Aa
Could this be herpes?
In mid January I was just ending a relationship and I started having some burning during urination. I went into my primary care physician and he diagnosed me with non specific urethritis, he did not think I had chlamydia. He prescribed me with 1g of azithromycin, and I asked to be tested for all STDs just in case. The lab took only a blood test. Two weeks went by and I did not hear back from the doctor, assuming no news was good news I started a new relationship and became sexually active. Since we both had been recently tested, we were not always safe. About three weeks after my initial test, I started feeling some odd symptoms. I had a white hazy discharge only during bowel movements, and I had a tingling feeling along the inside of my thighs, perineum, scrotum and urethra. It feels like Ben Gay/mint or something similar was rubbed in the area. So I called my primary care physician to be sure I had come up clean. I spoke to the nurse in the office and she said that it looked like my chlamydia numbers had come back high, so I probably had chlamydia. I was extremely upset that I hadn't been called and also that I had to tell my ex that I had likely infected her. I decided to go to a Urologist to discuss the symptoms. He did a urinalysis and also massaged my prostate to try and get some of the fluid I see occasionally during bowel movements and took a swab from my urethra. He also prescribed me Doxycycline 2x a day for 7 days in case I was still infected and 1g of azithromycin for my ex girlfriend. On Monday, I gave the pills to my girlfriend, which was the most difficult thing I've ever done. On Tuesday, I called my urologist, and he stated tests came back negative for chlamydia and gonorrhea. I was concerned, because I still had the tingling and discharge during bowel movements (its been 2-3 weeks now). I called my primary care physician's office and finally got a hold of the doctor. He told me that while my blood tests in January showed a had chlamydia at some point in my life, I was negative for all STDs including Chlamydia at the time of the test!!! I've read that the tingling is a symptom of herpes during prodrome. However, I don't have any noticeable blisters and the tingling isn't isolated and has lasted a while. it has been 5 weeks since I had sex, the tingling sensation still lingers and the skin on the head of my penis is painful to the touch now and looks a bit red. Is it likely that these symptoms are herpes? Can prodome last for several weeks? maybe delayed because of antibiotics? If I get tested now, how likely is it that a blood test will be accurate? Sorry for the long post. Thank you!
I just saw your latest response, I'll try that. I went to the dr on April 6th, he thought I had a yeast infection and said what I showed him did not look like herpes, although I'm not sure how much experience he has in the area. He prescribed 10 days of diflucan, unfortunately it didn't work. I'm going to post for Dr. HHH and see what he says about my symptoms.
most of what you are describing sounds more like dry skin/irritation or a fungal infection. You can kill 2 birds with one stone if you just start using an otc jock itch cream on it 2x/day and see if that helps.
I don't think there is anything there to culture other than the occasional redness at the tip of the urethra, raised lines and small orange peel look to certain areas of the tip. The 'rash' I described is just redness that seems to come and go throughout the day on the shaft and foreskin and tingle/itch in my pubic hair.
Yes, you answered my question regarding the igg, thank you for continuing the conversation with me.
Yes, you answered my question regarding the igg, thank you for continuing the conversation with me.
igg won't just creep up slowly . if all your results are clear negatives, no significance to anything like hsv2 igg .43 then hsv2 igg .56 on the 2nd test or anything like that. Not sure if that's what you were asking or not?
if you have a rash, be seen and have it looked at. could be fungal from the antibiotics or if they think it looks like herpes, they can culture it if you are seen early enough.
grace
if you have a rash, be seen and have it looked at. could be fungal from the antibiotics or if they think it looks like herpes, they can culture it if you are seen early enough.
grace
No, just headaches and what feels like a rash on my genitals and my pubic region. Any answer on the question above?
talk to your provider before stopping the cipro. are you having stomach pains and diarrhea by chance?
grace
grace
Thank you, Grace. Any information about the IGG increasing slowly over time if it is a mild new infection?
I will continue to follow up until I have an answer one way or another. I've decided I'm going to stop taking the cipro, since my body doesn't seem to like it.
I will continue to follow up until I have an answer one way or another. I've decided I'm going to stop taking the cipro, since my body doesn't seem to like it.
a good percentage of folks would've tested + by that point. as I already said,odds are this isn't herpes going on. At this point now you've also been on antibiotics a lot which can lead to fungal issues too which just further complicates things unfortunately :(
continue to follow up on this. no reason to keep thinking herpes from your description of things.
grace
continue to follow up on this. no reason to keep thinking herpes from your description of things.
grace
Just to follow up, I never spoke to my new partner. We're no longer together and it didn't seem appropriate.
I did go get retested for Herpes, approximately 7 weeks after my last sexual episode. The doctor said my HSV numbers were still negative. I know it can take a while for the tests to show up positive, but do they show up most of the time within 7 weeks? My urologist said it might be prostatitis and gave me cipro for 40 days, but he was extremely unsure.
My symptoms continue, and I would have completely ruled out herpes except i found this post http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Dermatology/Rash-on-Penis/show/1062292#post_4913553 where the user seems to have the same EXACT symptoms as me. Raised lines on the head, orange peel texture to the head of the penis, better in the morning...etc etc. and it ended up being herpes. I know its probably not good to compare with others because everyone is different, but this tingling down my leg and irritation is very disconcerting. It has lasted for over 8 weeks now and seems to be getting worse.
I had an HSV test in Jan pre symptoms, and March 7 weeks after my last sexual episode. Would the specific IGG values give an indication of positive values in the future? For example, my IGG value in Jan was 0.20, if it was 0.70 in March, does that mean anything? I need to get the exact values from my DR. if it does. Thanks for your thoughts in advance.
I did go get retested for Herpes, approximately 7 weeks after my last sexual episode. The doctor said my HSV numbers were still negative. I know it can take a while for the tests to show up positive, but do they show up most of the time within 7 weeks? My urologist said it might be prostatitis and gave me cipro for 40 days, but he was extremely unsure.
My symptoms continue, and I would have completely ruled out herpes except i found this post http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Dermatology/Rash-on-Penis/show/1062292#post_4913553 where the user seems to have the same EXACT symptoms as me. Raised lines on the head, orange peel texture to the head of the penis, better in the morning...etc etc. and it ended up being herpes. I know its probably not good to compare with others because everyone is different, but this tingling down my leg and irritation is very disconcerting. It has lasted for over 8 weeks now and seems to be getting worse.
I had an HSV test in Jan pre symptoms, and March 7 weeks after my last sexual episode. Would the specific IGG values give an indication of positive values in the future? For example, my IGG value in Jan was 0.20, if it was 0.70 in March, does that mean anything? I need to get the exact values from my DR. if it does. Thanks for your thoughts in advance.
Thank you for the response, Grace. I was tested in January for both hsv 1 and 2. Both were negative at the time. I don't know if my new partner did have hsv tests. I've searched my genitals carefully the last several weeks no lesions, just some redness that may be normal, never looked this close. I'd think it could be some lingering effects of the chlamydia, or a bladder infection, but I'd think the two different antibiotics would have covered those. I'm going to the urologist again on Friday, I will ask to be tested again, although I know the antibodies may take several more weeks to show. Thanks for the positive words.
Odds are it isn't herpes causing your symptoms. It would be unusual to have just the tingling and not any obvious lesions with a newly acquired infection.
did you have testing for herpes when you had your std testing? did your current partner have herpes testing as part of her std testing she had? You both should check specifically, assume nothing.
grace
did you have testing for herpes when you had your std testing? did your current partner have herpes testing as part of her std testing she had? You both should check specifically, assume nothing.
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.
