Genital Herpes or something else?

I will try and keep this as brief as possible. A couple of years ago, I had gotten together with my Ex girlfriend in an attempt to try and work things out. We ended up having protected sex. Needless to say, things did not work out. About 10 days later, I had some bumps on my shaft that seemed to be blisters. They popped and a clear fluid came out. I had swollen lymph nodes, but no flu-like symptoms. A couple of day after this occurance, I went in to see my GP. He looked at the "ulcers" and said that it did not look like Herpes. These "ulcers" healed up pretty quickly and disappeared. Since then, they have never came back.

I am a pretty high-stressed person who seems to have weird genital pain often. About 4 weeks ago, I went into the shower and noticed I had a little pain and itching between the head of my penis and the shaft. I put some hydrocortizone on it and the spot disappeared within a few hours. Not herpes there. The issue that I am having is that this area where the bump occurred seems to bother me quite a bit. The skin gets red and irritated and the pain seems to also be reflected in my groin area. I had the irritation for about a week, then it went away. Now within the last few days, this area is bothering me again (twic in about 3-4 weeks). I got a good light and a magnifying glass to have a closer look. The skin is red and the skin seems to be flaky as well. Sees like there are tiny, tiny cuts, perhaps from the skin being irritated I have had this conversation with my doctor about this problem in  the past, but he still does not think that it is Herpes. If this is truly the case, then what can it be? Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

[slacker101]

You need to go see a different Dr. ASAP!! If he believes you don't have herpes, that's fine but you described herpes from a lot of what you have said. Go get an IGG Blood Test ASAP and find out if you have HSV1 or 2. The best STD Dr's. misdiagnose herpes so it is a possibility your doctor missed something also. When you mentioned blisters on penis and it bursted, what did he think it was? What did the ulcers look like? Go get tested and be done with it! You definitely present a strong case you have either HSV1 or 2 so it would be worth your time and money to find out truly what is going on down there. There are some things you said that doesn't follow a herpes pattern but getting tested you will definitely know!! Keep us informed what you do!

[couldusesomehelp]

When I went into my doc, he said that my "outbreak", or whatever it was, did not look like Herpes, rather, ingrown hairs. He said that I would have been in pain and sick as well. I never had any pain at all from this at all and it has been nearly 3 years now and I have never had this ever come back.I remember that the weather change to being pretty warm and was sweating down there. After the "outbreak", the sores, or whatever  they may have been, healed up pretty quickly, within 4 or 5 days from the start. There were a few of these on my penis and nothing was ever in a cluster. I have never had this ever again since then.

All of my problems are in a different area (between the foreskin and shaft) where it seems to be some sort of skin problem. I have looked really closely at this area and I never see any sores and nothing ever heals up and scabs over. Skin texture seems different. This seems to be a frequent occurrence for me, about every 2 or three weeks, which seems like it does not follow a herpes pattern. I am relatively healthy and rarely get sick. Any ideas?

[gracefromHHP]

You are concerned about herpes and it sounds like you've never been tested for it. Trust me when I tell you that you'd rather find out you have it from a blood test then from when you transmit it to a partner.  Follow up on your concerns with a type specific herpes igg blood test to see what your status is.  Anyone who is sexually active should be getting tested for herpes occassionally to keep an eye on their status. When 1 in 4 adults has something, it's well worth regular testing for. Condoms are not 100% protection against genital herpes and most folks also don't use them properly or for oral sex.

Do not continue to use otc hydrocortisone cream on these symptoms unless after a thorough examination you are instructed to do so by your provider. It's too strong for the sensitive genital skin for starters plus it can cause more trouble with the skin than it's worth.  You need to go and be seen and find out what is going on. It might even be something as simple a a fungal infection or just plain ole irritation but it's well worth following up on since it's reoccuring regularly.

grace

[slacker101]

Get tested and tell us what the results are! Get the Herpes Select IGG Test!! Knowing this will definintely stop you from wondering if you have Herpes!! Get tested!!

[Worried488]

I recently had a similar scenario play out, with two 'blisters' that popped and became blisters. The doctor said I had 'foliculitis (folliculitis)' and prescribed antibiotics which aren't helping much.  The itching has died down, but it has spread and now looks like maybe a cluster is forming.

