Still No Answers

So it has been over 9 months since I had protected sex with a stripper, it did not last long and instantly after id say about 20 mins I knew something was up, I had burning/tingling on my penis. A few weeks later I had the flu and flu symptoms, back aches, swollen glands in the neck, dry cough, fever. My life has not been the same since this incident. I can go on and on about what kinds of weird things have been happening to me after this incident. I have taken many HIV tests, STD tests, and finally someone mentioned taking herpes test. I never thought of taking a herpes test because I never seen any lesions or pimples down there, just burning/tingling  and a little bit of redness. So I went and seen my family doctor and he tested me with IgM and IgG tests at 5 after the incident, My IgM came back positive and IgG was negative. I know everyone says the IgM test is a terrible test but my IgM was actually a Type specific test which everyone says there is no such thing. Anyways I retook an IgG test for HSV - 2 at 6 months just to see if it would come back positive but it was also negative and the number values were even lower then the first time, but they were always negative. So I dont know what to do anymore I know I have something but I have no clue on what it is. I have redness and burning everyday on and off on my penis, I have leg and foot aches, head aches, muscle twitching, loss of vision, muscle weakness, memory loss, butt pains. What else could this be? I've seen tons of doctors who say its stress but I know my body and this is not stress causing this. The only two stds you can get by being protected are HPV and HSV, i know its not HPV but i still sometimes question HSV-2. Please help.

[gracefromHHP]

I have no idea what else you think we can add that we haven't already told you in your other posts?  

we ask in our read before posting post on this forum to keep your questions/updates all in your original post instead of making multiple posts also.

grace

[jj214]

do you get headaches just about every day from HSV - 2? Thats another thing that has been happening to me lately. I was also considering using anti virals like Valtrex to see if any of my symptoms will go away, even though i've never had an outbreak on my penis or anything like that.

[Mistakeguy789]

There is no igm type specific.  IGM for herpes isn't going to be a type specific because well it doesn't break down like that.  IGG though does gG-1 and gG-2 I believe is what it is for HSV.  You gotta get herpes off the mind dude.  At this point you are in need to seek out help elsewhere about what you have going on. Stress can cause everything.  Even if you don't think you are stressing you are because of your "symptoms".

[gracefromHHP]

no herpes doesn't cause headaches everyday. you have clear periods of no symptoms whatsoever with herpes.

[jj214]

I'm trying so hard to accept the igg results, but I'm having all kinds of issues, my leg aches I'm getting shakes. My nerves are shot. Today I found another red pimples/follicle on the back of my thigh right where it meets my butt. It's not open or anything, just looks like a boil looking thing. I've never had thing like this come as often. What else could it be? The doxy doesn't seen to be working either.

[gracefromHHP]

we get a handful of posters every year who have gotten themselves into this same mindset as you have - anxiety escalates into thinking they just have to have herpes and it's causing them all sorts of real physical issues. you've held on to the thought that this is herpes for long enough. devote the same amount of time into thinking this is stress /anxiety related and dealing with it from this standpoint. it might be the best thing you ever did for yourself!

sometimes a pimple is just a pimple too.  

[jj214]

No this is different, I have never had burning of the penis on and off everyday, these Skin issues are not common on me either. All of this happens after that incident. I mean I had the flu symptoms, swollen glands in the neck back aches, all the things they say you get when getting the virus. Now its been my legs I knew this would happen sooner or later, I feel minor electric nerve pain in my thigh.

[Mistakeguy789]

So you want us to tell you its herpes?  Your story is the same as a few other posters I can think of.  It is like grace said you want to believe (to punish yourself I guess) that you have herpes.  So you want us to tell you it is herpes.  When the proof and the facts speak otherwise.  Our bodys change.  My aunt for 63 years went without a problem with eating peanuts.  One day she made her favorite sandwhich (PB&J) and had a bad allergic reaction.  Leaving her in the hospitial.  A week later she had an allergy test and blew up like a ballon when they used peanuts on her.  Another day in the hospitial.  So for years it was uncommon for her to be allergic to peanuts.  Now she is.  

The fact of the matter is that we and our bodies change for no reason at all.  People get nerve issues for no reason at all.  The reason you get the pains could be guess what you KNOW what to look for because you have researched it.  Again you want to punish yourself so your MIND makes it work.  Look into something called the placeob effect.  Many documented cases where patients were told that a drug did something and boom they were able to do it.  

Your mind can make things real.  There was a House (TV Show) and a MASH (TV show and now that I think about it a few of them actually one where they had no morphine and one where they gave pills out that were for "cooling" the body down during the heat) episode on both of such effects as well.  House does have some things they base on real cases.  

