I have persistent bacteria under my foreskin. It started about 5 years ago, around the same time as I started getting a smelly side of nose and under chin odour, and what looks like persistent tonsilitis.
Doctor has never had a clue what's causing this foreskin smell and both doctors I've seen (in the 5 years its been happening) have skipped over the face bacteria, and told me that the foreskin issue can be resolved with better cleaning/alkalinity/soap blah blah yawn, issues. I've given up on the foreskin smell and have to rinse/wash several times a day and learned to live with it.
However, when I take antibiotics for my recurring tonsilitis, the bacteria on my face goes away and so does the bacteria on my foreskin. Then a couple of weeks later, it all returns and the cycle repeats.
I feel sick 24/7, which I'm told is due to my tonsils and gargle salt/warm water 5+ times per day (for over 5 years now) and now can't have them out until pandemic is over, as it is not classed as emergency care.
I'm sure they're all related, and yes, I know this is specifically a penis issues forum, but I'm certain they're all related and that I'm not the only one with this issue. How can I permanently get rid of this ongoing bacterial infection?
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BacteriaMan
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In respect of your tonsils in particular, have you seen an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Specialist? If not, ask your GP to refer you to one asap.
The foreskin is known to easily trap bacteria which can cause balanitis. The fact that taking antibiotics for your face/tonsils also clears the penile bacteria problem is telling. You might, however, wish to consult a qualified Urologist to see if anything else can be done for you in that area.
I've been to three ENT specialists - the second one died in April from coronavirus and the latest ENT has confirmed my tonsils need to come out, but they can't do it until the pandemic is over as not considered urgent.
My bacteria problem in the foreskin always gets dismissed by the Doctors as hygiene (even after explaining quite patiently that it's been over 5 years) and I have tried every soap, no soap, dermo soap, non-soaps prescribed, suggested.
When I say I've tried everything, I'm not kidding.
This is all related, I'm certain of it. Throat, nose/chin/foreskin - I feel like it might all have something to do with the second brain/lower intestinal bacteria.
Please, I know you're trying to help, but it's been 5 years and I've tried all the basic and intermediate things. I've got another Doctor appt (using Babylon app now) and I'm going to beg to be referred to yet another dermatologist.
I looked into IgA Nephropathy which is a kidney disease I was diagnosed with back in the nineties. One of the drastic treatments (then) was to remove the patient’s tonsils as they were known to produce the IgA (protein) that exists on mucus membranes. With an autoimmune imbalance the IgA can overreact and attack body tissue the most delicate being in kidneys.
The point is, you may be right about the connection. I personally never had tonsillitis but did experience some of the other issues you’ve mentioned which I know cause misery.
Have you tried probiotics to change the bacterial flora?
Oh yes. Since about 18 months ago I incorporated a lot of prebiotic foods in my diet and cut out all inflammatory foods that I can think of. There's a really good 'Anti-Inflammatory' book written by a specialist I reference and it's helped to a degree, but the problem is, quite a few times when the problem has gone out of control, and I've hit day 5 of a fever, I need to take antibiotics and it starts all over again.
It's obviously starting in one of your 3 places and being transferred to the other 2, in a cross-contamination manner.
This is where you have to be your own detective and figure out what "Site 1" is, where "Site 2" is and then...where it goes as "Site 3". Your eventual time with the urologist should probably approach the problem from that angle, as just one assumption worthy of investigating.
Guessing that simultaneous breaking out in all 3 places would be stretching things way beyond the rational. So, how do you feel about this idea? If you had to figure...in which order are these areas clearly being infected?
I've had years to think about this. I think it has to do with my gut flora, or rather, lack thereof. I think after a strong dose of antibiotics I may have lost all of my original bacteria and the gut microbes are completely out of synch.
I've been trying to rebuild this as stated in a previous comment to another person with prebiotic and probiotics over the past 18 months. I feel better since going vegan and since eating a lot more raw foods , especially prebiotics and never get sick, but the bacteria smell persists in all areas.
Just had another video consult with Doctor and we are giving the ENT a nudge , though with current pandemic not treated as an urgent so might be next year. Doctor still feels that this might be related to tonsils (Strep B) but has ordered a full blood count today to see what the blood work shows. Previous FBC 18 months ago showed low bacteria in gut, which is when we discovered I had Leaky Gut.
No. Not right at the start...generally. When in any period during which you have none of them (I'm only guessing that those times have come along, at some point), in which order do they reappear.
They always come back together. If I take antibiotics, they go away - all of them, including the tonsilitis, but a few days after antibiotics, all three come back.
I've taken antibiotics 8 times over the last few years and they always come back a few days later at the same time. Like, I wake up, and foreskin/nose/chin smells and bacteria back in throat.
As I said, I gargle salt, warm water several times a day and that usually helps with throat.
Thanks, that's very kind of you. I've had a balance of good doctors and average doctors on the NHS, but the one thing I have noticed is none of them know much about the gut biome. The ENT did, he just told me to take Gaviscon nightly before bed to reduce acidity - I think that's smart, from what I've read - and keep eating raw foods. He essentially said that I'm doing everything I can, but he can't take my tonsils out until this Pandemic is over.
But... he didn't respond to my questions about the nose, chin, foreskin, in fact I'm pretty sure he suggested going back to my doctor (if I remember rightly).
I'm really hoping that taking out tonsils means all the problems go away. Possibly setting myself up for a fall.
Describe the smell... mmmm. Like cheesy? Bad smell. Besides the nose and under chin that's what it smells like. Under the foreskin it can get really bad like fishy smell... so have to rinse that frequently.
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