I'm waiting on blood test results, but freaking out that I may contracted herpes. When do symptoms usually first show up?  I'm trying to figure out who might have caused this. I've been in a monogomous relationship now for two months, with no signs of anything.

But I have had an unusual sinus / mucus condition in the back of my throat since I started seeing her.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'll have my blood test results later tonight, but I've also heard that these are not 100%, and that I should have a swab / culture test done.

Are the online tests reputable?

[couldusesomehelp]

Is this cluster painful? Did you lymph nodes in your groin area ever swell up? Did you feel sick. From what I gather, this subject is multi-faceted and could be anything. I think the fact that you got some testing done is a step in the right direction.

From what I gather about herpes, it can rear its ugly head at anytime. Even though you have been in a monogamous relationship for a couple of months, anything can happen at anytime. Your partner may never know that she has had ot, or perhaps you never knew that you have had it, that is, if you do. Have a talk with your girlfriend and see what she has to say. Your "outbreak" sounded similar to mine, except for nothing ever clustered and has never came back in the three years that it has been for me. I had swollen lymph nodes and that was about it.

Your throat thing is probably totally unrelated. Probably due to a sinus infection and a change in the weather. I am a little surprised that the antibiotics did nothing. Perhaps you were not on them long enough, plus from what I understand, it can take a long time for a sinus infection to clear up, that is, if you have one.

While these sites provide great information, you can get all sorts of opinions that will freak you out or convince you that all is well. No one can truly diagnose you on the internet, even if you had sent photos. Best to get tested. Good luck.

[Worried488]

Thanks for your reply. I did get tested at the walk in clinic, they did a blood test which came back negative. I was initially very relieved, but now my sores are spreading, and I'm not convinced that they did the right type of blood test. So I"m waiting on a mail order culture test from home.. But what do you recommend for the best way to find out for sure?

This is incredibly upsetting. I finally have some freedom from a 5 year marriage that was troubled from the start, and now I find out my three months of 'fun' may have given me an incurable disease...

[gracefromHHP]

I never recommend any mail order culturing from home that you can order off the internet. To be honest you totally wasted your money because by the time you get it, it's too late for herpes to be picked up on a culture - even pcr.  They also WAY over charge for them at most places ( I've seen $150 for one pcr swab and up as a charge ).  You are better off returning to your provider or seeing a dermatologist for further evaluation.

grace

[Worried488]

You're probably right. I got the kit, and sent it back already but had gone to a different walk in clinic here in FL and they did a much more thorough job. She drew blood and did a culture and tonight I found out I do  have it.

Incredibly disappointing, but I already knew deep down because of the symptoms I was having. Now that the denial period is over, I'm just angry. Angry that my wife chose drinking over our relationship, and that the only way I knew to cope was to go out and be careless. Now I have a life long disease. Now what? The caliber of women I'm used to, or would want to be with, would never want to be with a guy with herpes?  What an ubelievable let down. I don't even know who to be angry at, because I've been with three women since then. Two one night stands, and one two month relationship which is over but I hope to god I didn't give it to her..

The doctor said that 60-70% of people with it, are asymptomatic and don't even know they have it. Thanks for the education Uncle Sam. I don't give a rats *** about having our troops over in Iraq at a Billion $ a day. Why not spend some money educating the population at large about this 'underground' disease. Not sexy enough I guess. Not 'vote-worthy'.  I was loyal to my wife for 5+ years. Now she's out having fun, and I have this.

What sense of fairness is there in this world?!!?  

[gracefromHHP]

Was it your blood test came back + or the culture?

grace

[T_C_]

I've had something similar but I never get blisters. Maybe one cut (recurs from time to time, usually after vigorous intercourse) in one spot usually and it heals, that's it. More recently I discovered one sore on the shaft that hurt a little bit at first, scab over in about a day or two. The only difference now is that 10 days ago, immediately after having intercourse I had multiple purpleish inflammations all over my penis extending all the way down to the base. Now I have the scab from the one sore from 10 days ago and some dry patches on my penis along with litterally the whole right half of my scrotum is red and flaky. Does this sound like herpes or something else?

[gracefromHHP]

TC - we've already discussed your situation in your own thread that you started previously. follow up on that discussion is best suited in that thread. thank you.

grace