Prostate Cancer Network

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Possible prostate problems at 26!

Jordanb•

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Hello chaps I’m after some advice I’m 26 years old and I’m having symptoms that seem like prostate issues. Such as.

1. Increased frequency of urination.

2. Feeling like my bladder isn’t fully empty.

3. Slight discomfort in penis after urinating.

4. Sometimes difficulty starting urine(but no issues stopping)

5. Dribbling in pants after urinating.

6. Strange smell of urine (not normal smell)

I have had these symptoms for the last 3 weeks but got really bad in the last 5 days so I booked bloods with my GP. The bloods came back at 0.41 ug/l so the GP said not to worry about it but the fact that I have an uncle who has had prostate cancer and the fact that I have used anabolic steroids in my early 20s which I believe can effect your prostate. I can’t just not worry about it. Should I go back to my gp and ask to be referred to a urologist. The GP just said he thought it was irritable bladder or detrusor muscle instability. Any help greatly appreciated chaps. I will attach my full blood results.

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Magnus1964 Tall_Allen dac500 dentaltwin FightTillTheEnd kidclutch

You seem to have the classic symptoms of prostatitis. The good news is that it is definitely not prostate cancer and it usually comes and goes on its own. The bad news is that it's hard to definitively diagnose, and there really isn't much that can be done for it. Antibiotics seldom affect it. If it gets really annoying, sometimes tricyclic antidepressants provide some relief (no one knows why).

If your GP is right, Mytrebiq can relieve bladder spasms without too many side effects.

Hey Tall_Allen thank you for your reply. Your comment has put my mind at ease regarding the cancer because I have been so worried that I had prostate cancer I’ve not been sleeping at night. So would you still bother trying to see a urologist if you was me or just try speak to the GP regarding the medication you have told me. Regarding my PSA levels does that 100% mean I have not got prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate?

Yes, it means 100% that you do not have prostate cancer. Prostate cancer has never been found in a man your age, and certainly not with such a low PSA. It is also symptomless in the beginning. You do not have prostate cancer.

You can certainly see a urologist, but there is little he can do. Perhaps wait it out. Prostatitis usually relapses and remits on its own.

Thank you so much for your reply Tall_Allen you have really put my mind at ease so thank you for that. I will speak to my GP about this and see what he recommends to be the best course of action. If you dont mind me asking how long do the bouts of prostatitis usually last? And anything I can do to prevent it happening again soon. I have also noticed that it is making me slightly constipated and no problems with erectile dysfunction but a strange feeling when ejaculating (wouldn’t say pain just strange) should I abstain from masturbation while this problem is happening? Thank so much!

Also would prostatitis not show up on a PSA test and if not how would someone know I’ve got it? Would a rectal exam diagnose prostatitis? Thanks Tall_Allen

As I said - almost impossible to diagnose - sometimes PSA increases, sometimes not. A DRE can sometimes feel that the prostate is hard, sometimes not. Certainly don't stop masturbating, but your ejaculate volume may be lower and there may be some blood in it (high on the yuck factor, but not dangerous). Bouts last as long as they last - no way to predict. And expect it to come back - I'm not sure one ever gets rid of it completely.

My friend takes Amitryptaline when he has a recurrence. It has some serious side effects and takes a while to kick in, but he tells me it reduces the pain in his balls and allows him to sleep through the night.

Hello my friend I have just been to my GP. He did a urine sample and that came back clear of infection so he says it’s not a UTI he predicts it is also prostatitis so he has given me some antibiotics for 2 weeks which I have to pick up tomorrow. Today I have started new symptoms which are1. Stomach pain when pressed in the middle under belly button and to the left.

2. Had high temperature today but with cold chills.

3. Yesterday was constipated all morning then had something to eat and 10 mins later had to rush to the toilet and had diarrhoea. But this morning I passed my stool normal but again this afternoon I’m constipated again.

4. Not urinating as much today and yesterday and only got up through the night once but then again I’ve been trying not to drink as much closer to bed time.

5. Doctor said my bladder was a bit inflamed also.

6. The doctor would not do a rectal exam today because he said he thinks my prostate is infected so it would be painful for me.

Many thanks Tall_Allen

Unfortunately, antibiotics rarely have any effect. The American Urological Assn discourages their use for prostatitis.

