 days all symptoms were GONE!!! This was over a year ago, he takes a daily dose of it now, it is amazing stuff. A great book he read and me too is Prostate HEalth in 90 Days by Larry Clapp, PhD.
Also, reduce the bike riding, that is known to irritate the prostate, good luck and get those supplements, Juli
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis posted by Juli [969.1231] on July 28, 2004 at 16:56:29:
Hi Juli,
It's good to hear that there are natural ways to remedy this, and thank you for replying. This is getting very uncomfortable for me. I kind of feel like I had about 100 rectal exams all at once or like I sat on my bike with the seat removed or something.
I think this is a hormonal imbalance problem and the saw palmetto, etc., help to improve this imbalance.
I'll look into getting that book.
Regards,
Lurch
In Reply to: Prostatitis posted by Lurch [1574.1228] on July 28, 2004 at 15:45:37:
Hi Lurch,
If you are not careful to get a comfortable bike seat, you can damage the urethra (stricture) or even the nerve that gives sensation to the top of the penis.
I would wonder if this iiritation was due to the diuretic effect of your detox.
A big wide seat that supports the pelvis and not the crotch
is best... Some seats actually have an open middle section
to take the weight off the important parts... Check out
a specialty bike store.
If your partner has not "given" you anything for a lot of years, then a new infection is less likely.. Of course,
if you are activly dating, you might have picked up something. Remember that Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma will not culture.
Here is a link on prostatitis..
http://www.drmirkin.com/archive/6382.html
The doc can express some prostatic fluid by massaging with his finger and then put it on a microscope slide to check for a high count of white blood cells. Then you will probably be put on antibiotics.
You are probably normal.
Ron
In Reply to: Prostatitis posted by Lurch [1574.1228] on July 28, 2004 at 15:45:37:
Hi, Lurch.
Listen to Ron & Juli and add having at least one orgasm every day for a couple of weeks.
Let us know how you do.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis posted by Ron [181.81] on July 28, 2004 at 19:42:47:
Hi Ron,
I'll look into the bigger bike seat. The one I have now is too narrow and seems to cut off circulation to my groin area.
I've sen some good bike seats in catalogs before. The double seat looks like a good one, the one with the split in the middle.
Thanks for replying.
Lurch
In Reply to: Prostatitis posted by Lurch [1574.1228] on July 28, 2004 at 15:45:37:
Many cases of chronic non-bacterial prostatitis in men have actually turned out to be Interstitial Cystitis when examined closer. I believe the rate is something over 80%. Many researchers believe that IC and CNBP are actually the same disease, it's just blamed on the prostate in men instead of the bladder.
IC is unfortunately very common actually and often follows an infection.
Cysta-Q is one natural remedy that you might want to read about, if you don't want to go the standard medical route.
I hope you don't have IC, it's an awful disease, but I fear you might based on the symptoms and it's better to get diagnosed right away and start on treatment, than to suffer many years with no help and with an incorrect diagnosis.
Blessings, Isis
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis posted by Isis [664.4] on July 31, 2004 at 01:59:27:
Here's a bit more info from the Interstitial Cystitis Association:
Men and Interstitial Cystitis
Interstitial cystitis is diagnosed far less often in men than it is in women. Estimates indicate that about ten percent of all diagnosed IC patients are men. Symptoms are similar to those experienced by women —urinary frequency and urgency, often accompanied by suprapubic pain. Men may also experience scrotal and/or anal pain. Many males who actually have IC are inappropriately diagnosed as having chronic prostatitis, and the actual number of men with IC may not be as low as previously thought.
The Male IC Experience
Like women,men have often experienced difficulties in obtaining an accurate diagnosis of IC, but for somewhat different reasons. The symptoms of IC in men closely resemble those of non-bacterial prostatitis or prostatodynia. Although, in recent years, awareness of IC has increased markedly in the urologic community, IC is often thought to be a "women ’s disease," and urologists do not always consider performing diagnostic tests that would confirm IC in a male patient.