[jj214]

Look I understand that our bodies change, nothing lasts forever or stays the same. But what about the burning that I get and the redness on the head of my penis? It's not as bad to sure everyone will notice it, its only when I point it out, but that again happens after this incident. The fact that it all happened the way they say it happens makes it really hard to believe its not it. The IgG test really worry me since there are people who truly have hsv2 but won't ever test positive on it. I'm not punishing myself about this, I just want closure so I can move on and know what it is. I have found no literature on IgM tests being type specific but the way my test results were presented to me, hsv 1 and hsv2 were split into two different results. Everyone else that I see online have a combination IgM. Do you think I could possible be one of the 5 percent of people who don't produce enough antibodies for the IgG test even though I have tested positive for hsv1 on an IgG test? I'm also considering taking anoher test at a year to see what happens. Anyways how's your body reacting ever since your incident. I don't want this to be all about me.

[Mistakeguy789]

You know to be honest about my situation I freaked out about every bump and thing on me.  I saw more healthcare professionals then I care to admit to.  One thing came down to my final choice to drop it.  Most everyone tests positive (and I haven't in 6 months of testing).  I had at least 4 doctors tell me herpes isn't whats going on.  

Yup I know the facts and I know that I may be as lucky to never test positive.  But I had to accept that majority of people do get positive tests.  Seeing how I am not lucky when I go fishing or playing the lottery I figure I am not that lucky to be there.  So when I went to the hospitial for strong bad abodminal pain I was put on prednisone and a few days I got bumps I figured crap I do have herpes.  But because I am heavey set and I was sweating without being allowed to shower for 2 days I came home did a test after I healed up I went 2 days without a showering and sweat and guess what I got those same bumps.  Too soon for herpes and I was able to replicate it.  

I had to accept facts.  I had to know what I was dealing with.  I have been positing here for over a year now.  I have posted a lot in our herpes forums.  I knew the facts.  I also did something that I didn't like doing and I was embrassed and not proud of it by any means.  I did something stupid.  It happens.  So yeah I did the freak out and not believing.  Grace had to post on my thread at one point "Guilt vs Risk dear".  That is what it comes down too for the most part.

Your case is a tad different.  To this day I still have a mild fungal infection that I haven't been able to beat with a dermatologist trying everything he can.  I figure its not going anywhere because I sweat a lot because of my weight and climate.

You want closure?  You could be one of the unlucky few but chances are you aren't.  Would you bet on a 95% chance you would win a 1,000 dollars if you put in 800? If you went to vegas and you were told that every casino you entered would give you a 95% chance of winning on your first bet would you not walk into the casino and go all in on a poker tournament to triple your winnings?  

There is NO type specific IgM test.  None not going to happen never will be.  IgM for herpes doesn't work that way.  It cross reacts with way to many things.  Split out it doesn't matter just the way they want people to think.  Its not type specific one.  You can read my IGM journal entry on it and see the link from Dr. HHH on it.

I think what you have is an infection.  You need to work with your provider to treat whats going on.  That's what I think.  But your posting history with Terri and us and everything else proves that you won't listen to me.  

[jj214]

Thanks a lot man, again I really do appreciate all your help and advice. I just wish all this crap would stop haunting me and I get back to my normal health ways. This leg and foot pain is really annoying me, and when I go to the gym I have lost all strength. I even had crazy shakes while im trying to work out. I dont know what else it could be I just truly hope its not herpes. I do notice that when I take my Klonopin .5MG it seems to help calm my nerves down and handle my headaches. But it does not take away the burning slight discoloing on my penis, or the follicles that I've been finding in my boxer short area. Thanks again I truly do wish you the best of luck and hope I'm not bothering you or grace, I will keep in touch. You guys are great I hope no blister or lesion ever shows up on my genital and this will all clear up eventually. TTYL

[gracefromHHP]

just to clarify - indeed there are type specific herpes igm tests marketed. they still have the same false positive issues and we still never recommend that adults get them drawn at this point and time.  

you  have absolutely no reason to still be thinking herpes at this point. put it past you because it's not worth all this worry about. whatever is going on, it's not herpes.

