Do you guys actually go to the urologist?

...if I remember correctly, we're talking about urology here...so, a question specifically for the guys out there...do you actually go in for regular "maintenance checks"? Or are you the type who waits until something clearly goes wrong before making an appointment?

Oh, come on, seriously? A "male gynecologist"? Are you actually for real right now? 😲

Changing the thread title... 🙄

I went through this about six months ago.
I had—and honestly, still have—this weird little lump near my testicles, and man, I have no clue how to even describe it.
Doc says it’s nothing serious, just business as usual.
We'll see about that, though... sometimes I get some pain after sex (you know, if you go at it a few times in one day)... maybe it's not even related.
Right now I'm dealing with some other stuff... once I wrap that up, I'll head back in for a "tune-up."

I can't justify making a trip to a urologist for absolutely no reason. Honestly, the whole idea of some guy inspecting or touching my junk just turns me off. I can already see it happening—some doctor starting to fantasize about pushing unnecessary procedures on me just to make a buck (like circumcision, for instance).

How would he even examine me? Just a visual check? Look, whenever I'm faced with a male doctor, my body's reaction is pretty much the exact opposite of an erection, so the guy wouldn't be seeing anything worth noting. Besides, if there were actually an issue, I’d be the first one to notice. So, in short: there's zero value in getting him to look.

No, no, and absolutely not. If things go south—God forbid—then we can talk.

Justin Fox As stated by:
I find myself contemplating the idea of my partner looking at or touching my penis.

If it helps at all, there are female urologists available as well. 😁

How exactly would he perform the examination? Visually? Honestly, whenever I find myself facing a male doctor, my physiological response is practically the opposite of an erection, so I can assure you that the gentleman wouldn't be seeing anything of the sort.

Does the penis actually need to be erect during an exam? Honestly, you live and learn every single day.😁

I would have noticed that something felt off as well. To put it bluntly: there was absolutely zero value gained from his review.

I honestly fail to see why urologists even have jobs anymore when any random layman can seemingly stumble their way into an approximate diagnosis.😬

I should also note that prostate cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among men in the United States. 👎 If I recall correctly, that falls within the scope of a urologist's practice. 😬

Harold Mendoza3 said:There are female urologists if that makes you feel any better...😁

So, does everything have to be erect during an exam? I guess you never stop learning while you're still breathing...😁

I honestly don't see why we even bother with urologists when any layman can just take a wild guess at a diagnosis...😬

And by the way, prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in men...👎 — which falls right under a urologist's umbrella, if I recall correctly...😬

I've been through this three times now... twice just out of pure hypochondria and once for actual prostatitis...

It’s certainly not a pleasant experience, but it’s not the end of the world either... It doesn't hurt, it's just incredibly awkward...

Harold Mendoza3 said:There are female urologists too, if that makes you feel any better.😁

Does it actually have to be erect during the exam? Man, you learn something new every day.😁

I honestly don't get why we even need urologists when any random guy off the street can probably guess the diagnosis.😬

And by the way, prostate cancer is one of the top killers for men in America👎 — which falls right under a urologist's umbrella, if I recall correctly.😬

What do you mean "malignant"? Did you mean cancer? It’s probably a leading cause of death because guys wait way too long to see a doctor due to those exact "reasons" mentioned above!

malignant disease

Look, going to the urologist isn't exactly a highlight of anyone's week, but let's be honest—if women can commit to regular gynecologist appointments (which, frankly, aren't much more pleasant), I don't quite understand why men tend to dodge these necessary check-ups when it actually matters.🙄

Emily Booth6 said:I went about six months ago.
I had—and still have—this lump near my testicles, I don't even know how to describe it.
The doctor said it wasn't anything serious, which is standard.
We'll see... though sometimes there's pain after sex (if you go a few times in one day)... maybe it isn't related.
Right now I'm dealing with something else... once that's settled, I'll head back for a "checkup."

Are you kidding me? Or what is your deal?

I had a lump too. And that lump started growing until I lost my balls.
I HAVE TESTICULAR CANCER 😕
Just like that, out of nowhere, me, young, never been sick before, suddenly without a right testicle.
An abdominal CT showed some lumps (12 mm) in the lymph nodes.
Now I'm waiting on another surgery (laparoscopy) and then chemo.

