Prostatitis --- Yuck!!!!
 

Friends,

I'm off the bike for at least the week . . . prostatitis! (ALternate spelling prostitis?) Yuck. This is my third and least serious episode in 11 years. Treating it with antibiotics for about 24 hrs and I already feel much better. (For those of you who haven't had the pleasure, prostatitis is a swelling of the prostate that pinches off urine flow to a small weak trickle, and then only with effort and pain. Sorry)

BUT. I hate feeling like this so much, it makes me consider the bike as a possible contributory factor. My other episodes came when I was not an avid cyclist, but still very physically active via running, soccer, swimming, etc.

Since this is the 50+ forum and lots of you are guys, there must be some personal knowledge concernig cycling and prostatitis. Please share it. The rosier your outlook the better! I am adept at using the techniques of denial and repression if given a shred of help! I am definitely a "glass half-full" guy.

Thanks,

Tyson

While not 50+ for another 55 days I've had recurrent bouts of prostitius since my early 40's. Since that time I have ridden on Serfas saddles with a "cut-out" and have avoided most problems. I too found all physical activity to aggravate my problems but cycling to be the worst offender. Try the Serfas saddle.
Personius

This male illness can be a real bugger to cure often with poor results.
I've had Prostitis for 20+ years controlling it with Sulfa drugs & Saw palmento
supplements. There were times when it was so painful at the start I stayed
doped up for pain all the time. Now with the sulfa & palmento I keep it under
control as my doc says once deep into the prostrate organ itself it's can't be
"cured". :( See if your doctor (you are seeing doctor aren't you??) about
putting you on sulfa drugs to manage the infection.

The good news here is that bicycles DO NOT cause this illness. An infection that gets
into the blood and settles in the prostrate gland tissue DOES. Hell, you could have
had a cold a long time ago that "went down" on you cause your illness. DON'T GIVE
UP ON BIKES, MATE. Just adapt your saddle and meds.

Best of luck mate with a very painful personal illness.

Another vote for saw palmetto and the right saddle for you. (In my case, three good ol' Brooks tensioned leathers and a Serfas ARC with a perineal depression.)

+1. More than likely the causative factor is being 50+ ....unfortunately.

http://www.prostatitis.org/bikeprostate.html

If some of these "prostate friendly" seats do not work out for you, you might consider something like the Easy Seat, which avoids all contact with that area. However, from my experience, does not work too well with a road bike, better with an upright position.

Jim Langley describes it http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bicycleseats.html.

Been there, done that...:o I haven't had to go on the pain meds for it but I did get a fever of 103 degrees.:eek:

In 1999, I was hospitalized for Prostatitis No laughing matter.

My prostate must hate me because I've also had a prostatectomy for a Gleason 8 cancer (no relation to the prostatitis).

I was hospitalized in July of 2003 with the same condition and I don't ever want to experience that again. Had intravenous Cipro for two days followed by Cipro taken orally for two weeks which really did a number on my stomach.
I've been taking prescription Flomax since and, so far, no additional problems.

Since I wasn't riding back then obviously cycling was not the cause of my particular problem.

Here's hope for a full and speedy recovery.

Guys,

Thanks for the responses and encouragement. I may look at a different saddle. As you might expect, I am not too anxious to get back on the bike any too soon. And this from someone who would ride with ugly roadrash, broken bones and bruises in a heartbeat. This deal is SO UGLY, I am not tempting fate, but instead going to actually use some discretion rather than my own hard head.

BTW, For a number of reasons I didn't get registered for the Redman Half-Iron Man this past Saturday. I had pointed my training toward it most of the summer. If I had plunked down the $250.00 cash, rented a wetsuit and told people I was going to finish it, I am afraid I would have tried. I wonder how many legs of a tri a fat old man can really do while suffering from prostratitis and 101F fever? I'm afraid we would know by now!:) :eek:

Tyson

Heck Tyson - Just get a good quality bent and it'll go away. I don't have prostatitis but everytime I ride an upright I swear if I had it that it would absolutely flare up! After you get spoiled on a bent you wonder how DF riders put up with it.
If you can sit in a recliner chair without problems, you can ride a bent all day and at least eliminate those terrible saddles (as far as I'm concerned, all upright saddles are terrible) from consideration. And bents are as fast as uprights for ALL practical purposes.