The GP also said he wouldn’t rule out prostate cancer because my uncle has had prostate cancer which had also really worried me again :/

Very silly - find a new GP.

Tall_Allen Thank you for your reply. So do you still stand by the fact that 100% I won’t have prostate cancer. Because the GP said my levels are low because I’m young. Should I phone my GP tomorrow and ask for another doctor and ask for a rectal exam? He wouldn’t do a rectal exam today because he said he thought my prostate was inflamed. The GP who I’ve just seen said he won’t refer me to a urologist until I’ve tried the antibiotics for 2 weeks first. If they don’t work he will refer me to urologist.

There have been only 1 or 2 cases EVER worldwide of guys in their 20s having prostate cancer. You have all the classic symptoms of prostatitis. Yes, your PSA is low because you're young and guys your age do not get prostate cancer (or BPH).

Even urologists get prostatitis wrong. Read this:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

As you see, your GP isn't doing anything useful for you, and he is adding to your anxiety. I would find a different GP.

Thank you so much Tall_Allen thats twice you’ve put my mind at ease now! So thank you so much without people like you and this group a lot of people including me would be lost and probably end up with other problems such as anxiety and stress aswell as our prostate problems so once again really thank you! Is there anything I can do to reduce the risk of prostatitis? (When it goes) Such askeeping good hygiene

exercising regular

limiting alcohol and caffeine (not a problem for me because I don’t drink alcohol)

Managing stress (hard with 2 kids under 3 haha)

Also can I just ask does having prostatitis put me at higher risk of prostate cancer later in life? Thank you.

I don't know of any way to prevent a bout.

To my knowledge, there has never been a prospective tracking study, which is what would be needed to prove that men who have prostatitis are more likely to get PC. In retrospective studies, there has been an association found between prostatitis and PC, but that doesn't tell you if you are really at increased risk. Men who get prostatitis are more likely to get PSA tests and to have biopsies, which increases the probability of PC detection.

I can tell you that men with PSA under 0.5 in their 40s are unlikely to be diagnosed with PC later in life. This was shown in a prospective longitudinal tracking study:

ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JC...

Brilliant thank you again for your very informative answers Tall_Allen. I will take these antibiotics that I have been prescribed although I don’t have much hope that they will make any difference. I will probably then be referred to the urologist once the antibiotics run out and if things haven't changed. Do you think it’s a waste of time asking one of the other doctors at my practice to do a rectal exam? Also I know I’ve asked you about thing that can prevent a bout but do you know of anything that shouldn’t be doing/eating/drinking while having a bout or not having a bout that could make thing worse. Many thanks.

Also I have noticed today that my right testicle is swollen and It took me a lot longer to ejaculate during masturbation and only a small a small amount of semen came out I know you said the latter is a common issue with prostatitis but do you know if the other 2 could be related also? Many thanks Tall_Allen

Yes - testicular pain and inflammation can occur with it . I don't know of any way to prevent a bout. I'm not sure what a DRE can tell you that you don't already know, but if you want one, why not?

Thank you for your response. I had an appointment with a different doctor today who said that he used to be in urology before he became a GP. He said that he doesn’t think it’s prostatitis and that he thinks it’s a epididymitis infection and the antibiotics I have been prescribed yesterday should be fine to clear it up which is Ciprofloxacin. He said if this doesn’t clear it up he will send me for an ultrasound scan on the affected testicle. Many thanks.

I hope he's right.

Me too. I’m getting very bad lower stomach pain, confusion only been to the toilet 3 times, slurred speech and just feel really ill should I be phoning the emergency services was thinking sepsis

Temperature?

I don’t have one to hand but I don’t feel too hot in myself.

Take ibuprofen or paracetamol. And get a thermometer. If it gets very high, go to the ER. But if you can control the fever, avoid it - you don't want to get Covid-19 on top of it.

Okay thank you very much

Hey just a bit of an update I went to A&E as I was shivering with cold chills but 37.7 temperature, slurred speech and bouts of confusion. They did a blood test to test for infection which came back fine the doctor said. So she thinks it’s chronic prostatitis rather than acute prostatitis or epididymitis as she said this would have shown up as an infection on the blood test that she did. She checked my testicle and said she didn’t think anything was wrong and that it was similar size to my left testicle and in the correct place with no lumps of bumps. Where do I go from here :/ just carry on with anti biotics ? They've only prescribed me 2 weeks worth and here in the uk the common treatment is 6 weeks of anti biotics. None of these doctors seem to be able to give me a definitive answer it just seems like guess work and one doctor goes against what the other says. Many thanks.

