Diagnosed with Balanitis

francozola

Don't know whether I should start this topic in here but can't find anywhere else to post.
So about 6 weeks ago I woke up with 2 small spots on my penis head which frightened me as I haven't had sex since late last year. Although I did masterbate the night before.
Went to a doctor who diagnosed me with Balanitis prescribed me with Canesten HC cream and augmentin. While the spots went down a mark was still visible and after a few days they began to become more noticeable. I went to the Doc again and he said to continue using the cream and prescribed me with diflucan to take.
Next check up he said he was happy that it was going away but to continue using the cream for two weeks. The spots were still visible and last week I went to a different doctor to make sure I haven't been misdiagnosed. He concurred it was a small case of Balanitis and prescribed me a new cream and steroids. It's been about four days and tbh it's having the same effect - spots gone down but still visible. I have what looks like white marks where I think the infection began under my foreskin. This definitely wasn't there when I originally found the spots.
So I've a few questions in no particular order.
Has anyone had this type of experience with Balanitis before?
Could I have been misdiagnosed?
The doctor said it was a minor case. I'm wondering could circumcision be the only cure for this if it is balanitis. Circumcision scares the life out of me. I find it quite tough reading on the thread in here.

Obviously I'm hoping it could be something else that's easily rectified. But my diet hasn't changed in the last few months. And show no signs of any other illness.

If anyone has any advice or help it would be gratefully accepted. Thanks

Wibbs

Have you been checked for diabetes, or pre diabetes conditions? That makes infections like that more likely. If it were me I'd be looking at that, if nothing else to exclude it.

francozola

Wibbs wrote: »

Have you been checked for diabetes, or pre diabetes conditions? That makes infections like that more likely. If it were me I'd be looking at that, if nothing else to exclude it.

No haven't been checked for diabetes. Haven't changed much in my diet recently and show no other symptoms of diabetes.

Wibbs

Type 2 diabetes can sometimes present as asymptomatic. You can have no real indication of it and only testing will show it up. Check out this link. The first paragraph;

The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is readily entertained when a patient presents with classic symptoms (ie, polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, weight loss). Other symptoms that may suggest hyperglycemia include blurred vision, lower extremity paresthesias, or yeast infections, particularly balanitis in men. However, many patients with type 2 diabetes are asymptomatic, and their disease remains undiagnosed for many years.
Emphasis mine.

The reason I thought of diabetes as a possible thing was IIRC from the circumcision thread hereabouts where another poster noted it. It's probably nothing F, but if it were me I'd be looking at it as a possible indicator.

laserlad2010

1. Balanitis is normal 99% of the time
2. Practice wearing your foreskin pulled back. At first this will seem very sensitive, but it will harden (keratinise) the penile head which reduces the moisture levels.
3. wash and then dry under your foreskin with gentle soap and water.
4. Don't wash too much - you'll make it worse. Once every two days is fine.
5. I would advise against creams - they're wet and can make things worse. Try Canesten powder which is over the counter in any pharmacy.
6. Yes diabetes can cause balanitis - a simple blood test will rule this out.

Don't worry man - I've had it a few times and it's usually a chemical or contact balanitis, rather than a proper fungal or bacterial one. If the above steps don't work get diabetes ruled out. I found that wearing my foreskin back would sort it within a day.

francozola

laserlad2010 wrote: »

1. Balanitis is normal 99% of the time
2. Practice wearing your foreskin pulled back. At first this will seem very sensitive, but it will harden (keratinise) the penile head which reduces the moisture levels.
3. wash and then dry under your foreskin with gentle soap and water.
4. Don't wash too much - you'll make it worse. Once every two days is fine.
5. I would advise against creams - they're wet and can make things worse. Try Canesten powder which is over the counter in any pharmacy.
6. Yes diabetes can cause balanitis - a simple blood test will rule this out.

Don't worry man - I've had it a few times and it's usually a chemical or contact balanitis, rather than a proper fungal or bacterial one. If the above steps don't work get diabetes ruled out. I found that wearing my foreskin back would sort it within a day.