Bobkat,

It's my prostate, not my BRAIN! :p LOL

Though, another week of this and I'll be trying out a recumbent! (or a car)

Tyson

I've had it twice, and both times the bike saddle was the culprit. My doctor agreed. My last bout, the spring of 2005 took two months of antibiotics to cure. I have now a Specialized saddle that has a large portion of the rear of the saddle cut away. I don't remember the name, but it looks like a v. This has done the trick. I rode a century a few weeks ago with no problems.

In 2003, I had a bout with prostatitis that lasted for 18 months. Well, actually, it's never completely gone away (the symptoms rears up every now and then), but I can manage it with a combination of diet, supplements and pain meds when it gets really out of hand. For the first year when Linda and I started cycling, I had to use a "hornless" saddle. I found the Spiderflex to be a godsend as it allowed me to really get into shape, and it caused no pain whatsoever. For the last year or so, I've been able to use practically any saddle I want to.

Like some others here, I can attest to saw palmetto helping. I've been taking it for a couple of years now, and every time I run out of the stuff for a week or so, the symptoms slowly start creeping back.

I've fortunately only had a few illnesses that I could truly call life-altering. Gout, herniated disc, and Prostatitis. Of these, Prostatitis has been the worst. It's debillitating when it hits and truly affects not only your health, but outlook on life in general. I feel for anyone that has it.

Anyway, try saw palmetto, try hot baths (they help the symptoms) try a more prostate friendly saddle when the symptoms dictate, and see a doctor :)

Good luck,

Steve

interesting advice directly on point on Cycling News today

The advise to tip the saddle up a bit is counter-intuitive, but I realize that I've actually done that on my own saddle inadvertently (the last time I adjusted it I didn't get it quite level, I thought I needed to adjust it downward, been too lazy to get around to it, now I'm not going to bother)

Good link. Thanks!

Just trying to help Tyson! In the old days us docs would do "prostatic massage" (you don't want it, trust me!) until we figured out it did way more harm than good. So when I'm on a DF saddle I always think of the good old days of Prostatic massage! Almost the same thing, except from a bike seat instead of a gloved finger from the other side! Really! Seriously! I kid you not!
Nuff said by me.............

+1

BobKat,

Thanks for the good humoured advice (That goes to all who have responded on what some regard as a relatively private matter).

But the Hobson's Choice? A bent bike orOh My Gosh!!!!:eek:

I am sure to try to recover simply with antibiotics and saw palmetto at first (AND REST). If no lasting positive change occurs soon, then different saddles will be a sure option. Finally, I guess I could learn to ride a bent. I don't consider them bicycles at all, but very interesting pieces of human-propelled machinery that have a penache of their own.

Update: I continue to have low grade fever periodically after 48 hours of Cipro antibiodics 1000mg's daily. Symptoms somewhat better but actual pain is worse than my episode about 6 years ago. Went to work for 1/2 today and had quite enough of that. I'm staying home tomorrow. (My job is a reasonable NON-sedentary professional job, I'm an assistant district attorney and actually walk about 3-4 miles a day doing it, interspersed with long hours of standing in court.)

Thanks again to all for the kind advice and wishes.

Tyson

Word of advice here mate. Once this episode is over STAY ON SAW PALMENTO
for the rest of your life. It works very well towards keeping a healthy prostrate.