As I said, antibiotics don't work for prostatitis. "Because antibiotics are not effective for treatment of abacterial chronic prostatitis, their use should be limited to individuals with confirmed positive cultures on expressed prostatic fluid or associated urinary tract infection."ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

As I said, there is no definitive diagnosis, but you have all the common symptoms. And there is no cure. It remits and relapses on its own.

Most of what you've described are not uncommon side effects to antibiotics.

Ciprofloxacin is a strong antibiotic and despite your appearing as somewhat of a hypochondriac, I'd suggest using Dr. Google to look up the side effects of Cipro. Of course, that means you may start finding ALL the Cipro side-effects are attacking you.

As a fix for the gastro problems induced by Cipro - a good probiotic always seems to work for me.

I maybe a bit of a hypochondriac but when you’ve got 2 children and a wife and only 26 I can’t help but worry I’m only human. The doctors at A&E did a blood test which came back free of infection so they think this is chronic prostatitis rather than acute prostatitis or epididymitis which she says she thinks would have shown up on the blood tests (although she didn’t seem to be very confident about this and the poor lass was rushed off her feet) Don’t know what to do next for the best. Do you know what painkillers I can take for prostatitis stomach pain. Sure the cipro side effects do match up with my stomach pain and nausea although I had the same symptoms yesterday before I even started them. Thanks for the tip on the pro biotic’s any particular one you recommend? Many thanks

This is why I’m so worried. google.co.uk/amp/s/nypost.c...

The NY Post is a sensationalist newspaper - so take articles in it with a grain of salt.

The source is 100% true the poor man who died lived 45 mins away from me.

Maybe a bladder infection or some sort of VD?

Thank you for your reply bobdc6 what does VD stand for please?

Veneral Disease. Infections transmitted sexually.

Ohh right 100% sure it’s not that I’ve had the same sexual partner for 6 years.

Yes I’m pretty certain. We live together and spend all our time together with our 2 children I’m not sure when she would get the time to do so. Also the only symptoms of VD I would have would be the urine problems all the others I don’t have such as no discarge, no bumps or lumps, inflammation of foreskin, no pain when peeing (just discomfort afterwards) and also no rashes. So I don’t think it’s that. Well hopefully not anyway. Thanks so much for your reply XPO1

Haha okay brother you too! take care!

This is called "LUTS" by us physicians, "lower urinary tract symptoms " and that means it is not a _diagnosis_ but an array of symptoms. The fact is, there are no good tests or exams to provide more precision. So we doctors believing that we help by naming something name it. Prostatitis. LUTS. Pelvic congestion syndrome. "Blue balls." If the lab you shared is complete and if you are sexually active, I would critcize you GP for not testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia. 80% of men with chlamydia are carriers and do not know it. They have no or mild symptoms (like yours) and spread the infection to their sexual partners. If GP did a digital rectal exam, good on him/her; if not, shame on him/her. I'd go back to GP with more questions first. If not satisfied with answers ask to see a urologist. Finally, be very cautious if any of 'em is to eager to get out the pad and prescribe an antibiotic.

Hey dadzone43 i have been prescribed Ciprofloxacin to be taken twice per day for treatment of prostatitus by my GP. Should I take these? I have also booked a private appointment to see a urologist on Thursday because now my right testicle is swollen and I’ve lost all my appetite and can’t eat anything.

Ciprofloxacin. Read the warning and then decide. This family of drugs is known to cause weakening and rupture of tendons. Caution. It is too readily prescribed for just-about-anything. Swollen Testicle is suspicious also for chlamydia. I would do the opposite: encourage masturbation to drain the prostate, seminal vesicles and epididymus where I suspect the swelling is. Does your partner know that she was specifically tested for chlamydia? Chlamydia is an illusive beast and false-negatives are common. There are better antibiotics for it.

