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7535458 tn?1391837877

STD Exposure - STD testing reliability - Anxiety

Dr.

CIRCUMSTANCES –
Early December (2013) I was in France on business and had a one night stand with a single French girl.  The encounter started with a condom (which she carried and insisted on) but in the heat of the moment it got removed resulting in unprotected sex.  She is a friend of a coworker in France (so not a working girl/escort) but I am married and as can be expected, my conscience has been nagging me senseless for the last two months with this being my first behavior of this sort.  Within two to three days after the encounter, I started to worry (probably out of guilt) about having contracted something.  I had the discussion with her over the phone the following day, where she told me not to worry and that she was clear of any STDs.
SYMPTOMS –
1-2 days later I started to feel an irritation/itch in my genital area/urethrae, like a feeling of somebody pinching my penis or the urethra.  This continued and roughly a month later, or early January (2014), I finally went to get tested.  I had a full test panel done (Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes I/II, HIV, Hep B, C) by blood and urine sample.  All tests came out negative, except Herpes I (I knew from cold sores for years).  After continuing having the same feeling of penile discomfort, I then went a week later and got a Trichomoniasis test done (urine sample only) and the results came back saying "No Trichomonas Recovered".  Today, about 3 weeks later, I still have this irritation (feels like a light burning or cooling or pinching feeling – not sure how to describe it exactly), but it occurs after passing urine.  It varies from feeling as if the last few drops are almost acidy/burning hot, so when I have drained the drops and tucked it away, I start to feel a tingling or burning feeling at the tip and sometimes it feels as if it is moving inward through the urethrae.
FACTS –
- When I stand still or sit down, and think about it, I can feel it more vividly but when I walk around I hardly feel anything after passing urine and during the day nothing at all.  
- Sometimes I start feeling the sensation without going to the restroom, and it brings me to thinking about the whole scenario worrisomely.  
- When I get preoccupied, this feeling seems to go away.  
- I never have a burning feeling when passing urine and generally don’t feel anything, however, I sometimes feel discomfort when passing urine after having had this feeling of discomfort out of the blue during the day (its like having to thrust urine through the urethrae as if something is blocking).
- I have noted that during the morning **** I feel almost nothing, and when I drink a lot of fluids
- I hardly feel anything, when I drink beer and get tipsy/careless, I don’t either feel as much if anything at all.  
- It may be notable, that I have had similar discomfort during the last few years and I have been examined for prostatis without conclusive results.
- I don’t experience discomfort when ejaculating.
- I have never had any yellow/green discharge, which seem to be the symptoms of the most common STDs.  
- There is no visible outer symptoms (rashes or warts or anything of that nature either)
(sorry for the ranting nature of my description but I just want to make sure I give as many details as possible)
OTHER COMMENTS –
After reading through several STD sites and forums in the last few days I got very worried, when reading that Trichomoniasis is one of the most common STD (not sure about France) and that it can go undetected and symptomless.  When reading that pain AFTER urinating was one of the symptoms, and that you could have it without seeing any discharge, and finally that it was not always detectable through urine samples alone (swabs were a better means of detecting it), my anxiety went through the roof.  I started doubting the test results I got and it felt as if all the discomfort, burning/cooling, itching, as if my urethrae or penis was being pinched, came on with more intensity.  I have read threads with comments claiming that anxiety may be causing this genital discomfort.  I imagine this may especially apply in my case if true, whereas I stand to lose my wife/family on account of a drunken horny one-time lack of judgment.  The fact is that I constantly focus on whatever feeling/sensation I am experiencing down there and I never go to the restroom any more without wondering if I will get the same discomfort afterwards I usually feel.  It is also worth mentioning (a shameful fact given the circumstances) that I have had sex with my wife 4 times since my hypothetical exposure and she has not complained about any discomfort or symptoms or irregularity, which I know she would do (like vaginal discharge, vaginal odor, or discomfort when passing urine)   The only thing I can think of at the moment is to have all the test done again but before taking on 300-400 dollars in cost again, and perhaps getting the same results, I thought it might be worth posting the questions below:

QUESTIONS –
1) Is it possible (how likely would it be) that the tests showed the wrong results?
2) How reliable are Trichomoniasis tests that are only supported by urine samples
3) Based on what I have described, could I have Trichomoniasis?
4) Could a UTI possibly be the case here (although I realize that the timing would be HIGHLY coincidential)
5) Can anxiety really have such strong physical effect? (albeit knowing that stress can cause an ulcer – I have a hard time believing it)
6) From a medical standpoint, would you recommend having the tests done again for verification?
7) Am I missing something?

Thanks for the review and consideration of the above questions
Best Answer
Avatar universal
1. Very unlikely
2. Tough to test for in men, but not a common STD
3. Doubtful
4. Yeah
5. YES
6. Only thing would be herpes and HIV at 3 months
7. Only that I don't think this is STD related
5 Responses
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7535458 tn?1391837877
Hey, thought I might give you and anybody reading the thread an update.  I actually went and spent another hundred bucks on a Trich test.  Just got the results - negative!  What is noteworthy, is that when I saw the email notification, my heart starting pounding and I immediately felt "that pinch".  After reading the test results, it sort of went away.  Everything seems to be supporting the Anxiety theory.  In the last few days I have been better and not feeling as much discomfort, and I have even passed urine without feeling any discomfort during or after on a couple of occasions (albeit the discomfort mainly having been after).  Psychology does play a big role in physical health, and when you beat yourself up about doing what I did, I am starting to believe it can have effects.  I will continue to pay attention to what my body is telling me and who knows, I might just go and get the test panel done again down the road just to help with my mental aspect.  Hope this helps some others that have done the same mistake as I - never again, its just not worth it!
Helpful - 0
7535458 tn?1391837877
Thanks for taking the time to read and answer - l'm leaning towards the answers that you have given, but not having the 100% certainty is driving me crazy given what is at stake.  I have even thought of coming clean because of all this discomfort but I am afraid that forgiveness will not be on the menu, and I am not sure I can take that - should have thought about that before cheating on the people I love - wife and kids...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Exact same feeling here - but no pain when urinating or after. Just random moments of discomfort - feels like something is stuck or in there. Been drinking ample amounts of fluids to keep on urinating trying to see if there is any discomfort at all.

Waiting for results right now - nerve wrecking. NEVER doing this again.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sorry to hear about your troubles. I'm in a very similar boat and wish you the best. I'm experienceing what I think may by anxiety related symptoms too after almost exactly the same experience.  Let me know how your situation turns out -- would appreciate hearing an update on anything you learn from the Drs.
Helpful - 0
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