I once said…
I might end up with a UTI or I might not. If I do, it’s an easy thing to get rid of (though it sounds like a bummer of a thing to have). I’m OK with that.
…in a post about risk.
I also said…
I have to say the only people I’ve read talking about this eventuality are those who haven’t worn the device.
Well, that’s not the case anymore. I’ve worn the Looker 02 and I’ve had a urinary tract infection. Or something so much like it as to make no difference.
It all started a week ago last Friday. Belle and I were at dinner and I started to feel achy. My assumption was I was just feeling the affects of my morning workout and thought nothing more of it. The achiness continued as I went to bed so I took ibuprofen.
But it got worse. And I got the chills. And I started to feel feverish. And, most importantly, I had to pee. Over and over again. By the time morning came around, I had a temp of over 101º and peeing was not only a regular imperative but was also becoming difficult.
I wasn’t in the Looker 02 at the time. I was in the Steelheart and had been for a few days since Belle came home. But based on the symptoms, it was clear to her, me, and WebMD that I had some kind of infection (either of the prostate or the urinary tract). So I went immediately to the clinic.
The very nice nurse at the clinic was perplexed. Men aren’t supposed to get UTIs, though it’s possible. She couldn’t seem to make heads or tails of it and I, admittedly, was less than forthcoming as to how it may have happened. She took my temp, all the vitals, and my symptoms and then had me pee in a cup.
Belle didn’t let me out of the device before going to the clinic. She didn’t even bring it up. Luckily, I wasn’t expected to pee in front of the nice nurse and instead did so in the little bathroom and then put my warm cup into a little pass-through cupboard for her to test. Yep, while cell count was sky-high.
She was still perplexed. She asked me if I was sexually active. Of course, I said. She then asked, “Do you void after intercourse?” I just blinked at her. “That means, do you pee after sex.” Of course I knew what that meant, but most times, the kind of sex I have isn’t involving the penis. I got hung up on processing my response and helpfully answered, “Errr…”
Eventually, I said I didn’t really pay attention. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. In reality, hardly ever. She told me I should. I said OK, I would. But I know that’s not where I got my UTI.
Earlier in the week, while still wearing the L02, I spent an enjoyable morning with a new anal toy from Mr. S Leather. They don’t sell it anymore, oddly, so I must have got one of the last ones. In any event, I really went to town on this thing and, my presumption is, at some point this is what led to the UTI. Bacteria must have gotten on the device and then migrated up the insert. I wasn’t doing anything special with the penis, obviously, since I didn’t have access, but incidental contact is to be expected. After, I showered and cleaned myself up pretty well, but not well enough, apparently. I don’t really know how I could have done a better job with the L02. I wasn’t about to send water up the insert. In any event, that must have been when the damage was done.
So she prescribed an antibiotic and that made me feel tons better after about 36 hours. For the next five days, though, peeing was difficult. I had to bear down hard on my bladder to get even a little trickle out. It felt as though I was never really done at any point. I suspect that’s a little preview of what to expect if I should ever develop prostate issues when I’m older.
Later the same night after I got my meds, Belle took pity on my and let me out of the Steelheart. Not sure what moved her to do so at that particular time, but I was out until yesterday after I got back from a weekend trip with some friends. I feel 100% better and have no issues peeing at all (though, while it may be my hyperactive imagination, it seems like I still need to go more often than usual).
So, what to make of this experience? On the one hand, it was totally avoidable. I feel quite confident that had I been in the Steelheart this wouldn’t have happened. However, I will again want to wear the Looker 02 and I’ll still want to play with my ass at some point. Now I know to be very careful if those two things happen at the same time. In fact, I should perhaps put a condom over the L02 when the time comes. I have, of course, used anal sex toys with the L02 in the past and I’ve been playing with my ass since I was a teenager. This is the first time I ever got sick doing so. Live and learn. I’ll be careful, but I’m not going to overreact.
In a way, the UTI kind of feels like an STD. I’m chalking it up as a similar experience. Luckily, as I suspected two years ago, the UTI was easily dealt with (and a bummer of a thing to have).