Aa
Do I have Herpes?
I am a 28 year old male from the United States. I am heterosexual. I recently moved (4 months ago) to Manila, Philippines on business. Overall my health is good. No serious health concerns other than (Hyneria as a child) (rather scary staff infection on my lower leg that hospitalized me for three days last year contracted in the jungle in South America)
I am concerned that I have herpes for two reasons.
Three years ago I had unprotected sex (while living in Florida) with a close friend (Do not know her sexual history but assume it isn't much). I had a sexual relationship with her on a semi-monthly basis for 6 months. After that relationship I notices the sides of my lips (where the top and bottom lip meet) became chapped and would break open in the creases if I yawned a lot for example. I never noticed any visible sings from her (see her everyday) and did not ask her if she was experiencing any symptoms. I kept opening my mouth to a minimum and the area healed a couple of weeks later. There were no defined blisters, just some chaffing. I thought nothing of it until the same thing occurred about 6 months later. Lasted for a week or two and went away. The weather was cold and I wrote it off to chapped lips. I have had no other incidents with my lips of any kind since then, including that area of my lips.
The latest concern of mine has been since I moved to Manila. I have had unprotected sex with four different women here. One per month. None of them are sex workers, but I do not know their sexual history. The second month (and second girl I had unprotected sex with here) told me (After we had been having sex for a week) that she was experiencing some itching on her vaginal area. She saw a doctor who prescribed her with a yeast infection and gave her medicine to treat it. I stopped sex of any kind with her at that point and she informed me that the yeast infection went away after 2 or 3 days of taking the vaginal insertion medication the Dr prescribed to her. I have no had intercourse with her since before she complained of her yeast infection.
About a month later, with no sexual contact, there were some infrastructure problems in my area and I was not able to shower for about 2 days. At the beginning of days three I developed a bilateral rash on my inner thighs where the inner leg meets my scrotum. None on my anus, none on my penis. I feel confident this was from heat and not keeping clean. The rash was reminiscent of a heat rash folks get elsewhere on their bodies. After keeping extremely clean for about 4 days, the rash went away as far as i could tell. No scaring, no spreading, no blistering. I could tell the rash was from walking where my skin rubs against itself.
About 1 week after the rash completely healed I helped a friend move. I worked pretty hard and sweated a lot. The rash reappeared in the same place on my inner thighs. This time it did not spread either. Nothing on my penis or scrotum or anus. The concerning part, is that the rash lasted three weeks and did blister, scab over, and heal. It was not painful to shower with, and was also not itchy when kept on the open air. It turned light red at the worst stage of the rash, did not turn dark red or purple.
I did not urinate on the rash so i do not know if there was pain from that. I experienced no other pain anywhere else internally or otherwise on my body. I showered regularly and kept the rash cool and exposed to air the entire three weeks. Pretty much stayed in doors. I has someone get Benadryl and Predisone 5mg from the pharmacy and I took those religiously for 10 days and I really felt like that speed up the healing process. The rash did not spread, but did blister when i walked around irritating it a little. I kept dry baby powder on it also to keep it dry.
About 2 days after the rash started this last time, still during the time when it didn't seem like a rash at all, I had unprotected sex with the third girl. We had intercourse once. I have heard now from a friend that she is saying she has an STD. I did not tell her about my issue at the time because I didn't realize it was there, and she will not admit to me what she told her friend. I do not know what symptoms she is experiencing.
I have not been checked out or treated by a Doctor. I can not afford it at the moment. I understand this is not the smartest way to practice sex, and I am hoping I still have the chance to change my sexual health/habits.
I have not been sick with flu symptoms or any other ailment. I understand I should get checked out. Do you think there is a high likely hood of me having herpes after hearing my details? Also, the symptoms are gone now, my research tells me I should have a blood test to identify if the immunity to herpes is in my blood. This should tell me if I have herpes.
Could this only be a heat rash? I feel like possibly the rash didn't heal completely and when I got extremely sweaty again, it continued. On the other hand, someone I slept with is claiming to have a STD, but again, I do not know her symptoms. My other thought is that the herpes virus manifested itself in the area because it was a weakened area from an existing rash.
If the rash ever comes back in the same area....does that mean I definitely have the herpes virus?
Do I have any options on free diagnosis or treatment here?
Thank you for your help
I am concerned that I have herpes for two reasons.
