going to be seen is the best course of action. could this be herpes? it could be but it sounds like pimples or ingrown hairs that you've picked at way too much. don't shave again until this has been taken care of. keep it simple like soaking in epsom salts in the bathtub or warm soaks to the area.
grace
Thank you Grace
Tuesday can't come soon enough, but I'm also so scared. Any minute I get to myself I cry and look at it.
Can I ask you another question. I honestly can't remember which test I had 2 years ago, but it was a blood test and at the time I had an oral cold sore, I had "issues" going on down there, which turned out to be the VIN, but my first thought was herpes, didn't know I would have to go through surgery, but whatever. Anyways, I haven't had a facial OB of coldsores since Dec. of 2009. In your pesonal experience and talking with people, and I do know I just have to wait and see until I find out what is going on. Could it be because I was infected genitally? I've had HSV orally since I was a toddler I would say. Back in 09 the HSV2 negative, HSV 1 obviously was positive and the culture (which I know isn't always accurate) but as I stated , turned out to be something else.
One last question, for today anyways, lol, just trying to brace myself to Tuesday I guess. Do initial OBs usually show up in the pubic area, or just depends person to person.
Thanks again
you having hsv1 orally means you aren't likely to contract hsv1 genitally. It can happen but it's likelihood of occurring is up there with you winning more than a free ticket or a $1 on the rub off lottery tickets.
like I said, it sounds like it's something non-herpes going on.
Thank you again Grace
I will wait and see what Tuesday brings. Luckily I have a great relationship with my GYN, and if it is something more than non-herpes going on, he's great at taking the time to sit with you and not rush you out the door. Is it ok if I let you know how tuesday goes? You're the only one repsonding, lol. I've noticed in most of the threads the people freaking out never wrote back after their doctor visits or whatever.
Have a great night, and just wanted to let you know it's great of you to take the time to be there for people when they are very scared.
we encourage folks to come back and let us know how their follow ups went! several hundred people read this forum each day so lots of folks always waiting to hear "the rest of the story" :)
I will do so.
Again, I know I won't know for sure until tested. But my gut tells me that it's more than a hair follicule. I looked at it alittle while ago cause it's hurting and the skin over it is turning white and if I press on it, it makes that whole area ache and part of my leg ache too, and the skin around it is still very red, painful and raised. I wish I had a zanax or something to take before my appointment, LOL.
Hi Grace
I had my appointment yesterday. Since the lesion was already healing , he couldn't do a culture, so he ordered the bloodwork. I didn't get a definite answer from him on what he thought, he said there's a chance it could be.. or couldn't be. He said that I had no itching and that it wasn't the "worse pain I've experienced" was a good sign that it possibly might not be... do you agree? So now I wait the 7-10 days until the results.
Best thing is for us not to guess. Wait for your lab results at this point. We can guess all day but the lab work is going to be the one to answer.
Yes, I called the dr. on friday and the results weren't in yet, but I started the Valtrex cause I've been having more symptoms, burning non stop and bumps around the anal area. My doctor has been usually very supportive of me in the past, with the surgery he had to do and HPV problems Ive had, this time he gave me more of a lecture that I was blowing HSV test out of the water and making it out to be more than what it was and there was no real difference between HSV 1 and 2, because I told him I tested positive for HSV 1 back in 2009. I think I was more depressed when I got off the phone with him :(
He said if my symptoms got better in the next few days then I should know for sure then that's what it was.
Valtrex question? Has anyone else (sorry in advance!) experienced horrible gas and stomach problems?
yes those can be a side effect.
did they also test you for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally? this doesn't sound like herpes causing your current symptoms.
Hi Grace
No, my Dr. who usually treats you like a "friend" and gives you time, treated me totally different last week. When I got undressed, the nurse came in to take my BP, then didn't because the Dr. came in, then he seemed annoyed with me. I don't know if it's cause there's a chance I might have contracted an STD so he's acting that way, but he maybe gave me 10 minutes, when usually I'm there a good 45 minutes, this is after I waited 3 hours almost in the waiting room to be seen, and I told him she never took my BP, then she never did and kind of rushed me out. If this was my first time going there, it would have been my last. I'm sure anyone reading this, you nervous when you suspect something going on and to be rushed out doesn't help matters.
When I called and told him about the anal burning and bumps, he said it sounds like thats what was going on.. and I told him I had some sores around the base of my spine and it felt like the base of my spine was on fire. He kind of made me feel like it was all in my head. Not sure if all the reading I saturated my brain with the last week if playing tricks on me, but what I felt was real.
And I wonder if you agree, he told me in women with genital HSV, he hardly ever sees it show up on their actual "genitals", it's always in surrounding areas.
My results should be in today. Its been a week. I can't sleep tonight because of it. But I will know for sure. I do have an appointment with a dermatologist coming up in a few months because I suffer from acne as it, and had talked to him about it before , because Ive had to had 2 ingrown hairs lanced down there that got infected, so something is going on, I'll know the answers soon enough.
Wish me luck
have you called yet to see what your herpes blood test results are?
you can have genital herpes symptoms anywhere in the entire boxer short area as we call it. they can, and will, show up anywhere there.
did you get your biopsy results back yet?
