Males who have experienced a ureaplasma UTI?
May 24, 2024 7:30 AM Subscribe
Has anyone, particularly male, experienced a rough ureaplasma UTI? Can you share what your recovery was like?
It all began when suddenly it hurt to pee - just the tiniest bit. I was nearly 40, male, in a monogamous relationship, and I'd never had a UTI, so I didn't initially realize what was happening. I booked the soonest available appointment with my doctor, which was three days out.
The next day it hurt a bit more, so I decided best not to wait. I went to urgent care and peed in the cup and... all the tests were all negative. The doctor said there was probably nothing wrong with me but prescribed Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim) just in case.
Two days later, I felt about the same so I went to my doctor as originally scheduled. He explained urgent care probably only did basic dip tests and he'd send a sample to the lab for more thorough testing. In the meantime I could take the antibiotics just in case. The pain was still very light. Everything seemed under control.
Two days later, things went off the rails. Throughout the day the pain increased exponentially. Now it hurt not only when I peed, but all the time, and then the pain spread upwards into my abdomen. Still, it seemed bearable and as if maybe the antibiotics just needed another day to kick in.
At 1 AM the next morning, I woke up in extreme pain. I didn't know what else to do so I went to the ER. They tested me again and still all negative, except now positive for trace blood. After about six hours, they decided to give me a CT scan. I was told the results were all normal, there wasn't anything identifiable wrong with me, I couldn't be admitted to the hospital, and I should follow up with my doctor to find a urologist. I was told to take Tylenol or Advil in the meantime.
I got back home around 7 AM, booked an appointment with my doctor for later in the afternoon, took one of each painkiller plus a dose of Pyridium I'd picked up earlier, and passed out from the lack of sleep. A few hours later, despite all the drugs, I woke up with what I can only describe as level 10 pain - pain I didn't know my body was capable of - radiating outward from my abdomen and spreading up my back. I'd already been turned away from the ER and I couldn't imagine lasting some number of days more in that state to see a urologist. I felt totally hopeless.
About that time, the lab results from a few days earlier finally came in. I'd tested positive for something called ureaplasma! By unfortunate coincidence, ureaplasma is not susceptible to the antibiotics I'd been taking and needed doxycycline instead. Finally, I felt some hope knowing what was actually wrong with me. Within 45 minutes I had someone pick up my antibiotics and I took my first dose.
The next morning, I seemed nearly recovered, but the pain returned in the evening. Later, my urologist explained there can be a delay between when the irritation from the infection stops and the body fully responds with inflammation to repair the damage.
The first week of recovery was brutal. The second week was better, but then it slowed down. Now, a month and a half later, just within the past few days, it finally doesn't hurt to pee, most of the time. I still have some residual soreness, what's likely pelvic floor dysfunction, and some unusual side and back pain. I've retested every two weeks, including this week, and have been negative each time, except still positive for trace blood.
My question is, is there anyone out there, particularly male, who has been through a ureaplasma UTI like this, with intense pain and a long recovery?
Throughout my journey, I've read everything legitimate-seeming I can find about ureaplasma, but I can't find much of anything like a case like mine. It's especially difficult to find information about male infections. According to my doctor, he's never seen anything this extreme before, which isn't reassuring. There just doesn't seem to be a lot documented.
I'm looking for someone who's beaten a case of ureaplasma like this so I can adjust my expectations. I get the sense my doctor, and even my urologist, don't have any actual first hand experience with a case like mine and ureaplasma specialist doesn't seem to be a thing. Aside from the pain, the worst part has been all the "don't worry you'll be totally fine by X" dates that have come and gone and the growing feeling that somehow something has happened to me that hasn't happened to anyone else.
It all began when suddenly it hurt to pee - just the tiniest bit. I was nearly 40, male, in a monogamous relationship, and I'd never had a UTI, so I didn't initially realize what was happening. I booked the soonest available appointment with my doctor, which was three days out.
The next day it hurt a bit more, so I decided best not to wait. I went to urgent care and peed in the cup and... all the tests were all negative. The doctor said there was probably nothing wrong with me but prescribed Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim) just in case.
Two days later, I felt about the same so I went to my doctor as originally scheduled. He explained urgent care probably only did basic dip tests and he'd send a sample to the lab for more thorough testing. In the meantime I could take the antibiotics just in case. The pain was still very light. Everything seemed under control.
Two days later, things went off the rails. Throughout the day the pain increased exponentially. Now it hurt not only when I peed, but all the time, and then the pain spread upwards into my abdomen. Still, it seemed bearable and as if maybe the antibiotics just needed another day to kick in.
At 1 AM the next morning, I woke up in extreme pain. I didn't know what else to do so I went to the ER. They tested me again and still all negative, except now positive for trace blood. After about six hours, they decided to give me a CT scan. I was told the results were all normal, there wasn't anything identifiable wrong with me, I couldn't be admitted to the hospital, and I should follow up with my doctor to find a urologist. I was told to take Tylenol or Advil in the meantime.
I got back home around 7 AM, booked an appointment with my doctor for later in the afternoon, took one of each painkiller plus a dose of Pyridium I'd picked up earlier, and passed out from the lack of sleep. A few hours later, despite all the drugs, I woke up with what I can only describe as level 10 pain - pain I didn't know my body was capable of - radiating outward from my abdomen and spreading up my back. I'd already been turned away from the ER and I couldn't imagine lasting some number of days more in that state to see a urologist. I felt totally hopeless.
About that time, the lab results from a few days earlier finally came in. I'd tested positive for something called ureaplasma! By unfortunate coincidence, ureaplasma is not susceptible to the antibiotics I'd been taking and needed doxycycline instead. Finally, I felt some hope knowing what was actually wrong with me. Within 45 minutes I had someone pick up my antibiotics and I took my first dose.
The next morning, I seemed nearly recovered, but the pain returned in the evening. Later, my urologist explained there can be a delay between when the irritation from the infection stops and the body fully responds with inflammation to repair the damage.
The first week of recovery was brutal. The second week was better, but then it slowed down. Now, a month and a half later, just within the past few days, it finally doesn't hurt to pee, most of the time. I still have some residual soreness, what's likely pelvic floor dysfunction, and some unusual side and back pain. I've retested every two weeks, including this week, and have been negative each time, except still positive for trace blood.
My question is, is there anyone out there, particularly male, who has been through a ureaplasma UTI like this, with intense pain and a long recovery?
Throughout my journey, I've read everything legitimate-seeming I can find about ureaplasma, but I can't find much of anything like a case like mine. It's especially difficult to find information about male infections. According to my doctor, he's never seen anything this extreme before, which isn't reassuring. There just doesn't seem to be a lot documented.
I'm looking for someone who's beaten a case of ureaplasma like this so I can adjust my expectations. I get the sense my doctor, and even my urologist, don't have any actual first hand experience with a case like mine and ureaplasma specialist doesn't seem to be a thing. Aside from the pain, the worst part has been all the "don't worry you'll be totally fine by X" dates that have come and gone and the growing feeling that somehow something has happened to me that hasn't happened to anyone else.
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