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Could it be a STD?
Hello Dr., I am a 26 year old male.
Let me give you a brief history of what has been going on. I have been dating the same girl for almost 7 years now. About 2 months ago, I had unprotected vaginal sex with another female, which I feel terrible about. Two weeks after that, I decided to go get tested for STDs. I went to a clinic, got tested for AIDS/Ghonerra/Clamydia/Syphillis, etc. All tested came back negative. About a week after that, I noticed a rash in between my thighs, I freaked out and went to see my doctor. My doctor said it looked nothing like herpes, which I said was my concern. I was put on anti-fungal and antibiotics, and it cleared up in about a week and a half. The doctor also gave me a herpes test (swabbed over the red/rashy area), the doctor said there wasn't really any need to do so, but if it would calm me and and put my mind at ease that they would do it for me anyways. That test also came back negative.
So now it's been almost 2 months since my encounter with the other female, and I have have been having vaginal intercourse with my regular girlfriend. I have been keeping a close eye on what's going on down there, and have noticed that the tip of my penis seems to be redder than usual. Last week, I noticed that the tip of my penis (the hole), seems to be redder than usual, and also looks to be swollen around the edges of the hole a bit and look a little pruned and shiney. (This is more noticable immediately after sex, and sometimes at night before bed). I have not had any pain or soreness during or after sex, nor when I urinate. So basically I have been looking and looking at myself for an entire week. Now I keep thinking that I might have something again.
Last week I trimmed my pubic hair, which I normally do about once every month or so. And ever since I noticed my penis tips redness last week, i have felt the need to itch more often. But I figured the itching was just from my pubic hair growing back in. But my scrotum does look like it might be a little bit redder. I didn't normally look around down there much before all this happened. So I'm not really sure if these is the way it's always looked, or if something weird is going on.
I have spoken to my girlfriend, and asked her if she has had any discomfort, the only thing she said is that sometimes after sex she is itchy, but that is the only time and she has no other problems after taking a shower or cleaning down there. So that doesn't really tell me anything.
I have also spoken with the other woman I was with. She has flat out told me that she doesn't have anything and never has had anything. She also said that she has been tested recently because she was entering nursing school and had to get checked out. She is a nice person, and I have basically been very rude and just said, "Just tell me if you have something, so I can get it treated", but she insists that she is fine and has never had any known STD. I have thanked her for being so honest and discussion the matter with me.
So here I am worrying still after going through all this. Basically Doc, I just want to know if anything I have described sounds like a possible STD, and if there is anything else I can do from here? Should I just wait and see if the condition gets worse? Or should I assume that there is indeed something going on down there? Does this sound like an STD?
Let me give you a brief history of what has been going on. I have been dating the same girl for almost 7 years now. About 2 months ago, I had unprotected vaginal sex with another female, which I feel terrible about. Two weeks after that, I decided to go get tested for STDs. I went to a clinic, got tested for AIDS/Ghonerra/Clamydia/Syphillis, etc. All tested came back negative. About a week after that, I noticed a rash in between my thighs, I freaked out and went to see my doctor. My doctor said it looked nothing like herpes, which I said was my concern. I was put on anti-fungal and antibiotics, and it cleared up in about a week and a half. The doctor also gave me a herpes test (swabbed over the red/rashy area), the doctor said there wasn't really any need to do so, but if it would calm me and and put my mind at ease that they would do it for me anyways. That test also came back negative.
So now it's been almost 2 months since my encounter with the other female, and I have have been having vaginal intercourse with my regular girlfriend. I have been keeping a close eye on what's going on down there, and have noticed that the tip of my penis seems to be redder than usual. Last week, I noticed that the tip of my penis (the hole), seems to be redder than usual, and also looks to be swollen around the edges of the hole a bit and look a little pruned and shiney. (This is more noticable immediately after sex, and sometimes at night before bed). I have not had any pain or soreness during or after sex, nor when I urinate. So basically I have been looking and looking at myself for an entire week. Now I keep thinking that I might have something again.
