Could I have acquired a new HSV1/2 infection? :(

[stupidme2009]

On October 1, a woman performed unprotected oral sex on me.  About 5 days later, I "noticed" a spot on my scrotum that I squeezed.  Well, it became irritated and red and remained sore.  After about a week or more, I managed to practically get rid of it by squeezing it hard.  It popped like a pimple, with stringy pus coming out.  My doctor saw the remaining sore, but told me it did not look remotely like herpes.

A week later, after masturbation, I noticed a small bit of skin missing on my penis, and it did sting a bit.  I have been known to rub hard and I never use lubrication, and I've rubbed skin off in different spots before.  The spot was on the left side of the shaft, about 1/2 down from the head.  This healed within 3 days.  No blisters that I could see and no crusting.

On 10-28, I had a crazy itching on the right side of my scrotum, close.  It was itching and burned from alcohol-like products.  Later in the day, I did notice that it looked irritated.  Well, stupidly, I attempted to pop this and I also ripped out numerous hairs so I could see it better.  Well, it was red where I attempted to pop it and red in areas around it (either due to herpes or me ripping out the hair like a mad man to see it better).  It looked like 5 or 6 red spots now; one could call them sores.  My doctor saw the sores 3 days later, but said they didn't look like (healing) blisters or herpes.  That same day, the top of the sores came off like peeling skin, taking away the redness.  These were healed within 3-4 days total.

I have had oral HSV1 since my teens.  For almost the last year, I have been on suppressive therapy, taking 500mg Valtrex for cold sores that were acting up more than usual.   From the exposure and for each potential symptom, I have been upping my valtrex dosage to 1g or more.

Immunoblot Testing on 10-29 (4 weeks later) showed HSV-1 positive, HSV-2 negative.
Testing on 11-9 (a little over 5 weeks) showed an IgM amount of 1.34, suggesting positive.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Great, that's the way to look at it!

Terri

[stupidme2009]

Oh, yes.  Happy Thanksgiving!   I think I may have a lot for which to be thankful, so I'm going to enjoy the food just a little bit more today.

[stupidme2009]

Hi Terri.

I decided to take a breather after my last panic and, as you said, wait for testing.  So, at 7.5 weeks, I still test HSV1 positive, but HSV2 negative (with TWO tests).  I did the immunoblot (which checks for both) and an HSV2 specific test, which they claim they may use the Western Blot.  I see no proof of that.  They did not give me the actual number, but did specify my value as being < 0.91.

I also asked the woman in question to try and get an IgG testi for HSV2.  While she does not know exactly what version of the test her doctor ran, she does know that the "test" is negative.

So, I'm starting to feel "normal" again, but I still understand that 7.5 weeks is not conclusive (but relatively good, considering a good amount of people would have some antibodies by now).  I'll probably wait another 6-8 weeks before testing again to be sure.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I know you are scared and sad, but I can't help you anymore at this time.  Please don't pick at things on your skin, you will just make things more complicated.  That's all I'm going to post for now, lets wait until you get more test results.

Terri

[stupidme2009]

Well, I seem to have a new spot on my thigh. Feels like an inflamed follicle but looks more like a reddish papule on a pinkish-reddish base or rash.  It won't pop and is somewhat painful. I have tingling around it and I see other sporadic ones that look like they're forming, though they aren't painful (yet) and not in clusters.  One net my knee, another elsewhere on my thigh, but nothing together.  

On top of that, I have a small, painful sore on my right hip.  I know, without testing, nothing is conclusive, but do these continued symptoms sound indicative of HSV?

Could I be the minority who catches a second HSV1?  Worse yet, could I be that very rare case of HSV2 from an oral encounter?

I'm scared and sad at the moment.  

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

The red rash could be many things, including a reaction to the skin sanitizer that you are suing, yes.  Also a fungal infection is a possibility.  I'm thinking that most people don't describe herpes as a rash, really.  And yes, you need no other enemies right now as you have enough.

Terri

[stupidme2009]

Here's a follow up. Remember when I said I was using alcohol on that single lesion to see if it would hurt?  Well, it was purell instant hand sanitizer and i used a lot. Is it possible the red rash on my inner thigh next to scrotum is an alcohol burn?  I just thought of that today and I know alcohol can cause burning and little skin tears that can hurt for days. I have experienced the same on my lip before.  Am I my own worst enemy during this horrible waiting period?

[stupidme2009]

Well, as usual, new symptoms... :(
Now I have a reddish, painful rash in my inner thigh, between my scrotum and leg.  It almost seems like an infected stretch mark, but I cannot get a good look at it, due to the angle.  It doesn't itch, but definitely hurts to touch/stretch.  The skin also hurts at the top of my penis.  Not the head, but the skin fold where the penis begins and the stomach ends.

Does this sound like a possibility of HSV1/2?  :(

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Very cute!  I think a single lesion on the thigh is likely not herpes.  Before you had this worry, you probably got lots of these but never gave it a thought, do you suppose?

Terri

[stupidme2009]

Thanks, Terri.  I just need to see HSV-2 negative the whole way through, I suppose.  Does this sore on my upper thigh sound like a possibility?

I should also stress that I have been using generic Lotrisone on my scrotum, due to having peeling skin for a long time (longnbefore this exposure).  The spot on my upper-thigh is pretty close to my scrotum.  Any possibility that it's a reaction from Lotrisone, perhaps some of it getting on my thigh?  

I'm trying to find RASHional (my attempt at humor, while fearing every symptom) explanations for everything that is outside of HSV.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I think that's fine to get tested kind of in the middle, no problem with that, my patients do it quite a bit when they are very worried.  Remember  - no IgM, only IgG, OK?

Terri

[stupidme2009]

Curious, over the last day, I developed a little red sore on my upper, inner thigh that is quite painful.  I have had similar things before in that area, but they were more like bumps that were eventually pop-able.  This doesn't seem that way, nor does it look like a cluster, though there is some surround redness.  There is no fluid and it doesn't react to alcohol like a cold sore does — with extreme pain — (or any other sore, for that matter, which burns with alcohol).  

Waiting 16 weeks is tough as every symptom seems like herpes... I may go for another IgG test next week, even though I'm sure it's still too early.  At that point, it will be a few days past 6 weeks (past exposure).

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

That's good.  And I really do trust Grace and Hunter also for good opinions, she's very smart.  Best of luck to you.

Terri

[stupidme2009]

Hi Terri.

Thanks for your reply.  I did not yet retest with an IgG test and the only reason I did the IgM was that it was part of a full panel of STDs.  All negative, except for IgM.  I also read information from you and Dr. Handsfield that suggests to ignore the IgM results (and not even get tested that way),  

I will probably test IgG again at the end of this month or early next month to get a clearer picture.  I'll post my results.  It is reassuring so far that you (and Grace) don't think my symptoms sound typical, or even atypical, or herpes.

-sm2009

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I would not pay attention to the IgM test.  What was the IgG result on 11-9, do you know yet?  My impression is that you should try to avoid picking at these things in the genital area.  You are confusing the picture, should you decide to see a healthcare provider about this problem.  You are also breaking the skin, opening up the possibility of a secondary infection.  

Accurate testing can be achieved about 4 months after possible exposure.  Since you are positive for HSV 1, it will take a little longer for you to become HSV 2 positive if you happen to be infected.  But honestly, what you describe really doesn't sound like herpes to me.  Also, even if this person had oral herpes, it would probably be HSV 1, not HSV 2, and since you already have HSV 1, it is highly unlikely you would get HSV 1 in a new location now.

Terri