Yes, it's true and I'd forgotten, that men get pelvic pain too, and often it's from the back. I go to a pelvic Physical Therapy Clinic, and there are plenty of men in there as well as women, something I'd not expected to find. They help tremendously with bladder pain by working on muscles buried deep in the abdomen, but along the spine.

I can't see a reason to take antibiotics, at all, when there's no bacteria. makes no sense to me, but Septra is way safer than Cipro.

In terms of becoming 25: I have a friend who swears by a product from Vitamin Shop, called....gee, I can't remember, will have to ask. He says it makes him function like a kid, and is not a drug like Viagra. And of course, for prostate itself there's that herb....but I can't recall it's name iether. I'm sure you already take that one. I think the key ingredients in herbal products for male youth are arginine, yohimbine, and ginseng. But I'll get the names of what my friend uses if you're interested.

Hope you feel better, pelvic pain of any sort is drag.

Oh, if it hurts to pee, take pyridium. It's over the counter and cheap and provides local numbing in the bladder area so it doesn't hurt.

I took it with an anti-b for 6 months [for a UTI] to no effect ages ago. ONE 5 day course of penicillin clone knocked it out after that torture. IF you do not take lots of Anti-b's, or often, it should not be a problem. Discuss this w/your docs... Also, it would depend on what, if anything the cultures reveal. They are key to helping knock out the irritating buggers. LizaJane has advised you well in this quarter.
I don't know about where you live? But my local 'Vitamin Shoppe' not only has the supplements, but a lending-info library of various supplement publications. Where I go I've got an ex-nurse who has a post-grad degree in biology who has spent more time on me, for free, than my docs do? This person has been 95% on target on every single issue! It's worth a try, no?
Hope you feel better and soon! This kind of thing is NOT fun - so I hope you find the best solutions and soon. - j