Medical Anxiety- When I can't accept doctors diagnosis's

[jtown1234]

I have been going through some big life changes and I have developed bad anxiety over the last year. I have had a resistant rash (really red penis head) that will not go away. I am 100 percent sure it is a penile yeast infection that I acquired sexually and have been treated for the issue with no improvement. I then read all these medical journals that say  5-7% of yeast are resistant to the treatments I was given and hard to cure. I have been to two General Doctors and Two Dermatologist who say that the medicine I received would rule out 100% any yeast infection although I have the symptoms, tested for all STDs (negative) and have a really red rash on my penis...My mind is just wrapped up in the 5-7% statistic of potential resistance.

At what point do you just trust the doctors?

I am sure in my mind that their is something wrong and until its gone I will always worry about it, but 4 doctors have said its no issue.. How can I learn to trust their diagnosis and not have extreme anxiety over this? It is effecting my life and i spend tons of my day on medical journal sites looking up studies on fungal infections and fungal resistance.. How do you make the anxiety stop?

[Paxiled]

If it were a fungal infection it would itch -- does it?  If it were a yeast infection, and I don't see how it could be candida because it's exposed too much to the air for that one, it would smell.  Does it?  Have you bought any new clothing such as new underwear or perhaps new sheets you might be having an allergic reaction to?  Any new source of abrasion?  As for doctors, you should never trust doctors completely anymore than you would anyone else, but when you've seen four different doctors and they say the same thing, it's hard to discount them all.  The problem with looking at medical journal "sites" is that most studies aren't done very well.  They are steps in investigating more involved things very often or are paid for by companies selling something, such as pharmaceutical companies; it's very difficult for even a doctor to tell good ones from bad and only those who do research for a living can really tell.  As long as you have a rash and it doesn't go away you should keep looking for an answer, but it just doesn't sound like yeast or the more common external rashes in that area which itch a lot.

[jtown1234]

It does not itch. My concern is that it might have gotten into my urethra... I have had a red rash on the head since 3 days post an risky encounter and have never had a red rash in my life down there

After looking at all the possible STI's, (and testing negative for STD's) yeast is sexually transferrable and I have symptoms (red rash, gets really inflamed when erect). that is why I'm so concerned about this.. Its not just inflamed skin as I have had it for 5 months and their is clearly outlined redness that indicated rash.. but I will continue to look for answers

[AnxiousNoMore]

This happened a year ago but you are still worrying there is some latent infection brewing in your urethra. Am I correct about what you said?

[Paxiled]

Well, if it is candida, it would linger until it was cured.  Any rash lingers until it's cured.  Often it will reappear after pharmaceutical treatment because the drug can kill off the beneficial flora that protects the body from the infection.  Often you can get reinfected repeatedly if you don't wash your clothes thoroughly or you're re-exposed to the source.  I've had fungal infections and they're really hard to get rid of.  If it is candida, it takes dietary changes and other changes to make it not come back for many people.  And candida can get into the urethra and internal organs if not treated.  But again, it doesn't itch, which makes a fungal infection questionable.  I'd just keep searching for a doctor who can diagnose it.

[AnxiousNoMore]

"gets really inflamed when erect).." Mention that to the doctors. I doubt fungus or bacteria is erection driven, so that makes me GUESS it is just your coloring. If the doc agrees, than that might be definitive for you to accept their diagnosis.

[jtown1234]

I went back to another doctor. Said agreed it did not look quite right and gave me another crème that can have some effect on other strains of candida yeast. I’m also going to do boric acid (proven very effective against women’s yeast infections) for a week with this crème. If those don’t work. I guess I’ll just have to accept that regardless of how it looks and the coincide of getting it right after a risky encounter, I’ll have to just forget it and hope its nothing because idk what else to do.

[AnxiousNoMore]

Don't overdo it and follow the instructions carefully. Those creams likely can burn.

[AnxiousNoMore]

And the boric acid will burn for sure. The doctor told you to do both?

[AnxiousNoMore]

"My mind is just wrapped up in the 5-7% statistic of potential resistance. "
Can you explain what the docs said about resistance and why they are convinced it is gone? When did you get the idea there was resistance, and did you discuss it with them?

After you explain, it will be easier to figure how you are thinking.

[jtown1234]

The doctor said "it doesnt look like a yeast infection" and when i said their have been studies done saying their is 5-7% chance its resistant/ a resistant strain she said "ok but what are the chances of that"