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Could it be herpes?
Hello there.
I have been suffering from pain for over a year now and desperately need help. I had unprotected sex over a year ago with a man I barely knew. I ended up getting a horrible UTI from the experience and after that had HORRIBLE vaginal burning and pain. I got tested for all STDs and it came back negative. They did a culture test (as the nurse thought she saw small sores on my vagina) and that came back negative as did blood work that I had done (igG test) 5 months after the encounter. I have not had sex since so there is no way this is a new infection.
The encounter happened last March and I felt horrible until about June. After that I felt much better overall June - October and then everything came back full force. I have never seen a sore (and I look down there daily)... the only thing I have seen from time to time are red mosquito type bumps that disappear within a day or 2. my OBGYN looked at them and said they looked more like folliculitis (ingrown hair from shaving). They never ruptured or turned into sores, they simply just went away. From what I have read this feels like herpes as my lower spine is KILLING me almost constantly and the skin on my outer vaginal area (and inside some times) just throbs and hurts. Even when its not in a high level of pain its always irritating. I cant remember a day that it did not hurt. I have been back to my doc NUMEROUS times and he is stumped. I have another appointment tomorrow with him and then an appointment with a spine and pain management specialist on Wednesday.
Is there a chance this is herpes or is it something else entirely? I also should mention I talked to the man with whom I had unprotected sex, he was very concerned and said he has never had any symptoms of herpes and is clear of all other STDs. I know the virus can be asymptomatic in some people so I know that does not mean he does not have it. I just need any advice I can get at this point because I am so depressed about this. I am a very active person and being in constant pain is ruining my quality of life. Its equally depressing that the DR cannot figure out what is wrong with me. Also worth nothing is I took a prescription of Valtrex when my symptoms got REALLY bad in January (I had the prescription from when they first thought it might be herpes) and it did not do much for my pain OR stop the outbreak as here it is April and I STILL am in the same amount of pain.
Thanks for any advice you can offer. I am just wondering if its possible to have herpes pain this bad without any sores AND with negative IgG bloodwork... I have NO idea what else could be causing this pain.
Is it likely that a igG blood test 5 months after the encounter be a false negative? I plan to ask my doctor tomorrow if I can do a different type of bloodtest but he said for negative results the igG is 99% correct so the chances of a false negative would be .01%.
Sorry for the long post, please help!!!
I have been suffering from pain for over a year now and desperately need help. I had unprotected sex over a year ago with a man I barely knew. I ended up getting a horrible UTI from the experience and after that had HORRIBLE vaginal burning and pain. I got tested for all STDs and it came back negative. They did a culture test (as the nurse thought she saw small sores on my vagina) and that came back negative as did blood work that I had done (igG test) 5 months after the encounter. I have not had sex since so there is no way this is a new infection.
The encounter happened last March and I felt horrible until about June. After that I felt much better overall June - October and then everything came back full force. I have never seen a sore (and I look down there daily)... the only thing I have seen from time to time are red mosquito type bumps that disappear within a day or 2. my OBGYN looked at them and said they looked more like folliculitis (ingrown hair from shaving). They never ruptured or turned into sores, they simply just went away. From what I have read this feels like herpes as my lower spine is KILLING me almost constantly and the skin on my outer vaginal area (and inside some times) just throbs and hurts. Even when its not in a high level of pain its always irritating. I cant remember a day that it did not hurt. I have been back to my doc NUMEROUS times and he is stumped. I have another appointment tomorrow with him and then an appointment with a spine and pain management specialist on Wednesday.
Is there a chance this is herpes or is it something else entirely? I also should mention I talked to the man with whom I had unprotected sex, he was very concerned and said he has never had any symptoms of herpes and is clear of all other STDs. I know the virus can be asymptomatic in some people so I know that does not mean he does not have it. I just need any advice I can get at this point because I am so depressed about this. I am a very active person and being in constant pain is ruining my quality of life. Its equally depressing that the DR cannot figure out what is wrong with me. Also worth nothing is I took a prescription of Valtrex when my symptoms got REALLY bad in January (I had the prescription from when they first thought it might be herpes) and it did not do much for my pain OR stop the outbreak as here it is April and I STILL am in the same amount of pain.
Thanks for any advice you can offer. I am just wondering if its possible to have herpes pain this bad without any sores AND with negative IgG bloodwork... I have NO idea what else could be causing this pain.
Is it likely that a igG blood test 5 months after the encounter be a false negative? I plan to ask my doctor tomorrow if I can do a different type of bloodtest but he said for negative results the igG is 99% correct so the chances of a false negative would be .01%.
Sorry for the long post, please help!!!
Thank you so much for your response Grace! I went and saw my DR again and he said that theres no chance for Herpes since my test result was .02 and a .9 is considered positive. He sent me to a spine specialist, they think I could have a bulging disc, but not sure if that would cause the labia skin pain.
A vulvodynia specialist is definitely next on my list if this does not turn up anything. I am not sure if there is even one in Dallas but I will start researching that. Thanks so much for your help!
A vulvodynia specialist is definitely next on my list if this does not turn up anything. I am not sure if there is even one in Dallas but I will start researching that. Thanks so much for your help!
no reason to think this is herpes at this point. you tested negative and your symptoms aren't consistent with herpes at all. you would have clear periods of no pain - weeks at a time, not months at a time of pain.
have you seen a vulvodynia specialist yet? might be worthwhile if your own gyn is stumped.
best of luck getting answers!! So totally sucks when you have chronic pain that no one can help you with :(
grace
have you seen a vulvodynia specialist yet? might be worthwhile if your own gyn is stumped.
best of luck getting answers!! So totally sucks when you have chronic pain that no one can help you with :(
grace
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
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.
