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STD questions, chlamydia?
Background: 25 year old male, and I live in New Zealand (therefore NZ time). I had unprotected sex the previous weekend (Saturday), she was my 3rd sexual partner. This was vaginal sex only, no oral. She has not shown any signs of sickness.
Symptoms:
About Tuesday - started to hurt a little when I urinated, but I did not think it was anything major. During this period I was previously on a diet, consumed large amounts of caffeine, so I thought it was related to that.
Weds - Thurs - it started to hurt a lot more when urinating, but this pain only lasts when I initially start to urinate. The pain is felt at the head of my penis.
Fri - went to the doctor, urine sample collected and was given apo-azithromycin 2 x 500mg to be taken straight away. Urine results may take some time to be analyzed due to Xmas. I also noticed redness and a small ulceration when I open up my urethra hole.
Sat - Sun - seems as though I am getting worse, an increase in ulceration inside my urethra. I also feel raised, painful lymph nodes in my neck and around my bladder. It still hurts to pee, I am unsure whether the pain is the same amount, or less.
I do not have any noticable discharge, but perhaps a bit of clear discharge as it appears my urethra is a bit wet looking. I can't say I am itchier than usual. No noticeable difference in appearance of my penis (apart from the small ulcerations and redness when in my urethra).
Questions:
I believe it is very likely I have an STD, but I do not know which ones it is. My first guess would be a form of Chlamydia, but I obviously need this forums expertise.
Is it possible that I may need to get worse before I get better as I have been showing an increase in signs after the medication??
Should I revisit the doctor? Should I wait a bit before doing so?
I appreciate all input greatly.
Symptoms:
About Tuesday - started to hurt a little when I urinated, but I did not think it was anything major. During this period I was previously on a diet, consumed large amounts of caffeine, so I thought it was related to that.
Weds - Thurs - it started to hurt a lot more when urinating, but this pain only lasts when I initially start to urinate. The pain is felt at the head of my penis.
Fri - went to the doctor, urine sample collected and was given apo-azithromycin 2 x 500mg to be taken straight away. Urine results may take some time to be analyzed due to Xmas. I also noticed redness and a small ulceration when I open up my urethra hole.
Sat - Sun - seems as though I am getting worse, an increase in ulceration inside my urethra. I also feel raised, painful lymph nodes in my neck and around my bladder. It still hurts to pee, I am unsure whether the pain is the same amount, or less.
I do not have any noticable discharge, but perhaps a bit of clear discharge as it appears my urethra is a bit wet looking. I can't say I am itchier than usual. No noticeable difference in appearance of my penis (apart from the small ulcerations and redness when in my urethra).
Questions:
I believe it is very likely I have an STD, but I do not know which ones it is. My first guess would be a form of Chlamydia, but I obviously need this forums expertise.
Is it possible that I may need to get worse before I get better as I have been showing an increase in signs after the medication??
Should I revisit the doctor? Should I wait a bit before doing so?
I appreciate all input greatly.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum. I will be glad to comment. Let me first say that your doctor did far belter for you than the doctors who take care of many of the people who come to this forum, by obtaining tests before he/she treated you. All too often doctors fail to test and then persons in your situation have a difficult time knowing what to do next.
The timing of your symptoms and the symptoms themselves are characteristic of urethritis and the most common forms of urethritis are either due to chlamydial infection or non-gonococcal urethritis. In either case, the preferred treatment is azithromycin. With azithromycin treatment both NGU and chlamydial infection typically improve over the next 3-5 days. Thus you may still be in the process of responding to therapy however if your symptoms have not dramatically improved within 5 days of treatment (if my calculations are correct, that will be tomorrow), then you should return to the same doctor for further evaluation.
Another helpful clue for you would be if your partner could arrange to be tested herself. STIs are more often asymptomatic in women than men and a negative test from her would be helpful to you.
The fact that you have noted ulceration at the tip of your penis raises the possibility that this may be a herpes infection. Obviously, this is not something I can determine over the internet but if after examining you the doctor thinks this is a possibility, it would be a good idea to get a swab test performed for PCR or culture evaluation for herpes ( a blood test for herpes will not be helpful in sorting this out)
I hope this comment is helpful. I think you'll probably need to go see your doctor tomorrow for further evaluation. EWH.
The timing of your symptoms and the symptoms themselves are characteristic of urethritis and the most common forms of urethritis are either due to chlamydial infection or non-gonococcal urethritis. In either case, the preferred treatment is azithromycin. With azithromycin treatment both NGU and chlamydial infection typically improve over the next 3-5 days. Thus you may still be in the process of responding to therapy however if your symptoms have not dramatically improved within 5 days of treatment (if my calculations are correct, that will be tomorrow), then you should return to the same doctor for further evaluation.
Another helpful clue for you would be if your partner could arrange to be tested herself. STIs are more often asymptomatic in women than men and a negative test from her would be helpful to you.
The fact that you have noted ulceration at the tip of your penis raises the possibility that this may be a herpes infection. Obviously, this is not something I can determine over the internet but if after examining you the doctor thinks this is a possibility, it would be a good idea to get a swab test performed for PCR or culture evaluation for herpes ( a blood test for herpes will not be helpful in sorting this out)
I hope this comment is helpful. I think you'll probably need to go see your doctor tomorrow for further evaluation. EWH.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I'll be interested to hear if this helps- the doctor has treated you for urethritis. I suspect the injection you received was a medicine called ceftriaxone. The combination of ceftriaxone and doxycycline are recommended therapy for gonorrhea, chlamydia and NGU. EWH
Thank you, I appreciate the feedback.
Just letting you know that I went back to the doctor today (usual doctor was closed). My urine sample from Friday has come back negative for chlamydia.
A blood sample, along with a urine sample has been collected (this time will be cultured).
As my symptoms have not improved the doctor prescribed me with doxycyline and I was given an intramuscular antibiotic injection of some sort.
Just letting you know that I went back to the doctor today (usual doctor was closed). My urine sample from Friday has come back negative for chlamydia.
A blood sample, along with a urine sample has been collected (this time will be cultured).
As my symptoms have not improved the doctor prescribed me with doxycyline and I was given an intramuscular antibiotic injection of some sort.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
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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.
