Possible Genital Herpes Infection and Symptoms

[downandou]

Here's my Story:

In August of 2007 I received unprotected Oral Sex from a hooker, ever since I have been extremely freaked out about possible STD transmission.  In November I started  to experience a redness on my penis shaft which was accompanied by dry skin (no Sores).  Went to the STD clinic they said not herpes, move on with things (tested for syphillis, chlamydia & gonnera all neg).  Because the redness had not went away and I was experiencing testicle discomfort & pain in the penis area I went back in end of December.  Again they said no herpes.  I again went in February to get tested for HIV and I was still experiencing irratation & redness in my penis still no blisters, they clinic kept telling me to move on.  Hiv test results after 5 months 3 weeks came back negative.  

AS of today I have had urine dribbling problems which started about a month ago (and has been very bad the past 2 weeks) along with constant tingling in my testicles as well my anus is quite red and irraated with a few pimples on my buttocks, and a real wet feeling between my checks.

a few questions.

1.Can herpes cause my urine dribbling problems, will I ever be able to urinate properly again if it is

2.These bumps on my buttocks is it possible that they are herpes blisters even though my exposure would have been on my penis, also my anus feels quite hot between the checks as almost if there is discharge coming out of my anus

3.This tingling sensation has been driving me crazy, my balls tingling but no blisters, do you think the tingling and the pimples on my butt could be related (butt does`nt tingling but feels hot only when I`ve been sitting for a long time)

4.What are your thoughts on the blotches on the tip of my penis, have you ever heard of anything like that

Thank-you in advance

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

It's nothing to feel bad about.  We just try to keep this and the HIV forum limited to my and Dr. Hook's advice and comments directly related to them.

[VideoGeek]

"Back and forth comments..."

Sorry, I didn't realize...

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Discharge that appears primarily with urination, along with yoru other symptoms, suggests a prostate gland problem, not an STD.  You might have prostatitis or the male chronic pelvic pain syndrome (which often is largely a manifestation of anxiety or stress).  Google "chronic pelvic pain syndrome" and start your reading with the excellent Wikipedia article you will find near the top of the list; I think you'll see lots of parallels with your symptoms.

I continue to see no concerns whatsoever about herpes.

You're under medical care.  Follow your personal providers' advice.  I have nothing more to add.

[downandou]

sorry about that.  

Hi Doctor Handsfield,

I wanted to thank-you for your prompt response to my questions. I did'nt have enough room on my initial post to let you know that I recently about 2 weeks ago had a bit of whitish discharge after urination (it showed up after milking myself to get the urine out) along with the urinary dribbling i started experiencing.  

I went to the medical clinic today and the doctor prescribed me doxycycline. looked briefly at my buttocks( said my buttoks issue could be a yeast infection and prescribed me Lamisil cream, have you ever heard of a yeast infection on the butt?) About 3-4 hours after my appointment  as i was having a bowl movement and straining hard to drain the rest of the urine out, I had a bit of white discharge come out again after milking the remainder of urine out of my shaft which freaked me out because I had'nt seen any discharge since almost 2 weeks ago.

I have seen on pretty much every STD/Herpes site that penile discharge is a Herpes symptom, my question is possible that it could be herpes and I'm just starting to experience my initial outbreak? ( I'm having alot of the other classic symptoms right now as well, sore back, testicles, groin and tingling in my testie's, sore penis tip etc) and would I be having constant discharge if in fact it  is was herpes related?  when they say discharge how much discharge would be typical?  and also would the antibiotics I'm on stop this discharge or do I need a different prescription to stop a Herpes discharge?  I'm even more distressed and quite beside myself after what happened today.  Please let me know if you need me to repost & repay for your answer.

Thank-you in advance

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Back and forth comments like this belong in the community forum, not here.  Thanks.

[downandou]

thanks for the heads up, I've been to the STD clinic like 6 times and the doctors twice, went to the doc's again today and he prescribed me doxcycline for NSU.  Hope it works!  I'll let you know.  How's the monistat working out for you?  Which type are you using?

[VideoGeek]

Man, I feel your pain, with the exception of the symptoms on your rear end, mine are identical.  The red patches on the head of my penis, the tingling and soreness in my left testicle, even the dribbling.  2 docs have told me it doesn't look like it could be herpes, especially since it's been 12 weeks now.  Have you looked into it being a yeast infection?  Yeast infections in men can mimic some of the symptoms of herpes, particularly the blotches on the tip of your penis.  I was put on fluconazole, and the redness started to fade.  Still there, so now I'm trying monistat.  I do have an appointment with Planned Parenthood, b/c I think it's better to be certain and see a doc with STI experience, but you might want to look into male yeast infection, which could AFAIK, travel up the urethra and cause urinary issues.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You had a low risk exposure and symptoms that don't sound even remotely like herpes -- as you have been told both on two different community forums and by Dr. Rockoff on the dermatology forum.  And an STD clinic's judgment that you don't have herpes is very reliable.  Thus, quite brief responses to your questions.

1) Herpes doesn't cause urinary dribbling.  That is a sign of a prostate or other lower urinary tract problem. It is not due to infection of any kind, and it is not due to anything you caught from the oral sex encounter.

2) Bumps on buttocks that last more than a week are not due to herpes or any other STD.  (Herpes outbreaks can occur on the buttocks, but only with a small cluster of blister-like sores, only on one buttock never both, and always clearing up within 1-2 weeks.)

3) Herpes does not cause tingling like you describe.  The ONLY tingling ever caused by herpes comes on in the area where an outbreak is about to occur and lasts no more than 2-3 days at a time, usually going away when the outbreak blisters appear. Then the person is totally without symptoms until the next outbreak, which never occurs sooner than a month later.

4) Since STD clinic providers see nothing wrong, I truly believe nothing is wrong.  Probably you are just paying too much attention and seeing normal variations in skin color.

Your story has all the earmarks of anxiety as the main health issue here.  Other than anxiety over the sexual exposure, you symptoms have nothign at all to do with the oral sex event.  Please talk to your primary care provider, and directly ask him or her to consider whether it would help to refer you to a mental health professional for further evaluation.  I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.  But whatever you have, it definitely is not herpes or any other STD, or any other infection that you caught from the oral sex event.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD