Herpes or overreacting?

For the past few weeks I've had three different sexual partners. About a week and a half ago, I started getting itching that felt like it was coming from inside my vagina and had a thick white discharge that didn't smell. On the very first day I started getting symptoms, I self-treated for a thrush infection using DiFlucan Duo (oral capsule + cream). The pharmacist told me it should clear up in no more than a day or two, however it took four days for any relief.

By this time, I then started getting the mild urge to go the toilet a lot. Worried that I might be getting a UTI, I started drinking water and cranberry juice like crazy, a no more UTI symptoms have come up or worsened. I also noticed around this time (four days after the initial symptoms) that there was redness and a couple of small 'splits' or 'cuts' in the skin on my labia. There are also little red spots like pimples a little further out from the labia (towards my thighs) and the skin above my pubic bone looks like it had dandruff - the skin looks white and flaky and is a bit itchy.

The day after these newer symptoms showed up, I had protected sex (used a condom) even though I knew I probably shouldn't. The next morning I woke up to find a red patch like a rash on my left buttock cheek and another on the inside of my left thigh. I also have the skin 'splits' or 'cuts' (I think they're called fissures?) around my anus.

By now, the only symptoms I have left are the red rash, red pimples with big whiteheads (they don't look at all like clear blisters), the white scaly skin on top of my pubic bone, and the fissures/skin splits (one on my labia and two on my anus). I've made a doctor appointment but the earliest I could get in is a week away! I'm worried because I've been doing a lot of reading online, and although each of these symptoms can be totally trivial or non-serious things, each of them has also been linked to genital herpes. Does this sound like genital herpes to you?


This discussion is related to STD or something else.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms of big white heads, they don’t sound like herpes. Herpes presents one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. They sound like irritated hair follicles and the skin rashes on the pubic bone could be due to seborrheic dermatitis, eczema or fungal infections. But to confirm the diagnosis you have to consult a dermatologist.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[nursekimberley]

' I had protected sex (used a condom) even though I knew I probably shouldn't.'

I wish you speedy healing and encourage you to follow your own thoughts I psted above. Given your diverse sexual history recently, you may want to be tested for STD's and avoid ANY form of sexual interaction (all three) until you receive results from testing. It may be nothing but if it is taking initiative not to spread it or to catch something else in the mean time would be to your advantage