I wonder if anyone experienced may care to join the dots, if any need to be joined.
Testes:
Multiple epididymal cysts (cysts on testes) - mostly one on the left. Multiple ultrasounds in eg. 10 years (most recently June 2021) found to be cysts, not tumours. (Epididymis transports sperm from testes).
Testicular discomfort - focused on the largest epididymal cyst. Occasional, when hot or sometimes post-ejaculation or post stimulation without ejaculation, sometimes for days thereafter.
'Undercarriage':
'Underneath' pain - Occasional bad feeling between sex organs and anus (unclear how to define it - is this the perineum?), sometimes a sort-of constipated feeling but not strictly and not really the same spot. Usually manifested at night. Sometimes would try to alleviate with a bowel movement - really painful (more so than the testicular discomfort) and slow to make happen. Mostly occurred, say, a decade ago - has been far less frequent since then...
Difficulty urinating - For the last year and a half, say, before bed I always feel like there is more urine to pass that is not coming out. I am often now taking a long time at the toilet, hoping to get it all out. (I drink maybe four cups of coffee in the morning, pint of water for lunch, pint or two of water at dinner 6pm).
Combination:
The thing that took me to my doctor earlier this year was a confluence of the above things...
Sometimes now, though not always, I am experiencing Testicular discomfort and 'Underneath' pain in tandem. One particular time this year, it was Difficulty urinating before bed that brought on the combination.
I get curious about how I could be experiencing both at the same time.
Prostate tests: Doctor's prostate exam, about a month ago, found no enlargement. PSA blood test found to be normal, thankfully. So, doctor not seemingly concerned about prostate cancer. Perhaps, then, he has also ruled out benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH), though I'm unsure.
Dr says the Epididymal cysts and Difficulty urinating are not causally linked - despite my experience of them sometimes now feeling linked.
So, what could account for this stuff?
Dr this week told me perhaps it's prostatitis. I can recognise many of the symptoms - this list refers directly to testicular pain, stop-start peeing etc; I have even had very infrequent lower-right back pain of late. He suggested it was a case of managing it, rather than intervening.
Asked if I should see a urologist, the doctor said the PSA and prostate exam etc don't suggest I need to. I had also done a urine test.
Hair:
I'm losing my head hair. Over the last two years, it's got worse, there is a balding patch at the top. The last couple of years have been stressful etc.
My research suggests dihydrotestosterone (DHT) causes hair cell inflammation, which miniaturises hairs, and that DHT is produced from the conversion of 10% of testosterone to DHT, which occurs in the testes and prostate: "As testosterone in the blood increases, more of it is also converted to dihydrotestosterone, resulting in higher levels of dihydrotestosterone as well."
Whilst I am losing my head hair, it feels like I am growing more body hair. I have now started nasal and ear trimming, which I never used to, and could be doing this weekly. My chest, pube, shoulder and arm hair seems more plentiful than before. Is this just accumulation/acceleration with age, or is something going on?
My research into hair loss treatments shows that medications have a dual effect acting on prostate issues. I'm talking about finasteride and saw palmetto, which either shrink the lining or reduce DHT production.
I talked to a hair loss consultant, and we agreed that I would not start these treatments whilst I followed the prostate-and-testicle pathway with my doctor. Indeed, maybe I would choose not to, regardless.
I can't work out - if we are saying I have a prostate-related issue like prostatitis, would taking these medications be good or bad for that? I think good, right?
Other:
I might also mention that I have life-long phimosis (inability to retract foreskin over glans). Examined as recently as last summer without concern, although the consultant didn't have X-ray vision. I assume this is not relevant. However, in my first explorations of the Prostatitis sub-reddit, I see some people talking about the risks of masturbation, edging etc - something I have done partly due to my condition.
This week:
I have had problems this week, and am in discomfort as I write this. On Friday, I woke at 3.30am with a pain episode, and made these notes:
Through Friday, I was in discomfort - I think it was mostly the "undercarriage".Woke with undercarriage in horrible pain.
Left testicle absolutely LIT UP, feels sharper, focused on LEFT.
Behind that, pain. Rectum, perineum, pelvic area?
Feels linked.
Some gas to pass - feels like it might help. But inflames pain to do so.
Laying on right-hand side, only want left leg propped up.
Pain subsiding, go to toilet - a decent bladder movement. Pushing it would be uncomfortable, inflames left testicle.
Feels a bit better when it's out.
Before bed, I had again stayed at the toilet for a long time, several wees. Think I had pushed and felt discomfort. Was this the start of it?
Today, Saturday, it has been the testicle, uncomfortable all day. I've been taking Ibuprofen all day. It's not a dull ache, like I've been kicked, it's a bit sharper and more specific than that.
I have even been experiencing something at the top of my left leg, the same side as the testicular pain; some brief shooting discomforts.
Curious:
Testicle & prostate area?:
So, I'm curious. Does it sound like I have prostatitis, as the doctor suggested? Or BPH/something else within UCPPC? Could this account for the occasional 'underneath' pain? Could it account for flaring-up my epididymal cyst discomfort?
Do I happen to have both issues, maybe each provoking the other through general inflammation? Or something else?
It was days of combined discomfort that took me to the doctor in January. Then it abated, but now it's been flared again.
Prostate, testosterone, hair:
For the last couple of months, I've been wondering - is there any link between the undercarriage issues and my hair loss?
Today, I'm also wondering for the first time - is that link about cysts on/in my testes/sperm tube impacting DHT production? I must have that the wrong way around - surely, if DHT production was lowered, that would have the opposite effect and stimulate hair growth?
As it stands, the hair part is less important to me than the discomfort etc.
I guess I'm asking what, if any, the linkages may be between these things. Do I need to do any more thinking other than what the doctor told me this week?
Thanks for your patience through this long introductory message.
