Question: Epididymitis for 4 1/2 months. I am 57 years old, male, single. Good health except for high blood pressure (I take medication for it). I live in Los Angeles, California. I am not overweight, do not drink alcohol, do not smoke.

No STDs. No urinalysis or urine culture showed bacteria.

I first recognized the problem when I had a painful ejaculation and blood in semen.

i have multiple symptomatic cysts: head, upper body and tail. Cipro worked, but as soon as I got off, the pain returned. Bactrim did not work. I am on day 15 of another 30-day Cipro treatment and it is helping but one area still is sometimes very painful. I have had a case of light prostatitis as well as a urinary tract inflammation (urethra and bladder).

This one particularly painful spot is at the upper rear of the left testicle. But it is not in the head of the epididymis. It is a dull ache that at times is so bad I need to take painkillers.

I take two hot baths a day for 20 minutes, which help. Ice helps but not on the one spot at the upper rear of my testicle.

I have been receiving accupuncture and Chinese herbs for 2 months, as well.

I have been to 3 urologists in LA who all said I could have surgical removal of epididymis. But I am afraid to do this as I have read statistics that anywhere from 10% to 20% (some websites say 50%) of patients get no relief from epididyectomy. And some get worse.

I have located 3 doctors who give injections of antibiotics directly into prostate, one of them will inject into scrotum but not epididymis. they are located in Ventura, California, New York, and Italy. I am thinking of going to New York because this is the doctor who injects into the scrotum.

Are there any other solutions for me to try? (Traditional western, Indian, Chinese or alternative)

Other medicines besides Cipro, Levaquin and Doxycycline?

Do you have thoughts on surgery? On prostate/scrotum injections?

Any other advice?

Thanks in advance for your help.
Robert R.