Hi,
I finally heard back on thursday from his assistant cause he was off. He ordered the wrong test! She said herpes 6, which is the childhood one?? I had him , my dr, call me last night, which he did. He doesn't understand how the test got screwed up, they only tested for hsv 1 which doesnt' show any new infecion, I know I've had that since I was little. I told him the small bumps are still around the anal area, but not so much the burning, he had me on Valtrex for 5 days, twice a day, I ended it on thursday and all that changed that was cut down on the burning, so he said "maybe" that's not whats going on in that area and ordered another blood test. I've been sick, left work early and didn't go back to the lab. I'm just so exhausted over this, been stressing and then more stressing for the week to hear back only to hear that the wrong test was done!
I asked if I should start another round of the Valtrex seeing the bumps are still there, he said it was too soon to start that back up. I had already did what he suggested, bought some of those wipes for after you go.
Can I ask you a question Grace, have you ever had a break out in the anal area?
I've had ob's almost everywhere in the boxer short area ( everywhere but my thighs ).
it's unfortunate that they ordered the wrong test on you :( make sure they credit you for that test or don't charge you for the repeat testing!
herpes doesn't typically present with small bumps around the anal area - usually it's an ulcerated area that has pain and/or itching to it.
tucks wipes are really helpful no matter if this is herpes or something else. Use them as a compress for 10 minutes. walking around like a duck with them held in between your butt cheeks is good for entertainment too ( unless your bum is a lot tighter than mine and it's not such an effort to hold a compress there for 10 minutes...he he he ).
HI again,
I'm sorry to be such a pain about this, I've just realized that this is almost a month now that Ive had something non-stop.
Sorry if I sound dumb, but what exactly is an "ulcerated area".. cause this is the steps that it took. HORRIBLE burning for almost 12 hours. Then I felt what felt to me like tiny bumps/blisters, which in my opinion, didn't hurt , but burned when I touched them. 5 days on Valtrex, they seemed to bleed alittle bit.. but then felt like holes or little cuts, but after the Valtrex , not too much burning or anything. I've been using the wipes to keep it clean. I know I'm not spelling it right it, but it was around the whole opening and "perianal" area.
Which I just wanted to add, I'm feeling was an outbreak cause I felt tiny sores on the base of my spine that burned when the shower hit it for 2 days and then the day after I started the Valtrex my how lower back burned. This was about 2-3 weeks after I first had that "pimple" down there too.. was wondering about second outbreaks if that was my first. I was REALLY hoping I would have my bloodwork back and could end the guessing.
I know it's not the end of the world and people go through so much worse. I've really pushed everyone away the last couple of weeks because of this, just want to sit in my room and cry. Havent' even said anything to one that I know gave it to me, just have been giving him excuses on why I can't see him. Now I have to wait longer because of the screw up at the lab :(
ulcerated skin is open skin areas.
really not too much I can add at this point since it's been too many days for a lesion culture plus you were on valtrex.
how long ago was your last sex prior to all of this?
best thing to do is to be seen again monday and get another exam to try to see what is going on.
also I recommend talking to the partner you had prior to these symptoms so they can seek out hsv2 testing themselves to see what their status is.
Ok, I think I understand. My "perianal" area, not sure If I'm spelling that right, was where it was all burning and then felt like bumps, now it feels like cuts and just not "right".
Do you think in your opinion being on the Valtrex is going to some how change my bloodwork when I go tomorow. I'm going to Quest, not another exam, just can't afford it, all thest copays are killing me.
The actual date I had sex was Feb. 1st.
I appreciate you taking the time to keep answering me. I really am TRYING to get my results here! lol The guy I was with, and I know you are going to say I have to tell him. I cant for a number of reasons. Before all this started he had some how caught mollescum (spelling) and totally blammed me. Which I didn't have, went to the dr. And now I'm wondering if wherever he picked that up, he caught that to. I know it doesn't matter, but the day we had sex, it litterally lasted maybe a minute, lol, sorry, trying to keep my sense of humor in this. And I had been hoping to have my bloodwork back last week to say something to him, and then there was the screw up, and now it's a month later. When he caught that other stuff, he said he hadn't been seeing anyone else, but he had to have been to catch that.
I just wish I could wake up from this nightmare.
I will try to keep quiet until I get my blood work back :-)
it's way too early for herpes blood testing. don't even waste your money on it.
So then what do I do? Just assume that I am positive now?
never assume anything.
Right now you need to wait until the right time to get tested. Your issues didn't sound like herpes before. Continue to follow up with your doctor. Avoid sexual encounters until your skin has fully healed.
Talking to your partner and having him be tested is going to answer a lot of questions.
wait until at least 3 months post encounter and get herpes igg blood testing done then.
anytime you have symptoms genitally before then, be seen promptly for an exam and ask them to do lesion cultures and typing if they suspect that they look like herpes.
Thanks for your replys.
Just an update. I'm going to be seen again on Monday. Everything that was going on before is going on again. Almost started the same day of the week as before. The burning, etc.
Just a question to know what to expect, and I know that nothing can be diagnosed online, It's been feeling like "bubbles" I guess you can say in my rectum opening, I've used prep-H, started the Valtrex again and it has helped, but my question is, will the dr be able visually diagnose is these have been outbreaks that have been going on for the past 2 weeks? I can't see there unfortunately, (maybe it is fortunate or else I would stress more), all I can do is feel what feel like cuts/sores were there were "bubble" a few days ago, and just still some slight burning, but no real pain or itching at all.
I did go for a blood test anyways this past tuesday cause thinking back I've brushed off pimples in the hair area thinking it was from shaving, always thinking it wouldn't show up there.
I'm sure by this point you guys are rolling your eyes at me lol
Chances are this may not be herpes. But visual diagnosis is always harder the further out things go. A culture is going to be best at this point.