Herpes, something else, etc?

[MrStupid]

I had sex with a prostitute - quite legal here, but probably rather stupid. Spur of the moment thing - first time I went to a brothel. I used condom all the time - during the oral sex and intercourse. After removing the condom I also showered and used liquid soap on my genitals. None the less...

About 3 days later, I discovered a small white bump (<1mm) on my penis, near the base (not the tip). It was slightly inflamed - of course i feared herpes, as this area might not have been covered by the condom. On the other hand, it also looked like other bumps I have at the base of my penis, and the redness disappeared after I applied some topical anti inflammatory cream (assumed that this would not have woked on herpes).

Then on day 4 I started to get lower back pain, testicular pain and leg paind. It sort of comes in waves - a few hours of pain mixing with half an hour of calm. The testicular pain is most pronounced - sort of internal burning feeling. Was not that worried, as I have this every few years, although testicular pain bothered me a little bit as I could also feel it the penis - especially the tip. It sort of changed into itching as well (semi-constant). Still, as I have been explained a few years ago, this could have been radiating from an inflamed point in my back (prostatitis being the second possible explanation). The pain gets less if I stand up; also NSAIDs help. Thus there could be a perfectly good explanation for any burning, itching and tingling feel in my testicles or penis.

There is no pain when urinating, exept when I was really dehydrated one day; sometimes slight itching after urinating though.

Then, on day 7 I got really worried. The itching had become more pronounced in my penis - the testicles were still having this burning as well. I noticed several small white spots on my foreskin when I pulled it back. These were not red though, and the foreskin was not that red either. The two bigger ones were around 1mm in size, and there were a lot (50 maybe) really small ones - all white. They don´t burst (or have not yet) None of this is painful though - any itching I feel, is more like from inside the penis...? And as I said, standing up, helps minimze the pressure / itching. The two larger ones looked like the regular bumbs I have - and I have a vague feeling that I have seen such things before. But not 50 at a time...

On the other hand, I do have yeast infections now and then which also start with white spots - but these are around the tip of my penis - rather than on the foreskin. I am totally confused.

1) Could this be herpes (without notiecable red bumbps - just white bumbs / blisters) - or is it more likely that I got the yeast infection and back pain at the same time?

2) What is the probability of having herpes when using condoms (assuming that the prositute had herpes - the sex seemed a bit painful for her, I guessed it was due to chafing, but maybse she did have open sores???) and washing oneself afterwards?

3) any other STDs - I guess the risk is minimal for anything else except HPV?

MrStupid

[auntiejessi]

Yes, the risk is minimal, and there is a fungal infection called balanitis, and your symptoms are similar for that.  Though balanitis only affect the head of the penis, you could have yeast, or something similar causing these symptoms.

Since the chances of you having any std are very low when using condoms, I would think fungal infection - yeast, jock itch, balanitis, etc - first before I would an std.

It might be worth a trip to the doctor to make sure.

Aj

[MrStupid]

Apologies for silly questions, but to clarify -

1) if there are herpes blisters - are those always painful (localized to the area of blisters)..? or does the pain only occur after they break?

2) when would the blisters break? eg 6...12...24...36...48 hours after first appearing?

3) in the first outbreak of herpes, would the initial red spots / blisters appear at the site of initial contact - eg, if the penis was covered with a condom, they would not appear at the tip, but rather at the bottom?

...I guess there are 3 options for my status: a) I am fine (just got yeast and back pain / prostatitis at the same time), b) i have got HSV and the pain is about to start when the blisters explode or c) I got asymptomatic herpes and the blisters like things are just a coincidence...

I am really hoping for the option A.. but woried enough to believe in B and paranoid enough to consider C

As an additional bit of information - I have the herpes virus that appears on lips, but it has only happened 3 times in ten years... so guess this also impacts the probability of catching genital herpes sligthly / getting asymptomatic herpes...?

And just as a final question.... as I understand herpes would follow red spot - blister - sore progression.. and if the symptoms instead start with a white spot / blister, without something red before that white spot, then the chances are it is something else than herpes...?  did I get this right?

sorry about the ignorant questions.. hope someone knows the answers...

[auntiejessi]

1) if there are herpes blisters - are those always painful (localized to the area of blisters)..? or does the pain only occur after they break?

No they are not always painful.  

2) when would the blisters break? eg 6...12...24...36...48 hours after first appearing?

There is no timeline for this - it varies from person to person, and outbreak to outbreak.

3) in the first outbreak of herpes, would the initial red spots / blisters appear at the site of initial contact - eg, if the penis was covered with a condom, they would not appear at the tip, but rather at the bottom?

Most likely.

Your having hsv1 would maybe slightly decrease your chances of getting hsv2, but the condom use and the fact that she had no sores is what is really decreasing your odds of getting it.  If you did get hsv2, your hsv1 would likely keep hsv2 symptoms minimal.

You ask if there is a chance its not herpes.  Of course, there is.  I gave you my thoughts of possibilities already.  You even listed some, and really answered your own question.

Your chances that this is herpes is really quite low.

Aj

[MrStupid]

Thank you very much!

Unfortunately, I am currently stuck in a region without decent hospital, so cannot have anything checked by a doctor - for a month at least.

I would like to ask one more question . After checking on the internet, I guess the white spots are probably related to sweat glands (they more or less look like the other ones I have on my penis) or maybe yeast. Anyway, those are raised - do not seem like sores, nor do they seem to be developing into sores.

However... (apologies, but obsessing about this a bit) ... I now discovered a pimple on my leg - just below the hip, and just outside genital region. This area would definitely have had contact with the other person´s body during sex. The pimple was 2-3 mm, very yellow, and broke when i squuezed it, it broke. This is quite normal for a pimple, but it did leave a 0.5mm red sore plus a slightly inflamed area around it (approx 1 cm). And that area and the sore are rather painful! This is usually not the case with a pimple...
usually it would remain raised.. maybe have more blood or puss come out of it... not leave a small red painful depression like an insect bite...

Would a single pimple like thing leaving a very painful small sore on the leg (near) pubic hair be considered a herpes symptom? Do not usually have pimples in that area...

Again - apologies for this.... but as there is no way to get to a doctor and take a swab test....

[auntiejessi]

It could, if the sore resembled a herpes sore, but this doesn't.

Herpes sores aren't yellow, don't bleed, and are painful to pop.

That sounds like a bacterial something - maybe an infected hair follicle or something.

Aj