If there were easy answers to your questions - we wouldn't have this news group.

Many people have VERY different views of this problem.

Part of my protocol is  low dose long term levaquin (about 100 mg/day).
I have been on it for about two years now - and it seems like it is a permenent
part of my protocol - so if your asking - are some people on this stuff for a long
time - the aanswer is yes.

But - I do not know if it this anti-microbial function of the drug or some other
aspect of it that allows for my symptomatic improvment.

And - unfortunatly - the doctors are of no use on this point.

So - the name of the game is to reduce your symptoms to near zero and go on with
your life.

If levaquin works for you - stay on it for 3 months (pending Dr. Approval of
course) and then taper it back each week (i.e. from 500 mg to 400 to 250 to 125,
etc).

The side effects go way down (as does the risk) as the quantity ingested goes down.

You should get kidney and liver tests every 4 months or so while you are on the
drug though.

This is just my opinion -feel free to throw it out and do something else - but for
this disease - 6 weeks is nothing.

Also - don't discard supplements:

Try Quercitan (good brand like Solgar or something - 500 mg 2 or 3 times a day
I also use Avodart - it shrinks the prostate tissue - which studies have shown MAY
(underline the may) prove helpful (proscar is the same thing basicly)
I recomend Grape seed extract as well - try to find one that is got good OPC
content or that has Activi in it - this works great for me.

But hey - this is just my opinion - For what its worth.

Now I am sure I will get killed with replies from people with different views -

Hey, Northern Spy.  Antibiotics without prosate massage may only get
you to 80% better.  The last 20% of the problem may be pathogens
clogged up in your prostate where the ABX cannot reach.  I'm not a
supporter of ABX without massage as you can tell.  Most Uros are
supportive of massages at least on a trial basis.  For me, the 1st
week of massages were painful but then there was a break thru between
the 7th and 10th (kinda forget that was 4 yrs ago).  If the massages
and ABX do not work, you may have to start Pelvic muscle therapy and
see if that works.  It is a medical fact that bacteria create
bio-films for protection and that most of the ABX's on the market
cannot penetrate the films unless they are broken up (opened up a can
of worms here I know).  The massages can/may break up the bio-films
and allow ABX penetration.

Just a thought and my opinion.   Massages and ABX worked for me.

Good luck and god speed.