[jj214]

So just a little update as I went back to my dermatologist yesterday for a follow up on the bacterial folliculitis that I was diognosed with. The doctor gave me Doxy 100mg to take twice a day for 60 days which have not seemed to help the folliciles on my thighs. He prescribed me a different type of anti biotic and some cream to rub on there and did not think it was herpes. This was the dermatologist who said I have herpes because of my IgM results which were positive for HSV -2. He spoke to his daughter who is also a dermatologist and she said that she only uses the IgG test which is the newer technology in HSV testing and that I do not have herpes. My dermatologist is 76 years old he pretty much said he is old school and she is new school, he has always had good luck with the IgM test so that is what he always used. Nothing can explain the issues that I've had and still have to this day. Everything but the typical lesions/ blisters. I'm having leg and foot pain, just about everyday now, and my memory has been going down the drain, I've also had swollen gums in my mouth for about 4 months now, burning and some redness on the penis, and really bad headaches/pressure in the head. I duno what to do or think anymore. I am going to see him in another month and at that time I think I may retest for herpes which will make it 11 months, I may also consider trying Valtrex just to see if anything changes. I cant believe one protected sexual encounter has done all of this to me.

[gracefromHHP]

you do not need to retest for herpes. you do not have to take valtrex. do yourself a favor and stop thinking herpes!

[jj214]

I'm seeing a lot of my symptoms matching up to Lyme disease, that might be my next test. I am not crazy and have never had issues like i've had. I have no idea how to test for Lyme, do you have any advice?

[gracefromHHP]

lymes testing is a blood test.

[jj214]

I dont know what to do anymore. I'm not right at all, this past week i've head the leg pains, headaches, muscle weakness, muscle twitching, issues with my right eye kind of like theres pressure behind it, burning on the head of my penis and a the same redness. Nothing is working, neither doctors or myself can figure out what is going on with my body. I dont trust the IgG test especially the fact that many people who do test positive through culture have tested negative on the IgG test. I had a Type specific IgM test which came back positive and we all know the IgM test is not always wrong. I have no had an outbreak on my penis but have had follicle issues which have lasted quite some time (over a month) I dont know if these are outbreaks of HSV  - 2. Anyways i've looked at other forums and read symptoms of HSV - 2 and it seems like i've had many of them. Not to mention the only two std's that you can catch by being protected is HSV and HPV. This is most likely a case of me having HSV -  2 but being one of the many people who dont test positive on the IgG test.

[gracefromHHP]

the vast majority of folks do get accurate answers with the blood tests. you've covered your herpes testing bases.  herpes recurrences aren't likely to linger for a month.

I don't know what else I could possibly tell you that would help you at this point. continue to follow up with your providers as needed and best of luck at finding out what is going on.

[jj214]

Hi grace i'm sorry to bother you, but i'm really stressed and dont know what else to do anymore, my right eye has been feeling weird like its got pressure behind it, and its been blurred but it looks completely normal this has been going on for a week, I feel like i'm going to lose my eye sight. Have you ever had any eye issues from HSV?  You dont know how afraid I am, i'm  only 25 years old and feel somethings just killing my body. I have always been healthy and happy before this incident. What else should I do or test for? I have tested for all STD's up to 6 months and everything has been negative except for the IgM HSV - 2. I know this has to do with that night. I dont do drugs, I'm healthy, I'm not crazy I have a good job and great family, I just know something serious is up with me but dr's cant figure it out.

[gracefromHHP]

it's not likely this is a std related issue at all. really nothing else I can possibly add.

[william28]

1-DO you have pain in buttocks down to both legs ?
2-Did you have any testicle pain ?
3- Did you have any sores, lission in ur groin area ?
4- Lymph nodes pain ? Can you see your lymph nodes swollen ?

[jj214]

1. I dont have pain in my buttocks but I did have butt ache for a short day or so.
2. I dont have testicle pain at all but I have had aching/burning and some redness on the head of my penis.
3. Only sores I have seen was some type of follicle looking ones on my thighs and a couple on my butt which a biopsy came back positive for a bacterial infection.
4. No swollen lymph nodes but I did have swollen lymph nodes in my neck for a while after a couple weeks of having sex with the stripper.

[william28]

Did you try to take biokit or WB test ?

Thank you.

[william28]

http://www.herpesdoctor.com/forum/symptoms-herpes-leg-pain?page=3

[william28]

You will need to update for information for a new genital herpes symptoms....  All you information only for classic genital herpes symptoms.

Good luck for you with new update.

[william28]

I talked to my doctor and he told me about a new test for herpes by Quest

HSV-specific IgG in CSF

HSV 1/2 (IGG) anitbody, CSF  (Code: 8542x)   for the nerve symptoms cause by herpes . Its more accurate to find the HSV in fluid

[william28]

Yes You are right but sometimes you have more antibody in CSF . They use this test if you have recurrent symptoms with negative Herpeselect antibody.

