Aa
Possible HSV-2
This past week, I’ve noticed a few spots on and around my penis. The first spot appeared about a week ago on my foreskin. It didn’t look like a bister but more like a bug bite with a white indention in the center. Unfortunately, after I noticed it, the anxiety got the best of me and I went through a bunch of pictures online and it looked like a picture of Molluscum Contagiosum. It didn’t look like a blister and didn’t produce any fluid when I squeezed it. This first spot is still there and has become redder in color. Then a few days later, I noticed a sore around the base of my penis just on the side and above my scrotum. The second spot scabbed up and went away but in the same area of this spot, a few more popped up and looks irritated. I haven’t experienced any flu like symptoms, fever or any other symptoms; just the first spot on my foreskin and a few more “bumps” at the second site. These bumps very in shape and are hard to describe. They look like a mixture of a pimple, bug bite and a blister. I had a STD test in December and passed without any complications. But I have put myself at risk a few times since then. On March 29th , I started to have unprotected sex briefly but finished with a condom. A few weeks later with a different woman, I basically did the same thing in the middle of April. I’ve never experienced or seen anything like these spots on me before. As of today, May 21st, I’m freaking out and stressing over my appointment on Friday. I guess I just would like to be prepared and ask for advice in moving forward.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
1) The base of the penis is exposed to some degree during intercourse. Even when people use condoms, I often see people with outbreaks at the base of the penis which is not normally covered during intercourse.
2) They could be two different things, as we discussed earlier.
3) I think yes, it could be two different things since they appear so differently.
Was your last sexual contact the end of March? If yes, then testing now is actually too soon for accuracy. And using the antiviral medicine can throw off the antibody test and if you are infected, postpone antibody development, if only a little. I would consider this when thinking about taking the medicine and you might want to talk with your doctor about that too.
Terri
2) They could be two different things, as we discussed earlier.
3) I think yes, it could be two different things since they appear so differently.
Was your last sexual contact the end of March? If yes, then testing now is actually too soon for accuracy. And using the antiviral medicine can throw off the antibody test and if you are infected, postpone antibody development, if only a little. I would consider this when thinking about taking the medicine and you might want to talk with your doctor about that too.
Terri
Terri,
I checked on my previous STD test. The university where I was attending college does not do a Herpes test. They complete a visual exam for Herpes and then do a blood test to confirm and figure out whether its HSV1 or HSV2. I saw a doctor Friday morning. He wasn't sure the first spot could be but he said the second location could be Herpes and he drew blood to confirm it. I should know by this Friday of the result and in the mean time, he put me on a 10 antiviral prescription. This leads me into a few questions out of the shock of all this. I'm pretty scared, depressed and wrecked with guilt over this whole thing.
1) Don't herpes form at the location of the initial infection? How can they form close to the base of the penis?
2) How can the second location of bumps be nearly gone and the first spot be the same in shape, size and color and look completely different and never resemble a blister?
3) If most herpes outbreaks occur from 2-10 days after exposure, can this be two different type of infections, virus, fungal or bacteria?
Please help!
I checked on my previous STD test. The university where I was attending college does not do a Herpes test. They complete a visual exam for Herpes and then do a blood test to confirm and figure out whether its HSV1 or HSV2. I saw a doctor Friday morning. He wasn't sure the first spot could be but he said the second location could be Herpes and he drew blood to confirm it. I should know by this Friday of the result and in the mean time, he put me on a 10 antiviral prescription. This leads me into a few questions out of the shock of all this. I'm pretty scared, depressed and wrecked with guilt over this whole thing.
1) Don't herpes form at the location of the initial infection? How can they form close to the base of the penis?
2) How can the second location of bumps be nearly gone and the first spot be the same in shape, size and color and look completely different and never resemble a blister?
3) If most herpes outbreaks occur from 2-10 days after exposure, can this be two different type of infections, virus, fungal or bacteria?
Please help!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I can't really help you unless you know about your testing previously. Can you check on that? are you seeing a clinician today?
Terri
Terri
I believe it may be two different things from just looking at it. I'm not sure if either the first or second spot every blistered up. I'm not sure if I was tested for the Herpes IgG test. I know that I've never experienced anything like this before.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Yup, that sounds like molluscum to me also. If you can avoid picking at them, it will be far easier for the clinician to actually know what is going on. Molluscum feels firm to the touch. People describe it as looking a little like a pimple, but the contents are much more firm and what. There is an indentation in the center of a lesion. They are mostly skin colored but the top can look whitish as the contents are white. They can be multiple or single and they are often found in pubic hair on on the shaft of the penis.
These should not be confused with pearly papules which general are seen around the coronal ridge of the head of the penis.
They do not sound like herpes.
However, you are describing also a sore that scabbed over at the base of the penis which worries me considerably. Are we talking about two different things?
When you mentioned that you've had STD testing, are you certain that you had herpes IgG testing included in that?
Terri
These should not be confused with pearly papules which general are seen around the coronal ridge of the head of the penis.
They do not sound like herpes.
However, you are describing also a sore that scabbed over at the base of the penis which worries me considerably. Are we talking about two different things?
When you mentioned that you've had STD testing, are you certain that you had herpes IgG testing included in that?
Terri
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
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.
