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Could this be herpes
Dear Doctors,
I had an exposure to HSV1 through oral sex and kissing. This encounter happened in the fall of 2009. Afterwards I had penile discomfort and a mark on my lip line that was a cut. I went to the uro and they put me on doxy for two weeks. That cleared up my penile irritation to a degree. Many threads here have the same complaint burnig sensation, tingling, a moist/wet feeling in anus, groin which actually feels like it burns. Went to nuero said nothing was wrong, went to derm just some irritated skin prescribed topical steroid. A bump on my lip line developed and it tingled, became very inflammed, never blistered, I squeezed it on day 4 and puss came out, then blood and then some fluisd. Here I am 5 weeks later spot on lip still a little red and skin is sensitive and it feels like it has a funny sensation around this area. The sensitivity comes and goes. I also got some pimple on my lower chin but area of the mouth feels sensitive. I have had some herpes test done. I recently did an IgG test 31 weeks post exposure and it came back negative for HSV1 & HSV2. I had done two IgG's before at 12 weeks and 21 weeks I also did a WB blot at the three month mark all say negative. They say the test miss 15% of HSV1 infections. I also had two spots on my scrotum that the derm diagnosed as eczema...does eczema come back in the same spots? These spots were itchy not sore.
1. Is my body not making enough antibodies to detect this?
2. Will the test always miss it? How about with multiple test?
3. What else could cause a spot on my lip that would tingle and last this long? Are herpes sores filled with white puss?
4. Should I believe the test results?
5. What would cause the burning and strange feeling in my thighs, buttocks genitals and on my lips.
6. How can all this last this long 8 months?
I had an exposure to HSV1 through oral sex and kissing. This encounter happened in the fall of 2009. Afterwards I had penile discomfort and a mark on my lip line that was a cut. I went to the uro and they put me on doxy for two weeks. That cleared up my penile irritation to a degree. Many threads here have the same complaint burnig sensation, tingling, a moist/wet feeling in anus, groin which actually feels like it burns. Went to nuero said nothing was wrong, went to derm just some irritated skin prescribed topical steroid. A bump on my lip line developed and it tingled, became very inflammed, never blistered, I squeezed it on day 4 and puss came out, then blood and then some fluisd. Here I am 5 weeks later spot on lip still a little red and skin is sensitive and it feels like it has a funny sensation around this area. The sensitivity comes and goes. I also got some pimple on my lower chin but area of the mouth feels sensitive. I have had some herpes test done. I recently did an IgG test 31 weeks post exposure and it came back negative for HSV1 & HSV2. I had done two IgG's before at 12 weeks and 21 weeks I also did a WB blot at the three month mark all say negative. They say the test miss 15% of HSV1 infections. I also had two spots on my scrotum that the derm diagnosed as eczema...does eczema come back in the same spots? These spots were itchy not sore.
1. Is my body not making enough antibodies to detect this?
2. Will the test always miss it? How about with multiple test?
3. What else could cause a spot on my lip that would tingle and last this long? Are herpes sores filled with white puss?
4. Should I believe the test results?
5. What would cause the burning and strange feeling in my thighs, buttocks genitals and on my lips.
6. How can all this last this long 8 months?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum.
When someone has been under direct care by a knowledgeable provider, especially more than one, there usually is little a distant expert can add based on written description. (All dermatologists are knowledgeable about HSV infections, both genital and oral.) Your providers are quite certain you didn't catch genital HSV-1 and that also is my view. Certainly your symptoms don't suggest herpes; combining that with the negative antibody tests, you can be quite certain you weren't infected. While your exposure history isn't to be ignored, the large majority of people exposed a single time do not become infected.
As for the specific symptoms, you seem to have been over-interpreting what you have found on the web and elsewhere. Herpes doesn't cause deeper pimple-like lesions; if you could express pus, the oral lesion was probably a pimple, not herpes. Herpes lesions can itch, burn, or tingle; but genital herpes does not cause those symptoms without overt, easily recognizeable herpes lesions, which you do not describe, and doesn't cause diffuse symptoms, only localized ones at a particular spot on or near the genitals. And herpes never, ever last more than 1-2 weeks, and never recur more often than every 4-6 week. Between those outbreaks, there are no symptoms at all. None.
To your specific questions:
1,2,4) The HSV-1 blood tests are not perfect; 10-15% of infected people never develop measurable antibody. Nevertheless, the weight of evidence is that you were not infected and that your negative test results are valid and you should believe them.
3) The oral lesion almost certainly not herpes. It sounds like a pimple, but your dermatologist can give you a better answer about other explanations than I can.
5) If there is a visible rash or other changes to your skin along with "burning" and "strange" feelings, your dermatologist should be able to work out the cause. If not, a psycholgogical explanation seems a good bet -- at least a possibility to discuss with your doctors. In any case, herpes is not a possible explanation.
