Balanitis in Men.

[Dippy]

Hi there,

I am new to the forum, but have been a reader for a long time.

I have been a diabetic for around 3 years, I am a type 2 (flavour), I dont take any pills or anything and am as fit as a fiddle. (Well I do try hard in the gym - can cycle 4 miles in 15mins, all up hill) lol lol.

But for the last few months, I have a bit of an issue, with my man bits. ( I am so not happy about)

I have a sore, dry, ichey penis head and sometimes have pain in the end of my penis when I pass water, I have been to the STI clinc and been checked out, and all is well there.

I have dont some re-search on the web and found somthing called "balanitis", which is a yeast infection of some sorts.

But my re-search has found, that its somthing that I need to put up with for the rest of my life.

Went to my G.P about 3 weeks ago and he just said that its down to my diabeties (like its something else I need to live with), but then said my HBA1C is ok at 6.3%, he gave a cream called Canesten HC, which is used for 7 to 8 days, as I was told, but the condition has slowly come back.

ALso for information, I have never had a HBA1C over 6.3% for the last 2 years, before that is was 6.5%

To be honest, its really getting me down now.

Diet wise, I am a low carb man, my weight is normal, BP is fine, cholesterol is a little high at 5.9% - could that be the cause??

Has any1 got any advice.

Thank you,
Dippy.

 

[Grazer]

Yeast infections for men (like thrush) are normally a result of BGs being too high. Lots of blokes have reported having this until they got their Bgs down. Until then, Canesten is the standard treatment. Your BG is pretty good in the HbA1c department. But you do lots of exercise, which would give you periods of quite low BGs. You must therefore be getting high Bgs after eating fairly regularly to give you an average resulting in your HbA1c of 6.3. I wonder if these peaks are what could be giving you your infections. Do you test? what do you get at the +2 hour stage?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm afraid that thrush for us type 2 chaps is always a risk and though I thankfully haven't had the symptoms you describe recently, I have had them. The standard treatment is Canestan (I think the prescribed one is better but I have used the over-the-counter on, which is red rather than blue). It's not an instant fix - expect to have to put it on a couple of times a day for a few days. Another cream I have found useful is Trimovate, but I think that's only on prescription.

If I get a bad episode then I start with a Canestan Once tablet and then the cream - you can buy them in the pharmacy, where they're likely to look at you strangely as obviously thrush is a girls-only problem :roll:

I hope that helps - it doesn't happen all the time and it does improve considerably with better control, though your numbers sound fine.

right - far too much embarrassing talk - let's talk about gas barbecues or something.

 

[phoenix]

Balanitis simply means inflammation of the glans penis for which there are several causes
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Balanitis.htm
However, looks as if your doc thinks that it that it is thrush.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Thrush-men ... ptoms.aspx
If canesten doesn't work: fluconazole ,a tablet may be more effective

Thrush is common in people with diabetes, although your glucose levels aren't very high, they are still above those in non diabetics . Non diabetics can get thrush too.

If you have a partner, they may also need treatment.

 

[Dippy]

Hi Grazer,

I do test before food and 2 hours laters and I am normally around the before food level.
E.g Before food I am around 5.5 to 6.5mmol, 2 hours later I am the same.

I never normal check before exersise, when i have done I am around 5.5 to 6.5, but after exersise I am allways between 4.5 and 5.5mmol.

I always try to get back down to less than 6.5mmol 2 hours after food, as I know the national limit is 7.5mmol 2 hours after food.

But this Balanitis / Thrush is really starting to get me down now. As I guess all men worry about there bits, but as a diabetic, I tend to worry even more.

Thank you,
Dippy.

 

[WhitbyJet]

Dippy - lots of probiotics will help, have some every day, twice a day if poss, things like fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut, kimchee, kefir, live yoghurt - you can make them yourself.

 

[hanadr]

Yyou neeed to check or urine sugar. Some people have a low renal threshold and pass glucose even if blood glucose isn't very high. Also
HbA1c isn't a good indicator of spiking. You may have a good average and still be spiking high for a significant part of each day. Check your spiking an hour after eating and if you are going over about 8 try to iron that out. A low renal threshold combined with spiking BG could be causing you to pass sugar, which the microbes love.
Another useful trick is to wipe with an antiseptic baby wipe after passing urine. After all the condition is rather like nappy rash. In an uncircumsised man, damage to the foreskin can result, necessitating circumcision. I think that's called "phimosis"
Hana

 

[Dippy]

Hello there,

How do I check my sugar in my urine? Is there some sort of strips I can buy??

Also do non diabetics not get spiking?

Also yogurt, i take it that I am ment to eat it???

Sorry silly questions I know, but i dont know.. lol.

Thank you

Dippy.

 

[Grazer]

No, non diabetics don't spike like us. Their first phase insulin release is far more effective so BGs start to get pulled back much quicker and don't get as high.

 

[mish1953]

Hey up .. foreskin splitting yet ? Like loads of paper cuts ... that nips a bit !
You really dont want any .. errr ... swellings as that really hurts.
Trimovate ( prescription ) helps .

Happy Daze
Hamish roblem:

 

[Dippy]

Hello Mish1953,

Mate does feel like its not mine, never in my life had this before and its killing me.

Its funny, but not funny as the other half, thinks it well funny..

Thanks
Dippy. :thumbdown:

 

[mish1953]

Sorry , much mirth .... todger ... yoghurt ... noooooooooo thats soooo wrong ..


Sorry dude , it's horrid and hurts but it will get better ..

8)

 

[Dippy]

Lol lol lol.

I dam well hope so, but have been reading around this site, and once you have had it, it always comes back, over and over again.

I hope not.

Thanks,

Dippy.

 

[Dippy]

I am back at the doctors tomorrow, so we shall see what he has to say about it.

 

[mish1953]

Touch Wood ( much sniggering ) I've only had the problem once and it hasn't risen again :shock:

I would recommend that you stay well away from viagra until its sorted .

good luck at the Docs

 

[Dippy]

Lol lol.

Well hopefully once its cleared up, it will never come back again.

Ahhh i am still making tents in a morning which can be painfull.

No need for the Viagra yet.. lol lol lol. But this diabeties lark, who know when one may need the little blue pill.

Thank you.

Dippy.

 

[borofergie]

This is as good a reason as any to improve your BG control. I was plagued with it before diagnosis (to the extent that I was having to rotate chemists for my canesten supplies). It's horrible.

Never had it back since I got my BG under control.

 

[WhitbyJet]

+1borofergie
Keeping tight control of blood sugar levels and if yours are between 6 and 7 there is still some room for improvement. Probiotic foods such as live yogurt kefir and fermented vegetables will help you get rid of yeast overgrowth in the gut. So try to EAT plenty of those.

 

[JaneFrazer]

@whitbyJet: what exactly are fermented vegetables?
ty

 

[Grazer]

@whitbyJet: what exactly are fermented vegetables?
ty

They're the things you find in your fridge when you get back from hols