Thanks, any gentle soap you can recommend? I did masterbate a couple of times the night before the spots appeared (have done that a couple of times with no effect) but also got hit in that region during a hurling match a couple days before.
The antibiotics haven't seemed to have had a healing effect. I haven't changed shower gel or anything like that in months if not years.
I can't seem to say where it stems from as I wash myself everyday. It's the white zit/cyst that scares me now. Located as the foreskin moves towards the tip, it seems its gotten underneath there and spread. That wasn't there when the original bumps showed up.

Hard not to worry when it's your manhood that's affected

Pawwed Rig

Change the jocks morning and night too.

Wibbs

francozola wrote: »

Thanks, any gentle soap you can recommend? I did masterbate a couple of times the night before the spots appeared (have done that a couple of times with no effect) but also got hit in that region during a hurling match a couple days before.

*Alert* BroScience. I can't see having an old peddle and crank could have much of an effect F and getting hit in the family jewels ditto. If fiddling with oneself was hazardous to one's willie health I'd have been in a pine box long ago.

The antibiotics haven't seemed to have had a healing effect.

Again BroScience alert, but from what I know(in fairness... ) antibiotics increase the risk of fungal infections. Certainly women who suffer from candida/thrush often report worse outbreaks after a course of antibiotics. An ex of mine used be a martyr to that after any antibiotics. The actual science backs that up too. TBH I was a little surprised to hear you were prescribed a wide spectrum drug like augmentin, as it is associated with increased growth of fungi like candida? I presume the mushroom that causes Balanitis is different?

Just a thought and maybe the ladies reading can chime in on this, but some have gotten relief from the symptoms of fungal infections with an application of natural yoghurt to their lady parts. Again the science is on the fence on the matter, but maybe it might help? Though I would suggest that if you don't live alone dipping your chap in a container of yoghurt in plain view should be avoided.

Hard not to worry when it's your manhood that's affected

Hell yeah F. I hear that. Just remember head, that no matter what it can be sorted. Might take time, might take another opinion, but it can be sorted.

francozola

Thanks again. It's just frustrating, having this appear and been prescribed so many treatments nothing seems to work. Reading online hasn't helped either, the thought of being circumcised scares the bejesus out of me.

I think I'll be going back for a follow up on Friday now anyway and see what the doctor says. I imagine next step will be a urologist/dermatologist?
I have no itchyness, tenderness, pain when urinating. Just those two spots and now the white formation.

H3llR4iser

Balanitis is normally caused by relatively trivial things - both insufficient and excessive washing of the area can trigger it, as well as not rinsing out all the soap properly after a shower or so; It's just that the almost permanently...damp environment "in there" creates an ideal situation for bacteria to thrive.

It's also usually easy to treat - but it may take a bit of time.

Out of curiosity, why do you keep mentioning circumcision? Is your foreskin tight and/or difficult to retract in any way?

I don't know what you read on the dedicated thread, I had it done when I was already 27 - night in the hospital, 30/40 minutes surgery, out and about a week later, back to work in 15 days (the doc suggested so and I wasn't going to say no to a couple of weeks of doing nothing!).

The...hardest part of it was to manage the little guy down there when it forgot about the stitches and spontaneously decided to go into "race mode", usually arount 5/6am - quick trip to the toilette, cold water on face and wrists and problem solved

Then again, maybe you don't need any surgery.

francozola

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Balanitis is normally caused by relatively trivial things - both insufficient and excessive washing of the area can trigger it, as well as not rinsing out all the soap properly after a shower or so; It's just that the almost permanently...damp environment "in there" creates an ideal situation for bacteria to thrive.

It's also usually easy to treat - but it may take a bit of time.

Out of curiosity, why do you keep mentioning circumcision? Is your foreskin tight and/or difficult to retract in any way?

I don't know what you read on the dedicated thread, I had it done when I was already 27 - night in the hospital, 30/40 minutes surgery, out and about a week later, back to work in 15 days (the doc suggested so and I wasn't going to say no to a couple of weeks of doing nothing!).

