Hello all.

I believe I might have prostatitis, or another condition causing some
prostatitis-like symptoms.  I would appreciate any advice or thoughts
on my problem.  My story goes like this -

Around early-mid 2001, at about the age of 16, I started to experience
a sensation of not emptying completely when passing water.  This
seemed to be a sudden change, rather than something that gradually
appeared.  Around the same time I began to notice that the strength of
the stream was weaker too, and I started to experience hesitancy/delay
in starting a stream.  I think a few months later I started to see a
decrease in the force of my ejaculations as well (this was through
masturbation - I am a virgin).  Foolishly, I decided it would be far
too embarassing to see a doctor and hoped that the condition would
pass eventually, or otherwise was not so bad to live with.  About 1
1/2 to 2 years after the problem began (mid-late 2002) I finally saw a
doctor, who had me produce a urine sample.  A while later I went back
to see the doc, who said that the urine sample hadn't revealed
anything bad, and got in touch with the local NHS hospital, who later
contacted me to make an appointment with a urologist there.  I ended
up making an appointment for a date in early 2003 I believe, which I
cancelled a while beforehand out of further embarassment/fear.  Around
late 2003 I caught the flu for a little under a week and my condition
seemed to worsen. (Including waking in the night a few times with the
need to urinate on about 2 or 3 nights, something that I didn't recall
ever really happening before). However, when I recovered from the flu
my condition returned to how it had been beforehand.  At this
(stupidly) late point, due to the depression I'd been feeling while
the condition had been worse, I told my problem to my parents, and
shortly made another appointment with a urologist at the local
hospital. The appointment took place a few months later, and I was
given a physical examination, including a prostate examination.  The
urologist didn't think there was anything unsual about my prostate, or
anything else, and booked me in for two further tests which took place
in early 2004.  The first test was a flow-rate test, the result of
which the consultant on the day thought was normal. (However I believe
the test to have been flawed due to the fact that I had a very full
bladder, and this always seems to result in a pretty good flow). The
second test was an ultrasound of my bladder area to gauge how well I
emptied - the result being normal apparently. A while after
(mid-2004), I saw a final consultant, who didn't think that there was
anything wrong with me and insisted that they "no longer needed to see
me"..  Since my symptoms were not especially bad at that time (and I
wasn't feeling particularly unhappy) I didn't end up arguing my cause
very well, and tried to just forget about it all.  Skip forward to
December 2004 and the problem seems a bit more prevalant again, and I
get quite depressed.  Because of this, I made another appointment with
a local doctor who has forwarded my problem on to the local hospital's
urology department again, and I am waiting for a letter to make an
appointment at this moment.

Some elaboration on my symptoms:
Beginning the stream - I often have to wait 4/5 seconds before the
stream starts (though sometimes up to 10 seconds or more), and it is
usually weak at the beginning, and usually weakens (or stops) before
restarting once pressure has built up (this is how it feels..).  I
also often have to push/strain a bit to get going, whereas I used to
just be able to 'let go' and relax into it.

Mid-steam - It very rarely feels like the stream is as fast as it
should be, as if something is tense and it's having to squeeze
through.  I often have to push to make it come out at a good speed,
though it seems to always feel as though it's 'lagging behind' the
speed it needs to be to finish off properly.

End-stream - The sensation of not quite finishing is particularly
irritating.  In recent months it's seemed more as if something is
remaining 'in the tube' somewhere, rather than in the bladder
specifically.. If I touch the area by the base of the penis / start of
the scrotum after urinating, it sort of feels as if I'm 'nudging'
something inside.  The sensation of something remaining tends to go
away within about 5 or 10 minutes, though sometimes it seems to linger
on a bit longer.

Ejaculation can be very weak, usually when it's been a day or two (or
sooner) since the last time. It comes out with better force after a
longer gap.  Before the problems started it would shoot out well every
time, regardless of how long it had been between ejaculations.  In
recent months I've been feeling a sensation of there being some urine
that wants to come out (as if it's "in the way"), before ejaculation.
Also some other strange things have happened recently such as the
first 'shot' being strong, whilst the rest is close to dribbling out,
and in one instance the second part was strong, whilst the first and
latter parts came out sluggishly; very odd.  Whether or not I
ejaculate with good force or sluggishly, I always find there's a bit
at the end that has to be strained/squeezed out.. I don't recall this
ever being the case before this all started.

Fortunately I have never had any pain (that I can remember), just
discomfort from the feeling of something remaining after urinating.

I have one theory about a possible cause of all this.  At least two
times when masturbating, I recall having stopped at the wrong moment
for some reason, thus causing pain inside.  I believe these two
incidents were months or even years prior to my problem beginning
however.  One or two times later, I remember 'holding in' (inside, not
with my hand) my ejaculate too long by accident and it coming out
slightly delayed and 'out of sync'.  I think this was nearer to when
my condition started.

Also worthy of note is that I noticed around the time this all started
that the very tip of my penis changed a bit in appearance, from
well-defined and healthy-looking to a bit red around the edges and
sort of 'sunken in' a bit.  The reddening around the edges subsided
however.  I suspect this is nothing especially unusual. Another thing
that I remember happening around the same time was the formation of a
pimple not far up from the base of my penis on one side, which grew
quite a bit, then disappeared.  I imagine this was just a 'common
spot' though.

Sorry for the length of this post, but I didn't want to miss anything
out.  I would very much appreciate any suggestions as to what the
problem might be, action I should take, or general comments.
I would really like to get this sorted out ASAP, as it has been making
me very depressed from time to time recently.  I find it hard to hold
out hope after reading some of the stories here, and I have great pity
with the many people who have it worse than me.

Hopefully soon when I have another appointment with a urologist they
will take me a bit more seriously.

Bashovian