Hi everyone,

I was really into this group in 1997/1998 (when I suffered real bad for
months), and my prostatitis has come back several times since.  I am 57
years old, medically literate, and have other health problems, including an
unknown cause T-4 cell deficiency (HIV negative), which could be related to
my prostate problems (in my opinion).  I had chest and abdominal/pelvic
scans last fall as well as MRCP and abdominal ultrasound.  Will be having my
fourth EGD since last fall for stomach related issues.  My last colonoscopy
was July/02.  I also have sarcoidosis with some enlarged lymph nodes in
body.

I have had my recent CP flare-up on and off since last fall, when my proton
pump inhibitors stopped working and I was having serious stomach/chest
burning, and a lot of stress.  I am going to two urologists in the same
group (one is a physician assistant (PA), and the other one a surgeon).  I
basically have chronic non-bacterial prostatitis (along with BPH), and I
requested massages by the PA as well as antibiotics even though I may not
have bacteria.  I took levaquin for 30 days in January and had about 4
massages (boggy prostate with white cells but no evidence of bacteria).
Seemed to get better but came right back.  I also had some bactrim before
the levaquin which I am currently taking now, as a prophylactic at best.  I
try to ejaculate at least once a week (its difficult when your not in the
mood), but I am not sure if it is helping or hurting.  I know it cleans the
prostate out and is generally considered essential.

This latest attack is quite bothersome.  I have bad nocturia (like every 45
minutes) and difficulty voiding, and constant burning and gnawing in my
penis and pelvic floor, as well as a lot of pain in my rectum which feels
like pressure and the feeling I want to have a bowel movement.  My retention
was only 39 ml so I am able to dribble my bladder almost empty.  The PA
tried me on detrol la (for overactive bladder), which just made me worse and
was contraindicated (in my opinion), since it is an anti-cholinergic that
just made it more difficult for me to urinate, and I stopped it immediately.
I can not take alpha blockers (which are smooth muscle relaxers) since they
plug my nose up completely and immediately (including hytrin, cardura, and
even flomax which is uroselective and targets the alpha 1a receptors which
are plentiful in the prostate tissue, and apparently present in the blood
vessel walls in way of my nose).  I was disappointed I could not take the
flomax.

I requested a cystoscopy by one of the surgeons and a uroflow, since I know
I am not voiding properly.  The cystoscopy showed some scar tissue from my
previous bladder neck surgery in 1995 (a different uro in another location -
for retention problems), and the doctor said he would cut me again
(transurethral incision) and clean up the "band" as he called it, and that
should free up the bladder neck/urethra and help me pee better.  My uroflow
was below normal (15ml/sec peak and 10 ml/sec average).

I agreed to the surgery to improve the blockage and will be having it on
4/8/05.  I realize the scar tissue will grow back again but I have to get
relief.

However, I do not believe the surgery will have any positive effect on my
prostatitis pain, and I will still have some blockage caused by BPH, as well
as from prostatitis.  I have asked the doctors what the percentages of BPH
versus prostatitis is causing my prostrate to be enlarged and they can't
answer nebulous questions like that.  I also asked the PA (who has done all
the digital exams/messages) how enlarged was my prostate based on a 57 year
old man and I got a vague answer (kind of like its typical), and he said he
can only feel the back side.

Sorry this is so long.  I wanted to give you the background.  Believe me I
am suffering (its even tougher when you live by yourself).  In closing I
would like to ask the following.

- Is the rectal pain appropriate for my prostatitis.  This is the worst it
has ever been.  All I do is go to doctors and I hope I don't have to go to a
general surgeon for a rectal examination under anesthesia, or have a
colonoscopy (my bowels are okay).  I am having an EGD two days from now.

- How many of you have experienced the rectal pain I have described.  I hate
to keep taking antibiotics if they aren't doing anything but I will
definitely continue them until after my bladder neck surgery.

- Also, I don't understand why I have the constant feeling of an urge to go
(esp. at night), since I am not retaining, and there isn't that much urine
in my bladder.  Could it be from the irritation caused by the prostatitis
(i.e. can prostatitis inflammation "itself" make you feel like you have to
pee even though there is very little urine in your bladder - I am not
talking about the swollen prostate pinching the urethra and causing
retention).

- Do you think the scar tissue blockage in way of my bladder neck/urethra
could be causing some of this pain I am having.  I doubt it, but my
straining when I pee could be related somehow.  There are all kinds of
nerves running in that area, so do you think there could be a connection.

- Will an ultrasound reveal an accurate size of the prostate.

-  Can anyone tell me what happened to ANF (he used to write me in 1997).
What a dedicated doctor he was volunteering his time to the newsgroup, as
well as all the other doctors who participated.  How many doctors are in the
group today.

Thanks for your time in reading this.  Hope to hear from some of you soon.

Pete