PLEASE help me! :(

[mamaof1sweetboy]

I used to post here a long time ago, I think under the name "my2matthews." Haven't posted in forever and couldn't figure out my login info, so I just made a new account.

I have an intact 6 1/2 year old. I have never regretted leaving him intact and we've never had ANY problems. He became fully retractable on his own since about age 3, and since then, during baths, I just have him retract and rinse him with fresh water. NO problems at all.

He's been complaining here and there lately that his penis hurts him sometimes. I asked him to describe it further and he said it "burns" "at the tip" but then it only hurts a little while, then goes away. I didn't worry too much about it, and it's been going on for about a month. He mentions it maybe once a week.

Tonight, we were getting ready for his bath and when he undressed to urinate I smelled a horrible, foul odor. I realized it was coming from his penis. I. am. Horrified!! There was no discharge that I could see. He has been bathing as normal, so it's not from not being clean. I rinsed it really well during the bath and I could still smell a trace of it.

I'm afraid to take him to the doctor, because I'm afraid they'll just dismiss it and say-- circumcise. Please help! I'm desperate for any suggestions as to what might cause this odor. I want to go to the doctor and be able to say--it might be this, and we can treat it with.. etc.. Please help.

[mamaof1sweetboy]

To clarify the odor is very fishy smelling.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Isnt there an infection that woman get with a fishy odor? Just googled and came across UTI causing a fishy odor.

Also a bacterial imbalance might cause issues.

Does he use soap to wash with because soap can actually cause more harm than good when used under the foreskin. Has he been swimming a lot or taking bubble baths?

Smegma can cause an odor but it is really rare for that to happen in a healthy male who hasnt reached puberty yet.

[Vancouver Mommy]

Maybe a bacterial infection? I don't think yeast has a fishy smell.

[mamaof1sweetboy]

Thanks for replying. No bubble baths and he's been swimming some this summer, but not that often. He just had a urine test a month ago for his school physical and it came out clean, of course, he didn't have the odor then either.

We don't use soap on it. Just fresh water.

I know when I've had yeast it doesn't smell fishy, it's yeasty. I know bacterial vaginosis has a fishy odor, so maybe it's some kind of equivalent..

I just hope the doctor doesn't say he has to be circ'd... How traumatic that would be for him, I cannot even imagine.

[Devaskyla]

If the dr suggests that, find another dr. Or ask what the treatment would be if he were already circed (or a girl) and tell the dr that's what you'll do. Whatever it is, there's a 99.999999% chance that it's nothing that ACTUALLY needs to be circed to for.

Oh & if they want to give anti-biotics, make sure they culture it so they know exactly which antibiotics will work.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

if a Dr says that then that Dr. has no idea about the intact penis so if that happens roll your eyes at him/her and find a new Dr.

[Pirogi]

I had BV in college, and it was definitely fishy smelling. It's likely a bacterial infection. Take your son to the ped, and have them culture to find out if there is a bacterial overgrowth. If so, he needs antibiotics, not a circumcision. If he cultures positive, the doc will write you a script for antibiotics. If the doc also pushes circ, oh well. Tell him/her circ isn't an option, and move on.

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by Pirogi

I had BV in college, and it was definitely fishy smelling. It's likely a bacterial infection. Take your son to the ped, and have them culture to find out if there is a bacterial overgrowth. If so, he needs antibiotics, not a circumcision. If he cultures positive, the doc will write you a script for antibiotics. If the doc also pushes circ, oh well. Tell him/her circ isn't an option, and move on.

Exactly. If there's an infection circ'ing is a horrible idea as you'd be exposing an open wound to infection...they'd probably want to do a round of antibiotics to clear it up AND THEN circ, which makes no sense to me. (Why circ if you can clear it up?)

[eepster]

It certainly does sound like he has a minor flora imbalance, but since his symptoms are very mild, I would probably try to simply restore a healthy balance before I resorted to seeing a Dr.

Probiotics, adding some white vinegar to the bath water, only wearing light weight white cotton briefs or better yet boxers, and sleeping naked with no coverings should do the trick.

[mamaof1sweetboy]

Thank you all so much for replying and giving me peace of mind that I didn't make the wrong decision to keep him intact.

I'm sorry for not replying sooner, but work has kept me super busy.

The day after my post, he came home complaining and said his penis was fine (and had no odor) but his bladder hurt. So I took him to the doctor. They did a urinalysis and said his urine had no infection but was very cloudy, concentrated and had some kind of crystals in it. They said he likely isn't drinking enough water. Which is true... he doesn't like water, and drinks only milk and juice. He looked at his privates and retracted him and said everything looked A-ok. Said his foreskin had nothing to do with it except that since he pees without retracting, some of that concentrated urine may have gotten trapped under the foreskin and made that odor. He suggested retracting a little while he pees to see if that helps.

They did culture the pee just in case, but I never heard anything back.

He has drank nothing but water or milk at home since, we cut out the juices, and he's retracting to pee and it's made all the difference. No more problems whatsoever.

Wanted to post an update in case anyone ever had similar troubles.

[mama24-7]

Originally Posted by mamaof1sweetboy

Thank you all so much for replying and giving me peace of mind that I didn't make the wrong decision to keep him intact.

I'm sorry for not replying sooner, but work has kept me super busy.

The day after my post, he came home complaining and said his penis was fine (and had no odor) but his bladder hurt. So I took him to the doctor. They did a urinalysis and said his urine had no infection but was very cloudy, concentrated and had some kind of crystals in it. They said he likely isn't drinking enough water. Which is true... he doesn't like water, and drinks only milk and juice. He looked at his privates and retracted him and said everything looked A-ok. Said his foreskin had nothing to do with it except that since he pees without retracting, some of that concentrated urine may have gotten trapped under the foreskin and made that odor. He suggested retracting a little while he pees to see if that helps.

They did culture the pee just in case, but I never heard anything back.

He has drank nothing but water or milk at home since, we cut out the juices, and he's retracting to pee and it's made all the difference. No more problems whatsoever.

Wanted to post an update in case anyone ever had similar troubles.

great update. thanks for taking the time to post back!

sus