Question: I have more questions for Dr XXXXXXX I had new developments.I went to my family doctor and discussed your suggestion of getting urethral culture from prostatic massage and was told that the treatment for me is 6 weeks of ciproflaxin and if that doesn't work they would look at other alternatives but would not specify.No referral to specialist yet. I went to about 2.5 weeks and ciproflaxin was making me very weak as i could not sleep so i stopped as i was afraid of getting something more serious.That was a few days ago and haven't seen my doctor around that yet as i am afraid he will send me back to cipro again. A friend of mine who has had prostate issues also was told by his urologist that the reason prostate infections don't go away is that we never fully empty our bladders.He said after he was put on FLOMAX to better empty his bladder he has been doing good for 10 years.He also takes another pill to shrink the prostate but now he is considering a new type of surgery (less invasive than current one) so he can get out of the medications. I find that my flow is not too bad but i have to go generally every two hours except for during the night where i get by with one generally (i.e once before going to bed,once during the night and once at waking up in the morning).Mt friend's flow was very limited though to the point where he had to go to hospital and get a catheter inserted for 2 weeks to fully empty the bladder.I do get burning sensation at the end of penis though and what appears to be more liquid ejaculation. Do you think FLOMAX could help me or is my only choice the antibiotics over long periods of time without bacterial culture to help select the best one.Actually my gastroenterologist was very surprised that the doctor would prescribe 6 weeks of antibiotics with no bacterial culture to support it?We have two or three urologists in town why can't i get a referral?Is it because they will put me on the same diet of antibiotics? Comments/suggestions? XXXXXXX

Thank you again.I had some new developments.About 10 days ago i decided i would stop the antibiotics (cipro) after 2.5 weeks as they were making me sick and not producing firm results. I stopped at the walk in clinic and explained my situation to the gp on shift.He did another rectal exam and told me that he would have expected my prostate to be much worse and giving me pain which it didn't. He said that more and more they see men with irritable bladder syndrome and he said to try two weeks of VESICARE (Solifenacin Succinat) and this should relax my bladder and hopefully solve the issue.If not go back to my family doctor and get referred for cystoscopy or specialist. I have been on those pills for about 8-9 days and although it makes the symptoms less annoying,i don't think it is solving the problem as i still feel the burning warm sensation on tip of penis and still urinate about every 2 hours.. So i am wondering after that rectal exam is my problem a flow issue or an infection issue or both? I know that i don't want to go back on cipro and wouldn't mind trying another antibiotic if we have bacterial culture to support it. Comments/suggestions?

Thanks Dr XXXXXXX I will try again with my doctor on friday and we'll see. The Mayo Clinic book on prostate does say that for chronic prostatitis you may have to try antibiotics for lengthy periods of time but it also suggests your prostatic massage for which my doctor's associate said they don't do that here. I don't know how i will do on other antibiotics for long periods when their favorite Cipro made me sick or super tired after 2 weeks. The lectures i did on chronic prostatitis also says it is often associated with pelvic pain. Anyways thanks for your help.