Rash - Symptoms of what?

[nastystuff]

In mid February of this year, I had unprotected sex with a female.  11 days later I caught the flu which i doctored for with antibiotics.  10 days after than I developed a rash on my buttocks.  After a few weeks trying to get rid of this, I got a prescription from my dr.  At this point, the rash had spread to the scrotum.  The rash was bright red and my buttocks looked raw.  It was itchy but did not hurt and their was no weeping out of it. In addition, the top of my penis head was slightly sore and red although not itchy. At this point, 34 days after the encounter, I went to a STD clinic and got tested for syphillis, gonorhea, clamidyia, and HIV.  All tests came back negative.  Saw the doctor again who when asked said there were no signs of warts and the rash did not present like herpes.  The rash on my buttocks and my scrotum has now gone away, both after hanging around for about 50 days since I got them and the top of my penis is not red or sore anymore.  Last week, after working in the yard, I got a rash on my elbows.  Received medication from the dr. and although it is still abit red, my one elbow has begun to peel; not sure if due to medication.  Questions I have are as follows:
1.  Does a test for Syphillis, Gonorhea, and Clamidyia to be trusted 34 days after an encounter?  Could the results been masked by the anitbiotics I was on when I was sick, although, the last day taking them was 10-12 days before.  I did not have any painful urination at all associated with this event.
2.  Should I take an additional test for these STD's or do you believe the tests stand?
3.  I am following up with an additional HIV test in 2 weeks, this would make it over 90 days after the encounter.  If negative, would I need to do another one?
4.  Do any of these symptoms sound like herpes?  No test was done for that and the dr did not think I needed it due to not presenting like herpes and the rash being around so long.  The dr explanation was the a herpes rash is never around longer than 21 days at most.  Is this true or false for this timeframe?

Any other words of advise or possible explanations would be greatly appreciated...
Thank you.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

1. Yes, they can be trusted.
2. I believe they stand.
3. I would repeat the test at 6 months, though the chances of conversion at that point would be vanishingly remote.
4. No.  The rashes you describe don't sound like any STD.  Herpes does not last 21 days, more like 7-10.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[Quince]

Could the antibiotic have triggered some allergy?  Have you taken that antibiotic before?

By the way, you really shouldn't be taking antibiotics for a viral disease like the flu; antibiotics do nothing to the virus and breed resistant bacteria -- and that's become more and more of a problem in recent years.

[nastystuff]

Thanks for your quick response doc.  Just as a quickie follow up...the rash on my buttocks and scrotum are completely gone...however...every once in a while I feel itchy at times...anxiety? or other?  In addition, any idea what the rash on my elbows could be...it is quieting down using cutivate cream after almost 2 weeks...it had a few raised bumps in the beginning now just basically a rash.
A bit paranoid and anxious...thanks again.

[notconvinced]

I am a female and I had the very same thing happen this year as well.  10-11 days after having sex with this guy I began having an itchy/tingly feeling when I went pee then that turned into pain but not burning pain.  My dr gave me antibiotics and said I had a UTI but I never had bacteria in my urine.  As days went on I was completely numb in the boxer shorts area and could not urinate AT ALL.  During this time I also had a severe headache and vomiting for 3 days and a 2-3" rash on my waistline and a small dimesize one on my left cheek.  I had been to 7 Drs and was more thoroughly examined during this time than through my entire pregnancy 10 yrs ago.  I specifically asked if it could be Herpes and they all said no.  I was swabbed, scanned, scoped and had blood tests for EVERY STD the 2nd week of April.  They were all negative except HSV2.
I went back to my gyne and he said that blood test doesn't matter because unless you have actual sores/blisters, then you don't have to worry.  He said that just means I was exposed to it at some point in my life.  I'm still not convinced, but all I can do is wait and hope nothing ever happens.

[nastystuff]

I guess what your saying is since I didnt have any sores or blisters since it did not present like that...I shouldn't worry? Correct?

[pe9san2]

A related discussion, how do i get this horrid swelling down, along with the redness and the terrible itch? was started.