[jj214]

Look I do appreciate all of your help, I dont want to say anyone is wrong here but the issues that I have been having have all happened right after the Incident. I've posted many times about my issue, I had the flu, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, burning/tingling of the penis, nerve issues, head aches, blurred vision, all sorts of things go wrong with me and I had protected sex. 100% protected, we all know that herpes and HPV are the only two STD's you can catch while being protected. I understand my risk was a low risk but the bottom line here is that something is going on with my body. I can pull up plenty of stories of people who have tested positive for HSV - 2 and have many similar symptoms that I've had. The IgG blood test is supposedly the best test out there, I do not know why my test has not came back positive. Its either not accurate enough or I just have not produced enough antibodies for it. I think there are many more people out there then we think that do not produce antibodies for this virus. Hopefully i'm wrong but the things that have been happening to my body keep leading me to believe that it is herpes.

[jj214]

I may try to have the western blot test done soon just to see what that comes back as.

[william28]

Don't forget to post ur result.

Good luck

[gracefromHHP]

I apologize for the disruption to your post.

grace

[jj214]

No problem Grace, that guy really does confuse posters like myself and lead us into other directions. But when I do get a chance to make an appt. to see my doctor I will be asking him to test me with the western blot. Could you tell me the code number and what lab does the test?

[gracefromHHP]

quest labs #34534. it's a send out for all quest labs so they might have to dig a little to find what they need to do with the blood .

[Mistakeguy789]

I as well am sorry for letting this impact your post.  

[jj214]

Hey i've sent personal messages to other medhelp users and i feel as if my PM's arent working because i've never gotten any responds back and I have messaged a ton of people who I know still use this forum. Do you have any idea what it could be?

[gracefromHHP]

well most of the regs don't answer pm's ( myself included ).

other people have their pm's turned off.

if you are sending pm's to posters who haven't posted in the last week or so, they might not even be coming to the forum to see them.

[jj214]

So tomorrow I have an appointment to see my family doctor, I am going to have him re test me for HSV2  IgG to see if anything has changed. I have not had sex ever since the incident and have not had any blisters or anything like that, except for the follicles that I found on my thighs. Anyways I had tested back at 5 and 6 months past my possible exposure and my IgG for HSV2 was negative both times. I really don't know what it is that I had caught from that night. I still get burning down there, my eye sight has really changed and I cant stop blinking and squinting my eyes. I also have been noticing some white stuff that builds up on the side of my eye lid which has been happening for a couple of weeks now, kind of like a discharge that builds up. Anyways I am still a bit paranoid and worried about retesting again, Im hoping and praying that it comes back negative again and maybe there will be some hope to curing me back to the way I used to be. Thanks for all of your help.

[jj214]

I'm sure stress has affected me in some ways but it doesn't explain the redness and burning and changing that I have noticed down there. I don't have any blisters or anything like that, if I did I would have seen a doc imediatly. I'm not crazy and have never been the type who sees doctors, but this case is different I'm still having issues. I will never touch a stripper or any questionable girls ever again, I have a girlfriend at the moment and she knows exactly what I'm going through, we do not have sex because I am afraid to pass something onto her. So you did test positive for hsv2? What kills me is how low of a risk my incident was, I thought I was playing it safe by wearing a condom. I'm having terrible twitching in my legs right now. I hope my results are negative and hopefully what ever I have is curable and just goes away. Thanks for your advice.

[Mistakeguy789]

Nothing we can add that we haven't already said.  You need to work with your providers at this point.  

[jj214]

So I just got back from the doctors office and he could immediately tell that I was under a lot of stress and that this had been going on for almost a year now. I asked him to retest me for HSV2 IgG but he did not think it was necessary because he doesn't feel that its a good test. He basically told me to take the anxiety meds and that if anything had ever showed up down there to come in asap for a swab. I mentioned to him the follicles on my thighs and how a dermatologist had done a biopsy on one that had already scabbed over which came back negative for HSV2. He was pretty confident that they were only follicles and that the biopsy would have still caught HSV2 material whether scabbed or not. He thinks the blood tests for HSV2 are useless and really dont do much when it comes to testing for it. I still believe its HSV2 because the burning and all of the other issues that I have had. When it comes down to it, it makes a lot of sense in my case and symptoms. I asked him if he thought I should be on any antivirals and he suggested I didnt take any if i wasnt having any kinds of outbreaks ever. I do appreciate all of your help but I just dont trust the blood tests for hsv.