Herpes symptoms, still unsure.

[losingmymind519]

Hi, I have previously posted with Terri, I have been following your posts for quite a while and wanted to know what you thought. 4 days after unprotected sex i developed extremely itchy hands and feet, redness over face and neck, facial swelling, with hives on body as well as raised itchy bumps under the skin of majora (not red, but almost like small mosquito bites under the skin) those were gone in less than 2 days. had hives reccur on and off on body for 7 weeks after. Do you think any of that is std related? Then 6 weeks after encounter I had what I thought looked like wrinkles/cracked skin on inner vulva from top to bottom. 7weeks the colour was reddened. At 8 weeks post I had a small patch of tiny red bumps by vaginal opening, few days after they appeared entire vaginal area swelled up for one or 2 days vag almost swelled closed and looked raw/torn and entire vaginal area was very painful and burning few days.  Doctor had given yeast treatment at that time (9 weeks) although yeast, bv, trich, gono, chlamydia were negative at 2, 5, 13 weeks were neg. bumps just sort of went away over week/few weeks. I still get redness. did notice a circular small raw area at the bottom of vaginal area, near crease when vagina swelled. This spot or near is constantly returning healing slow over weeks. My labia and around vaginal entrance skin is still constantly cracking all over.  almost looks like skin is rough texture now..Culture at 5 days post bumps was neg, and herpes select immunoblot igg at 2 days shy of 11 week mark and was neg for both type one and two, no numerical values. Had felt irritated since 6 weeks mark approx, at time still does. My vagina has never fully went back to normal. Negative HIV, hep c, syphillis. My doctor said maybe yeast, irritation or eczema, but I don't think she's sure. Awaiting results from 6 month test. Just wanted to get your take on this. Concerned its herpes as nothing else makes sense to me.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Last answer (this is yet a different topic).  you appear to be over reacting again.  Irregular cells need not be cuased by HPV,.  If it is, this has been discussed numerous times on this Forum and you can find those discussions using the Search Function at the top of the screen.  EWH

[losingmymind519]

Just wanted to update, my herpes test type 1 and 2 were negative. But my pap showed irregular cells and I have to have a repeat pap in 6 months. I am assuming this in definitely hpv? If intact the 2 small bumps I saw (they are almost gone, after about 2 months) were genital warts, does that low risk hpv cause irregular cells as well, or only the high risk type? And if in fact I have hpv, how will I know if my body has cleared it? I'm worried about telling future partners and preventing spreading it.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

As I said above, I think the way to address this is to first get a more defintive idea of what is going on through a visit to a clinician.  Then you can work with specific therapy to address it.  The tendency to recur may reflect the healing process- healing skin surfaces are more susceptible to trauma that surfaces which have not recently healed.  EWH

[losingmymind519]

Thank you, you're answers are very helpful. It is the original "outbreak" that has me worried, along with the recurring open spot. The original
was so painful, it had me in tears.
If it is a type of eczema, how can I get rid of it?
It just scares me because after the fact, I found out his sexual habits, which were terrifying to me (as I was with the same person for7 years, I'm 27) and  I had never had any sort of vaginal problem before.
Does the recurring irritation or open spot suggest herpes? I am just so fearful to expose someone.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your expereince withthe hepatitis B antibodies is not unusal- up to 15% of persons who receive the vaccine do not develop antibodies following vaccine result.  Do not let this make you worry about HSV- the situation is entirely different.

As for the bumps you have noticed, I cannot say.  What is needed is an examination by a trained health care provider (perhaps your OB/Gyn).  It would not suprise me if what you noticed wasa also a normal variant.  EWH

[losingmymind519]

Thank you, the reassurance is very helpful. I have been under incredible stress, so I thought it could make the symptoms occur more often. I also had the hep b vaccine and when checked for immunity at 10 years, I had no antibodies. It made me question if herpes would take longer to appear in my blood. I have heard of some other people who caught it from the same person, after the fact, which was where my worries escalated. I now have 2white bumps on my perineum, like firm skin tags. Possibly genital warts? What would your suggestion be? I just want a diagnosis to put this behind me.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  In preparing to answer your questions I reviewed all of your earlier interactions with folks on the HSV community site and with Terri on her site.  I agree with all that was said.  This is unlikely to be herpes. I am concerned that these concerns seem to have taken on a life of their own for you- there have been 18 posts on our sites, you have been told on both the HSV site by Terri and the Community site that your symptoms are unlikely to be due to HSV, you have been tested both with culture with a good but not perfect blood test, and to be honest, many elements of your problems do not correspond with those of herpes.   Despite this you state "Concerned its herpes as nothing else makes sense to me."

I have listed the above not to chastise you put to try to help.  A few more comments:

1.  The perineum (genital area) has many irregularities and is predisposed to bumps, fissures and chaffing.  What you have noticed may well be the product of your increased vigilance, not herpes.

2.  They symptoms of initial herpes typically last 3 weeks, maximally and often less and recurrences last only a few days. The duration of your symptoms is not suggestive of HSV.

3.  Your original symptoms - "extremely itchy hands and feet, redness over face and neck, facial swelling, with hives on body as well as raised itchy bumps under the skin of majora (not red, but almost like small mosquito bites under the skin) those were gone in less than 2 days." are in no way suggestive of HSV.

4.  You have heard rumors that your casual partner has HSV- don't believe these rumors.  How would these people know?

5.  Even if he did have HSV, the risk of acquiring infection from any single exposure is less than 1 in 1000.  you had two exposures, thus your mathematical risk of infection, IF he was infected (again, you do not know this) is less than 1 in 500.

6.  Your health care provider has suggested alternate diagnoses- chronic yeast, atopic dermatitis, other dermatological processes- I agree.

I note that you have mentioned seeing a counselor.  I urge you to continue to do so and, if you are searching the internet, stop since this is such a common source of mis-information.  You might print this out and share it with the counselor as well.

I hope these comments are helpful.  EWH