Not sure what else this could be

[Phil_Ocheltree]

About 3 weeks ago I had protected sex with an erotic massage parlor worker.  I did not shower after until the next night.  A couple days ago I started getting some mild discomfort in the tip of my urethra.  Sometimes it gets a little worse and sometimes it goes away, its fairly intermittent.  It basically goes away when I stand up or am moving.  When I lay down its at its most severe.  Also, my genital area just feels "weird".  Its very mild and I can't really describe it other than I notice this area.  Sometimes it feels like its almost going to itch but it doesn't.  This feeling changes from the right side to the left side to the entire area and then it just goes away for a little while.  Its just mild discomfort.  

No other herpes symptoms such as flu or lower back/abdominal pain.  No pain during urination or ejaculation.  I have had a productive cough but it started a few days before the incident.  I was wearing a condom so I fear that herpes is the only thing this can be.  I have tested positive for HSV1 in the past, but have only had maybe 2 cold sores in my life, so I'm convinced that my body already has the antibodies and this is why I don't have the normal prodromal symptoms.  Maybe the weird feeling is a very mild form of the itching/burning/tingling that people feel before they get an outbreak.  

Very nervous about this.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  

[Phil_Ocheltree]

Now all symptoms have almost faded away but now I have dull back pain which has come and gone previously. But has pretty much been constant today. Is it typical for herpes for the other symptoms to fade and dull back pain to start?

[Life360_Dave]

Bottom line is that risks from protected sex would be herpes and syphils and these being low risk. So are your symptoms of these, i feel not.
But do go have a good check up and let us know the results.

[Phil_Ocheltree]

Sorry to keep bugging you.  But in your experience would mild prodrome symptoms manifest for 2-3 days, disappear and then a full blow outbreak occur shortly after?

[Phil_Ocheltree]

Thanks, hope you're right.  I also had about 30-40 minutes this AM where it felt like I had a little bit of icy hot on my scrotum.  This doesn't sound like herpes to me but its strange nonetheless.  The jumping around of that skin feeling (top of genital region, to crease between thighs and genital region, to top of thighs, to scrotum, and occasionally buttocks) is what concerns me because its sans-scrotum its hitting all of the places the herpes website describe.

I am very curious to see what broad spectrum antibiotics do to my symptoms.  

[Life360_Dave]

Sometimes experience as you had with the concern of catching something can lead to creating prodome symptoms. I think this is very much the result of stress. You probably had this leg feeling before but never noticed them as did not have any stress that would lead you to thinking about it.

Sometimes experiences in life can cause chakra effects meaning you were made aware of something because of something else.
Also a lot of what you could be experiencing could be from natural  events itself. I feel in many ways that nature causes us to feel quilt and one way the guilt is felt is though phantom symptoms.

[Phil_Ocheltree]

I slept for ~11 hours last night after not being able to sleep the night before and feel a lot better.  My urethra pain seems to have subsided for the time being (comes back a little for short bursts).  And the skin feeling has lessened (still apparent at top of genital region, both sides, gets a little worse when sitting).  I also kind of feel something in my lower buttocks sometimes.  I woke up this morning to some nerve feeling in my legs below the knee for <30 seconds, haven't felt anything since.  

My question is do you think its possible this could be anything else besides herpes given that I am feeling things on the skin rather than strictly in the glands (which would indicate any number of infections)?  From what I've read the symptoms can be terrible or mild but this only lasted like 2.5 days and wasn't that bad (just mentally from worrying and spending hours Googling this stuff).  

I'm inclined to think the urethra pain was some sort of bacterial infection, which could've been caused by anything.  But the skin feeling is whats throwing me off, its not bad enough to immediately say herpes and not mild enough to ignore.  No idea what could've caused that, doctor's appointment is on Tuesday but won't be able to confirm anything HSV related.  At this point I'd probably be relieved for a chlamydia/gonnarhea diagnosis but I guess that wouldn't be mutually exclusive to a herpes diagnosis down the road.

[Phil_Ocheltree]

Now all symptoms have lessened but I started getting some pain in my left inguinal gland.  No swelling.  This is a weird ailment.

[Phil_Ocheltree]

Besides some minor urethra discomfort this really only started a few days ago. I think I'm starting to have some discomfort in left middle region of my back. Think I'm probably screwed here....

