Does A Course Of Doxycycline Have Any Effect On STD Test Results?

Posted on Tue, 5 Jul 2016

Question: I went to my doctor as I was having balanitis symptoms. He tested me for chlamydia and gonrhea and as a precaution put me on 4 weeks of doxycycline 100mg twice a day. I finished the dose on XXXXXXX 2nd. The tests were negative then. I am still freaking about it and I want to get retested. If I test for std's 5 days after completing doxycycline will it affect the results?

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Balanitis caused by may etiology.Exact Diagnosis and treatment is important

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
Balanitis is caused by a variety of reasons including infectious and non infectious causes. Balanitis due to Gonorrhea or Chlamydia are unusual. You had
Cap Doxycyclin twice daily for 4 weeks(?). Treatment without diagnosis would not be very useful. For example, Doxycyclin for Chlamydia would be meaningful(that too 4 weeks?), whereas in Gonorrhea and balanitis, it has no value.
Candidiasis, Herpes, irritant balanitis have to be ruled out apart from other other STDs like Syphilis.
Are you circumcised or not? If not, your foreskin is freely movable or not?
Share about your sexual activities. Whether your partner has any genital problem? Have you any diabetes?
If possible upload the picture.
4 weeks course of Doxycyclin can affect the result test for Syphilis (delayed reactivity in presence of infection).
Dr S.Murugan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (53 minutes later)

This is what happened. On march 8th I had possible exposure. I started noticing white dry stuff build up under my penis after about 10 days and just kept washing it for a few weeks. When it did not go away and after reading the internet I got my self tested for std's on April 15th. All tests came back negative. Then I went to see my doctor and he said it looks like candida balanoposthitis. He prescribed me Mycolog II cream to apply on the penis glans twice a day and once a day terbinafin. He asked me to do this for 2 weeks. I am uncircumsized by the way. After 2 weeks I stopped the medicine as doctor suggested and the symptoms came back. There was no white stuff but penile discomfort and forskin sticking to the head and difficult to pull back. I could pull it back all the way but it is not easy. Also if I masturbate it becomes really red. I also developed frequent urination. At this point my doctor tested for uti and he said it might be prostatitis. So he put me on doxycycline for 2 weeks alongwith flomax (tamsulosin) once a day. He also asked to continue applying the cream and terbanifine. After 2 more weeks the symptoms wont go away so I went back to him. He asked me to see a urologist. I have the urologist appt on XXXXXXX 17. My doctor asked me to continue taking the doxy for another 2 weeks continue applying the cream until I see the urologist. As I said the doxy 4 weeks dose finished on XXXXXXX 2. And I stopped applying the cream as it has steroid and I am a little scared of taking so many medicines. So I went back to test for all std's today. Attaching pictures and previous test results.

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (21 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Consult a Dermato-venereologist and get well soon.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
Your symptoms fit with candidal balanoposthitis. Terbinafin is not the right choice of drug to treat candidates. Terbinafin works well for jock itch or ring worm infection. Plain Clotrimazole cream with oral Flucanazole or Itrcanazole are right choice of treatment. Consult a Dermato-venereologist rather than a Urologist. Your test reports were not found in this site. Rule out Diabetes. Abstain from sex till competition of treatment. Treatment of partner is very important. Are you on any other drugs? Get well soon. Dr S Murugan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (3 minutes later)

I take livothyroxin 150mcg and omeprezole 40mg. No other medications. I also changed my doctor and went to a new doctor. He said the same thing about the medications. Previous doctor did not take any swab to check for fungal infection. The new doctor has taken a swab and results will be back in 2 days. My previous doctor treated my wife too to be safe even though she did not have symptoms. We have not had sex since then.

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Antibiotics to be chosen as per the sensitivity report of urine.

Detailed Answer:
HI,
WELCOME BACK.
Tablets levothyroxine and Omeperazole would not have any effect on the outcome of Balanitis treatment. But be sure whether your Thyroid hormone levels are within normal limits.
Your pictures revealed balanitis. It could be due to irritation also, possibly due to some applications(soap, antiseptic or the cream you applied). Clotrimazole cream is preferable than Nystatin preparation to cure candidiasis balanitis.
Regarding your results there is no evidence of Gonorrhea or Chlamydia. You need some other antibiotic other than Doxycyclin to tackle the infection as per culture and sensitivity report.
Get well soon.
Dr S.Murugan

Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar