New Member saying hello

[Dj Smitty]

Oh, and about the urinalysis...my GP tested my urine a few times for STD's and known bacteria but said that a negative test does not necessarily mean I didn't have a bacterial infection. I think the standard for anybody suspected of having prostatitis be that they culture urine and prostate fluids right away. It could help those few who actually might have bacteria problems. But some doctors just can't be bothered.

Please read the following:
https://ucpps.men/bacteria-and-chronic-prostatitis-CPPS
https://ucpps.men/nih-definition-of-prostatitis-and-CPPS

Based on the facts of your case, IMO, your uro was justified in not culturing your EPS.

thanks for that. I have been losing faith in the bacterial theory ever since the tequin didn't really help me in any profound way. But still, I just wish my uro had done everything in his power including extensive testing. The only reason I feel I might have had bacteria is that I had two separate feverish attacks in which I was so hot, confused, tired plus my pain symptoms were increased. They ceased within 48 hours but I have never ever been sick like that before in my life. In fact, I don't think I've even had a fever until then, excluding the Mono that I had. Maybe it's just a coincidence...I did come down with them in the three week period after returning from New York City and travelling can affect your immune system.

Anyway, I am taking Elavil 20 mg per day but am looking into starting up a Quercetin schedule for anti inflammatory benefits. SHould I talk to my uro first about that and stop Elavil? I've heard that certain medications can interact with herbal remedies in negative ways. And, does Quercetin even work in anybody's experience and is it worth the hefty price tag?

thanks again.

[CppsDad]

DJ there's a picture of the Theracane in the top right corner of the web page. It's a very easy to use massage tool that helps you dig into trigger points all over the body. When you've beaten CPPS, you can use it for your back, legs, whatever. Webslave has used it to work on his bad shoulders.

Mike

[MastCells]

thanks for that. I have been losing faith in the bacterial theory ever since the tequin didn't really help me in any profound way. But still, I just wish my uro had done everything in his power including extensive testing. The only reason I feel I might have had bacteria is that I had two separate feverish attacks in which I was so hot, confused, tired plus my pain symptoms were increased. They ceased within 48 hours but I have never ever been sick like that before in my life. In fact, I don't think I've even had a fever until then, excluding the Mono that I had. Maybe it's just a coincidence...I did come down with them in the three week period after returning from New York City and travelling can affect your immune system.

Again, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you about whether or not your doctor should have done extensive testing/culturing for bacteria. Acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis are associated with bacteriuria, which you didn't have. They can be treated effectively by antibiotics, but antibiotics did not help you.

Experiencing fevers that positively correlate with an increase in pelvic pain symptoms doesn't mean that you have/had a bacterial infection. It only means that the primary endogenous pyrogens, the cytokines that mediate a fever, IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha, have been activated. We know that chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome is associated with higher than normal levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Fevers are also common in many other conditions that are not infections (e.g., autoimmune and allergic disorders).

Anyway, I am taking Elavil 20 mg per day but am looking into starting up a Quercetin schedule for anti inflammatory benefits. SHould I talk to my uro first about that and stop Elavil? I've heard that certain medications can interact with herbal remedies in negative ways. And, does Quercetin even work in anybody's experience and is it worth the hefty price tag?

Taking quercetin and Elavil together should not be a problem. Some people have been helped tremendously by quercetin. It's worth trying a month's worth of a reputable brand. If you experience no relief by 30 days, give up on it and move onto other treatments.

[LightningTree]

Hey DJ,

First of all. Welcome! As much as that can be a positive thing, anyway.

Secondly, it doesn't seem to matter what kind of health system you have. Capitalist or socialist, most doctors we engage would rather we people with chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome dissappear. I won't speculate as to why.

That being said, it is very important that we here don't jump the gun on you! I won't say you have chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome because you need to have symptoms for at least 6 months to qualify. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do the best for yourself in terms of healthcare right now. I saw a PT at four months. So to say you should wait would be hypocritical. I recommend seeing that PT.

Your symptoms do seem familiar, though.

Now, you did mention that you are prone to anxiety attacks over certain things. I want to distinguish between two types of attack and see if either fits you.

A panic attack is a very specific set of symptoms. We all tend to use the phrase 'panic attack.' But believe me, you would really know it if you had a real honest-to-goodness panic attack: Sweating, increased heart-rate, like you are running from a lion, etc, over things that don't deserve such a response. If this happens upon sky-diving you'll get no sympathy from me!

Now, anxiety and anxiety attacks are a little different. Anxious people tend to be self guarding and self-protecting. They are 'on guard' for threats and danger in situations where other people are relaxed. In an anxiety attack, you may perceive that something specific and bad is going to happen to you or someone you care about. Or, you might just get a sense of dread and feel like something bad is about to happen, even while lounging on the couch watching TV. Do you get that?

Now, generally speaking do you find you respond to stress the same as most others, more so in onset, or less?

You say that you are generally a relaxed person. There are two possibilities. (1) You are wrong. Or (2) you are right. I tend to believe you that you are generally relaxed. But only you and a professional doctor could really evaluate that.

Therefore, the thing that strikes me most is what you say about your muscle posture. Ok, so you suck in your abdomen. Tell us more. How much do you suck in your abdomen. How often do you do it? For what length of time? Is it just when an attractive person walks by? Is it for a minute or two a day? Or is it as soon as you walk out the door until you get home at night? More info would be helpful. Same for your perineum.

For example, my experience is that my abdomen is usually relaxed when I remind myself to check, but that my perineum and rectum are sucked in.

Finally, as far as the muscle tension things goes, you would be amazed at how much tension you can hold and hardly be able to feel it. In my experience, some of us are so used to tension that releasing it feels weird, almost erotic. But it is difficult to maintain without careful concentration. Without effort and practice, we go straight back to sucking everything in.

Anywho, welcome, and continue to share your experiences and questions!

[Dj Smitty]

Well I think I've stopped sucking in my stomach for awhile now actually...this was more an issue when I was younger, but it never caused me any pain.

My perineum and rectum muslces are different though...I've read through the Paradoxical Relaxation chapter and make conscious efforts throughout the day to "drop" those muscles. More often than not, they are "sucked in" and when I let them go, it feels as if they drop. It's perfectly described in the book in my opinion.

Anyway, lately I've been feeling a whole lot better. My frequency is completely resolved and it's nearly 100% easier to urinate. There is still dribbling and leakage after but I'll definitely take that over what I had before. I've also been stretching at night and have found some tense spots. I don't think they're trigger points...but, well, it's on either side of my ass, almost in the place where I sit down...not quite the perineum, but where those muscles meet the beginning of your cheeks. Hard to explain, but when I press on those spots, it feels like I'm getting knifed. It does not trigger any other pain, however..and those are the only spots that gives a lot of pain when I put pressure on them. I've started sitting on cushions while on the computer.

But all in all, I feel so much better lately...maybe I'll be the type of person that gets bad flare ups and long periods of relative normalcy. I still get little niggles of pain on the sides of my bladder and the occasional burning ache in my perineum and where those pressure spots are, but if this is the worst it will ever get, I'll damn well take it!

Anybody ever had it real bad for a few months and then it just disappears?

[CppsDad]

DJ, no, it's not. It's just like the picture above. No electronics.