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Could This Be Herpes
In December 2006 I had unprotected sex 3 times with a girl I knew quite well. About a week after this I noticed a slight discoloration (slightly pale) on the right hand side of the rim of my glans about the size of a pinhead. After I noticed I began to get anxious and a pinching/shooting feeling developed from the spot, although it was difficult to determine if it was coming from the spot or just generally on the glans (sort of felt like it was coming from a deep layer of skin).
I went to my GP about this problem at about 2 weeks after the incident and he said he couldn't see anything (it may have just been normal variation of the skin) and sent me for testing. I had all of the standard STD tests and all came back negative.
The pinching continued for over 2 weeks and I also experienced a feeling of pressure in my hip flexor, a feeling as though my hip flexors were very tight while walking and some stomach aching low in my stomach.
These same symptoms would last for two or three weeks, then subside for a couple of weeks and then come back. This happened for about 6 months and then the symptoms went away completely until June 2008.
At this time the discomfort in my penis returned and I panicked immediately and couldn't stop thinking that it was herpes. Then I had more hip flexor type tightness while walking, shooting nerve type pains in the buttocks. This went away after a week.
No symptoms again until this week (2010). I woke up and panicked about a sore stomach muscle which I thought was a swollen gland. Shortly after this the irritation and numbness in my penis came back and now I have lower back ache when I bend over, and a dull occasional aching in my groin muscles while sitting.
My Questions are:
1) does this sound like herpes or a reaction to extreme, genitally focused anxiety?
2)Is it possible to have muscular aches and pains, general irritation and no visible sores at all even with an initial outbreak?
3)Should I get a blood test for HSV?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You are most welcome.
Terri
Terri
Yes I think you are right. I need to be more rational about this. I have noticed that since relaxing a bit about this issue, the symptoms have almost completely gone. Im starting to think it might be a combination of stress, anxiety and muscle soreness from running/gym.
I again thank you for your sympathy, patience and help. You are a great resource. Hopefully you won't hear from me again!
I again thank you for your sympathy, patience and help. You are a great resource. Hopefully you won't hear from me again!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Herpes prodrome does not include tight groin muscles, or dull ache in the testicles. It can include some of those other symptoms, but rarely.
I'm so sorry you are worrying this much, but my advice would be to accept the experienced opinion of the professionals that you are seeing for this problem. They are in the best position to offer you great advice. Your symptoms also don't sound like herpes to me.
Terri
I'm so sorry you are worrying this much, but my advice would be to accept the experienced opinion of the professionals that you are seeing for this problem. They are in the best position to offer you great advice. Your symptoms also don't sound like herpes to me.
Terri
Thanks Terri,
Yes I do agree but I still have a very strong suspicion it is herpes. Ive since been back to the clinic twice and been seen by a triage nurse who wouldnt put me through to see a doctor again. On Wednesday morning I noticed a stinging in my anus while wiping and also while washing in the shower. The nurse had a look and said it was just raw skin from rough toilet paper (I'm at college in Australia), although I have read that herpes can cause this. Anyway I took his advice and decided I had nothing to worry about.
After these reassuring words from two medical professionals I had sex (protected) with my girlfriend and now I am really anxious, just because I don't want her to be infected. Then the day after I noticed 2 small red patches of skin on my inner thigh while inspecting in the mirror. I rubbed them and noticed they were quite itchy. While inspecting them closely with a torch I could see tiny white spots that seemed to flake off when scratched, I could also see tiny amounts of flickering under the light suggesting a dampness in the area. They dont cause noticeable discomfort or itchiness unless touched or thought about.
I went back to the clinic and was inspected by the same nurse who thought I was being extremely paranoid (which I am) and said that I had a fungal infection between the buttocks and groin and that it was probably an extension of this. He wouldn't put me through to be seen by a doctor.
Anyway I feel like I am infected and can't get the thoughts out of my mind. My girlfriend has gone overseas and is out of contact and all i can imagine is her coming down with symptoms and wrecking her trip and our relationship. I'm normally a very relaxed person but this is really getting to me.
Some more questions. Can herpes prodromes like tight groin muscles, occasional dull ache in the testicals, lower back ache, pinching sensation in penis head and burning in groin etc exist for over a week before any visual symptoms (small patch of red/semi raw skin in groin fold, two red itchy patches of skin on inner thigh, one ingrown hair on right thigh which looks like a red pimple with a whitehead in the middle and produces white sebum like when a pimple is popped, slightly stinging raw skin near anus only when touched). My hip flexors still twinge occasionally while walking and my back still aches slightly, it has now been 12 days since my concerns began.
sorry for huge reply, your words are a very much needed extra opinion.
Yes I do agree but I still have a very strong suspicion it is herpes. Ive since been back to the clinic twice and been seen by a triage nurse who wouldnt put me through to see a doctor again. On Wednesday morning I noticed a stinging in my anus while wiping and also while washing in the shower. The nurse had a look and said it was just raw skin from rough toilet paper (I'm at college in Australia), although I have read that herpes can cause this. Anyway I took his advice and decided I had nothing to worry about.
After these reassuring words from two medical professionals I had sex (protected) with my girlfriend and now I am really anxious, just because I don't want her to be infected. Then the day after I noticed 2 small red patches of skin on my inner thigh while inspecting in the mirror. I rubbed them and noticed they were quite itchy. While inspecting them closely with a torch I could see tiny white spots that seemed to flake off when scratched, I could also see tiny amounts of flickering under the light suggesting a dampness in the area. They dont cause noticeable discomfort or itchiness unless touched or thought about.
