Coping With Prostatitis

I am 50 and never heard anyone talk of something like this before. I had painless hematuria (blood in the urine, without pain) one day without warning. I was shocked and concerned. It was fairly significant, so I went to the doctor. I was told that, because my urine flow appeared to be clear, with blood only at the end, that this was most likely prostatitis I was put on Cipro, an antibiotic, for 10 days. The bleeding didn’t stop. After about 6 days, I began to develop severe searing, stabbing pains in my abdomen and a general fiery, burning sensation affecting my entire abdomen, bladder, anus, intestines, prostate and urethra. It was excrutiatingly painful and woke me up hourly at night. I began to get agonizingly painful tendon pulls all over my body from doing everyday things like pulling a lid off a jar, walking, my regular stretching regimen, etc. I thought that the bleeding was related and that I had something deadly. I told the doctor, and was given a prescription renewal for more Cipro. Then, I learned that this is a side effect of Cipro and discontinued the antibiotic. The pain has entirely stopped, but the bleeding persists. I had an ultrasound and it showed no cancer or kidney stones or other abnormalities. I see a urologist in 2 days, but all indications are that this is a simple case of nonbacterial prostatitis (it is essential to always see a urologist when there is blood in the urine). Since going off the antibiotics, I have been able to orient the source of the pain very well, and I can feel that my prostate is stinging and prickling and that it is swollen when I walk or sit. Sometimes there is no blood at all, then an hour or a few later, there is blood again. Walking seems to be the best therapy. Bicycling makes it bleed more, so I got an anatomical (split) saddle, but I haven’t tried it yet. There is no pain and since being off the Cipro, I feel great despite the bleeding. This supposedly affects 50% of men, so it is very common, but a urologist must determine that it is not something more serious. Get it checked NOW.