Also, As mentioned get checked often for prostrate cancer because Prostitis will
mask cancer symtoms. I get a PSA test & physical check on my birthday every year.
Not nice but VERY necessary. :eek: :eek:

Easy Racers coolback seat solves the problems. bk

After doing a literature survey on well controlled scientific studies on Saw Palmetto the jury is out whether it helps long term or not, but the good news - it doesn't seem to do any harm, anyway. So if it feels good, do it! Testimonials aside, it could help one guy and not another - try it and see Worst that can happen is being out a few bucks.

Think of the prostate gland as a sponge situated just beneath the perineal skin. Because of it's spongelike anatomy when it gets infected it is difficult if not impossible to eradicate the infection completely , but that doesn't matter as long as it remains sub clinical and doesn't flare up.
But try poking and prodding a smouldering infection anywhere else in the body and you'd not be surprised to see it flare up! So continuing to do "external bike seat prostate massage" on a smouldering prostate infection and gulping hundreds of dollars of diarrhea-dosed Ciprofloxin while refusing to aknowledge the best-kept-health-secret-in-the-cycling-world........well........ sounds like Darwin at work!
I agree that tilting the bike seat upward is counter intuitive, and would caution that it is just one man's opinion. Watch getting caught in that "if it's on the internet it must be true" trap. By doing that it would tilt the pelvis abnormally backwards (producing it's own list of problems) but would do so by putting more pressure over the good old prostate! Again, trial and error - if it feels good, do it!
Just got off the phone from a friend who is one of the best Urologists I know - he recommends avoiding upwrong bikes or riding horses at the first sign or during a flare up, and thought that those funny-looking-non-bikes would eliminate the seat problem aggravation at least.
?Sex - Some docs say no, other say increase it! Again, the medical literature is unclear, so if it feels good, do it !?!
Can't win an argument with an attorney, but I rest my case! Back to the recumbent forum where this topic NEVER appears! Heh!

Good site for guys with prostate problems http://www.prostate90.com/book/bio.html

I am not going to add to this forum on the specific problem but over here it has been proved time and time again that cycling does not cause a prostate problem. It may aggravate an existing problem but does not cause it. As to sitting on a recumbent- that will not stop Prostate cancer if it is going to occur. Glad I have got that out of my hair, but Someone has mentioned about the PSA test. It is not a definitive factor in determining whether you are going to have Prostate cancer, but it is an indicator that the problem could be imminent. Glad I got that out of my hair aswell.

I never had any problems with Prostatitis and My cancer was only detected by my doctor deciding that I was of a certain age "So bend over". I do sympathise with you on the pain you suffer.

I never had any Prostate problems at all- none of your usual signs, and not even getting up in the middle of the night. Fact was that even without the signs, if you are of that certain age- Funnily enough 50+, Get to the doctors and get the tests done.

I realize that the original post was about Prostatitis not Prostate Cancer but what Stapfam says bears repeating and cannot be overemphasized.

Do not hang your hat on the PSA test.

Everyone over 50 should have a yearly Digital Rectal Exam... and if there is a first order family history (Father or Brother), back that up to over 40.

My father was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer about 8 years ago; my brother, last year. I was informed of this in December, 2005 and had a PSA in April, 2006. It was 0.4, down from 2.3 in a physical about three years previous. According to my research, anything above 4.0 in the general population or 2.5 if one has immediate family history is cause for concern so I should have been in the clear. My doctor did a DRE anyway and felt something suspicious. He sent me to a specialist and I had another DRE and a biopsy. To steal a phrase from Stapfam, "Glad I got that out of my hair".

The biopsy was positive. I am scheduled for surgery on Monday morning and will probably not ride much before the new year.

Do not hesitate to see a Doctor about this important issue.... even if you feel just fine. Neither I nor my brother had any overt symptoms. One of the doctors I conferred with (a radiation oncologist) told me that If every American male over 70 was given an biopsy, the rate of positive results would probably be over 70%.