Last week I trimmed my pubic hair, which I normally do about once every month or so. And ever since I noticed my penis tips redness last week, i have felt the need to itch more often. But I figured the itching was just from my pubic hair growing back in. But my scrotum does look like it might be a little bit redder. I didn't normally look around down there much before all this happened. So I'm not really sure if these is the way it's always looked, or if something weird is going on.
I have spoken to my girlfriend, and asked her if she has had any discomfort, the only thing she said is that sometimes after sex she is itchy, but that is the only time and she has no other problems after taking a shower or cleaning down there. So that doesn't really tell me anything.
I have also spoken with the other woman I was with. She has flat out told me that she doesn't have anything and never has had anything. She also said that she has been tested recently because she was entering nursing school and had to get checked out. She is a nice person, and I have basically been very rude and just said, "Just tell me if you have something, so I can get it treated", but she insists that she is fine and has never had any known STD. I have thanked her for being so honest and discussion the matter with me.
So here I am worrying still after going through all this. Basically Doc, I just want to know if anything I have described sounds like a possible STD, and if there is anything else I can do from here? Should I just wait and see if the condition gets worse? Or should I assume that there is indeed something going on down there? Does this sound like an STD?
This is not the Dr's forum, that one you have to pay for. This is the free forum where regular people (there are some nurses) answer questions for free.
It doesn't sound like an STD maybe just dermatitis or an allergic reaction to soap or cream or something like that. If all your STD tests came back negative, you really have nothing to worry about. Just try to relax about it all.
It doesn't sound like an STD maybe just dermatitis or an allergic reaction to soap or cream or something like that. If all your STD tests came back negative, you really have nothing to worry about. Just try to relax about it all.
Yeah, I have been trying to relax. But I keep hearing about how some STDs can't be detected and can just show up at any time. That is what scares me. Every doctor I have seen says that its not an STD. I was fine for an entire month after going through all the tests. Then I started thinking about it again. And I started to notice some stuff and now I'm going through this all over again. I'm sure guilt plays a major role, as well as fear.
I think you are feeling guilty and that's causing you some anxiety about it all. This is off track here but maybe you and your gf need to talk about a few things because if the relationship was good, you wouldn't have slept with another woman. I'm not judging you at all, and it's up to you of course, but maybe this relationship isn't right for you anyway. Then again, it all could have been a superficial fling and mean nothing anyway.
The STD's you are referring to that show up later are HPV and herpes. There is no test for hpv in men. I don't know how old you are or how many lovers you've had, but most likely you've already been exposed to one of the hpv strains anyway. It's very common. What you have now doesn't sound like warts anyway. There is a test for herpes but I think you have to wait 3 months from the exposure. Again, what you are experiencing doesn't sound like herpes either.
The STD's you are referring to that show up later are HPV and herpes. There is no test for hpv in men. I don't know how old you are or how many lovers you've had, but most likely you've already been exposed to one of the hpv strains anyway. It's very common. What you have now doesn't sound like warts anyway. There is a test for herpes but I think you have to wait 3 months from the exposure. Again, what you are experiencing doesn't sound like herpes either.
yeah...what i did was so stupid because i am so in love with my girlfriend. basically i got really drunk and made a huge mistake that i will never make ever gain in my entire life. if anything, i've learned a very valuable lesson from this. i would give anything to go back and change what i did. i talked to the girl that i had the fling with and told her that it was a huge mistake, and she was in agreeance, and i informed her that i had a girlfriend that i am deeply in love with and she understood. i have known this girl since high school, so she knows me pretty well and was cool with it all.
yeah...herpes is what i was really worried about. i mean, i have only been with about 6 girls in my entire life and everyone one of them i have had a relationship. so this was my first "one time" thing. and how stupid it was to go unprotected. even though i know it is a lousy excuse, i was really drunk and not thinking straight. everyone knows how that goes. the guilt i have had has eating me up inside and i have been so worried that i might have caught something from her. i mean, i've probably had this irritation before and it never bothered me because i have been with the same girl for song long and never cheated or anything. but man, its bothering me so bad. its like everytime i look down there i am finding something different and then getting on the internet and looking it up. it's driving me insane.
my only symptoms have been the rash in between my legs, and now what appears to be an irritated opening of my penis with some redness. But it doesn't hurt, its just like, ITS ALWAYS ON MY MIND...
