Is it Herpes??

I'm very confused and worried!! I had unprotected sexual intercourse in February while intoxicated. Had pelvic pains and some genital burning/itching a few months later, went to my GP who took some swabs. The results came back that I had BV.-Treated with antibiotic gel, everything was fine.  

2 weeks ago I got tonsillitis, treated with penicillin but it gave me thrush (So I thought) so I stopped the antibiotics after 4 days,silly I know! But I had a Very itchy vagina, typical thrush symptoms. Treated it with diflucan, and canesten cream. It got worse!

I have 2 daughters 6&8 and they told my they were itchy down below too so I put a little canesten cream on them too.The soreness worsened after the canesten. Still really itchy too.  We all wash with femfresh(Wash designed for vaginas) . Now all 3 of us have blisters/ulcers. Went to see the practice nurse yesterday who asked me if I had a new partner with in the last few weeks, I haven't. So she came to the conclusion that it was the femfresh that we'd reacted to.,she said it's actually quite bad as it strips the vagina of oils. We have to go back tomorrow, to see it's better after cortisone cream.

I'm worried to death it's genital herpes!!??As I've looked online and it does look like it.  If it is, how could my children have got it from me? Would we all have an outbreak at the same time if I was the carrier? I have never done anything inappropriate to my children and there is no chance anyone else could have either as they are rarely left with anyone except my grandmother. Everything I've read says you can't catch it from toilets etc. Is there a very small risk? Could it be herpes or am I over reacting and it is the Cream or wash? Do these sound like typical allergic reaction symptoms? The blisters started on us all yesterday, I have been itchy for 2 weeks. Also I woke up this morning with a very sore throat/flu symptoms. Is it tonsillitis again or herpes? Can't sleep for worry.

Please help I'm really worried and devastated that I could have given something to my children.

[gracefromHHP]

No, you absolutely did not give your kids genital herpes!!!  they also don't have chicken pox in the genital area either.


This could be many things including a bacterial infection that you all are sharing.  Further work up for all of you is the best course of action .

the gum clinic can test your lesions for herpes , they don't do the blood testing for herpes there. You need to go to a private clinic for that to be done. At this point it's too late for you to get your lesions tested for herpes to be honest. this wouldn't have been a newly acquired infection for you and shedding is at this point too low to show up accurately on a lesion culture if this is indeed herpes.  

grace

[symptomchecker]

     It has been a few months since the sex, go to the doc and get an IGG test for HSV 1 and 2.  The only feasible way that you would have passed this on to your daughters is if you used/touched the same applicators for the femfresh medication.  This would still be a pretty low risk scenario, though not zero.  Could it be herpes?  Well, anything is possible, but it seems unlikely for your daughters.  ANYTIME there are 'fresh' ulcers/blisters 'down there' take them to the Dr. immediately to get swabbed.  Swabbing is only effective while the sores still have pus in them.  They can be tested via blood IGG 2-3 months from now for a definitive herpes diagnosis.  

     Most likely case based upon what you are describing?  Chickenpox for the kids and something different for you.  If it eases your mind, the sore throat/flu symptoms is not typical for recurrent outbreaks.  Usually, from what I hear, this is reserved for the initial outbreak only.  Keep in touch with those Dr.'s, make sure you monitor your childrens' fever if they have one.  Keep the blistered areas clean and dry.  Talk to your kids about washing their hands and not rubbing their eyes.  

[Cofused_worried2010]

Thanks for the response. The femfresh is like a shower gel/soap dispenser with no applicator, so no chance that I could have passed anything that way.

The kids have already had chicken pox last year, so it can't be that. Their blisters/spots have nearly gone... That would be too quick for herpes? While I'm getting worse... Aching all over,knuckles,wrists even my toes! They had a fever 2 weeks ago, but also had a cold so it was probably connected.

I feel better knowing that the flu symptoms only accompany an initial outbreak- I'm obviously freaking myself out! Just seemed a bit of a coincidence that we all have it? I'm going to the doctors today and as I have new sores (Which aren't really painful untill I go to the toilet or touch them,even plain water stings) I'll get him to swab me today. Think I'll take myself to the nearest GUM clinic tomorrow too just to get everything checked and finally put my mind at ease! Thank You... Been driving myself mad.

[gracefromHHP]

No, you absolutely did not give your kids genital herpes!!!  they also don't have chicken pox in the genital area either.


This could be many things including a bacterial infection that you all are sharing.  Further work up for all of you is the best course of action .

the gum clinic can test your lesions for herpes , they don't do the blood testing for herpes there. You need to go to a private clinic for that to be done. At this point it's too late for you to get your lesions tested for herpes to be honest. this wouldn't have been a newly acquired infection for you and shedding is at this point too low to show up accurately on a lesion culture if this is indeed herpes.  

grace

[Cofused_worried2010]

I went back to the nurse yesterday and she diagnosed all 3 of us with genital herpes. Just by looking, no swabs or bloods. I'm devastated, me I can accept but not the kids. She flatly refused to test my sores, they are still open. Said there was no need she could tell by looking and sent us all home with Flucloxacillin and Acyclovir. This is the same nurse who diagnosed me with ear wax when I had a severe ear infection!

