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Is this genital and oral HSV1?

Hi everyone. I have a real mystery. Been reading posts (loads of info on here which is great) but finally decided to ask my questions. Warning - long story coming! Sorry for being detailed and graphic but I'm guessing more info, not less, will help you all.  Having trouble getting a diagnosis and figuring out what the heck is going on with my body!

I had a brief encounter with a man - vaginal and me giving him oral sex - for a short time.  It was not full sex, more like fooling around a bit and then it stopped - but there was unprotected vaginal and oral insertion of his penis (for maybe 10 thrusts and maybe 30 seconds of oral)  this happened two or three times during the course of the night.  Then the same thing happened the week after. Then the fun began.

Nearly two weeks after I got internal vaginal pain (like bad period pain) and discharge for a couple of days and then the next day came extreme extreme extreme itching and swelling and pain of the vagina/vulva. Went to the doc who said it looked like a very bad yeast infection and gave me meds. Discharge got so bad that it was running out, so not clumpy.  Next day it was sore to pee and got bad chills and fever and night sweats and was very very sick for 3 days and nights. But I was away from home and it was a weekend so couldn't easily get to a doc. During this time I developed some papercuts down either side of the folds on the outside of my vagina entrance and a raw spot inside.  I suffered on for nearly 2 weeks until things cleared up.

Now before the vagina symptoms started I had a red raw patch on my lip which was wouldn't heal, but didn't think too much about it although I had noticed it as being different but thought maybe a bad case of chapped lip or something.  When it did start to look and feel better or healed then is started again soon after.  Then after the vagina symptoms had started i then got what looked like a very shallow blister type bump next to this raw patch.  It didn't burst or go yellow, but just kinda dried up and then was just like dry chapped area on lip.  I also had a very sore raw scratchy throat which was red and inflamed.

Everything healed but went for std check anyway and everything came back normal.  I asked about herpes and told it would be round blisters that burst not long open cuts which is yeast.  BUT here's my problem.  I've been sick ever since.  Get a few days where I have no vaginal problems and then it starts again -internal pain,feels of clit/urethra is swollen and pressured, very painful papercuts in folds and next to clit, itching, burning.  Also happens on buttocks and internal thighs with sharp stinging and then one, two or maybe 4 red spots - but they don't burst, just sort of dry up and then heal. Burning skin feeling and a hot feeling at bottom of back.  Get hot red sunburn like rash on buttocks and thighs with a flushed very hot face and sometimes shivers - but this is lessening each time it happens. No further blister on my mouth but often have red raw patches then peel skin a bit and eventually dry up and heal.. Lips feel burny and itchy too when this happens. Also get raw sore throat which turns into mucus chesty cough.  Been back to doc and given vaginal yeast treatment again (internal and oral tablets) and then 2 different antibiotics to 'kill anything that may be lurking'.

(thanks if you're still reading!) So now, I'm in the position that I have been very ill from this encounter with this guy (who says he was clean for stds, but does get sweat/fungal rashes - I'm now thinking this is actually herpes and not sweat rashes??!?).  I've been treated for yeast and with antibiotics, but I still get these symptoms.  Got a rapid HSV2 test done which was negative and waiting results of igg. In the meantime the doc has agreed to let me try a month of acyclovir (?) to see if it helps.

Sooooo my big question is can I have gotten genital and oral hsv1 from this guy's penis, due to his 'sweat rash'.  Read genital outbreaks are rare for hsv1 but seriously, I have had sooooo much pain and discomfort - I knew straight away something major was happening - not just a yeast infection. And if it is hsv1, why the heck am I getting frequent outbreaks like this?  I've read it shouldn't reoccur as often but been tested for yeast and bacteria and stds etc and all was clear, but they did still treat it just in case the swab missed the yeast (swabbed once for herpes but was days later and was clearing up - another time they wouldn't swab as only small cuts and no blisters in vagina area - helpful eh?)

Any thoughts people?  Hsv1?  Fungal (although unlikely from what I've read?)  Anything else spring to mind if IGG comes back negative for both? I've probably left out loads of info (sorry, been kinda going with this for months now - I forget what is normal now!) but will answer queries to fill in any gaps if needed to help you out with 'diagnosis'.  Cheers everyone for reading and here's hoping you've some ideas to put me out of this misery. (by the way I hadn't been with any other man in nearly 2 years and NEVER had any problems vaginally or orally like this before. Truly fed up with the cycle and feeling crap all the time - need some pain free time please! Got the point i don't even care what it is now - i just need to know!!!!  Arrghhhh.  Thanks guys.
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Avatar universal
Hey i know its been a few years but if u get on id like to know officially what it was been going through similar things, i was thinking shingles to be honest
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Avatar universal
I am so curious about your situation.  Did you ever get a positive swab?  How are your symptoms?  I hope that your life has gotten better.  Please update us.
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2073512 tn?1331681249
...a lot of people are having the oral problems that u describe because of their tooth paste... a lot of consumer complaints because if stanine fluroide in crest pro-health... ur other problems I can't say. hope this helps.
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Avatar universal
I had the test at 4 months post exposure and it was negative but my doctors are telling me that I am one of the ones who have a false negative because my symptoms are so obviously herpes.

