Phimosis

[TerryChas]

I tool Amiodarone for two months and had a severe reaction. Skin and eye problems. Within two months of stopping I had a reaction in skin as my foreskin not only retracted but became a pinhole opening. I have now been referred for a circumcision and at the age of 69. I'm sure it is a reaction to the drugs

Has any one else had these sort of problems>

[Hidden]

It's not something I've heard of before TerryChas, but I have no experience of amiodarone. It certainly sounds a bit unpleasant and I hope all goes well for you. Hopefully someone with more knowledge of amiodarone will ba able to help you soon.....

[philologus]

Yes, I have experienced this.

I was offered a circumcision but decided against it as I was still sexually active and read that a lot of the pleasurable sensation experienced during sex is related to the foreskin.

My remedy was to pull the foreskin back (gently) as far as I could without it being too painful each time I went for a pee or had a bath. Hold it in that position for a minute. After a few weeks it was a lot better and after a month I could retract the foreskin completely. There is a medical device that does this stretching if you google it but my way worked just as well. No further problems in the last three years but I still keep checking.

[TerryChas in reply to philologus]

Hi, Many thanks. I never had any problems until I developed AF and was recommended to take Amiodarone to regulate the heart rate. I know that this drug is a real pain as it can effect the liver, eyes, kidneys and SKIN. I was only on it for a couple of months and then told the cardiology dept. I was coming off it due to effects it was having on me. It was just as I stopped it that I began to have problems drawing back my foreskin for cleaning. My own doctor practice suggested I was cleaning too much and removing the normal flora underneath. Yes I know that going to medical school does not make you a genius but come here. I am on a combination of drugs that I will be questioning on the mix. I'm 69 coming 70 so this does appear to be spontaneous reaction and I can only look at the drugs I'm being given. I suggested to the cardiologist I could do stretching but he said it would only return.

[Hidden]

Hi Terry. Quick history. I am female so don't have this problem but I'm a retired nurse with a godson (now deceased for other reasons) who was born with this condition (Phimosis) so I am very familiar with problems associated with it. There are several parts to your post I have thoughts about. I won't address the possible reaction to amiodarone as I'm sure your doc is on top of your med/reaction situation. Re the circumcision recommendation, I hope you will see a Urologist and make him aware of your cardiac problems. In fact, if it were my family member I would hope he would speak directly with your cardiologist. I know the outward physical sx/reaction to the amiodarone were easily noted-foreskin retraction But, and in my opinion, I would hope that along with the surgery,if getting off the offending med doesn't reverse it, that you would get a workup by the urologist to be sure there weren't internal side effects not readily visible. Phimosis has degrees of seriousness and one thing you would want to avoid is problems passing urine which could affect kidneys. I hope this turns out to be a simple solution; ie-reversal of the problem without surgery, or needing just the surgery. But I would insist on a workup to be sure GU structures (unseen) inside the body have not been affected. BTW, I am curious. Have you been taken off the amiodarone and started on different meds? If not, and if it was me I would want to know why not. Phimosis would for me not be a side effect I would want to put up with to stay on a medication when there are many other med choices available. These are just my thoughts. I'm not a doctor. And there is a lot more to your situation than I am aware of. I'm just suggesting that you don't have a 'quick bandaid fix' to a problems that may need a different level of care. Hope this info helps. Good luck; be your own advocate, and get second opinions if you feel the need. Take care. irina1975

[philologus]

I forgot to mention that mine happened when I was 69 and that I have an enlarged prostate (BPH) and often pass blood in my urine.

I had a camera-up-the-todger job done last October and my bladder was clear of any problems. The camera/tube etc passing the prostate annoyed it a bit so it got its own back by enlarging even more and, eventually, blocking the pipes. I was taken to hospital in severe pain as my bladder was over-full.

I had a catheter inserted and over the next few hours three and a half litres drained out!

I'm lucky that my bladder expanded so much as it could have backed up into my kidneys and then I'd have been in real trouble.

I've had a catheter in for three months now and am awaiting an op to remove the bit of the prostate that's causing the trouble with a laser. (HoLEP)

Since I fixed my foreskin I have had no further problems with it.

I am like you Terry, since I read years ago that keeping behind the foreskin clean can help to prevent cervical cancer for my wife, I have been very zealous in doing just that. My way to do it is simply to pull the foreskin back, make sure it's clean and leave it there while I have a bath. This helps to stretch it too so I have had no need to do anything else since.

I hope you can get it sorted soon.

George