Lie Bumps or Herpes on Tongue (only)?

[NYCguy40]

Hi-

I'm a 40-year old guy in New York who has tested negative for HSV 1 and 2 for several years.

Last Thursday, I was on a date with a new partner and we kissed for a couple of hours. Best I could tell he didn't have any cold sores on his mouth - since we didn't go any further than that, we never discussed sexual health.

By last Sunday night, I felt like I had a few canker cores on the side and front my tongue... by today (Thursday), I've got a cluster of 5 tiny whitish or fleshy bumps/blisters on the tip of my tongue, which hurt whenever they touch food or my teeth. No raised red area around them. In the center of them is a small redish dot. I can't tell if there's any liquid inside (I'm not going to try to puncture one).

The description sounds a lot like "lie bumps", but could this possibly be a primary OB of HSV on my tongue (only?) No problems on my lips, no pain there, no gland swelling, fever, malaise, etc. Would it have been more likely that if I was exposed to HSV 1, I would have gotten it on my lips or mouth rather than my tongue?

I only ask because the timing is rather coincidental - and while I've had canker sores on my tongue before, they've never presented quite this way, or so much.

I'm not immuno-compromised...

...I'm just a bit scared.

I'll add that I had a QUICK visit with my GP today - who took about a .5 second look and said "this doesn't look like herpes," then that was pretty much it.

Would it be worth it to see another doctor, or do you think my fears are unlikely here?

Thanks much - of all the sites on the web, this one seems the most knowledgeable.

[JerseyDude12]

Bro my g friend and I both get these called Lie Bumps on our tongues after kissing.  while annoying, nothing serious

[OMG22]

I have white bumps on the tip of my tongue. I went to the clinic and she said it was a viral infection and prescribed me acyclovir. Does this mean i have herpes?

[tt140]

Hello, if you have HSV on the tongue does this mean you will get these outbreaks throughtout your life as you would be a cold sore on the lip?

[gracefromHHP]

you can get oral herpes ob's on the tongue with the initial infection, recurrences tend not to occur there.

[NYCguy40]

Hi-

Can I just ask one more question please?

With absolutely NO other symptoms, and no cold sores anywhere on my lips or inside of my mouth, is it likely this could be a primary HSV outbreak?

What is the likelihood of kissing for several hours and ONLY getting HSV on the tongue and nowhere else?

I know HSV on the tongue is possible... but I'm wondering if that usually happens in CONJUNCTION with 'normal' cold sores, or if tongue HSV tends to happen on its own in a primary OB.

Thanks!

[NYCguy40]

Thanks, Grace - I guess it's already been put in, but I won't panic if the test comes back positive.

So strange: yesterday, tiny bunch of white painful bumps near the edge of my tongue... one bigger than the rest, with a new one appearing to be starting up at tip of tongue.

Now, today, the other ones have all but disappeared and don't hurt, and the newest one is damned big (relatively) and hurts quite a bit. Totally white with a red center, no raised red rim. Absolutely wasn't remotely this big this morning.

We'll see!

-Ian

[gracefromHHP]

no reason for the igm testing to be done since if it comes back +, it really doesn't tell you anything.  1 out of every 3 igm results are falsely positive.

it's good that you had a culture done, much more valuable than the blood tests.  

grace

[NYCguy40]

Howdy-

Well, I went to our local health clinic this morning and saw a lovely doctor who drew blood and did a culture of my tongue.

She also didn't think it was anything to worry about, but wanted me to be sure.

However, she did say she would do both and IGG test and an IGM test, which I hear (from these boards) is utterly useless and may give a false positive?

Should I cancel the IGM test, or at least see what happens?

What are the chances of false positive?

Thanks!

-ian

[Mistakeguy789]

Usually you don't get an outbreak on the tongue.  

You can see your dentist.  We do get bumps on our tongue.

[NYCguy40]

Hi - I hope so...

I guess I still have the question, though, if you'd be so kind - how likely is it to get a primary oral HSV OB on the tongue but NOT on the lips or anywhere else?

Honestly, I never even thought it was a possibility until I mistakenly started searching the web today.

And to be honest, my GP took such a quick look, almost like a drive-by... it's hard to know if I might be better off going to get a second opinion.

Thanks!

[Mistakeguy789]

More then likey it could be just normal things.  Your provider didn't feel it was herpes.