Funny though, it was like this about 1 month ago and as soon as i got that herpes swab test negative, i felt nothing. I starting thinking last week about what i had done again...the actually act of cheating, and that is what i started having problems again. man...this sucks.
yeah...herpes is what i was really worried about. i mean, i have only been with about 6 girls in my entire life and everyone one of them i have had a relationship. so this was my first "one time" thing. and how stupid it was to go unprotected. even though i know it is a lousy excuse, i was really drunk and not thinking straight. everyone knows how that goes. the guilt i have had has eating me up inside and i have been so worried that i might have caught something from her. i mean, i've probably had this irritation before and it never bothered me because i have been with the same girl for song long and never cheated or anything. but man, its bothering me so bad. its like everytime i look down there i am finding something different and then getting on the internet and looking it up. it's driving me insane.
my only symptoms have been the rash in between my legs, and now what appears to be an irritated opening of my penis with some redness. But it doesn't hurt, its just like, ITS ALWAYS ON MY MIND...
Funny though, it was like this about 1 month ago and as soon as i got that herpes swab test negative, i felt nothing. I starting thinking last week about what i had done again...the actually act of cheating, and that is what i started having problems again. man...this sucks.
hey, don't be so hard on yourself. Lots of people make this mistake. I've done what you've done and I don't have herpes. The girl you fooled around with sounds like a nice person, pretty understanding so at least you didn't pick some kind of wacko that's stalking you or something!!!! Think of all the good that has come out of this experience (I think it's a lot). You're going to be ok sweetie, the guilt is normal but you really need to forgive yourself b/c if you don't, you're going to end up in nuthouse. Why don't you make a promise to yourself that it will never happen again, and stick to it. Maybe take your girlfriend out to a nice dinner or something and tell her how much you love her, give her a card or something. Just a thought <3
Yeah, I already took her and her parents out to the most expensive restaurant in town. And I took her shopping and basically let her go wild. She actually was probably starting to get suspicious of all that.
I did make a promise to myself and God that it would never happen again. I'm just one of those people who expects to get the worst out of every situation, no matter what. The honest truth is, I'm more concerned that I may have given my girlfriend something, if I had something I could handle it. But I would be devasted if I gave her something as well.
I just feel like I am too old to have much such a foolish mistake, this is something that happens when you're young and wreckless, and yet I let it happen to me now. So stupid!
Thanks so much for you comments and wonderful feedback, you are making me feel much better about the situation.
I did make a promise to myself and God that it would never happen again. I'm just one of those people who expects to get the worst out of every situation, no matter what. The honest truth is, I'm more concerned that I may have given my girlfriend something, if I had something I could handle it. But I would be devasted if I gave her something as well.
I just feel like I am too old to have much such a foolish mistake, this is something that happens when you're young and wreckless, and yet I let it happen to me now. So stupid!
Thanks so much for you comments and wonderful feedback, you are making me feel much better about the situation.
Hey, nobody is too old or too young to make a mistake. Even education and economic advantages don't matter. Watch the news sometime, and see how many people in ther 50's and 60's have indiscretions. I think the biggest myth there is thinking that because we are at a certain age, we are somehow going to be perfect but nobody is perfect. Ever. Maybe this made you see how much you loved your girlfriend plus you learned a little bit about health. I know you don't want to be responsible for giving your gf an STD, but to be quite frank, I would be surprized if you did from this one encounter!
I do think that drinking can play a part in a lot of mistakes so realize this and try to keep your drinking to people that you trust and know won't take advantage of you (not that your friend did or anything but you get my drift.) Drinking can cloud our judgement, and often does.
God's forgiven you already, now go ahead and forgive yourself. Really, you've beaten yourself up enough. <3
I do think that drinking can play a part in a lot of mistakes so realize this and try to keep your drinking to people that you trust and know won't take advantage of you (not that your friend did or anything but you get my drift.) Drinking can cloud our judgement, and often does.
God's forgiven you already, now go ahead and forgive yourself. Really, you've beaten yourself up enough. <3
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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.
