Acne-like on penis/Swollen nodes

[brian_bpower]

Dear doc,

I had a casual encounter with a guy of unknown status.
I performed unprotected oral sex on him, might had some precum, but definitely no ***. I was also the receiver (bottom) in a protected anal sex with him. Four weeks after the encounter (27 days), I got tested for gonorrhea, syphillis,chlamydia, hepatitis B, and HIV (ELISA). All came back negative. Six weeks after the encounter (43 days), I got tested for HIV again. It's an OraQuick blood test. The 20 minutes test. The result was negative.

1. I could feel the nodes on my neck and my groin before I got tested. I think they might be swollen. Since my HIV test is neg, is it safe to assume that the nodes that I felt were not related to HIV.
2. But 2 days ago, I woke up with a pain on my penis. So I checked it out and found out a raised bump on the left side of my penis shaft. It looked like a pimple to me. So I popped it, and a white acne-like stuff came out. And right now, it's still bumpy and reddish, and it's slightly sore when it's pressed. I think it's in the state of healing. I'm really concern that this might be a herpes or warts. Is this a symptom for herpes or genital warts? I'm worried cause I dont get tested for herpes or genital warts?

For your information, after that last sexual encounter, about 10 days ago, I had mutual masturbation with two other guys, with anal stimulation. I did not have oral or anal sex with them. So, I think I was exposed only to their precum on
my penis and rectum area

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

1) Yes, you can be certain the apparently swollen lymph nodes are not due to HIV.  Of all causes of lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes), HIV is pretty uncommon.  But if you're uncertain whether your lymph nodes are enlarged, you should see a health care provider.

Although you clearly didn't get HIV from that particular exposure, it sounds like you have a pretty high risk lifestyle.  I urge you to never have sex with another guy unless you know for sure he is HIV negative; and always use condoms.

2) Your description sounds like a pimple, just as you suspect.  It doesn't sound much like herpes.  However, herpes is a highly variable disease and I can't be certain.  It certainly doesn't sound like warts, however.

You won't get HIV or other STDs from hand to genital or hand to anal stimulation.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[JohnnyV]

Brian,

Just out of curiosity, have you had any luck getting men to put condoms on before oral sex? Where would one meet such a man?

I also sleep with men and I just made it through a similar HIV scare, luckily coming out negative after 12 weeks. I know Dr. HHH says not to have sex with him until you've gotten to know him well and make him use a condom, and I have been sticking to his advice for the last few months, but where I live (NY), sticking to your guns on oral sex makes it impossible to get to know ANYONE, since everyone will decide you're a weirdo before they even go on a 3rd or 4th date. For anal sex, everyone knows to use a condom, but for oral sex, I feel like I'm from Mars when I ask guys to wear one.

My gut instict tells me I will never be able to enjoy gay oral sex for the rest of my life!!

JV

[brian_bpower]

Yes dude, I know what you are talking about. People just dont want to use condom for oral sex for some reason. I made my mistake and I intend not to make the same mistake ever again. When I met that guy I had sex with, I asked him couple times to put on his condom before I sucked him, but he just didnt want to put it.
But one thing I learn from that event is that WE have the power to make the choice. If he doesnt want to put it, then dont do it. My friend told me to "Do what you're comfortable with". If not, you are gonna be like me, constantly worrying, feeling guilty, etc.

[brian_bpower]

Hi doc,
Thanks for the comment and advice. Will do.
I have another question:
Two days ago, I happened to feel the area around my ear (particularly behind my ear).
And I found a lump on the pointy skull behind my right ear. I am really freaking out. My best guess is that it is a lymph node. I can really feel the bump when I feel around that area.
My question is: if you can feel nodes (bump/lump), does it mean that the nodes are swollen?
And I think i also felt another lump in my groin area, although not that apparent.

[JohnnyV]

Brian,

Hi, I just read your reply, thanks for telling me about your experience.

Trust me, I was in the exact same place a couple weeks ago, worrying about HIV because of the unprotected oral sex. But my guess is that the Doctor will probably tell you that the 6-week test is definitive and, if you want further assurance, you simply have to take the 12-week test to be 100% certain.

