Don't know what's going on with me. Getting worried.

[Not so copacetic78]

In August I had contracted NGU. I took meds for a while because it took a while to cure the NGU. I didn't know that I shouldn't have been drinking and my partner and I at the time were probably passing it back in forth as well because we kept having sex after days of Levaquin instead of waiting until we finished our prescription. So, we stopped the sex and drinking for a few weeks and by Jan my Doctor said I was cleared of everything. 5 weeks ago I had a new partner, we had sexual contact only one time and it only involved kissing and her giving me oral, nothing else happened. I freaked out afterwards that maybe I contracted an STD and that I was having symptoms. My anus was irritated and a little painful when sitting down or when my boxer-briefs rubbed against it. My doctor looked and said it was a case of hemrroids, I had 3-4 of them. I also felt a little irritation in the folds of my groin area (by that I mean where the inner thighs connect to my torso). A week later I had a bout of very watery diarrhea for a few days, it was like urinating from my anus. It lasted a few days, but was at the height of my herpes fear and during my hemrroids. I called my doctor and found out I was never tested for herpes in the past and with my once a month testing. So, I get tested 3 weeks ago for everything and it all comes back negative. Along with the results, IGM and IGG came back negative for HSV1 and HSV2, so I assume that I've had no past infection from previous partners, it was the one-time occurance with the last girl I fear. I get tested again in a week, that'll be the 6 week mark since the encounter with the girl. Here's what's going on now, no lesions have appeared and I've have had 2 very small, tiny white bumps on my shaft, basically one at a time, each one lasts for 2-3 weeks and they only appeared together for a week and you need a magnifying glass to get a good look at it. There is no pain when I've touched and rubbed them during masturbaturbation or any other time. Even though the last tests say I'm clear of everything, I've still had a slight burning at the tip of my penis after urinating since Jan. and it feels like something is in there and I can't push it out, but there is no frequent need to urinate and it's always a good flow. Then a few days ago the head of my penis and the opening became very pink, the rim of the head is dark red at the 10 and 2 postion, and there is a pink/reddish bloch on the underside of my shaft. None of the above really hurts, just a slight irritating pain when I rub the areas, like a light sunburn. It really only hurts when I masturbate or my underwear rubs up against it for a while. I've noticed no discharge. What are the possibilities of what it could be (please give me a list)? How at risk was I with the one encounter I had? Would STD symptoms, especially herpes symptoms come one or two at a time for a week at a time over a few weeks or all at once? Thank you for your time and experistise.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The symptoms and penile skin bumps you describe do not suggest herpes, warts, or any other STD.  The timing of herpes outbreaks also is inconsistent with your description. Herpes episodes last 1-3 weeks, always progress to open sores or scabs as they heal, then there are no symptoms whatsoever until there is another recurrence, usually more than a month later.

Otherwise, it's hard to speculate what your penile spots might be, but perhaps nothing abnormal at all, such as prominent sebaceous glands.  The burning at the tip of your penis conceivably could be some other STD, such as persistent or recurrent NGU--but I doubt it.  No STD causes discoloration of hthe head of the penis.  In any case, the way to sort this out is to return to your doctor and get his opinion about both symptoms.  In the meantime, you can be confident you have nothing sexually transmitted.

For what it's worth, having sex and drinking alcohol would not affect your treatment success, as long as you and your partner both took all your antibiotic as described.  Your anal irritation and diarrhea most likely were side effects of the antibiotic and don't suggest STD.  Nothing in the first part of your story suggests herpes, and just like your provider, I would not have tested your for herpes based on those symptoms.

Bottom line:  Return to your provider or ask him to refer you for a second opinion (e.g., a dermatologist).

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[Not so copacetic78]

Thank you for your quick reply and it is a little comforting to hear what you had to say, but I know the only reliable answer will come from further testing and physical examination.  One thing about my question and symptoms that may have been confusing.  I had the extremely watery diarrhea 2 weeks ago for about 4 days and I haven't had any antibiotics since the end of Jan.  Since you believe that the redness on the head and rim of my penis (I'm circumsized) is not due to herpes and my tests 2 weeks ago (blood and urine) came back negative for everything (gon, chlymidia, NGU, herpes, etc.), what are the possible causes of this redness and sensitivity on the head, rim, and opening of my penis?  No disrespect to your knowledge and experience, but I've read elsewhere that an outbreak could be simply a small bump or a few and may not become blisters.  Is this true?  Concerning NGU, if I and my last partner were tested negative after our having it, how could it come back for me if I no longer have sexual relations with her?  What is a good definition in your opinion of recurrent NGU?  I thought once gone, it wouldn't come back unless I contracted it again from another sexual encounter.  Thank you again for your time, I know you have plenty of other things to attend to.

[Not so copacetic78]

Forgot to add one more thing.  Male yeast infections?  What are the symptoms and how possible is it?  

Thanks again.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Sorry, I misunderstood the timing of your diarrhea.  But of course diarrheal episodes are common in everyone from time to time, and almost never a symptom of STD.  I cannot speculate on the causes of your penile redness; that's why you have to see a health care provider, perhaps a dermatologist.  No STD causes such a symptom.

Herpes may appear "only" as a "bump" as the first symptom somebody notices.  But every visible herpes lesion will go through the changes I outlined; a "bump" that doesn't change over several days isn't herpes.

There is no reliable test for asymptomatic NGU.  You'll know you have another episode of urethritis if you develop urethral discharge. For more information, read yesterday's thread "Recurrent Urethritis" posted by 'starstream'.

Men don't commonly get yeast infections.  The usual symptom is an irrirated rash of the penis (but usually not redness without the irritation).

I suggest to stop trying to figure out what you might have by online description.  There is no chance you will get a sufficiently clear answer.

HHH, MD

[littleworried]

copacetic

Let me know what you find out.  I have some of the same symptoms.  I have been cleared of all bacterial causes and still do not know what I have.  I had the same burning and itching in the anus area.  Had hemoroids some days but not others and the symptoms remain.  I also have the discomfort in the inside of my right groing/thigh area.  Almost feels like a tightness.  I have been racking my brains trying to figure out what it is.

[Not so copacetic78]

Sorry Doctor HHH, I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here, but there was one thing I'm afraid you may have missed in my original post.  The head of my penis isn't just a very noticable dark shade of pink/light red all around (by all around, I mean the entire head and a little on the underside of the shaft), but there is pain to it also.  The entire head feels sunburnt when I touch, rub it or my underwear rubs up against it and I've had it for 5 days now.  Even after applying a Clortrimazole/Betameth cream to it 3 times a day for the last 5 days. The condition has not improved and it isn't an agonizing pain like I hear red bloches from herpes are, but it is noticable, very slightly painful, and irritating.  Again, the only noticable changes are the painful ends to urination and the color change.  Could this be the start of an HSV1 or HSV2 outbreak? Would HSV1 or HSV2 pop up in one or two spots or could it cover the entire head of a penis in pink/red when it appears?  This will be my last post as I am seeing my doctor on Wednesday, but I could sleep better till then with an answer from you.  Thank you for all your time.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

See what your doc says, but I can assure there is no STD, herpes or any other, that causes such symptoms.

HHH, MD