Looking for medical advice or personal experience.
Some background facts: no sex with another person for over 2 years; circumcised; generally good hygiene; nothing visible on the outside, apparently all on the inside; arrived at the same time as a bout of flu (last Thursday) from which I have since recovered; may have gotten a little dehydrated during the flu.
Symptoms: mild to moderate discomfort at the tip while peeing; some (new) difficulty peeing, although with patience most of it comes out; urine has strong yeasty smell much or most of the time.
What I’ve tried so far, based on what I’ve read online: wiped outside of penis with white vinegar, a couple of times so far, no visible difference; trying to acidify my urine by avoiding citric acid and dairy, and drinking pure cranberry juice, about a pint a day. Two days so far.
If this is an effective strategy, how long might it take to work? Is there more I can do on my own? How important is it to see a doctor and possible get some prescription remedy? (especially considering how long it takes to get in to see my doctor)
I typically just recommend over the counter antifungals like clotrimazole or nystatin on my patients with penile yeast infection. Easy peasy.
But your symptoms don’t necessarily sound like yeast. See a doc. Can’t rely on odor to diagnose yeast.
Understood. But a followup question: those are creams, right? How would they be used?
the vast majority of male penile yeast infections are on surface skin, so the creams go there. I’d not recommending putting it up the urethra, not without a clear idea of what’s really causing the problem.
I’m just speculating here, but urethral irritation can come from physical factors like dehydration, with resultant adhesion of the urethral tissue in the meatus to itself, and secondary inflammation when it’s pulled apart by urination. that’s going to sting for a bit. Other possible diagnoses would depend on what else is going on with the patient, what the exam and urinalysis look like, etc. and I’m not going down that multibranching pathway without data.
Understood again. I’ll see how long it takes me to get in to see my doctor, and whether it will be gone by then.
By the way, I may never have mentioned it, but I really appreciate your willingness to do this sort of thing, online and for free. Of course you have to limit yourself to general information and not diagnosing or anything like that, but what you do helps enormously.
It got itchy last night, so I did put some anti-fungal cream on the outside, especially in the crease (or whatever you call it) where what’s left of the foreskin joins the shaft. Mostly I did this so I could sleep, and that worked. Much better today on all symptoms, so I am going to continue on those lines.
I exist only to serve. ;-D
Grocery store pharmacy, ca. 2000, one Sunday afternoon:
(Phone rings)
NWH: “XYZ Pharmacy, can I help you?”
Man: “Can I talk to the pharmacist?”
NWH: “That’s me.”
Man: (grumbles) “Oh, okay.” (Goes into a convoluted description of his issue)
NWH: “Are you trying to tell me that you’re uncircumcised, and you have a rash underneath your foreskin?”
Man: “Um, yes. What should I use on it?”
NWH: Recommends that he not use any OTC remedies, and instead to keep it clean and see a doctor.
The next morning, a man came in with a prescription for two tubes of cream, and instructions to use as directed. I’m pretty sure it was him, and they were both SMALL tubes. 
Not the only time anything like that happened, just the one that I recalled first. I also recall telling him that it’s not an uncommon problem, and his doctor has seen it before and he shouldn’t be embarrassed about it.
To add my 2 cents: the vinegar washes are a waste of time and effort. Yeast will not be impressed. Cranberry juice to ‘acidify urine’ is also pointless, especially if it hasn’t been professionally diagnosed. Both are basically old spouse snake oil tales.
Get thyself to a medical professional. A PA or NP at an urgent care or through a virtual tell health appt. If it’s uncomfortable, asking a pharmacist for an OTC short term relief recommendation while you wait for that appt might be worth it.
Til you consult with that professional, hydrate well so that whatever is going on doesn’t worsen.
It can be itchy and it can spread. So it should be treated. If it is just in the skin it usually responds to over the counter creams or ointments that might also be used to treat vaginal infections. Prescription tablets are also effective.
Prevention might include things like circumcision, good drying and hygiene, looser clothing and peeing after intercourse. Also, do not brew beer or bake bread using your underclothes.
A few rashes look similar but are not yeast infection, so a professional should be seen if getting worse, not improving, there is doubt or urinary symptoms such as burning, fever or back pain.