Can you get it without symptoms?

My Infection Experience [28 M, UK]

Residual Symptoms

Hello everyone. I’ve been lurking in this subreddit for a couple of months now while I battled my concerns/symptoms with a Mycoplasma genitalium test kit. I wanted to use this time to share my story about STD at-home Tests if it will help others.

I got my diagnosis after a Mycoplasma genitalium test in late December after battling a string of symptoms since October 2022.

For a bit of background, I met my ex in late August. After a couple of dates, we decided we could see this going the distance. One thing led to another, and we decided to sleep together. Before this, we had a discussion on sexual health and when we last got a test. Both she and I received a clean bill of sexual health from previous clinic visits. So, I decided to forego the use of condoms in the future. The only point of note is that she would occasionally have flare-ups of PID (Pelvic Inflammatory disease) from a previous diagnosis of Chlamydia, which she had since cleared.

Following the STD Tests, all was going well until around early October time when I started to experience painful urination along with an extremely itchy penis tip and, more shockingly, yellow-tinged discharge. The mycoplasma symptoms would come and go. One thing I noticed that was quite constant was how, every morning, as soon as I woke up, I noticed yellow discharge seeping from the tip of my urethra.

What was it?

I went to my GP as I was convinced it couldn’t be an STD. Both me and my GF at the time being checked before sleeping together. Anyway, my GP tested for UTI, which came back negative. GP t en told me to go to the Sexual Health Clinic to get a Chlamydia test and a Gonorrhoea test. Instead, I got a full profile of 8 STD Tests. They all came back negative. I even did one of those Mycoplasma test at-home kits, which came back negative, so I was certain it wasn’t that.

Following this, I went back to my GP, who prescribed Metronidazole for a possible UTI. The symptoms were still present during the course but not as bad; I could feel something was wrong. I went back to my GP, who suspected prostatitis and prescribed Ciprofloxacin. Sy atoms were dulling a bit during the course. However, I finished the course, and all the symptoms returned. In early November, my partner and I decided to part ways. This was unfortunate, but such is life.

Symptoms

During the course, I noticed the symptoms had reduced but were still present. A few days after completing the Doxycycline, I got a call from the clinic. I had a positive Mycoplasma result. I returned to pick up some more antibiotics (Azithromycin). After finishing the Azithromycin, I was told I would need to wait 5 weeks before returning to the clinic for my TOC. After testing positive for Mycoplasma, I immediately contacted my ex, who said she would also need to get tested.

As a point of note, my experience with Azithromycin was not nice; I experienced some severe stomach cramps that would kick in 2-3 hours after taking them; regardless, I finished the course and waited until the 5-week mark to get a check again. During this time, my ex got back in touch, saying she tested negative for Mycoplasma genitalium, which was a shock. St ll, after speaking with the clinic during my first TOC visit, they said the STD infection could clear independently without medication.

Recurring symptoms

During my first TOC visit, I explained how, after taking the Doxycycline+Azithromycinmy, symptoms started to disappear. St ll as the date for my TOC got closer, I started to notice the symptoms return, and by the 4th week before my TOC, I was experiencing yellowish discharge again. The STD clinic mentioned how some people are resistant to Azithromycin and then asked me to submit my urine sample.

Since my symptoms were quite bad by this point, the nurse prescribed me some more Doxycycline. Fo lowing a couple of days’ wait, the clinic got back in contact, saying I was still testing positive for Mycoplasma genitalium and then prescribed me Moxifloxacin to take immediately following the Doxycycline.

Once I got my mycoplasma Report and completed the course of Doxycycline+Moxifloxacin, my symptoms started to change. I stopped experiencing the yellow discharge and started to experience more of a clear discharge, similar to pre-cum. I would also occasionally experience sharp pains/itches at the tip of my penis and pain during urination and ejaculation, but this was intermittent. One week, in particular, I was working abroad and experiencing no symptoms. It could be because my mind was on my work; however, as soon as I got back from my trip and was driving back from the airport, I started to notice symptoms again – perhaps psychological or just because I wasn’t distracted as much, so I started to notice.

As my 5-week TOC appointment

I expected to see the yellow discharge again, but the yellow tinge never returned. In step d, I would continue to have clear discharge that would sometimes appear at random times of the day. When I was purposely looking for it, I would try and “milk it” out from my urethra. I was experiencing stinging whilst urinating and during ejaculation as well as a heavy feeling in my penis/urethra. This is something I had never experienced before. It was very convincing that I was going to test positive again.

Anyway, I went for the TOC, and a few days later, I got a negative result. This is a relief, but part of me still feels like I can’t relax. I’m quite an anxious person. Returning for another TOC later this month is very tempting for peace of mind. The last thing I would want would be to have Mycoplasma still and pass it on to a future GF after we both decide to go condomless. Let me know what you think here. Consider erring; I waited 5 weeks after completing the Doxycycline+Moxifloxacin and now have one negative result. Do you think I should go for another TOC or try to forget about it and move on?

Currently

As I write this post, I am still occasionally experiencing the occasional clear discharge/precum. I men oned this before, which sometimes has a strange smell to it, as well as stinging at the tip of my penis during urinating/ejaculating, but this is becoming rarer and rarer.

I am also still noticing a feeling of heaviness/or discomfort in my penis/urethra, along with more frequent urination. It’s hard to describe, but it feels like a burning sensation comes and goes. A point of note is I never notice it during the night when I’m relaxing/sleeping. Only when I think about it, do I notice it more? However, after reading the pinned post on this subreddit, I am putting this down to CPPS and am now starting to incorporate pelvic floor stretches into my day-to-day to combat this – It’s still early days.

I plan to update you on how I start feeling after these stretches. Also, I believe the urination was frequent because I was subconsciously drinking more water than usual to flush out the bacteria that was left out of my body. It also helps combat the burning/discomfort and warm baths/showers.

Anyway, apologies for the long post. I just wanted to include as much detail as possible. Reading similar stories on STD Full Home Tests on this subreddit helped me. And therefore, following my diagnosis from a Mycoplasma exam all together helped me make sense of a lot of what I was experiencing.

Thank you for reading my post.

You will get there, friends; keep pushing through.