Thank you for your reply dadzone43 I will not take these antibiotics then I have taken just one tablet is it fine to just stop now? I will try to keep masturbating although last night I really struggled to reach climax and the volume was very little. What antibiotics would you recommend please? Any idea why I would have lost my appetite and have to force myself to eat? Should I still go see the private urologist on Thursday? Many thanks.

If your testicle is swollen and infected that is reason enough to have poor appetite. Yes. See the urologist.

I would be loathe to recommend a treatment to someone I have not examined. I will tell you that doxycycline100 mgm twice a day for a full week is effective, is cheap, is well tolerated by most people except those allergic to the tetracycline family. Let me know, please.

I have spoken to a new doctor today at my doctors practice he says before he was a GP he did urology so told me to cancel my appointment with the private urologist and save myself £200 and that he does not think this is prostatitis as I would have had a higher reading on my PSA test and the patients he has seen with prostatitis are in really bad pain not just some stomach discomfort (although I have read in studies that prostatitis is really hard to diagnose) as Tall_Allen also mentioned. The doctor who I spoke to thinks this is a epididymitis infection and the 2 weeks antibiotics should clear this up he said if this doesn’t clear it up to book back in and he will refer me for an ultrasound on my effected testicle. My partner forgot to mention she was also tested for STI’s 6 months ago before she had the copper coil fitted which came back fine. I feel like a yo-yo all these different doctors telling me different things. Atleast there’s one good thing I can take from this that nobody thinks it’s anything too serious (if you know what I mean). Regarding the antibiotics he says I should avoid doing any strenuous activity for the 2 weeks due to the tendon issues this drug carries but he would have prescribed me the same drug for the same time. Many thanks.

Hey dadzone43 thank you for your reply. No my GP did not do a rectal exam he said with me being young there’s no need and just needed to do a PSA test. He also didn’t test for chlamydia or gonorrhea. I’ve been with my partner for over 6 years so surely she would have had some kind of symptoms of an STI too maybe? I’m not sure. Should in abstain from masturbation while all these problems are going on. So firstly I will book an appointment tomorrow to see my GP should I ask for a rectal exam while I’m there and also to be referred to a urologist? Many thanks im still worried because I don’t know how long this is going to go on for or if it will ever stop :/ but I’m not as worried now that Tall_Allen confirmed it’s not prostate cancer from my PSA test because that’s what I was worried about the most. Thank you.

I agree with the epididymitis and that it is probably not prostate infection. Cipro is supposed to work for chlamydia tho' doxycycline is preferred. And, yes, "too many cooks spoil the broth." Good luck. Let me know.

Okay I’m glad you agree with the doctor I have spoken to I will just soldier through these antibiotics if I get any side effects and hopefully this all clears up after two weeks! So would epididymitis explain all my bladder problems such as frequent urinating (although this has now settled quite a bit)

Weak flow

Discomfort in lower stomach

Discomfort after urinating

Feeling like not fully emptying my bladder

Some times straining to start urination or last few drops of urine.

So if these antibiotics do not clear up my symptoms what would be your next move?

Many thanks dadzone43 for all your reply’s.

No. Those are better explained as ""LUTS" tho that is not really an explanation -- just another name. Epididymitis only explains the swollen right "egg."

I’m getting very bad lower stomach pain, confusion only been to the toilet 3 times, slurred speech and just feel really ill should I be phoning the emergency services was thinking sepsis

Just an update I ended up going to the hospital because I felt faint and was having bouts of confusion and slurred speech the doctor checked my testicles and doesn’t think I’ve got Epididymitis. It’s just one thing after another now. The doctor is now doing a blood test to test for an infection. If it comes back high she thinks it’s probably prostatitis. Many thanks

dadzone43 my partner has just confirmed that she was tested last year when she was pregnant and it came back all clear for STI’s.

Just to add guys in the last 3 hours I have started with lower stomach ache and cold chills but a high temperature. Not been urinating as much either today. Not sure if this is relevant to what else I’ve been experiencing.

First thing I would do, is check for UTI (Urinary Track Infection) and STI/STD (Sexually Transmitted Infection) which can be a cause of your symptoms. I'm surprised your Dr. didn't test for this. It's pretty standard here in San Francisco Bay Area.

Thank you for your reply SonomaGuy I’m in the uk and my GP is garbage and that’s if your lucky enough to get an appointment. I will speak to them tomorrow. Many thanks

Hahah! TrueDat!