Three years ago I had unprotected sex (while living in Florida) with a close friend (Do not know her sexual history but assume it isn't much). I had a sexual relationship with her on a semi-monthly basis for 6 months. After that relationship I notices the sides of my lips (where the top and bottom lip meet) became chapped and would break open in the creases if I yawned a lot for example. I never noticed any visible sings from her (see her everyday) and did not ask her if she was experiencing any symptoms. I kept opening my mouth to a minimum and the area healed a couple of weeks later. There were no defined blisters, just some chaffing. I thought nothing of it until the same thing occurred about 6 months later. Lasted for a week or two and went away. The weather was cold and I wrote it off to chapped lips. I have had no other incidents with my lips of any kind since then, including that area of my lips.
The latest concern of mine has been since I moved to Manila. I have had unprotected sex with four different women here. One per month. None of them are sex workers, but I do not know their sexual history. The second month (and second girl I had unprotected sex with here) told me (After we had been having sex for a week) that she was experiencing some itching on her vaginal area. She saw a doctor who prescribed her with a yeast infection and gave her medicine to treat it. I stopped sex of any kind with her at that point and she informed me that the yeast infection went away after 2 or 3 days of taking the vaginal insertion medication the Dr prescribed to her. I have no had intercourse with her since before she complained of her yeast infection.
About a month later, with no sexual contact, there were some infrastructure problems in my area and I was not able to shower for about 2 days. At the beginning of days three I developed a bilateral rash on my inner thighs where the inner leg meets my scrotum. None on my anus, none on my penis. I feel confident this was from heat and not keeping clean. The rash was reminiscent of a heat rash folks get elsewhere on their bodies. After keeping extremely clean for about 4 days, the rash went away as far as i could tell. No scaring, no spreading, no blistering. I could tell the rash was from walking where my skin rubs against itself.
About 1 week after the rash completely healed I helped a friend move. I worked pretty hard and sweated a lot. The rash reappeared in the same place on my inner thighs. This time it did not spread either. Nothing on my penis or scrotum or anus. The concerning part, is that the rash lasted three weeks and did blister, scab over, and heal. It was not painful to shower with, and was also not itchy when kept on the open air. It turned light red at the worst stage of the rash, did not turn dark red or purple.
I did not urinate on the rash so i do not know if there was pain from that. I experienced no other pain anywhere else internally or otherwise on my body. I showered regularly and kept the rash cool and exposed to air the entire three weeks. Pretty much stayed in doors. I has someone get Benadryl and Predisone 5mg from the pharmacy and I took those religiously for 10 days and I really felt like that speed up the healing process. The rash did not spread, but did blister when i walked around irritating it a little. I kept dry baby powder on it also to keep it dry.
About 2 days after the rash started this last time, still during the time when it didn't seem like a rash at all, I had unprotected sex with the third girl. We had intercourse once. I have heard now from a friend that she is saying she has an STD. I did not tell her about my issue at the time because I didn't realize it was there, and she will not admit to me what she told her friend. I do not know what symptoms she is experiencing.
I have not been checked out or treated by a Doctor. I can not afford it at the moment. I understand this is not the smartest way to practice sex, and I am hoping I still have the chance to change my sexual health/habits.
I have not been sick with flu symptoms or any other ailment. I understand I should get checked out. Do you think there is a high likely hood of me having herpes after hearing my details? Also, the symptoms are gone now, my research tells me I should have a blood test to identify if the immunity to herpes is in my blood. This should tell me if I have herpes.
Could this only be a heat rash? I feel like possibly the rash didn't heal completely and when I got extremely sweaty again, it continued. On the other hand, someone I slept with is claiming to have a STD, but again, I do not know her symptoms. My other thought is that the herpes virus manifested itself in the area because it was a weakened area from an existing rash.
If the rash ever comes back in the same area....does that mean I definitely have the herpes virus?
Do I have any options on free diagnosis or treatment here?
Thank you for your help
Dude,
I'm totally in the same boat as you in Manila. Get in touch, can't seem to talk to anyone about this!
Email me!!
I'm totally in the same boat as you in Manila. Get in touch, can't seem to talk to anyone about this!
Email me!!
odds are it's a yeast infection you have that you aren't properly treating and it keeps coming back. prednisone was not the proper treatment for that. you need a topical antifungal cream.
you've been having unprotected sex with multiple partners. You need to cover your bases with a full std screening. I don't know what the testing options are where you are at.
grace
you've been having unprotected sex with multiple partners. You need to cover your bases with a full std screening. I don't know what the testing options are where you are at.
grace
Have an Answer?
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.
