Aa
Cefpodoxime for Gonorrhea
Hello - I was recently prescribed Cefpodoxime for gonorrhea 200 mg tabs every 12 hours for two days along with doxycycline 100 mg two times a day for seven days. I am traveling so a ceftriaxone shot wasn’t a possibility. I am having a tough time finding any info on Cefpodoxime for gonorrhea. Can you give me your opinion on the efficacy of these antibiotics for treating gonorrhea?
As a follow up, I was tested again this past Friday and I’m waiting the results. But then last night I came down with a high fever, chills, headache, and sore throat. Here is a timeline of my exposures with some questions if you can help me understand my risks while I wait for results.
Aug 10th: unprotected anal sex (I was penetrating)
Aug 13: Gonorrhea symptoms appear and I was able to get the medications I mentioned prescribed remotely since I was traveling.
The symptoms resolved almost completely within a few days with the exception of a feeling of pressure (for lack of a better word) in m left testicle when ejaculating. It wasn’t sensitive to the touch and didn’t bother me except when ejaculating.
Aug 21: I took a test for gonorrhea and chlamydia and both came back negative. I wanted to leave more time but I was traveling again.
Sept 7; Gave unprotected fellatio with no other exposure.
Sept 8; tested again for full panel of stds and awaiting results.
Sept 9: Sore throat in the afternoon followed by headache and chills and high fever (101-103) last night.
I took Covid tests last night and today and they were negative.
I’m extremely concerned now because these symptoms are also consistent with HIV and I’m in the window of time for initial symptoms. I understand one single exposure has low risk, but it’s not zero risk so I’m not sure how to feel about it. Some questions;
1) is it normal to have pressure in the left testicle when ejaculating for some time after the other symptoms resolve? It started immediately and never resolved but never bothered me otherwise.
2) I have no gonorrhea symptoms anymore. Is the amount of time long enough that I could expect to see symptoms reappear if it didn’t resolve my gonorrhea?
3). Could this still be a symptom of gonorrhea even though it’s completely different and with no discharge.
4) How concerned should I be about HIV risks? Like I said, I understand it was a low risk exposure but these symptoms in this window of time really has me concerned.
5). How much confidence can I have in my results from the test on Friday for all stds? Did I wait long enough after treatment?
Any additional insight you can give would be appreciated.
Aug 10th: unprotected anal sex (I was penetrating)
Aug 13: Gonorrhea symptoms appear and I was able to get the medications I mentioned prescribed remotely since I was traveling.
The symptoms resolved almost completely within a few days with the exception of a feeling of pressure (for lack of a better word) in m left testicle when ejaculating. It wasn’t sensitive to the touch and didn’t bother me except when ejaculating.
Aug 21: I took a test for gonorrhea and chlamydia and both came back negative. I wanted to leave more time but I was traveling again.
Sept 7; Gave unprotected fellatio with no other exposure.
Sept 8; tested again for full panel of stds and awaiting results.
Sept 9: Sore throat in the afternoon followed by headache and chills and high fever (101-103) last night.
I took Covid tests last night and today and they were negative.
I’m extremely concerned now because these symptoms are also consistent with HIV and I’m in the window of time for initial symptoms. I understand one single exposure has low risk, but it’s not zero risk so I’m not sure how to feel about it. Some questions;
1) is it normal to have pressure in the left testicle when ejaculating for some time after the other symptoms resolve? It started immediately and never resolved but never bothered me otherwise.
2) I have no gonorrhea symptoms anymore. Is the amount of time long enough that I could expect to see symptoms reappear if it didn’t resolve my gonorrhea?
3). Could this still be a symptom of gonorrhea even though it’s completely different and with no discharge.
4) How concerned should I be about HIV risks? Like I said, I understand it was a low risk exposure but these symptoms in this window of time really has me concerned.
5). How much confidence can I have in my results from the test on Friday for all stds? Did I wait long enough after treatment?
Any additional insight you can give would be appreciated.
3 Comments
Honestly, you sound just like my friend who has covid. She didn't test positive until day 3 of symptoms.
But honestly, you had unprotected anal sex. Since you were the insertive partner, your chances are low, but you should still test for HIV, but I'd be very, very surprised if that's what this is rather than covid. Covid is miserable.
You didn't wait long enough to test again in Aug, but your test on Friday will be conclusive for the Aug 10 event.
If you have gonorrhea again/still, it is enough time to retest for that.
How bad is the testicular pain, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst? After you feel better from whatever is going on now, you might need to follow up with a doctor. Could it be anxiety?
Feel better.
But honestly, you had unprotected anal sex. Since you were the insertive partner, your chances are low, but you should still test for HIV, but I'd be very, very surprised if that's what this is rather than covid. Covid is miserable.
You didn't wait long enough to test again in Aug, but your test on Friday will be conclusive for the Aug 10 event.
If you have gonorrhea again/still, it is enough time to retest for that.
How bad is the testicular pain, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst? After you feel better from whatever is going on now, you might need to follow up with a doctor. Could it be anxiety?
Feel better.
Thanks for your response. I received my test results back and fortunately tested negative for everything across the board including HIV. I’m relieved you stated the timing should be long enough to fully trust the results without need for retesting. I continue to test negative for Covid and have recovered from my flu symptoms. I still have to get back to normal as I experienced the highest fever I’ve ever had.
I’ve not had any testicular pain, just an odd sensation of pressure in my left testicle when ejaculating. I don’t believe it s due to anxiety as I was quite relieved when my other symptoms went away. I’m guessing maybe there was some inflammation that will take time to go away. But I don’t even notice it any other time so fortunately the impact is minimal and it still doesn’t hurt when I do feel it, just some pressure.
Thanks!
I’ve not had any testicular pain, just an odd sensation of pressure in my left testicle when ejaculating. I don’t believe it s due to anxiety as I was quite relieved when my other symptoms went away. I’m guessing maybe there was some inflammation that will take time to go away. But I don’t even notice it any other time so fortunately the impact is minimal and it still doesn’t hurt when I do feel it, just some pressure.
Thanks!
Oh that's good news - glad to hear you're negative. :)
I hope the pressure stops, and the anxiety settles down soon.
Take care. :)
I hope the pressure stops, and the anxiety settles down soon.
Take care. :)
COMMUNITY LEADER
It can treat gonorrhea, but there has been some resistance to it. You should definitely get a follow up test to be sure you're cured 2-3 weeks after you finish your meds.
The doxy won't cure it, but it's part of the treatment regimen in case you also have chlamydia, since the two often happen together.
No sex at all until your meds are gone or 7 days, whichever is longer, and use condoms until your test of cure. If you have regular partner(s), they all need to be treated before you have sex with them again. If you do, you could just get reinfected.
Get the follow up test even if your symptoms clear up. It might just kill enough bacteria to slow the growth down, but not enough to cure.
Let us know what happens.
The doxy won't cure it, but it's part of the treatment regimen in case you also have chlamydia, since the two often happen together.
No sex at all until your meds are gone or 7 days, whichever is longer, and use condoms until your test of cure. If you have regular partner(s), they all need to be treated before you have sex with them again. If you do, you could just get reinfected.
Get the follow up test even if your symptoms clear up. It might just kill enough bacteria to slow the growth down, but not enough to cure.
Let us know what happens.
4 Comments
Thanks for the response and if I could ask just one clarification. I’m quite concerned about the level of resistance and what that means. Is there a substantial gap in effectiveness between the two medications? If ceftriaxone is highly likely to cure the infection is Cefpodoxime 90% as effective? Or is it 50% as effective? I can’t find any information that helps me understand how much the drop off is between the two medications.
We don't really know that for sure. Cefpodoxime was never one of the first drugs for treating gonorrhea, but it did have good rates of success (in 2007, it had a 96.5% cure rate - https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/44/Supplement_3/S84/497060), but now, we know that it depends on the strain you have, the location you were infected (country and body part), etc.
There's no way to answer all the what ifs you probably have. When you get home, wherever that is, maybe see if you can see your doc and get the ceftriaxone.
Are you in the US? Try going to an STD clinic, or calling around to see if any of them have it, and see if you can get treated there with a positive test from another location.
If you have an oral infection, cefpodoxime was never that effective, so if that's the case, for sure try to get treatment elsewhere.
There's no way to answer all the what ifs you probably have. When you get home, wherever that is, maybe see if you can see your doc and get the ceftriaxone.
Are you in the US? Try going to an STD clinic, or calling around to see if any of them have it, and see if you can get treated there with a positive test from another location.
If you have an oral infection, cefpodoxime was never that effective, so if that's the case, for sure try to get treatment elsewhere.
That success rate makes me feel much better about it. It was in the US and it is a genital infection only. I was able to get a prescription picked up on the road but won’t have time to visit a clinic until I’m back in a couple of days:. That makes me feel much more comfortable moving forward with this treatment option since nothing else I could find was telling me anything other than it’s not a first line option. Thank you for this info!
You're welcome.
An uncomplicated genital infection is easier to treat than an oral one, or one that has spread. If it were me, in your situation, I'd take the meds you have, and then either check in with your doc when you get home, or get the test of cure 3 weeks after the meds are done. Either is a viable option, but for now, you should be okay.
Keep me posted if anything changes. :)
An uncomplicated genital infection is easier to treat than an oral one, or one that has spread. If it were me, in your situation, I'd take the meds you have, and then either check in with your doc when you get home, or get the test of cure 3 weeks after the meds are done. Either is a viable option, but for now, you should be okay.
Keep me posted if anything changes. :)
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the STDs / STIs Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
