Aa
Type of STD?
Perhaps someone out there might be able to clear this up for me (no pun intended).
I am a 44 year old single gay male that does not date frequently (three sexual partners in the past four years)..
Prior to my question, let me give you a little background: About two years ago, I met and dated a man for about two months. I felt I was being very cautious in our sexual activity and asked for proof of STD status prior to engaging in any sexual activity. All paperwork showed that he was HIV and STD free so after some time, I felt comfortable enough to participate in anal sex (which I had never done before). The first time was with a condom and the second without (at about this time we went our separate ways). One month later, I was diagnosed as having anal warts (HPV) and spent the next few months working to get that cleared up. Embarrassing but necessary!!
Fast forward two years with no (none, zero) sexual activity. In December or 2008 I met a man (on-line), We dated for a few weeks and in January things got a little physical. We each performed oral sex and after some discussion, I agreed to anal sex, but only with him using a condom (please keep in mind here that there was genital/anal contact prior to this, but no penetration of the penus. There was, however some minor penetration with his finger). As he was putting the condom on, I noticed a sore on his penus........I hadn't noticed it earlier that night, nor had he realized he had it. Needless to say that given my previous experience, I declined any additional contact until he got checked.
One week later, he called me and told me he was diagnosed with syphilis. Following is a list of events that has happened since then with some questions for anyone that might know:
* Upon finding this out, I immediately went to my doctor for a blood test (two weeks after contact that came back negative.
* Five weeks after contact I developed a sore just inside the rectum. Immediately this was a very painful sore which I cannot see due to the location (minor blood with what looks like a minor pus discharge). Remember, there was no penetration with the penus, but there was with his finger (sorry for the mental image).
* At the seven week mark I went to my doctor again, had another blood test (again came back negative) and the sore was diagnosed as an anal fissure (increasingly painful).
* At week eight (three since I first noticed the sore) I contacted my doctor about the pain and he referred me to a colorectal specialist.
* Week nine I saw the colorectal guy who told me that he didn't think of it as an anal fissure. I told him of my sexual preference and that I had been tested for STD's twice in the past few months (I told him that both were negative but failed to tell him about my contact with syphilis......don't ask me why.......our conversation just moved fast and my embarrassment level piqued I guess). He recommended a cream called Diltiazem to be applied twice a day (from the onset, this has burned more than anything I have tried so I have discontinued use).
* Week ten I went back to the Colorectal doctor because I can't stand the pain any more. We discussed the partner with Syphilis and because of the pain that I am in, am scheduled for a biopsy this coming week. I asked if he could recommend something for the pain and he told me to just keep up with the baths (I'm sitting in a tub 2-3 times a day, but at this point, it's not helping at all).
General notes:
*I have a hard time standing, sitting, walking, etc. After some maneuvering, I usually find laying on my side to be helpful, but eventually the shooting pain comes back. Most movement causes pain to the rectal area which primarily feels like I have a piece of glass lodged inside the rectal area (or barb wire, or a cactus.....take your pick).
* I've tried various creams (i.e. Desitin and Diltiazem) and am resolved to just taking tons of Tylenol. I'm also still sitting in a tub a few times a day (there have been a couple of nights where the shooting pain wakes me up and I end up sitting in a tub at 3:00 in the morning just to try to alleviate the pain.
* I've cancelled a number of activities because I don't want to move around and my dogs think I am a bit nuts because of the occasional spasm (that was supposed to be a bit funny).
* I have not developed any additional rashes but had had a minor headache for the past week or so (the Tylenol seems to take care of that).
Question(s):
* I'm writing this probably more from a therapeutic perspective and my apologies for the lengthy background, but I am curious if there is anyone else on this site that might have gone through the same type of symptoms. Any insight is greatly appreciated.
* 99% of the reading I've done on-line says that syphilis sores are painless and most unnoticeable.........can they be extremely painful as well?
* Is it possible that the HPV that I had a few years ago returned and became infected?
Again, thoughts are greatly appreciated!
I am a 44 year old single gay male that does not date frequently (three sexual partners in the past four years)..
Prior to my question, let me give you a little background: About two years ago, I met and dated a man for about two months. I felt I was being very cautious in our sexual activity and asked for proof of STD status prior to engaging in any sexual activity. All paperwork showed that he was HIV and STD free so after some time, I felt comfortable enough to participate in anal sex (which I had never done before). The first time was with a condom and the second without (at about this time we went our separate ways). One month later, I was diagnosed as having anal warts (HPV) and spent the next few months working to get that cleared up. Embarrassing but necessary!!