I came back on here, not to discuss validity of tests, but to try and get some help and strength from you guys about how the hell I'm going to move forward from this, cause it's so bad and so frequent.....it's pretty unbearable...
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Avatar universal
You should undergo IGG test for HSV1 & HSV2 after Six months of possible exposure......It will ensure you...
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Avatar universal
Hi. Been a long time. I don't think I have the energy to go in to all the details, and it'd take forever anyways, so I'll be brief. Sorry. But I'm just so exhausted and depressed. I haven't had a 'confirmed' herpes diagnosis and it's taking its toll, so need to 'talk' to others. I just started to feel a bit stronger to post on here again and update those who have been following.

Basically I am chasing a swab diagnosis because I have been told visually that I have herpes. However, I have also been told by a derm that I have oral erythema multiforme, which makes sense to me. I am not on antivirals until I get a blood or swab test that is positive, so I am having daily symptoms. But nothing that is great to swab. The bum blisters don't have much liquid in them and scab very quickly. The derm and gyn agree that it is rare to have symptoms back to back, but are confident that it is herpes and that as soon as one outbreak clears another comes on a day or two later. My body can't seem to kick it. Probably due to immense stress. I also have a yeast infection that won't go. Maybe that is causing the outbreaks. Or maybe the herpes outbreaks are causing the yeast. Either way, I'm fed up. I'm also still developing polyps which is very distressing as the docs won't do anything about these cause they aren't dangerous etc. The EXTREME butt cheeks burning is simply unbearable. I can't bear clothes touching my skin and feel I need ice on my butt when it comes on (and then the spots come within 2 days). It goes down my shin too. And the lymph node pain in the groin and general recurring hot flushes are really getting in the way of me living any sort of normal life. At least now I know the bottom lip raw patches, blisters and peeling isn't always hsv and is caused by erythema multiforme, which in a way makes things a bit better, cause I feel mentally, that it is a break from herpes. I just need to start learning what symptom is from what, which will be hard. And by the way, the derm and the local herpes help group said have both said that they have seen many people who have had positive swabs but negative blood tests.