She reckons I've passed it on through a towel or toilet seat!! Surely if i could pass it to them like that my partner and anyone who comes to my house would of caught it!?  I have never even had a coldsore on my lip-Partner has but last one was in jan, but I won't even let him kiss me when he has one.

My sores are starting to heal up, no scab, just shrink and vanish. They are painful but only when I urinate, then its just a burn. They itch too. The kids are healing too... It's only been 5 days since they first showed up, things seem to be settling after we've all swapped to plain water to wash with, no soap all week. So could it be contact dermatitis? The kids aren't sick, and are out playing as normal,riding a bike etc, so they aren't even that sore. Itching is their main complaint.

If it's not a newly acquired infection for me then I surely would have had symptoms before? I really don't understand how I could of given it to them?  I'm devastated at the thought of the kids having to live with this stigma.  

[symptomchecker]

Rubbish.

   Your practicioner revealed her ignorance with the toilet seat comment, and you know this, which is why you are second guessing.  Visual inspection is cause for narrowing down which tests to use to find out what is going on, not for diagnosis.  One of my exes actually called me crying one day after a doc visually diagnosed her with genital herpes, turns out she didn't have it, heard other stories about it online before.  To answer your ? it is possible for you to have contracted it before without symptoms, or with symptoms not noticed.  Anyway, give yourself a break mentally about your kids having got genital herpes from you.  Since you actually have sex with someone who has had symptoms before, and it is actually possible that your case is herpes, maybe stick with your meds????  Couldn't hurt to see if that relieves your symptoms???  You have struck out twice with that same practicioner, time to see a different one.  By the way, you mentioned that you are bathing without soap, personally I would recommend washing the hands with soap after bathing is complete since the soap hasn't bothered the hands and it seems to be a good idea anyway. I'm not implying anything, just a good practice if something is going on.  

[Cofused_worried2010]

Hi symptomchecker.

It has been eating me up since I found out. So I just went to the local GUM clinic they have sexual health nurse swabbed a sore and said it could be hepatic or it could be something else. Least she swabbed me! She said although it's a coincidence it's likely the kids could have something completely different ie fungal/bacterial or even dermatitis down to the femfresh.  

The Dr in the clinic reckons that you can catch it via toilets/towels...But guess what, she is a GP from the practice who told me the same thing yesterday!!God knows where they train them!?!  I'm moving GP's asap anyway, as I just remembered they also misdiagnosed my peptic ulcer as IBS. So I won't taker her word for it now.

The sexual health nurse seems to think it is highly unlikely, that they have got it that way,especially both of them. So I'll take the meds, and see what the results are next week. I really hope that she is wrong!

What did your ex have then if you don't mind me asking?

[symptomchecker]

Like grace said earlier, the probably a little too late to determine anything definitive from a swab test, but it is great news that the new clinician is at least being proactive and open minded about getting to the bottom of this for you.

The ex went in with a UTI or yeast infection, I don't remember.  The visual diagnosis was based upon a pencil eraser sized birthmark/freckle type spot on the interior of her vagina that no one had noticed before (as far as my ex knew).  Not much help to you as far as alternative diagnoses, but still an example of how quickly a visual diagnosis can be proven inaccurate.  The doc was the same as yours, wrote her an acyclovir prescription, gave her the 'you screwed up' look and sweep of the hand, and he seemed basically insulted when she later asked for actual tests.  

[Cofused_worried2010]

Well I thought I would at least go and get a 2nd opinion. They won't do the bloods, but I'm willing to pay privately for them anyway if the swabs are inconclusive.

Well it just goes to show how dismissive they can be, this what I have definitely started off as a yeast infection, happens every time I have antibiotics.. I'd just had them for tonsillitis Which I have had 4 courses this year already,They don't even swab your throat to check it's bacterial before prescribing them.

Guess I'll find out next week... Thanks for the advice/input

[gracefromHHP]

this was poor medicine all around for you and your children :(  Anyone who knows anything about genital herpes knows the likelihood of all 3 of you having genital herpes is right up there with the likelihood that you'll win millions in the lottery today.  Herpes is not transmitted through toilet seats and towels to family members like this.

Your children should be taken to their pediatrician for further evaluation also.  I recommend a bacterial test for MRSA also on all 3 of you.

grace

[Cofused_worried2010]

Thanks for the reply Grace. Your helping to put my mind at ease!

Dr/Nurse were both adamant that you can transfer it that way even though I know you can't! The whole poplulation would have it otherwise.

Kids discharge has gone  and spots  have really dried up after 3 doses of flucloxacilln. Didn't give then the antivirals as I don't want to give them drugs I feel they don't need. The more I think about it the angrier I get!! I did find it odd that 3 people would have an outbreak together. But not my parteber.

I'm off to find a new GP on Monday. Preferably one with some common sense! :)  I will request bacterial swabs. Thank you again.