[Life360_Dave]

Maybe being very drunk you missed something that happened like your condom broke or came off or you had unprotected oral. At this point maybe have a full std testing. 1 week is good for most of the usual ones like gono and chlamydia and trich

[Life360_Dave]

I would say that having these consistant 3 weeks after exposure would not be herpes related. Pre outbreaks would last about a week. Maybe its a result of being with a new body shape and you did some nerve damages from twisting in a new position.

[Phil_Ocheltree]

Its not aggressive at all just annoying and nerve-wracking.  This was my first sexual encounter since getting out of a long term relationship (no STD's between us), so I'm doubting that I got a false negative on my HSV-2 test.  Although I suppose its possible and just never passed it to my ex.  

[Life360_Dave]

This would be more consistant with prodrome in those that already have had an outbreak before.
Remember that often there are no symptoms but with a primary outbreak, meaning its new to your body, the symptoms can be quite upsetting with a fever and body aches. When herpes enters the body esp with hsv2, we start building up a an aggressive immune response to the virus.

[Phil_Ocheltree]

Does herpes typically "move around" before an outbreak?  What I mean is I'll feel the raw feeling in my pubic region then 30 mins later it will be in my inner thighs, then it disappears for a while.  Then the dull pain in my urethra will return.  Is this just atypical but somewhat standard for the virus?

[Phil_Ocheltree]

I guess a better way to describe that weird feeling is that my pubic area and sometimes my inner thigh feels a little raw.  But there's nothing visible.  I may schedule an appointment with a dermatologist.

[Phil_Ocheltree]

3 months?  Damn.  The next 60 days are gonna be long.  Symptoms seem to be subsiding for the time being, crossing my fingers this is just something caused by the humidity.  

[Life360_Dave]

Testing now will be a waste, you need to wait 3 month. With sores and symptoms, many people never get symptoms.

[Phil_Ocheltree]

So basically I need to wait until I get a sore until I can definitively confirm what it is?  Don't like 40% of people not get sores? I guess I should wait 4-5 more days before doing any testing?  

Thanks again for all of your help here btw.  

[Life360_Dave]

Prodrome could be on and off but should not go longer than a week before a sore appears however if this does happen its called an aborted outbreak. Only testing will be the answer and a culture of a sore taken within 48 hours after appearing is the best. If you do have a blood test and show positive, it wont let you know where it is oral or on the genitals. All i can say is that you were at risk and if you have a long term partner you should get tested for syphilis as well.

[Phil_Ocheltree]

I agree with you but I was very drunk and wasn't being careful not to let my pelvis touch hers.  Does this change your opinion?  Do herpes have a lead up of off and on symptoms?  

[Life360_Dave]

Most of those that contract hsv2 in the genitals is from unprotected sex. I think the factors include the act itself. If a person is wearing a condom there are concentrating on the penis being protected and not really laying skin to skin on the persons body but more of a stand off position. With no condom i feel there would be much more genital area contact as would be more rubbing and grinding but his is my opinon.
Yes you are correct that a person can contract hsv2 using a condom.

[Phil_Ocheltree]

Wow that was quick.  Thank you.  I'm guessing that some of the symptoms are psychosomatic but I'm not sure.  Admittedly I had been masturbating a good bit more in the past week or so so I wonder if that's related.  Also this was triggered but a pretty strenuous workout a few days ago I wonder if that was a factor.  

Your statement about it being close to zero is relieving but I'm not sure if I believe it.  If this woman was exposed to HSV2 and my pubic region made contact with hers, regardless of the fact I was wearing a condom, wouldn't that put me at significant risk?

[Life360_Dave]

Hi, yes, if the tip of your penis was covered and your having in interior urethra discomfort the massage incedent would not be related. You mention herpes but his is fairly low risk for contracting. When we speak of prodrome its more for recurrent outbreaks. If you feel this is a new infection for hsv2 then if symptoms did appear would be body aches and fever as the body is putting up an aggressive defense. If you have hsv1 oral already, symptoms would be much milder and having hsv1 would be some protection from acquiring it as antibodies are already established.

So put together low risk anyway along with present hsv1 antibodies and using a condom i would think your chances of contracting hsv2 in the genital area would be close to zero.