I guess I'm just depressed cause even when I confirm it with a swab I don't see much hope of it getting better cause when I was on the antivirals before, I only got 2 weeks before I got another outbreak. My outlook for life isn't so good right now. I can't bear to feel this sick for the rest of my life.
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Avatar universal
You should post your own thread if you have questions.
But I know exactly what you are going through!! I'm freaking out about the same thing!!
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Avatar universal
One month ago I had to switch from Valtrex to Acyclovir do to insurance reasons. The dr told me for suppressive therapy to take 2 a day, they are 400 mg each. My Valtrex was once a day, I always took it in the morning and it was 500 mg. Before I called the doctor I wondered if maybe the Valtrex worked better for me than the Acyclovir...Anyhow I talked to my dr's nurse and told her what was going on and she called me back and the dr said to take the Acyclovir 5x a day for 5 days. Today, Sunday is my 5th day, I really feel no better, at times I do but it seems once about 2 hours or so after I have taken my pill I start feeling yucky again. I got off work Saturday morning went home took a pill at 10:45, around 1:10 pm I started to feel flushed again, and noticed more mouth sensations or stronger, and my butt feeling hot. I took 2 pills and went to bed around 4 PM. I do not sleep well in the first place but got up at 11 pm, and at 11:30 took 2 more pills. I came to work and around 1:30 am to 2:30 I started feeling more flu like again, burning mouth sensations more noticeable, but feels hot and I am so sick of feeling this way. The butt thing started two weeks ago, I never had that before, last week when I was looking for sores, I never found blisters, I had those sore lines everyone talks about, like I had one on the side of labia, my whole vaginal area was swollen, slightly red as well. Yet this is when the itch thingin the anus was going on and thats another reason I decided to take the yeast infection medication. Then that pretty much did go away. Tonight before work I had my husband look at a spot because I feel like there was an area that felt sore way at the bottom of vagina, I think I am still looking for blisters or wondering why this is not going away. He says there is nothing there, but he says your hemmeroids are bad. I told him they been bad and that I thought some of the burning was because of the hemmeroids (internal) in the first place. When my vaginal area was all swollen so were the hemmeroids. I was trying to feel slightly inside the anus to pin point the burning or to see if I could feel a blister earlier in the week when that burning all started, because I have read that in women the herpes goes around the anus a lot. One day I thought I could feel a lump next to a tag I have that was on the entrance/side of anus near tag but I cant be sure. All of this makes me sick and I am a severely stressed out person in the first place. I take Wellbutrin (anti-depressant), and Adderall for ADD. I have a son overseas in Iraq, I have a husband that works away from home all week, while I work 3rd shift 30 hours a week and do online schooling. I have been very overwhelmed, especially since my butt first began that burning, cause I know its got to be HSV and it makes me even more depressed. I think my biggest problem is that I have not felt good for over 2 years, ok so I had a cold sore, I had flu symptoms for 2 weeks. Why cant I be like most people and then the HSV goes back into hiding, why does my mouth continue this burning presence mostly on than off. Now I am dealing with getting it through my head that HSV is in the genital area and it makes me sick. Today I said I wish I was dead, I am so sick of feeling like this. I had made an appt with a Gyn, as my other one I originally saw is no longer seeing anyone other than pregnant woman, well the appt was for Oct 4th, they called and left me a message Friday that its cancelled because the Gyn is going to be in surgery all day. I just thought maybe I could go see someone and make sure something else was not going on as well. Everyone talks like once the outbreak is gone it literally goes away and they feel fine, until the next OB. I came across this page and just wanted to vent, but I have those exact symptoms as you DiDiva, and Grace I do not know who you are, are you a doctor? I was hoping maybe you would see my post and put your two cents in as well. I agree with DiDiva, that guy gave her something, but what? I saw someone other than my husband a year ago, anyhow my point here is that after I saw him I got the BV back. I do not need lectured on seeing another partner, I know the risk. Anyhow I saw him 2 days before my *** felt like it was on fire, we used a condom, yet he wanted to give me oral, I agreed. I didnt think oral would bring on BV. I did tell him that last time I saw him I got BV....I never had any other contact then him in that 3 week time frame, with the beginning of all of this. I told him I have HSV 1...I have been seeing him for over 7 years and not once have I noticed any cold sore or sore on his penis, I do understand that there does not have to be noticeable symptoms. The only other thing I had in my life within that 3 weeks that I have not had for a year was alcohol, I drank 2 times out of the 3 weeks. I saw him all those years before and never had any problems, I also know symptoms can go unnoticed for years. I been taking the medication like I should and I obviously got an OB, yet it just is not getting any better, I do not understand. Are some of us just bound to live with it everyday, or most days? Or maybe I should get back on the Valtrex.
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Avatar universal
I feel your pain, I went to the Gyn a couple of years ago and had every std test done, I told her to do a blood specif hsv test. I had gotten sick with flu like symptoms and then sore throat, 2 days later what I thought was a pimple above my lip I popped and spread, cause then another cold sore started. When I had flu like symptoms and saw red bumps or sores all over my throat I went to the doctor, he said just a virus ride it out. Two days later I developed the cold sores, I went back he looked at throat and said when did the blisters come on? I said about two days after you saw me, he said yeah its herpes, like it was no big deal. I think my life ended then. He never offered medication and it really was not that bad other then flu symptoms and mostly the stigma of herpes. He never talked to me about the infection, never described it or gave me any advice or offered medication. I knew enough to get abreva and did so, I was sick about 2 weeks. After months and months of a sore mouth, burning sensation, canker sores I went to the dentist and he said I dont think its herpes. My mouth always seems sore. Thats when I decided to see a Gyn. So the test came back HSV 1 positive, thats all I know. Since she knew of my mouth pain and not feeling so well she offered to put me on oppresive therapy if I wanted to try it, so I said yes. I went on Valtrex, I think it helps me, yet no matter what I do I always seems to get this sore mouth and canker sores at times. Sometimes it is the roof of my mouth that gets sore, it always has this burning feeling, I hate it and its so depressing. Anyhow I wanted to stop the pills to see if I could get by without taking them everyday and within a week started to develop a cold sore and went right back on the Valtrex and used abreva, the cold sore went away with in a couple days. Prior to seeing this Gyn I saw a different one, I was having discharge that smelled very fishy after sex, was diagnosed with Bacterial Vaginitis, so he gave me gel and told me as women get older some just get it and even though its not contagious multiple partners could cause it, he said some women can treat it and be rid of it and some keep getting it back. I grew up with many yeast infections and bladder infections. Then I am thinking now this? I treated it and it eventually came back. Thats when I went to the 2nd Gyn, she treated me differently, for a longer period of time and of course offered me the Valtrex. I would get the BV, it would come and go then one day I went to the clinic because of it again, he prescribed me just the pill dosage for two months, it seemed to get rid of the BV. I have always been depressed do to the HSV 1 and am constantly looking for sores in my vaginal area, and the more I think about it the more I think I have probably had HSV 1 vaginally as well just never noticed the symptoms. I think back now and I used to get like a tiny little tear on my hood and I thought it was from just having sex to rough. Then one time I remember I was taking a shower and I always wash up and was washing my butt crack and I was like Owww..it felt like a cut at the top where the crack first starts and just a small area but the more I think about it, its just like the one that I get on my hood. Then I start to remember the times I "thought" I had razor bumps on my upper inner legs from shaving, and believe it or not I have even seen this bumps on my right calf below my knee. This last 2 weeks for me has been hell. I was sitting at work and about 4 am my *** starting to burn and feel like it was on fire, yet there was nothing there, in fact I couldnt really tell where this feeling was exactly coming from, I thought it was my hemmoroids acting up, they have been much worse lately but I have never had that feeling. This burning was not from deep in my vagina. I had a UTI 2 weeks before and I usually get yeast infection after treating so the dr prescribed me the yeast infection pill if I needed it. I was having a milky discharge, no smell, no burning right there in vagina. I was due for my period in a little less than a couple of weeks and normally I will have the discharge so I figured thats what that was from. Yet the very back part of my vagina and then my anus was where this burning, very slight itch seemed to be coming from. When I got off work I bought some vagisil and spread some in the area between anus and vagina and it seemed to help a lot and I took my yeast infection pill. The itching stopped but my mouth has been sore this whole time and then like 2 days later I felt bad burning on butt cheek and then I saw a 2 red bumps, not blisters, where the elastic line for your undies is at so I had some zorivax, thinking I have HSV 1, I figured I would try it. I really dont know if it worked because they werent sore or blistered, I was scared. I still continue to feel this way, I did find then a bump on the back of my butt cheek but not blister. Then I think I may have felt one in the shower in the upper butt crack area that gets sore rarely. I think I probably have HSV 1 genitally. On Wed when I got off work I called the doctor because I began to feel flu like symptoms again, my throat felt sore, I looked in my throat with the flashlight, I had the same sores when I got my initial outbreak. This is after my bottom felt funny.
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Avatar universal
Oh ok yeah completely diff than what I'm going through...
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Avatar universal
Thanks Grace.  I am definitely feeling better on the tablets.  The burning feeling has gone - especially on the butt - man that was horrible. and the internal swelling pain thing, like inside my vagina cavity and up the urethra has gone too.  The cuts have gone also.