Fast forward two years with no (none, zero) sexual activity. In December or 2008 I met a man (on-line), We dated for a few weeks and in January things got a little physical. We each performed oral sex and after some discussion, I agreed to anal sex, but only with him using a condom (please keep in mind here that there was genital/anal contact prior to this, but no penetration of the penus. There was, however some minor penetration with his finger). As he was putting the condom on, I noticed a sore on his penus........I hadn't noticed it earlier that night, nor had he realized he had it. Needless to say that given my previous experience, I declined any additional contact until he got checked.
One week later, he called me and told me he was diagnosed with syphilis. Following is a list of events that has happened since then with some questions for anyone that might know:
* Upon finding this out, I immediately went to my doctor for a blood test (two weeks after contact that came back negative.
* Five weeks after contact I developed a sore just inside the rectum. Immediately this was a very painful sore which I cannot see due to the location (minor blood with what looks like a minor pus discharge). Remember, there was no penetration with the penus, but there was with his finger (sorry for the mental image).
* At the seven week mark I went to my doctor again, had another blood test (again came back negative) and the sore was diagnosed as an anal fissure (increasingly painful).
* At week eight (three since I first noticed the sore) I contacted my doctor about the pain and he referred me to a colorectal specialist.
* Week nine I saw the colorectal guy who told me that he didn't think of it as an anal fissure. I told him of my sexual preference and that I had been tested for STD's twice in the past few months (I told him that both were negative but failed to tell him about my contact with syphilis......don't ask me why.......our conversation just moved fast and my embarrassment level piqued I guess). He recommended a cream called Diltiazem to be applied twice a day (from the onset, this has burned more than anything I have tried so I have discontinued use).
* Week ten I went back to the Colorectal doctor because I can't stand the pain any more. We discussed the partner with Syphilis and because of the pain that I am in, am scheduled for a biopsy this coming week. I asked if he could recommend something for the pain and he told me to just keep up with the baths (I'm sitting in a tub 2-3 times a day, but at this point, it's not helping at all).
General notes:
*I have a hard time standing, sitting, walking, etc. After some maneuvering, I usually find laying on my side to be helpful, but eventually the shooting pain comes back. Most movement causes pain to the rectal area which primarily feels like I have a piece of glass lodged inside the rectal area (or barb wire, or a cactus.....take your pick).
* I've tried various creams (i.e. Desitin and Diltiazem) and am resolved to just taking tons of Tylenol. I'm also still sitting in a tub a few times a day (there have been a couple of nights where the shooting pain wakes me up and I end up sitting in a tub at 3:00 in the morning just to try to alleviate the pain.
* I've cancelled a number of activities because I don't want to move around and my dogs think I am a bit nuts because of the occasional spasm (that was supposed to be a bit funny).
* I have not developed any additional rashes but had had a minor headache for the past week or so (the Tylenol seems to take care of that).
Question(s):
* I'm writing this probably more from a therapeutic perspective and my apologies for the lengthy background, but I am curious if there is anyone else on this site that might have gone through the same type of symptoms. Any insight is greatly appreciated.
* 99% of the reading I've done on-line says that syphilis sores are painless and most unnoticeable.........can they be extremely painful as well?
* Is it possible that the HPV that I had a few years ago returned and became infected?
Again, thoughts are greatly appreciated!
COMMUNITY LEADER
Wow I'm sorry you are in so much pain. This is not at all sounding like syphilis, and your tests have borne that out.
Have you had any imaging tests done - MRI, ultrasound, etc? I think you need to follow up on this.
If you want, get a final test for syphilis, just to totally rule it out, but again, this isn't sounding at all like that.
I would wonder again about a fissure. I can't advise you about the pain, though. I don't know what's causing it, and the best I could tell you, as a layperson, would be to try advil if you can take it, but I'd imagine you've already tried it.
Aj
Have you had any imaging tests done - MRI, ultrasound, etc? I think you need to follow up on this.
If you want, get a final test for syphilis, just to totally rule it out, but again, this isn't sounding at all like that.
I would wonder again about a fissure. I can't advise you about the pain, though. I don't know what's causing it, and the best I could tell you, as a layperson, would be to try advil if you can take it, but I'd imagine you've already tried it.
Aj
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You are reading content posted in the STDs / STIs Community
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.