Fyi mate most of us in this group cant get it up...or is a real hassle....your constant talk of wanking....has me slightly jealous.....but curious......wich hand do you use. .....im filling in for j.o.h.n.... who is doing a week in the catskills....b.w.

Haha no issues getting it up brother but nothing to be jealous about haha takes me forever to reach climax and very small semen volume lol ohh and I’m right handed

I saw an article years ago that sexually active men are less likely to develop prostate cancer. Assuming it was a matter of keeping the tubes clear of bad stuff, I made sure I had several orgasms a week with or without help. At age 73 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Dunno whether the sex delayed the cancer or was just something to do while waiting for the cancer. Hard to believe, but keeping a schedule like that is not always enjoyable.

My experience makes me think the opposite, at least in my case.

I had the libido of a 18 year old before dx. A PSA of 156. From dz to just prior to treatment I had 0 libido and my PSA dropped to 90. That and stopping to drink beer, and eat red meat were the biggest changes I made.

I did the sex exercise years before being diagnosed. Maybe starting in my 50s.

Don't know whether I would have had cancer years earlier if I'd not kept active. I doubt it.

I regret not having taken notes on what my status was the year prior to being diagnosed. Having sex during ADT is academic and routine the times the partner is not participating. Dunno whether I felt that way about keeping up the daily sex, dunno what my libido was like.

Actually, I sort of scratched my head over what libido is when I started ADT. I still scouted out the cute ladies' curves, but really did not have a driving need for sex.

Not sure what the sex exercise is. That is a definite side effect I forget about sometimes. I have 0 libido and while I will always appreciate my wives beauty and that of other woman I have no desire to do anything about it anymore. This actually was good for my marriage because my wife reached a similar conclusion a few years earlier which caused me some frustration.

Sex exercise. Having erections and orgasms on a regular basis.

Got it makes sense. Thats what I called having the libido of a 18 year old so we arenon the same page. I was that way my whole life until dx.

I will don’t worry I’m even thinking of paying private for a full body mri scan what do IYou think?

Hopefully everything resolves but as you can see from the post I added you can’t always trust your doctors opinion that poor man sherwin would still be here if they caught his cancer earlier. It’s so sad for him.

Thanks for your reply mate I guess the only thing that puts my mind at ease is the fact that the only similarity’s to me and sherwin is that our blood tests come back normal I haven’t got any of his other symptoms. Touch wood I won’t get them either. I will discuss things further with my GP.

When I was your age I was incorrectly diagnosed with Epididymitis by a GP and prescribed antibiotics which did not help. Years later it was correctly diagnosed by an urologist as Testicular Hydroceles and I’ve lived with it ever since. Sometimes they seem to flare up and get swollen but its not life threatening or crippling. You mention pain under your belly button which has also been a symptom of mine for most of my adult life with accompanying nausea and loss of appetite at times. These symptoms come and go. I finally had it looked at years later and turned out to be a small umbilical hernia which I recently (age 64) had repaired along with my prostatectomy due to PC. Ive also had Diverticulitis and symptoms of Irritable Colon most of my adult life with alternating constipation and loose stools. Your symptoms may be due to different causes and not necessarily connected. You’re in the age group when all kinds of symptoms begin to appear, it only gets worse with age but you learn to live with them. Try not to get too panicky about it and deal with them one at a time.

Thank you for your reply EaNa my doctor said if my testicle doesn’t shrink back down after these antibiotics he will send me for an ultrasound scan would this pick up on hydroceles? Yes it’s worrying I’m trying to stay as positive as possible at the moment but very hard.

Yes, ultrasound is how my hydrocele was diagnosed. Whatever you do stay calm, at your age you have all odds in your favor.

Thank you mate I will try my best.

By the time I was in my early 30’s symptoms of urinary hesitancy and weak stream had already began to appear but it was 34 more years before my PC was diagnosed. I don't know what the truth is but it had always been my suspicion that ejaculating too frequently always aggravated any urinary symptoms I had.

Come to think of it I’ve always had a bit of a weak flow every now and again (depends if I’m really busting for a wee) and needed frequent urination but I defo noticed a huge difference in both over the last 2 weeks which is what made me go to the doctors. I’m not sure if what I have got is epididymitis or prostatitis hopefully I can find out more when my urine culture comes back.

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