TiredOfGirlyProblems - on first infection I got very long and large and deep open lesions running down both sides of my inner vagina lips, and above the clit.  Not round but more long, but may just have been like that cause the skin folds funny in there. Since then recurring ones are less severe and smaller, but still more long than round. May be singular or a few.  They are open and deep and very sore.  The ones on my butt start as terrible burning of the skin, it gets really hot then bug bite like spots come the next day or so, then small blisters appear on the bumps a day after that, but kinda come up from under the skin.  Not surface spots or filled with puss like a normal spot.  They itch a lot and they hurt for a couple of days. Then scab and fall off after a few days. Hope that helps.
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101028 tn?1419603004
well I wouldn't start daily suppressive therapy until you confirmed that this is herpes. As we've discussed previously, even if you do have genital herpes, not all of this is herpes related. Just try a 5 day or so course of acyclovir and if symptoms haven't went away, no more acyclovir  - be seen for symptoms each time you have them. herpes ob's will not cause non-stop symptoms like this.
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Avatar universal
DIDiva if you dont mind me asking what did your small legions look like??
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Avatar universal
Thanks so much.  Saves the 'doctor chase'.  Still no word back from swab. Should be back by end of week. But ya know, I'm kinda not even thinking about it.  Kinda think that even if it is negative, the doc already said he's pretty sure it's herpes and the lesion was small and healing by the time I could get in, so good chance swab will miss it this time.  But will obviously let you know.
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Avatar universal
I'm wondering the same thing? Did you ever get a positive swab???
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101028 tn?1419603004
it doesn't have to be exactly 12 hours. put at least 8 hours in between doses though.