8) Herpes cannot cause any continuing symptoms for 8 months.
In summary, you surely don't have herpes. All things considered, the best bet seems to be the physical manifestations of anxiety -- perhaps stemming from guilt or conflicted feelings about a sexual encounter you may regret. I'm not making a specific diagnosis, but this is definitely something for you to discuss directly with your personal health care provider(s). I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
When someone has been under direct care by a knowledgeable provider, especially more than one, there usually is little a distant expert can add based on written description. (All dermatologists are knowledgeable about HSV infections, both genital and oral.) Your providers are quite certain you didn't catch genital HSV-1 and that also is my view. Certainly your symptoms don't suggest herpes; combining that with the negative antibody tests, you can be quite certain you weren't infected. While your exposure history isn't to be ignored, the large majority of people exposed a single time do not become infected.
As for the specific symptoms, you seem to have been over-interpreting what you have found on the web and elsewhere. Herpes doesn't cause deeper pimple-like lesions; if you could express pus, the oral lesion was probably a pimple, not herpes. Herpes lesions can itch, burn, or tingle; but genital herpes does not cause those symptoms without overt, easily recognizeable herpes lesions, which you do not describe, and doesn't cause diffuse symptoms, only localized ones at a particular spot on or near the genitals. And herpes never, ever last more than 1-2 weeks, and never recur more often than every 4-6 week. Between those outbreaks, there are no symptoms at all. None.
To your specific questions:
1,2,4) The HSV-1 blood tests are not perfect; 10-15% of infected people never develop measurable antibody. Nevertheless, the weight of evidence is that you were not infected and that your negative test results are valid and you should believe them.
3) The oral lesion almost certainly not herpes. It sounds like a pimple, but your dermatologist can give you a better answer about other explanations than I can.
5) If there is a visible rash or other changes to your skin along with "burning" and "strange" feelings, your dermatologist should be able to work out the cause. If not, a psycholgogical explanation seems a good bet -- at least a possibility to discuss with your doctors. In any case, herpes is not a possible explanation.
8) Herpes cannot cause any continuing symptoms for 8 months.
In summary, you surely don't have herpes. All things considered, the best bet seems to be the physical manifestations of anxiety -- perhaps stemming from guilt or conflicted feelings about a sexual encounter you may regret. I'm not making a specific diagnosis, but this is definitely something for you to discuss directly with your personal health care provider(s). I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You are continuing to grasp at straws to prove to yourself that you might have herpes. You do not. That the antibody tests miss 10-15% of infected people is only part of my reasoning. Taking all the available information, you should view it as a rock solid certainty that you don't have HSV. That being the case, it is a waste of emotional energy for you to be dwelling on it or to worry about the answers to these additional questions -- and doing so would only continue to fan the flames. And they are too complex to warrant the amount of time and energy it would take on my part to reply.
Feel free to also show this reply to your counselor. I'll bet he agrees with this perspective -- and that it isn't additional scientific/intellectual facts that are going to settle your fears. I'm not going to be sucked into that dynamic.
That's all for this thread, and I will ask you to not start a new one with these questions either.
Feel free to also show this reply to your counselor. I'll bet he agrees with this perspective -- and that it isn't additional scientific/intellectual facts that are going to settle your fears. I'm not going to be sucked into that dynamic.
That's all for this thread, and I will ask you to not start a new one with these questions either.
So I have met with a therapist. I saw on here a thread where Dr. Hook answered some questions that a therapist recommended that patient go to some one knowledgable.
I brought a copy of this thread and some others explaining my concern over herpes and the opinion of not only the experts here but also my own doctors. As we went through the session a few things came up and maybe you can answer these.
1. THis has to do with 10-15 % who will not make detectable antibodies for HSV1 ....With all the testing I have done WB and IgG ; the therapist asked is there any other testing that I could do even if not warrented that would be conclusive. For example all I could think of was a PCR test but I have no lesions(Can this still be done on skin where there is no lessions)...Is there a PCR test that can be done on urine/semen?
2. I expalined to him how I saw where others who were diagnoised with herpes they had this sunburn feeling in there buttocks and lower extremeties that comes and goes. I get this everyday but I do not have a diagnoises. This is where I believe the virus is creating havic on my nerve system. The question here is this really a symptom of herpes (PHN) or is this something even those diagnoised with herpes that is really not herpes related but something else.
3. Last question from me.....I really need to stay off the internet... The WB test that also is testing for antibodies... Are there different markers it looks at compared to an IgG test? What makes the WB more accurate when I see the Herpeselect will detect the antibodies sooner then the WB... This would make me believe the IgG testing is more sensitive.