Nobody likes going to the doctor, especially not a urologist.
But whether you go or not can be a matter of life and death.

Btw, there was a 14-year-old kid in the room with me. (Just finished 8th grade). He also ended up losing his right testicle. They told him the reason for the surgery was some kind of cyst. I don't know if that's the real reason or if the doctor just didn't have the heart to tell him the truth.

It’s interesting how testicular cancer hits younger men.
Usually between ages 15 and 35.

Timothy Morgan38 said:It’s not exactly a pleasant exam, but it's hardly the end of the world... it doesn't hurt, it's just uncomfortable....

How does the exam actually work, though? And what exactly makes it so uncomfortable?

Justin Fox said:How does the exam actually work, and what part is supposedly "uncomfortable"?

Well, look...

They palpate you... they check the testicles, stretch the skin to examine the penis, and feel around for any signs of a hernia, which is easily the most awkward part... if you want to be thorough, you can also get an ultrasound for the testicles, bladder, and kidneys...

Then comes the part where you bend over, and they perform a prostate exam... it doesn't exactly hurt, but it’s a deeply unpleasant sensation because you get this overwhelming urge to go to the bathroom... it's a feeling very similar to having diarrhea... 😁

That would be your standard checkup... though there are plenty of much more invasive procedures when you're visiting specifically for a certain issue, but I won't go into that since, thankfully, I haven't had to deal with anything like that yet... and hopefully never will...

Oh, one tip: my advice is to make sure you take care of business before heading to the urologist, just so things don't get... well, you know...

Steven Lopez5 said:Are you kidding me? What is wrong with you?

I dealt with a lump too. That little bump just kept growing until I ended up losing my balls.
I had TESTICULAR CANCER. 😕
Just like that—out of nowhere—young, healthy, and suddenly I'm down my right testicle.
An abdominal CT scan showed some lumps (about 12 mm) in the lymph nodes.
Now I’m waiting on another surgery (laparoscopy) followed by chemo.

Nobody wants to go to the doctor, especially not a urologist.
But deciding whether to go or not can literally be a matter of life and death.

By the way, there was a 14-year-old kid in the room with me (just finished 8th grade). He also lost his right testicle. They told him it was because of some kind of cyst. I don't know if that's the real deal or if the doctor just didn't have the heart to tell him the truth.

It’s interesting how testicular cancer hits younger guys.
Usually between the ages of 15 and 35.

One quick question for you! What type of tumor did you have? Seminoma or teratoma (non-seminoma)? And which hospital are you at? I had a seminoma and only needed radiation!

Morgan Williams4 said:Just one question for you! What kind of tumor was it? Seminoma or a teratoma (non-seminoma)? And which hospital are you getting treated at? I had a seminoma and only needed radiation!

It wasn't a seminoma, unfortunately.
The pathology report says: embryonal carcinoma
Mayo Clinic

So, has anyone actually gone to see a urologist through an insurance referral from their primary care doctor at one of the hospitals, or did you guys just go straight to a private specialist?

I hit up a private urologist first, and he didn't waste any time—he called a specialist over at Mass General right away and had me scheduled for an exam within two days using a referral for the surgeon. That hospital doctor got me booked for full workups the very next day too—lungs, heart, all that good stuff—to prep for the surgery. So, here was my week: saw the private doc on Tuesday, went in for the exam on Thursday, got admitted for testing on Friday, had the surgery on Monday, and I was already headed home by Wednesday!

If you don't mind me asking—and feel free to just shoot me a DM if you'd rather keep it low-key—which private urologist did you end up seeing? Thnx in advance.

It’s really no secret. Dr. Kapun was my private urologist. He has a practice over in Twitter and runs ads in the local papers, so you shouldn't have any trouble tracking him down!

Hey everyone. I'm a woman, so maybe I don't totally fit in here, but I was wondering—would you guys be offended if a girl asked to get tested for STDs before things get physical?
I'm asking because HPV seems to be popping up everywhere lately, and you don't even have to be super promiscuous to catch it; you can literally just be with one partner and still deal with it. So, I'm just curious if it would hurt your ego if a girlfriend requested some testing first.

I wouldn't mind, personally, though I can't speak for everyone else. My take? If that guy turns you down, you're probably better off not working with him at all.