Symptoms of Herpes???....Please help!

25 y/o F. Never sexually active until I had 7 sexual partners from 8/7/05-10/1/05. Had protected sex with all of them but with the 1st and last, the condom slipped off and got stuck deep inside. 2 days after my encounter with the last guy "Jim" (not his real name), the outermost portion of my vagina and area between my vagina and the left thigh crease became itchy/irritated. I had some whitish discharge. There was one small, solid light pink bump in the crease which was a little itchy. I was very panicked. Later that day I began to experience a tingling and burning in my groin and thighs. I went to my GYN a week later. She examined the bump and irritation which she said was an ingrown hair and labs showed I had a yeast infection. Everything else looked healthy. The burning/tingling/itching went away shortly after. The bump slowly went away over 3 weeks and now gone.

In early Nov I developed pelvic/low back pain, which at first was transient but now daily. It consists of pressure on my bladder and bowels (like I have to go the bathroom but really don't), throbbing/ cramping in the center above my pubic bone and towards either hip & down to my vagina, and terrible low back pain. Laying down eases the pain & I sleep fine. I wake up feeling a little pressure but pain free. Sitting or standing for a long time makes the pain worse. In mid Oct I was coerced into having unprotected intercourse with "Jim" who has no sx. Sex & tampon use not painful but tender. For 3 weeks again I have had almost daily burning and tingling in my groin and thighs, sometimes on my feet or arms or back.  I had two pelvic exams (normal) and was tested for G-C, Trich, HIV and Syphillis (syphilis) and all negative. I had a 2nd HIV more recently also neg. All of my regular bloodwork and urine comes back normal. In early Dec I noticed small clumps of tissue in the toilet and went to the ER . The pelvic again was normal. The only thing I have had is two yeast infections due to antibiotics (from 9/1-10/28 I had 4 tonsil infections and was on antibiotics on and off. Two were strep and two were viral (Throat G-C neg). Briefly during two infections, one strep, I had muscle ache and dizziness with slight fever)

I recently found out I have HPV & abnormal cells however everywhere I read, it does not appear that HPV would cause the random symptoms I am experiencing.

I have PCOS..Dr thinks pain is from cysts but I've had cysts before and know what they feel like (not like this!)

My biggest fear is that I have Herpes but I do not have any sores inside or out, or swollen glands in my groin. Just the pain and tingling/burning that has no pattern. I have never mentioned the tingling/burning to my doctor who chastized me for not protecting myself with "Jim". I feel I have no incentive to be tested because all the antivirals I read about only help the "outbreaks" of sores and nothing else! It seems I have everything but the sores. Is this Herpes?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Herpes could be the cause of some but probably not all your symptoms. That your health care providers did not suspect or diagnose herpes over several visits is somewhat reassuring, but not entirely so; it is easy to miss herpes unless specific laboratory tests are done.  I really can say no more; I cannot make a diagnosis from a distance and will not try.  As you apparently know, you can have blood tests to determine whether you are infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2, the causes of herpes).

It is naive and, to be honest, irresponsible, to not be tested for herpes for the reasons you describe.  Your sexual lifestyle suggests that you may be at risk of infecting future sex partners, in which case you have a duty to warn them.  Somye would argue that you have that obligation now:  since you are concerned about genital herpes and believe it is possible you have it, many would say you have to tell any and all partners of your suspicion.  But if you are tested and negative for HSV-2, that won't be an issue.

Bottom line:  My guess is you don't have herpes, but it's only a guess.  I recommend you be tested for HSV infection.

Good luck--

[bluebird05]

I'm no doc. but it doesn't sound like herpes.  Also, since you had a number of partners over a short period of time it will be difficult to know for sure who gave it to you if you have it.  In addition, if you have researched the site, you will know that over half of us have HSV-1 and 25 percent of us have HSV-2.  And many of us acquired HSV-1 during our childhood.  If you want to be sure if you have HSV-1/2 get a HerpeSelect test, which tests the blood for the antibody.  If you have ever had a cold sore before (not canker sore) then you will most likely test positive for HSV-1, so don't be surprised as it is not responsible for the problems you describe.  And it don't sound even close to genital herpes (HSV-2.)  Let's wait and see what the Doc. says....good luck and hope that helps.