Even when IC is diagnosed, it is sometimes difficult for a man to accept that he has this condition and that almost everyone who has the disease is a woman. In a survey one urologist made of 50 male IC patients, he found that men had seen an average of 3.3 physicians before their diagnosis was made. This was disturbing because, while women will usually see a general practitioner or gynecologist before going to a urologist, men ordinarily see a urologist first.
How Do I Know if I Have IC?
If a man has chronic lower urinary tract symptoms including urgency, frequency, painful urination, decreased urine flow, or a sense of incomplete emptying, as well as suprapubic pressure and chronic bladder pain, and does not respond to standard therapies such as antibiotics, analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, or alpha blockers, he may actually have interstitial cystitis.
It is very important for male patients to have a thorough diagnostic workup, including hydrodistention and cystoscopy under general or regional anesthesia. This workup will rule out other medical conditions that can exist in males, and will confirm the presence or absence of IC. An additional benefit is that in more than half of patients who undergo the procedure, hydrodistention can provide relief of symptoms for as long as 4 to 6 months.
Other conditions that may have symptoms similar to IC must be ruled out. These include: urinary tract infections, bacterial prostatitis, bladder cancer, kidney problems, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, radiation cystitis, neurogenic diseases and benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis posted by Isis [664.4] on July 31, 2004 at 01:59:27:
Thanks, Isis!
I was not aware of the connection but it makes a lot of sense since both are directly related to bracing of the levator ani muscle.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis posted by Isis [664.4] on July 31, 2004 at 02:03:09:
Thanks, Isis.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis (Archive.) posted by Walt Stoll [9.8] on July 31, 2004 at 15:01:47:
You're welcome, Dr. Stoll!
You know, on one IC e-mail group I'm in, a lady posted an article that said that IC is caused by vibrator use (when used for orgasm, not back masssages) because it causes the levator ani to tense too much. I wonder if that could be true?
I am in very big trouble with my IC. I have tried so much relaxing - I exercise when I am feeling well enough but cannot when I am very sick.
Now I am to the point where they want to do Interstim for me or bladder removal or both. I am very sad about this.
Every medicine I am given to help me with IC, including Percocet of all things, inflames my bladder so much that I end up getting zero pain relief and increased pain.
Isn't it amazing that Percocet would do that to me? That my bladder would be made so much worse by the medicine inflamming it, that it would overcome even the strong narcotic?
I am going to try a TENS unit and then also some kind of percutaneous nerve stimulation - they say that it's little needles, like acupuncture needles, placed in strategic positions and then a current is run through it. I am going to - I guess six sessions to start with. If those don't work I will try the Interstim but there isn't a great success rate. And bladder removal - that is a nightmare I am truly hoping to avoid.
They are learning more and more about the chemical component to IC - about the anti-proliferative factor made by the bladder cells in IC patients (maybe because of bracing which triggers a "destruct" message to the bladder?) - and I am hopeful that it is only a matter of time before they come up with an effective medicine.
I am going to ask my pain clinic too about pelvic floor therapy because I think I do not know how to relax those muscles by myself.
I am so frightened of what lies ahead of me. I don't know what the right answer is, as far as the medical decisions I must make. I am trying to go from least invasive to most invasive, I figure that route makes the most sense.
Blessings, Isis
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis (Archive.) posted by Isis [664.4] on July 31, 2004 at 17:02:53:
Thanks, Isis.
I very much doubt that a vibrator would cause (or aggravate) this. How come vibrator massages help muscles so much in other places?
The TENS might help. Acupuncture might help.
Professional pelvic floor training is a GOOD idea along with persistant SR.
The more fear you have the more your bracing of the target muscle will tend to defeat your efforts.
Let us know how you do.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis posted by Isis [664.4] on July 31, 2004 at 02:03:09:
Hi Isis,
thanks for the info.
I think it's BPH that I have but I'm not sure. I'm hopefully going to a urologist soon to find out.
