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Is this likely herpes?
About 2 months ago I had unprotected sex with a casual friend of mine. The intercourse lasted maybe 10 minutes. Late that evening I noticed a reddish abrasion area on the shaft of my penis. I just assumed it was from friction, but it remained there over the next few days. 3 -4 days later I noticed a small red pimple like bump on one side of my shaft also, abrasion rash still there as well. It slowly faded over the next week or so, but never fully disappeared. Abrasion area completely healed after about 6 days. 2 weeks later a similar red bump appeared on the other side of my shaft. It also had a red base with a white hard head. It faded after about 4 days. As it faded however, the first bump got red again with similar white hard head. The bump again faded after 4-5 days, but still has not fully disappeared, leaving what appears to be a hardened whitish very small tiny bump. But for the most part, both bumps are no longer there. During this time I never experienced any pain or itching, and the bumps did not blister, turn into open sores, or scab over. They just faded. I also had no flu like symptoms or swollen glands anywhere. On two occasions, my dermatologist told me the sores didnt look like herpes due to lack of blistering. A Planned Parenthood doctor told me the same thing. At 3 weeks post exposure I had HerpesSelect test done and it came back HSV1 positive and HSV2 negative. My HSV1 value was 2.45. Also, my partner tested at 1 week post exposure due to me urging her to do so. Her HerpesSelect test came back negative for both types. So if she does have HSV2 then she had to have acquired it in the very recent past for it not to show on her test. She also swears she has never had any symptoms or discomfort of any kind. She has had several sex partners, all white males, over the past year or so. We both also tested negative for HIV at 6 weeks post exposure. My questions are:
1. How likely does this appear to be herpes for me?
2. Could my positive HSV1 result have shown on this test if it was acquired from her by chance? She did give me prolonged oral sex during the encounter. Or is 3 weeks simply too soon to show on the test. I read one doctor's comments on here that Type 1 usually will show on test by 3-3.5 weeks. Or is it more likely I have had type 1 for a long time, despite never having had a cold sore on my mouth that I can ever recall. And would my having type 1 possibly explain why my recent genital symptoms were so very mild with zero pain, blistering, scabs, or itching if this happens to be a new HSV2 infection.
We both plan to be tested again at the 12 or 13 week mark, but in the interim I would sincerely appreciate your feedback and opinion on my above concerns. Thanks so much.
1. How likely does this appear to be herpes for me?
2. Could my positive HSV1 result have shown on this test if it was acquired from her by chance? She did give me prolonged oral sex during the encounter. Or is 3 weeks simply too soon to show on the test. I read one doctor's comments on here that Type 1 usually will show on test by 3-3.5 weeks. Or is it more likely I have had type 1 for a long time, despite never having had a cold sore on my mouth that I can ever recall. And would my having type 1 possibly explain why my recent genital symptoms were so very mild with zero pain, blistering, scabs, or itching if this happens to be a new HSV2 infection.
We both plan to be tested again at the 12 or 13 week mark, but in the interim I would sincerely appreciate your feedback and opinion on my above concerns. Thanks so much.
I don't think you have herpes... If you are worried, go get tested and let us know you make out!!!
I appreciate the feedback and I tend to believe what your saying. Sorry, to clarify, when I said days on end for the first bump, it was probably 7 days before it had mostly faded. It just seemed like forever at the time. I dont know if this would change your opinion or not, but wanted to clarify. Also, since its not likely herpes, is it more likely to have been a fungal infection that appeared shortly after the encounter?
the bump that lasted days on end. That suggest for a long time. Herpes simply doesn't do that!!! There really is nothing more to add to this because you don't have it and when you get your test results, make sure you tell us you don't have it also so you will feel somewhat of a relief.
Ok, I totally hear you. You asked why wont I let it go. Simply because the biggest concern, the red bump that lasted for days on end, didnt appear until 3 or 4 days after the exposure. All literature says 3 days is plenty of time for the herpes to show itself then. The bump also mostly went away, then resurfaced red again after 2 weeks. I also got a second sore a couple of weeks after the first, and it went away mostly after 5 days or so. These two symptoms are well noted as likely herpes symptoms. I just didnt have any pain, blistering, or scabbing with them, or flu symptoms, which led me to believe perhaps its not herpes. And yes, the doctor said he didnt think it looked like herpes, but he assured me he could not be certain either, and I have read that doctors often mistake herpes for something else, especially cases that appear mild. I realize the abrasion that night doesn't indicate herpes, but the bumps at 3 days and 14 days very well could. At any rate, I will get tested at 12 weeks to confirm either way since my 3 week test appears to be too soon to know. Thanks for taking the time to respond and I will do my best to keep my anxiety level to a minimum.
First off, you said LATER THAT EVENING!! You CAN NOT get STD Symptoms that fast!!! Do you have any idea how small a virus is? Do you know how long it takes to travel around the body to give you symptoms? Take for instant a normal cold. It takes a minimum of 2 days to get symptoms after being infected. The 2 days is how long it takes for the little buggers to do its thing to give you symptoms. Same holds for herpes! Herpes will NOT NOT NOT show for a minimum of days and here you say that night!! You don't have herpes!! Your doctors agree, Grace agrees, your blood test agrees so why don't YOU???? You are FINE!!!! Let it go!!
Grace,
I truly appreciate your time and opinion. I have been thinking the same thing, that two medical professionals told me its not likely herpes and she tested negative, so I should forget about it. But my mind also cant reconcile the symptoms I had. I also worry she may have acquired herpes recently, due to having other partners, so it wouldnt have shown on her test and she would also be more likely to have given it to me due to it being a recent infection for her. Do you feel just my symtpoms alone are suggstive of herpes? Or is it also just as likely to have been a fungal type infection or something else? By far, my greatest concern is the symptoms I experienced. Thank you once again, and this will be my last post so I dont take time away from others.
I truly appreciate your time and opinion. I have been thinking the same thing, that two medical professionals told me its not likely herpes and she tested negative, so I should forget about it. But my mind also cant reconcile the symptoms I had. I also worry she may have acquired herpes recently, due to having other partners, so it wouldnt have shown on her test and she would also be more likely to have given it to me due to it being a recent infection for her. Do you feel just my symtpoms alone are suggstive of herpes? Or is it also just as likely to have been a fungal type infection or something else? By far, my greatest concern is the symptoms I experienced. Thank you once again, and this will be my last post so I dont take time away from others.
None of the medical providers you've seen so far feel this is herpes. If you feel the need for additional testing then do so but she's testing hsv negative so really I wouldn't even bother.
It's more likely that you had hsv1 prior to this encounter.
grace
It's more likely that you had hsv1 prior to this encounter.
grace
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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.
