Is it herpes or because of Bacterial Vaginosis?

[tdavis38]

About 3 weeks ago I had sex with my man.  We have been having unprotected sex for 5 months.  Well one day we had sex and he came inside me like normal, but I normally take a shower right after.  I waited till the next night to shower and I got all itchy.  I knew that semen irritates my skin if I don’t shower right after.  I was sore after that but it got a little better.  After a few days I realized that I have been sore a lot lately but I thought maybe it was due to having a lot of sex.  Also I noticed that I had an unusual fishy smell even after I showered and sex became almost excruciating.  So I automaticly thought I had a yeast infection so I stopped having sex and bought some monistat 3 cream.  After three days I noticed that it not only didn’t work but I was still sore, my lymph nodes were still swollen from a couple days ago, and saw I had a few lesions in my vagina.  The next day I went to my nurse and she said it looks like genital herpes. I cried but I didn’t really believe it.  I did a blood test for herpes and a test for other bacterial infections.  In a week the results came back and the nurse said that I had bacterial vaginosis (BV) and she said I tested positive for herpes but it came back herpes 7.  She thinks that it really meant a 1.  So I did another blood test and now I got to wait another week to see.  I have heard that bacterial vaginosis (BV) can cause lesions and swollen lymph nodes.  I just want to know if you think it is possible to have HSV- 1 orally like most people and I could have gotten the lesions and swollen lymph nodes from BV because this is my first bacterial infection.  Has anybody been in my situation or have any opinions?

[Nishababy12]

Try monistat 7

[Lexy1693]

Exact same thing happened to me 3 weeks ago and I'm too scared to go to the doctors not only am I scared but I can't go if I want to because I'm a truck driver and stuck on the road for 2 1/2 more weeks. It's been ongoing for two weeks now I tried vagisil which did work so right now I'm trying apple cider vinegar drinking and putting it on that area which burns like heck. Do you know of anything that can help with the cuts?

[auntiejessi]

Is there an urgent care center you can stop at? What if it's only yeast or bacterial vaginitis and you let this go for so long and it caused complications? Symptoms like this lingering for 3 weeks aren't likely to be herpes, or at least all herpes. Please consider getting checked out.

In the meantime, stop using the vinegar on it and don't use the vagisil. Try just sitting on ice packs as you drive (I feel for you - can't imagine sitting and driving for hours on end feeling like that). If ice packs don't work, try a bag of frozen peas - they often mold to the body better. When you have to urinate, get a squirty water bottle, and squirt the water over your vagina as you pee. Make sure to drink lots of water as that helps dilute the acid in your urine (which is what causes the burning when it hits your skin).

But I can't emphasize enough the need to get this checked. It may not be herpes. It may be, along with a secondary infection like yeast or BV, but you need to get this checked. Untreated BV can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, and you definitely don't want that.

If they see anything to swab for herpes, have them do a type specific culture. It may be too late, unless they can do a PCR swab (not every place does this), but even if it is herpes, you deserve relief from whatever it going on.

Feel better!

[Mistakeguy789]

Another thing to think about is having your partner tested to know his status.  If his status is negative then you will know he couldn't have given it to you.

Also testing this soon to a new possible infection won't give you the correct answer.  My suggestion is to go through and have your partner tested using a type specific IgG blood test.  This will give you an answer as to his status.  Make sure your test is an IgG type specific blood test as well.  You will not know the site of infection as about half the adult population will test positive for HSV-1 and have it orally from that kiss we got from a loved one as a kid.

If you have questions on the results please post them here.  Let grace respond to your test results as she is trained in this area and others may not be.  While I can read what you post I am not trained in it.  

Not everything that goes on downstairs is HSV.  

[Toni22]

Well you will have to wait on result, but its possible to have been infected with herpes while having BV... The fishy smell as stated by your doctor indicates that. As for the lesions that a sign of herpes. The only way to know for certain is to test as you've done.. You now have to wait on the results.