Questions about urine cultures and urethral swabs

As the title suggests, I’m looking for some advice or insight regarding the following:

I need to get these tests done (per my referral):
1) Urine culture and sensitivity test
2) Urethral swab for Chlamydia, mycoplasma, and ureaplasma
3) PSA test

Regarding the urine culture, does it matter if I use the first catch, or is it irrelevant? My doctor didn't specify... Also, what actually happens during a urethral swab or a PSA test? And can anyone tell me if I should fast or avoid certain foods and drinks beforehand?

I know people will say I should have just asked my doctor... but if I had, I wouldn't be bothering you all right now. 🤣

Thanks for any input. 🙏

Best, 👍

Jeffrey Martin46 said:Like the thread title says, I’m looking for some advice or insight regarding the following:

I need to get these tests done (per my referral):
1) Urine culture and antibiotic sensitivity test
2) Urethral swab for Chlamydia, mycoplasma, and ureaplasma
3) PSA test

Regarding the urine culture—does it matter if I use the first bit of urine, or does it not matter at all? My doctor didn't specify anything. Also, what's the deal with the urethral swab and the PSA? Can anyone tell me if I should fast or avoid drinking certain things beforehand?

I already know people are going to chime in saying I should have just asked my doctor... but if I had, I wouldn't be bothering you guys right now! 🤣

Thanks for any help! 🙏

Best, 👍

1. Urine culture: Use the midstream flow into the cup, and make sure to bring it to the lab in a sterile container.

2.Swab: You go to a dermatologist or an STD clinic, and a technician takes a very long swab, inserts it into the opening, and rotates it slightly inside. It’s uncomfortable, to say the least, but manageable. You also bring that in a sterile container.
Now, there is a less painful way to do this at Viro, but it’ll cost you extra. The staff there mentioned they can run tests using an ejaculate sample (collected overnight in a sterile cup), the second stream of morning urine (also in a cup), and a swab taken from the tip.
Basically, these tests are 100% reliable, and if they find anything in those samples, they can perform specific typing.
The whole thing costs about $400, which is honestly a steal compared to the discomfort of having someone shove a tube up there and scrape the walls.

3. PSA: This is a blood test used to measure prostate-specific antigen levels. Basically, they draw your blood, though I’m not sure where you should go to get it done.🤷 If you want to follow a specific order, just ask the dermatologist for a referral to a lab or a clinic.

Thanks for the deep dive... honestly, after everything I went through with the amoeba tests and the endoscopy, I just hope this goes smoothly too..
Hopefully they just push it in without any cutting..😂

I guess I need something solid to grip onto during the procedure! Maybe it’d be easier if they just handed me a handle so I could manage it myself... there are so many things to worry about!

Anyway.. thanks again! 🙏

Best 👍

You really didn't need to send me that link about the urethral swab... I hope the rumors aren't true. It’s almost funny reading those girls talk about how painful it is when they clearly haven't actually tried it—if they had, they wouldn't be acting like men who could just power through anything. It’s not the same thing, inserting something into a woman versus a man. Some people are just built differently, so let's face it, this exam isn't going to be exactly pleasant 😉

Just tell me, can I get everything done in one day? And which one goes first? I assume the hospital will tell me, but I figured I'd ask just in case. Also, I don't need to hold my first urine of the morning, right? Because if I do, we're going to have a problem. It's a 45-minute drive to the clinic, and if I don't hit the restroom immediately when I wake up... I'm in trouble

Jeffrey Martin46 said:God, you really didn't need to send me that link where people were already talking about urethral swabs... I just hope it's not like what some people are claiming! Honestly, it was hilarious reading those girls trying to explain how painful it is when they’ve clearly never actually gone through it (because if they had, they wouldn't be women), acting all tough like "we men could handle anything!" Look, it's not the same thing inserting a swab into a female organ versus a male one! Some people are just built differently, so yeah, that exam is definitely not going to be anyone's idea of a good time! 😉

Can you just tell me if I can get everything done in a single day and which one comes first?! I assume the hospital will tell me, but I figured I'd ask just in case! Also, I don't need to hold my urine for the first stream, right?! Because if I do, we have a major problem—it's a 45-minute drive to the clinic, and if I don't head straight to the restroom the second I wake up, I'm going to have an accident!

You should be able to coordinate it so you get everything finished in one day. If I were you, though, I'd handle some of it at home where it's more comfortable. Just grab a sterile specimen cup from the pharmacy ($0.67 it's cheap). Do the urine sample first, then see the dermatologist/specialist, and then the blood work. Actually, you'll probably have to take the swabs from the specialist and the urine sample over to the lab yourself.

If you’ve got the referral, just head over to the Mayo Clinic for the urethral swab. I had mine done there to check for ureaplasma. Honestly, it’s pretty brutal—you'll feel like your eyes are going to pop out of your head, but you just have to power through. And man, once it's over, those first three trips to the bathroom feel like you're peeing liquid fire!
It’s awkward for guys and women alike to deal with a urethral swab. Let's be real, the urethra and the vagina are definitely not the same thing.

As for my PSA, they just drew blood at my local clinic. Usually, though, when I need tumor markers checked for testicular cancer, I go down to Johns Hopkins Hospital, specifically the facility right behind the main building.

I have to admit, getting a urethral swab wasn't actually that bad for me. I had mine done at the Mayo Clinic about a decade ago. Honestly, it looks way more intense than it actually feels—just look away 😁

So, I finally knocked out all those checkups on Friday... and honestly, if people can't handle this, they really shouldn't be worrying about much else...
The first swab takes maybe ten seconds, the second one even less. There's a bit of a sting, but it’s hardly anything special—not particularly uncomfortable or painful...
My only real complaint is that it's a shame the nurses aren't all supermodels with perfect faces... then I'd actually have something to brag about regarding who was holding my "pride" that day... haha😂 🤣

Bottom line, if you're scheduled to go... just be brave. It isn't nearly as painful or awkward as the stuff you read online...

Best, 👍