need help/advice

I have had BPH symptoms on and off for 10 years or so. In recent years I've
been on Hytrin and later on flomax and they have worked wonders.


Well, in recent months, the situation has worsened. Much more difficulty
urinating and then a lot of pain/discomfort. That started in early
September, cleared up in 2 weeks, and now has occurred again for the last 2
1/2 weeks. The pain seems to move around in the pelvic area. It goes from
lower abdomen (bladder) area to penis to testacles (increasing here -- dull
ache and the pain seems to be symmetrical).

I finally saw my GP . I am sure it feels like a urinary track infection
and/or prostatitis. However, urine tests (as before) continue to be
negative. He did a DRE and that is very normal (if it is prostatitis he says
I would go through the roof upon such an examination), although he does say
it feels like my prostate is quite large (and he feels it has gotten larger
over the years).

He did give me zithromax as that does have some coverage and we will see if
a short course of that has any effect. His best guess, however, is that I am
having pain and inflammation due to the BPH. In short, I'm probably not
quite totally emptying and that is causing some irritation. But, who
knows!!! I will try the zithromax on Thursday night (in case of stomach
upset, I don't want to ruin a Thanksgiving family get-together)

Meanwhile, the only good thing that has happened is that U. of Mich. has now
gone on the laserscope bandwagon (I was hoping for that --- they are a very
good, prestigous medical center, so that's a good sign). I'm seeing their
PVP uro guy on 1/5, so that should start the ball rolling anyway.

I assume he would do a cystoscope and that would give me some information
and hopefully confirm that I do have BPH.(or something else fixable).

Any comments/suggestions?? Doesn't this still sound like prostatitis

Mel