did your swab come back yet?
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Avatar universal
bump. tried calling doc again today but no luck. any help with this guys?
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Avatar universal
Hey, doctor just told me to take acyclovir twice a day but how accurate does the timing have to be?  I mean does it mean anytime during the day or exactly 12 hours apart. If I take it at 7pm and then 9am does that cause problems?  Worried about not taking it right and causing an outbreak. Tried calling to ask but they couldn't speak to me at the time. Thanks.
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Avatar universal
Thanks Grace.  Somedays I am not too bad but tbh i'm pretty depressed.  it's the struggle of it all.  I had also seen a derm who was who did the vaginal biopsy to find it was polyps not anything else std-ish. All the info i can find on polyps say 'infection or irritation can cause them'.  Well I know I got an infection (herpes) and they started during the first initially outbreak.  All I can wonder is if it was due to the massive swelling.  But then surely they still wouldn't be growing 9 months later! Maybe a really really bad persistent yeast infection can cause polyps lol? I really wish I could believe it is all coincidence but it just doesn't fit.  I need answers, for me of course but also I need to know what's causing it all so I know what I could pass on. Weird thing is, if i had have been told i don't have herpes but have ongoing bv, yeast, lichen, etc etc i wouldn't care as much - cause it's not a contagious problem for partners. I'd take the pain of all these everyday for the rest of my life if I knew i couldn't harm anyone else - the thought of 'controlling' a virus forever and the worry of protecting others, is so tiring in itself. I miss my stress-free care-free health days. Anyways, thanks Grace.  Appreciate it.
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101028 tn?1419603004
don't limit yourself to what you could've caught, you also have to think, what else could be causing this - sometimes it really is coincidence.   A dermatologist might also be good for follow up too - chronic irritation in the genital area can cause problems same as they might be more likely to pick up on other non-std issues orally too.  

I do understand the frustration and exhaustion parts- pretty sure I've told ya before the basics of my own 4 year saga from years past.  It was a total pain in the butt to follow up monthly for several years but I did finally get answers from it all even though I didn't have immediate relief. My herpes is nothing, it's the other stuff that complicates my life and causes me problems :(
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Avatar universal
Oh I understand every single symptoms probably isn't due to herpes. But nobody can tell me what else I could have caught from a penis that would cause this all to happen.  I was really healthy before all this.  Oral symptoms haven't continued all this time btw, the initial time was the worse sore throat I could ever experience, very red and swollen with very very sore huge neck glands and raw open patches on lip with one singular big blister that didn't pop.  Since then the recurring oral symptoms have been the red raw patches and teeny tiny blisters on lip and inner edge of lip, with glands up and sore throat. But this has settled a lot when it happens. But I do have a handful of growths under my tongue - dr guesses polyps too without biopsy cause they happened at the same time as vaginal ones and all the stuff only happened after contact with a 'new' penis!  And no, they aren't going to remove all the polyps.  So I just have to continuously watch my body grow these things and I can do nothing about it or stop it. On top of the pain and lesions and itching and burning butt and spots/blisters and sweats and hot flushes and internal pain and node pain etc etc....it's been an exhausting and trying time!
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101028 tn?1419603004
I will be incredibly surprised if this is all herpes related as I'm sure you have guessed long before now by my replies.  I'm still betting it's something else going on.  oral and genital symptoms like this for this long are rarely herpes related.  

they going to remove the polyps?
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Avatar universal
Thanks Grace.  I really really appreciate the direct answer.  Yes, on top of the herpes; polyps and yeast are present so it seems my body has lots going on right now, but nobody can explain why the polyps developed at the time of the initial herpes infection, and why they are still growing and multiplying - that's why I thought there may be a link!  Easy for docs to say they are harmless, but something has caused them and still causing them to grow but nothing will be done about it. My body is changing and I can't stop it. And that's only genitally. All the same symptoms are orally too.  So I wonder what other infections I have got from brief intercourse and oral cause this all happened with a bang the week after....I wonder if it's all a side effect of the herpes or some other infection as well - either way I can obviously pass it on but it looks like I will never find out what is causing the polyps cause nobody will investigate cause polyps are harmless - I just want them to disappear or at least stop growing and multiplying. Sigh.  Thanks again Grace for that info.  I live in hope to have relief and get these outbreaks down to a murmur...I can't wait!
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101028 tn?1419603004
no polyps have nothing to do with genital herpes.

yes the suppressive dose will help if this is herpes. The herpes will heal on its own and it sounds like it was already mostly healed when you were seen.   even if you would by chance get a + lesion culture, you already know you have far more than just herpes going on. you need to be seeing a gyn monthly as needed to get to the bottom of this, not std specialists.

yes, suppressive therapy reduces ob's significantly. I myself went from 20 ob's a year to 3-4 on average back in the day.
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