Penile ulcers... (any advice is appreciated)

[Danniare]

Last week i noticed very small ulcers around the tip of my penis (foreskin). These became larger and now i have 2/3 ulcers on my shaft. I went to the doctor yesterday and he couldn't tell me how i'd gotten them or what they were. My girlfriend and i have been faithful to each other so i/she couldn't have been infected by someone else. Anyway, the doctor prescribed two types of antibiotics and told me to go back to him in a week if there's no sign of improvement. I've only been taking the tablets since yesterday, but one or two more ulcers have appeared and the top of my foreskin is swollen and sore. My left groin area is also beginning to get a little tender.

Does anyone have any idea what i might have??

Thanking you in advance,

A worried Paddy!

[Danniare]

Thanks grace. No he didn't actually do any tests, i don't know how he managed to rule them out. But seriously, how could i have herpes, chancroid, chlamydia etc.. if neither myself or my g/f have slept with anyone else?? it's not possible is it?

[gracefromHHP]

The doctor ruled out herpes based only on a negative igm herpes blood test?  If so then you definitely need to repeat it with the igg in a few weeks. If you had fresh lesions present - why didn't they do a lesion culture and typing?

Try not to obsess over this.  it's not worth it.

grace

[Danniare]

Not sure the guy above posted to the right comment??

Anyway, ye i think i will get myself to another doctor for a second opinion. But how could i realistically have an std if me and my partner haven't been with anyone else? Could there be a less sinister reason behind these ulcers? It looks like the two ulcers on the right of the shaft have gone a darker colour, as if they're scabbing away. Hopefully the antibiotics are doing their job, although the tip of my foreskin is still quite swollen and it's a bit red around the "eye".

Please someone diagnose me so i have a name to put to it!!

[jeepguy6972]

Thanks for your positive comments.  I still just don't feel right although I have started feeling better since getting the negative test results.  I feel like I know my own body pretty well and I am still concerned that something may be wrong.  I get a pretty run down feeling during the day and it seems like I just have something my body is fighting.  The irritation at the tip is very worrisome and I am hoping you all are right that this is anxiety.  I still can't explain the easily irritated red spots that occur in the same spot all the time.

I have started to wonder about whether test result accuracy (RNA for hiv and IGM for hsv) and time frame (5 1/2 weeks after exposure) were adequate enough.  

I will probably get tested again in 4 weeks as that will be 12 weeks total since exposure and I've heard 3 months is a good window to rely on negative results.  I have really bad allergies to pollen and I am hoping the run down feeling, scratchy throat,and coated tongue are mostly due to that.

Thanks again for your positive encouragement.

[gracefromHHP]

How did he rule out herpes?  

You should go see a different doctor. is there a planned parenthood near you or a std clinic of some sort?

grace

[Danniare]

Well he "ruled out" herpes and chlamydia, and then said that if me and my girlfriend have been faithful with each other (which we have), then there's no point in me going to an std clinic. He put it down to a bacterial infection and prescribed the two antibiotics; one is a one-off dose of 4 tablets, and the other is two tablets twice a day for 5 days.

When i looked at an article about chancroid, it said that some people get a tender feeling groin on one side and that's what i have. Although it also said that you only get one big ulcer and that a few smaller ulcers was probably something less serious.

So i don't know what to think...

[sparkeler]

Your doctor didn't say anything about what he thinks they were?  He had no insight?  Post this question to Dr. H on the patient/doctor forum &  find another doctor with better knowledge.  It sounds like it may be herpes.  Sores dont just appear on your penis.