Anal Herpes

[CarteBlanche]

Hi everyone. I just have a couple of questions about herpes to clarify some things. Well, let me start by explaining the situation that got me thinking about herpes in the first place. About 3 months ago I had unprotected receptive anal sex with a guy. I am a guy. At first I was worried about HIV, but I got PCR tested for that and got back a negative. Anyway, about 3 days ago, when I had a bowel movement, it was highly painful - almost exactly matching the "feels like passing glass" sensation that a lot of herpes websites mention. Since then, my anal area has been pretty sore, so I panicked and started thinking about herpes (since that initial scare with HIV before got me incredibly educated on the various STDs and their modes of transmission, symptoms, etc.). I never had any "tingling" prodrome sensation as far as I recall, but it could possibly have gone unnoticed: there are no sores or lesions on the outside, visible area of my anus, but feeling the inside of my rectum, touching a particular spot on the left side (which is where the pain was when I had my painful bowel movement) produced pain, but not to an unbearable extent. More like a deep sting like from when you touch a wound with soap. But as far as I can tell, there are no abnormal "lesions" within the rectal area... Of course, I have not been trained medically, so my judgement is worth about nothing, hahaha.

So my questions: if I was infected with herpes and it was producing symptoms within my rectum, what would it manifest as? I know that if manifesting on the anus it would present as either fissures or classic herpetic blisters. But everything I've read has been unclear about how herpes presents itself when breaking out within the rectum.

Thanks for all the help!

[CarteBlanche]

That's unfortunate. But I've looked at past posts, and I saw you've helped another person who took the same type of test as me. And it seemed to detect HSV1 well enough. So I'm just going to assume that I don't have either HSV1 or HSV2. It's been more than 4 months since the possible exposure when I took the test, after all.

Thanks so much for all your help!!! You are doing a great service to many people. :)

[gracefromHHP]

I'm sorry but I'm guessing you aren't in the US?  The test you had done is not one of which I'm familiar with enough to comment on the accuracy of.

[CarteBlanche]

Hi,

Sorry, I know it's been a while. But I finally got a type specific Herpes igg blood test, so I'll post the results. I don't live in America, so it's not the HerpesSelect test.

HSVI (IgG)

Patient's Absorbance - 0.026
Mean Neg. Absorbance 0.086
Cut-off - 0.401
Remarks - NEGATIVE

HSVII (IgG)

Patient's Absorbance - 0.002
Mean Neg. Absorbance - 0.097
Cut-off - 0.276
Remarks - NEGATIVE

I had the test done about 4 months after my possible exposure. Are these reliable results, and can I assume I am not infected with either HSV1 or HSV2? Thanks.

[gracefromHHP]

stop stretching your butt....lol.

the best thing to do is to go and be seen and get a proper exam. this could be herpes but not having any symptoms until now would be unusual.  your provider can do a visual exam externally ( much better angle than we get at home with the mirror ) as well as a digital exam to see if they feel any hemorrhoids or fissures right inside your anus.  It's also been enough time since the encounter that you can get properly tested with a type specific herpes igg blood test too.  

have you ever had a herpes blood test done before?

grace

[CarteBlanche]

Oh, and an additional comment about my experience: there was no blood present, except when I went crazy and started stretching my butt all over the place to get a better look at it in the mirror: then there was only a tiny bit of bleeding.