Keep beating myself about this possible exposure.

[bdaniels]

Hello.

Last week I accidentally drank my friend's drink through the straw in the bottle and immediately freaked out; as I had a tiny bite wound on my tongue at the time and she (allegedly) carries the  HSV-1 virus. I did not see any cold sores on her lip that day or the next day, however my body just hasn't felt the same since. I used my antibacterial hand gel to quickly clean the area  (I know it's a virus but I was desperate) but after doing some research I found that the gel contains denatured alcohol and benzyl alcohol - which are apparently pretty ineffective.

So last night before I went to bed I felt that the right side of my lip was tender and looked very slightly swollen. I went to sleep and have not woken up with a cold sore but that area still hurts to touch slightly. I am also getting the characteristic "nerve pain" all over my body which could be PHN and this is also freaking me out as its so intense at times in my back, hands and back of head.

So far I do not have a lesion, but I am worried I may be developing one or carry the virus?
Can someone please help clarify all of this for me?
I want to test; however the doctor said that the results are not at all useful because they just tell you if you've ever been exposed, not if you carry the virus.

I have final exams in a few weeks but I have not been able to concentrate on those properly as I am so worried about this potential exposure. I suffer from severe social anxiety due to years of bullying so developing cold sores is the last thing I need. Thanks in advance for your help.

[bdaniels]

Thanks for all your advice. I'll try to put this behind me.

[Life360_Dave]

What else do you want to know, contracting herpes from sipping a straw by an adult is not anything to be concerned about. You really need to put this behind you. Many folks have unprotected sex with a sore at the time and still do not contract it. Couples go for years being intimate and dont contract it.
This is just not any big issue and as KKLAP states you might already have it anyway from childhood.

[bdaniels]

Thanks for your responses guys, it has helped to calm me down a bit. I do tend to worry a lot but I think the fact I had a cut on my tongue scares me the most as I have read on many sites that asymptomatic shedding can occur and saliva is a common way to contract the virus? Can someone shed anymore light on this?
My immune system may have been a bit compromised as I was on antibiotics not long ago which caused me to develop oral thrush.

I'm hoping I'm in the clear but I guess only time will tell. I keep replaying the situation over and over.

[Kklap]

I'm sorry you're so freaked out about possibly catching oral HSV1. Do you know for sure you're not already a carrier? Most people have this already from childhood. And just don't know it.

As for your exposure, I think it would take more than drinking from your friends straw. Did she have cold sores on her mouth at the time?? If not, I'd say you're most likely fine. Good luck!

[Life360_Dave]

Hi, for grown adults with intack immune systems, contracting hsv by other than direct lip rubbing to an infected person, is really nothing to be concerned about at. This risk is for young children whose immune systems are not yet strong and even at that it would be from direct kissing. Under stand that herpes is not just placed on the skins surface but needs to be rubbed in.

If you are sexually active you might consider testing anyway just to confirm your status.