I brought a copy of this thread and some others explaining my concern over herpes and the opinion of not only the experts here but also my own doctors. As we went through the session a few things came up and maybe you can answer these.
1. THis has to do with 10-15 % who will not make detectable antibodies for HSV1 ....With all the testing I have done WB and IgG ; the therapist asked is there any other testing that I could do even if not warrented that would be conclusive. For example all I could think of was a PCR test but I have no lesions(Can this still be done on skin where there is no lessions)...Is there a PCR test that can be done on urine/semen?
2. I expalined to him how I saw where others who were diagnoised with herpes they had this sunburn feeling in there buttocks and lower extremeties that comes and goes. I get this everyday but I do not have a diagnoises. This is where I believe the virus is creating havic on my nerve system. The question here is this really a symptom of herpes (PHN) or is this something even those diagnoised with herpes that is really not herpes related but something else.
3. Last question from me.....I really need to stay off the internet... The WB test that also is testing for antibodies... Are there different markers it looks at compared to an IgG test? What makes the WB more accurate when I see the Herpeselect will detect the antibodies sooner then the WB... This would make me believe the IgG testing is more sensitive.
I think at this point I am as sure as I can be that I do not have genital herpes. It is this thing that was on my lip that has me still concerned. I continue to get a strange feeling as if nerve damaged has happened in the area on this former blister/pimple. The feeling comes and goes throughout the course of the day everyday. The derm diagnoised it as a clogged hair folicle which he saw 4 1/2 weeks after it appeared. I also showed him a picture of it and he was very comfortable as he said that he would not diagnois it as herpes. I am starting to believe this could be anxiety and I have taken your suggestions out of compassion not critisism and found a therapist to talk with about this. Thank you again. I enjoy reading this forum,
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Since you weren't infected, the follow-up questions really aren't relevant. You would do well to just move on and stop worrying about it.
Aborted outbreaks -- with initial symptoms that don't progress -- probably occur with oral HSV-1 but I don't know how frequently. Probably it's rare. Certainly it would be possible to have simultaneous recurrent genital and oral outbreaks in this situation, but this too undoubtedly is rare.
Thanks for the thanks about the forum.
Aborted outbreaks -- with initial symptoms that don't progress -- probably occur with oral HSV-1 but I don't know how frequently. Probably it's rare. Certainly it would be possible to have simultaneous recurrent genital and oral outbreaks in this situation, but this too undoubtedly is rare.
Thanks for the thanks about the forum.
Very true about having never ending discussions.... I think you answered my questions and calmed most of my concerns. Here are the last couple question and then we can retire this thread.
Would herpes on the lips every present it self as tingling or burning feeling with out have overt blisters. I have heard of an aborted out break how common is that?
Lastly this is a qestion I have just in general I know it is rare to have let say HSV1 in both locations genitally and orally but if it did happen during the primary infection is it common to have an outbreak in both locations at the same time?
Thanks again and that is all I have left for questions and this thread. Thank you for all your great work. .
Would herpes on the lips every present it self as tingling or burning feeling with out have overt blisters. I have heard of an aborted out break how common is that?
Lastly this is a qestion I have just in general I know it is rare to have let say HSV1 in both locations genitally and orally but if it did happen during the primary infection is it common to have an outbreak in both locations at the same time?
Thanks again and that is all I have left for questions and this thread. Thank you for all your great work. .
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You have no obligation to tell partners about something you were tested for but don't have, or about exposures that did not result in infection. If we all did that, we would be having a disclosure discussion every time we met someone. Anyway, for every sex partner for whom you knew about her (or his) oral herpes, there are several others who had it that you didn't know about.
Thank you for the quick response.
Wow, it sounds like I have over thought this. I have never had a cold sore so this was very troublesome when it appeared. I think what I will do is run with these results and take the negative results and count my blessing for dodging a bullet here. I have decided to seek some council for over-all anxiety.
From your response you feel very comfortable with my rtest results and what other professionals have said. Would I be obligated to tell future partners about this possible exposure or can I feel free to say I am free of HSV1. Or do I even bother and just move on?
Thank you again and by the way congrats on your award this year! Keep up the outstanding work it is greatly appreciated.
Wow, it sounds like I have over thought this. I have never had a cold sore so this was very troublesome when it appeared. I think what I will do is run with these results and take the negative results and count my blessing for dodging a bullet here. I have decided to seek some council for over-all anxiety.
From your response you feel very comfortable with my rtest results and what other professionals have said. Would I be obligated to tell future partners about this possible exposure or can I feel free to say I am free of HSV1. Or do I even bother and just move on?
Thank you again and by the way congrats on your award this year! Keep up the outstanding work it is greatly appreciated.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
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.