I went back to the clinic and was inspected by the same nurse who thought I was being extremely paranoid (which I am) and said that I had a fungal infection between the buttocks and groin and that it was probably an extension of this. He wouldn't put me through to be seen by a doctor.
Anyway I feel like I am infected and can't get the thoughts out of my mind. My girlfriend has gone overseas and is out of contact and all i can imagine is her coming down with symptoms and wrecking her trip and our relationship. I'm normally a very relaxed person but this is really getting to me.
Some more questions. Can herpes prodromes like tight groin muscles, occasional dull ache in the testicals, lower back ache, pinching sensation in penis head and burning in groin etc exist for over a week before any visual symptoms (small patch of red/semi raw skin in groin fold, two red itchy patches of skin on inner thigh, one ingrown hair on right thigh which looks like a red pimple with a whitehead in the middle and produces white sebum like when a pimple is popped, slightly stinging raw skin near anus only when touched). My hip flexors still twinge occasionally while walking and my back still aches slightly, it has now been 12 days since my concerns began.
sorry for huge reply, your words are a very much needed extra opinion.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Good for you for going in to have this evaluated. I would take this opinion as a good one. Beware of those nagging thoughts that don't coincide with what professional are telling you. They can really start eating away at you. Not that we are always right, but perhaps more often right than those nagging thoughts, what do you think?
Terri
Terri
Thanks again,
Went to sexual health clinic. Doctor said that it didnt look like herpes, said that she couldn't see anything where I had pain on the head of my penis. Her thoughts were the same about chafing. I'm starting to think it is psychosomatic but there is always a nagging thought in the back of my mind suggesting otherwise.
Thank you for your reassuring advice.
Went to sexual health clinic. Doctor said that it didnt look like herpes, said that she couldn't see anything where I had pain on the head of my penis. Her thoughts were the same about chafing. I'm starting to think it is psychosomatic but there is always a nagging thought in the back of my mind suggesting otherwise.
Thank you for your reassuring advice.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
My thoughts are that this could be chafing or it could be fungal, from the heat and friction of running. If you want to know more clearly, I would recommend that you go to see a health care provider.
Terri
Terri
Ive just noticed a small patch of red skin where the scrotum meets the groin. It is about the diameter of an eraser on the end of a pencil and doesnt really hurt. It doesn't seem wet, but rather just sort of feels like a layer of skin has been rubbed away (a bit raw if touched). This is the first time in 4 years that I have noticed any visible symptom. now i am really panicked and anxious. I noticed this straight after a run, but chafing doesnt usually form a small circular patch though. what are your thoughts?
Thanks very much for your quick reply Terri.
In answer to your questions, the herpes blood test was not included in testing and there was never a mention of herpes at that time. I have had sex only once since (stupidly unprotected again) last year when I had completely forgotten about the worries I had previously had.
I few things I didnt mention in the last post, I have also experienced itching in between my buttocks, although this is fairly constant all the time. I have inspected it carefully and don't see any sores etc (some very mild redness, probably due to scratching).
I have also had a general burn in the skin in my groin that displays absolutely no visible signs. As well as this, sometimes while the burning sensation in my penis head is present, if i pull back my foreskin there are creases (like folds in the skin that get stuck) in the area where the pain is present. these disapear after a few minutes.
At the moment it seems that the pinching/burning in my penis has subsided but buttocks are itching a lot now. And lower back pain is still an issue (maybe because Ive been doing a lot of research on the net/university exams). A lot of my current anxiety has come about because I have a new girlfriend and don't want to infect her with anything.
Think I will go and get tested on Tuesday, are there possibilities of false results though?
Thanks again for your time.
In answer to your questions, the herpes blood test was not included in testing and there was never a mention of herpes at that time. I have had sex only once since (stupidly unprotected again) last year when I had completely forgotten about the worries I had previously had.
I few things I didnt mention in the last post, I have also experienced itching in between my buttocks, although this is fairly constant all the time. I have inspected it carefully and don't see any sores etc (some very mild redness, probably due to scratching).
I have also had a general burn in the skin in my groin that displays absolutely no visible signs. As well as this, sometimes while the burning sensation in my penis head is present, if i pull back my foreskin there are creases (like folds in the skin that get stuck) in the area where the pain is present. these disapear after a few minutes.
At the moment it seems that the pinching/burning in my penis has subsided but buttocks are itching a lot now. And lower back pain is still an issue (maybe because Ive been doing a lot of research on the net/university exams). A lot of my current anxiety has come about because I have a new girlfriend and don't want to infect her with anything.
Think I will go and get tested on Tuesday, are there possibilities of false results though?
Thanks again for your time.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This does not sound like herpes, no, but more, as you suggest, generalized anxiety about this encounter. It is certainly possible to have some sensations in the nerve group that supplies the genital area with herpes, but almost always, we see some skin manifestion of this virus, which you are not reporting at all (the first thing doesn't fit). When you say that your doctor did STD testing right after this encounter, was herpes testing included?
If not, I think, at this point, four years later, I would recommend herpes antibody testing. Have you ever in your life had a cold sore on your lip? If yes, then you have HSV 1 already and don't need to test for that. Generally, if you are plagued by worries of herpes four years after a sexual encounter, then I think it is time to find out if you are infected or not.
Have you had sex with anyone since this encounter?
Terri
If not, I think, at this point, four years later, I would recommend herpes antibody testing. Have you ever in your life had a cold sore on your lip? If yes, then you have HSV 1 already and don't need to test for that. Generally, if you are plagued by worries of herpes four years after a sexual encounter, then I think it is time to find out if you are infected or not.
Have you had sex with anyone since this encounter?
Terri
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