The...hardest part of it was to manage the little guy down there when it forgot about the stitches and spontaneously decided to go into "race mode", usually arount 5/6am - quick trip to the toilette, cold water on face and wrists and problem solved

Then again, maybe you don't need any surgery.

Thanks for replying. I suppose from reading online and having 3 courses of medication, I've been thinking that circumcision might be the only remedy. I suppose I'm a glass empty kinda guy.

I've a follow up on Friday. There's been a little bit of improvement the last couple of days. But still have the two main spots appearing

Lex Luthor

If its fungal, then it will keep re-occurring

Hows your diet? Sugary?

Try cut down on sugars, eat more probiotics (natural yoghurt)

Take salt baths, not table salt but Tescos sell Sea Salt (Don Jose I think)...use about half the tube in warm water, not too hot (lukewarm is best) and sit for 30mins.
Try this daily if you can for a week or 2, it will definitely help

Daktarin cream aswell over the counter is good

It will take a while but patience is the key....you might have to knock the funny business on the head for the while as it will help with the recovery

ps. Take a teaspoon of Pressed Coconut oil daily, can be got in Tesco in a jar. Its good for balancing the gut to fight yeast infections

francozola

Lex Luthor wrote: »

If its fungal, then it will keep re-occurring

Hows your diet? Sugary?

Try cut down on sugars, eat more probiotics (natural yoghurt)

Take salt baths, not table salt but Tescos sell Sea Salt (Don Jose I think)...use about half the tube in warm water, not too hot (lukewarm is best) and sit for 30mins.
Try this daily if you can for a week or 2, it will definitely help

Daktarin cream aswell over the counter is good

It will take a while but patience is the key....you might have to knock the funny business on the head for the while as it will help with the recovery

ps. Take a teaspoon of Pressed Coconut oil daily, can be got in Tesco in a jar. Its good for balancing the gut to fight yeast infections

Well when it appeared originally I would say I wasn't eating as many sugars as I used to. But I would certainly admit my diet isn't the healthiest. I have cut out sweets and drink the last few days and seen a reaction. Eating Activia daily as well so hoping these help.

I've been on Daktarin for the last week and seen mixed results so far. One thing I've noticed is the head is rather dry the last couple of days.

Cheers for the advice.

Lex Luthor

francozola wrote: »

One thing I've noticed is the head is rather dry the last couple of days.

Use Vaseline with Aloe Vera 2-3 times per day will help with this

You can get it in small tins (pocket size) and lasts weeks, says on the tin its for lip therapy

francozola

Thanks guys for all of your input. I suppose I'm facing up to the reality that this will be a longer recovery than just a dose of antibiotics. I'm having a follow up with my doctor tomorrow. The bump is tiny but still visible. I hope it's not serious, it shouldn't be really. I'm not covered in them but I suppose better safe than sorry.

I'll update tomorrow when I know more

francozola

So just back from the doctor. He is happy there's no longer an infection anyway that is causing the bump. He believes is is a superficial mark that's taking time to heal. So I'm on no cream, no antibiotics for the next two weeks. If the mark is still there the next step will be to go to a dermatologist. But hopefully it doesn't get worse over that time.

francozola

So it's been 5 days since I've seen the doctor. The mark is still there. Had my first erection in a long while last night. Interestingly it disappeared while I had this but was still present this morning.

No cream, no antibiotics. Just the bump. Still no irritation or anything else. It boggles my mind. I'm debating whether or not to go back to doctor. He assured me all was fine but maybe a follow up with a dermatologist would be best.

Anyone care to give advice.

laserlad2010

In the nicest possible way, I think you are starting to obsess over this. I understand your imagination is racing - but I'd advise you to either take your doctor's (entirely reasonable) advice and wait another while before seeking the opinion of a specialist.

It's interesting and quite reassuring that it disappears during an erection - perhaps this is just the balanitis healing up. Other things that come to my mind are penile papillae or even a blocked sweat gland.

The reason I mention obsessing is that excessive washing or rubbing will make this worse... so you could be contributing to this without knowing.

I feel we're reaching the limits of what we can offer here on boards.ie. Perhaps talking again to your doctor would help. My own opinion is that you need to give this more time.