Prostate cancer and Prostatitis are two entirely different conditions, neither of which is EVER caused by cycling!
But if some poor guy has recurrent prostatitis (nothing to do with cancer, remember) it makes sense to curtail upright cycling till it is under control. If it comes back, consider a recumbent to eliminate the pressure on the prostate becuase an upright seat may aggravate it. Simple as that!
But recumbents or uprights NEVER cause prostate cancer or make it worse. As a mattrer of fact, a lot of us over 65 guys have microscopic prostate cancer as we sit in front of our computers right now. The question always is What do you do about it?? Over 80, almost all of us have it. Won't get into that controversy......
Sorry to hear you had prosate cancer stepfam and hope you beat it OK. Don't take this personally but I'm glad your doc rummaged around in there and found it! PSA'a are OK but certainly not even close to 100%

Bobkat, et al.,

Again, thanks for the thorough and good humoured advice. To those that asked, I have been getting yearly PSA's and DRE's for the past five or six years (I'm 56). They are normal-low. Fortunately, no family history of cancer. I was due this month for the regular checkup, but will have to wait for the infection to recede before that will mean much. I would speculate as a layman that there might well be a correllation between irritated prostate cells from infection and the eventual development of Cance.

BobK, I like riding uprights in part because I enjoy competing in tri's. I don't mind eventually (or sooner, if need be) going to 'bents, but I will sure miss the tris. That said, do you think running and swimming also aggravate the gland "mechanically?" I mean, by the simple fact of moving large muscles back and forth in a fashion that irritates the prostate? With running, this is coupled with a certain amount of jarring.

I don't feel like (nor does my well feed body appears like) I am obsessive, but honestly I generally do one of the disciplines each day for 45 minutes or more as rigorously as possible. I haven't done anything now for about a week, and I am missing it badly.

(Bobkat, Staying with this thread a bit longer before going back to your bent buddies would be appreciated.)

Tyson

Nope, running and swimming shouldn't hurt at all. The muscles around the prosate aren't the ones you use in that kind of activity and aren't a factor. And continual irritation by low grade infection doesn't cause prostate cancer-no correlation, there. The main risk factors for prosate Ca is family history and age! And bad luck! If you live long enough we probably all will get microscopic prostate CA! Controversial what to do when you find it though.........
PSA's, DRE's and in some cases ultrasound are the "gold standards" of diagnosis, although it is more of a "iron standard" because of the limitations.

I am sorry in one way to hear you have PCa but glad in another that it has been caught in an early stage.

In for the op- Beginning of October- Should be on your bike by the end of November. 6 weeks after my op I sat on the saddle and got off it very quick., Boy did that hurt. Tears to the eyes did not come into it. Down to the LBS and the anatomical saddles had just come out. Got one and it was perfect for a ride 8 weeks after the op. Wasn't a couple of weeks later though as the body was now readjusting continually for the change that had been made. If Cheeselouise gets fed up with saddles being bought by Cheeseflavor- You are going to be penniless and in pain if you follow my route- In the next 6 months I must have bought 7 or 8 saddles that only worked for a few weeks at a time. In the end I went back to my original Flite Titanium saddle and did a lot of standing.- Oh, On the bike rides again- 4 months after the op- I did a metric century in the foulest weather I have ever ridden in- That ride comes up on the 8th and I am praying for dry weather this year. So how about letting us know when you are back riding- so can all do a ride with a sharp 2" rock taped to the top of the saddle, to commiserate with you.

I also am sorry to hear about your prostate cancer. I was allowed by my doc to ride a recumbent at 4 weeks and did a metric in 6. However, he didn't let me on a regular bike until 12 weeks. My surgery was done perineal so that may be why. Anyway, like stapfam, when I did finally sit on a regular bike, it hurt to high heaven. In fact, by this time I had 1,000 miles on a bent and I said screw it. I sold my Serotta and Eisentraut and never looked back. Strangely enough, though, my AL Santana has never bothered me and I still ride it.

Dennis