I know it's hard not to read your symptoms with a close eye, but you just have to rely on your 6-week test and wait patiently until your 12-week test. Most of the studies show oral sex is low risk, and you didn't do any anal without a condom, so don't stress too much. You're probably negative. The most comforting thing for me was to keep reminding myself, "it's been x number of weeks since i did something risky....." and i keep letting the weeks rack up (i am at 13 now) and that makes it easier to wait out the 12 weeks. Other than that, nothing that anybody can say can really ease your mind. Swollen lymph nodes might mean anything.

Stay strong!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

JV:  My advice to insist on condom use was intended for anal sex.  It's not so clear for oral sex.  True, the STD/HIV risk isn't zero, but it's low enough that many men make rational choices to not routinely uses condoms for fellatio.  My patients tell me the same thing, it doesn't pass the laugh test.  You can still ask about HIV status and avoid sex with guys who won't tell you, or who seem hesitant or evasive.  It's not perfect assurance, but most people won't lie to your face.

BBP:  There are too many causes for lumps under the skin for me to know what you are feeling.  It could be fibroma or lipoma (both normal anatomic variants, i.e. lumps of fibrous tissue or fat, respectively, but basically normal); a normal but unusually prominent lymph node; a "burned out" lymph node (still benignly swollen after some distant past inflammatory episode); or an acutely enlarged lymph node; or something else.  If it persists, see a health care provider.  In any case, a single enlarged node is unlikely to be caused by HIV.

HHH, MD

[JohnnyDoe647]

i have had unprotected sex one time and that was months ago. now i have 3 small white bumps on the backside of my penis,  i also have one bump at my lower abdomin (abdomen) closer to the beginning of my penis. i also have very small bumps that look more like a rash all over my penis. i also have irritation in the opening on the head of my penis. it looks like a set of lips and when i open them i have what looks to be ripples on the inside, but the ripples are just at the tip and don't go the whole way down. my penis doesn't even get hard anymore. i am scared to death does anyone know what i might have, please help me!

[pray4me]

Hi
Just wanted to collect some thoughts here.  I am like a nervous cat in a dog kennel.
I recently met someone and we both decided to get tested for different std's.  I never thought I had anything to worry about as I never saw any funk anywhere.  Well I did have one issue where my penis swelled to like double it's size and some pigment now looks like it is lost in a few spots on it, they are only a few centimeters in diameter and only have several right in a row.  I am not sure what that is from, if anyone has any thoughts on that.  Anyway I got the standard std checks herpes, chlamydia, gonorea.  The herpes type 1 came back positive.  Which I never had any reason to believe I had anything.  Now for the big test HIV and also syphillis.  I have never really felt sick or abnormal that could not be explained.  Usually because I ate something that did not agree with me, got food poisoning, took in way way way to much creatine and got severely dehydrated and my lungs got dehydrated and could not breathe.  All in all if I went to the dr because I was not feeling well, he would take some blood and give me some antibiotics and it would go away.  Blood tests would show up where I had an infection sometimes or I just had the start of upper respitory infection which I am a smoker and get it at least once year for the past 23 years since I started smoking.  I have only had the flu twice in 20 years.  Once when I moved back to NY and another time shortly after I got a flu shot.  Other than that I am pretty healthy and exercise.  I tend to run myself ragged alot and have to rest cause I get up 5:30 work and not get back to sleep till 11 or so and don't always eat right.  I guess I read all the symptoms on the internet and it is stressing me severely.  I have not slept with a lot of women but 5 in the past 5 years or so.  I do get a physical once a year in which my cbc's always come back ok except for my cholesterol because I eat to many eggs for breakfast.  I quit that and got that under control with out meds.  My last cbc was in march of this year and came back perfect.  I have not been with anyone since last september.  The only other problem I had was with my liver in which I have non alcoholic steato hepititus.  I took some meds for awhile for that and seem to have that under control.  Also have had headaches for the past 5 years which I just deal with the best I can, probably to much stress. My skin does get rashy or dry durring once a year always same time of year.  Yet I am so worried cause you never know what that other persons life was really like and they may hide things.  The stress is causing me to break out on my face and back.  I have never had sex with a guy, never used needles for drugs but you just never know or led a permiscuous (sp?) life style.  I have to wait 1 more week for my test to come back.  If anyone has any comforting thoughts I would greatly appreciate it.  Thank you for taking the time to read this.

[JohnnyV]

Hi,

You probably want to post this as a new thread or at least post it as a comment in one of the more recent discussions, something relevant. A doctor should probably give you some feedback; the rest of us on this forum aren't doctors.

J