I'll say one thing, I was helped by Preogest-E (liquid progesterone in vitamin E). My symptoms reduced by 80% in less than 12 hours when I took this. It didn't completely remove it, but it's a lot better than it was. According to this article, Progesterone will take care of BPH.
Nutritional Support For The Enlarged Prostate
Hormonal Balancing: Thyroid, Pregnenolone, Progesterone and DHEA
Cholesterol, in the presence of adequate thyroid hormone and vitamin A, converts cholesterol to pregnenolone, the steroid precursor of progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Several groups of researchers, including Ekman; Schleicher; and Geller, have shown in clinical studies that progesterone remediates BPH. Adequate thyroid function and adequate cholesterol lead to optimum production of the anti-aging steroids and a healthy prostate gland.
Lurch
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis (Archive.) posted by Isis [664.4] on July 31, 2004 at 17:02:53:
Hi Issis,
Have you looked into estrogen dominance as a cause of this? Progesterone might help you a lot. I have a very good article I can email to you if you'd like. I'll ask the author if I may post it here.
Best to you.
Lurch
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis (Archive.) posted by Lurch [1574.1228] on August 01, 2004 at 05:47:16:
Hi, Lurch, I tried progesterone cream and my symptoms got quite a bit worse. Plus I had some other bad side effects that indicated I was getting progesterone overdose.
I am actually going to look into using vaginal estrogen cream as many of us IC'er are actually way too low in estrogen and are not getting enough estrogen to maintain our vaginal tissues and bladder tissues (the bladder has many estrogen receptors in it and thins out during perimenopause).
Quite a few IC'ers have had relief, especially those who (like me) developed symptoms at perimenopause, with estrogen cream.
Blessings, Isis
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis (Archive in IC.).) posted by Walt Stoll [9.8] on August 01, 2004 at 04:55:58:
Thank you, Dr. Stoll. I am having a really hard time dealing with my fear about this and general anxiety/depression. I keep wishing that something would happen where I would die and then I wouldn't have to worry about making the right decision on treatment for IC, or be in pain anymore.
I don't think acupuncture is available through the Army health care system but this percutaneous nerve stimulation stuff sounds like acupuncture combined with electrical stimulation and I am hoping so much it might help.
I have an appointment with a urogyn on 16 August to talk about Interstim and other things (I want to ask to try an estrogen cream to see if that helps my symptoms, as well as be tested for Sjogrens (I do have a positive Schirmer's test and autoimmune diseases run in my family) and I will ask then too about pelvic floor therapy).
Blessings, Isis
In Reply to: Re: Prostatitis (Archive in IC.).) posted by Isis [664.4] on August 01, 2004 at 08:46:13:
Hi Isis,
You don't have to loose your bladder because the doc can not figure out how to treat the cause of your IC.
There is mounting evidence that a hidden infection of the Paraurethral Glands can cause the painful urination and frequency that accompany IC.
The Paraurethreal glands are made of the same tissue that the prostate is made of and is subject to similar stubborn infections. If you have ever had a culture show trace contamination with Enterococcus, you probably missed a chance at being cured then. Of course, the doctor would not prescribe an antibiotic for a "trace contamination"
(To get a real indication of Enterococcus, requires a broth culture and about 4 days of growing time. Few labs
agree with this culture method because it takes too long.)
Even with long term antibiotics it is usually required to massage the glands to assist with the antibiotic penetration.
There is a forum that you need to visit before you fall for the idea that surgery will solve your problem.
(The interstim may help with the frequency, but does little for the pain.)
Many women who have suffered for more than 10 years with IC
have beatten the monster...
Check out the link below..
You can just read until you find someone who sounds like they are describing you.
Some have had relief of the pain with a low dose of Elavil,
but this is not a cure.
If you want to read the success stories which are true
and are not trying to sell you anything..
check out. (Lee is one that I personally helped)
www.icsuccessonline.com/
Good luck..
Ron
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