Syphilis Post-Treatment Lymph Activity?

[noname32]

I was diagnosed and treated for syphilis after having a chancre appear on my penis. I was a positive test at about 8 weeks after exposure. Other than the chancre, I also had some swelling of lymph nodes in the groin. I am penicillin-allergic, so I was prescribed a 2-week regiment of doxycycline. I took all the medication according to the prescription. I went for a follow up blood test 2-3 weeks after finishing the doxy and was told that my "titers" had decreased to sufficient levels to consider myself cured--but for me to go in for follow up testing again at 6 months and again at a year. But the groin lymph nodes are still swollen and this is now 3 weeks after I finished the medicine. Is it normal for nodes to stay swelled after successful treatment? Or perhaps the nodes are simply filtering or continuing to filter out the invading bacterial infection? I am just confused after getting reassuring news that my nodes are still swelling (they actually appear to fluctuate--sometimes smaller and sometimes bigger). please let me know your thoughts so I can rest about this until my next test. I am worried by this continued activity "down there"

[ne_ko]

i am experiencing the same problem...after syphilis treatment, my inguinal lymph nodes remain sore and enlarged. it's just as if treatment did not succeed...although it should (with three shots of penicilin). i've got my check appointment another month...the bottom line is, that i don't feel healthy because of it.

[Vance2335]

I can tell you that nodes can swell for many reasons and that includes by yourself keep touching then.

[noname32]

No, I divorced a year and a half before the exposure...this has nothing to do with the contraction of syphilis. And I have no other identifiable symptoms of secondary syphilis (ie, no rash anywhere on my body or any other things I have read taht are possibly signs of secondary (except lymph node irregularity)

[Checkup63]

You divorced after being diagnosed with Syphilis? As from those article I have read, Syphilis can be cured. You should go for VDRL test again. If the test turn to negative, then it means that u are cured.

Try to reconcile with your wife. It is a mistake to most men. We are not saint, we are merely human.

[noname32]

In reading the other issues, I realized I left out a lot of critical information. Having come out of a divorce and being pretty socially introverted after it, I had not had any sex of any kind for over a year prior to exposure (and none since). The exposure happened on a business trip in Toronto. I am a heterosexual male and met a woman in the hotel bar-she was not a sex worker. The vaginal intercourse was protected with a condom but she did give me fellatio unprotected. Seems like long odds to catch it that way from what I have read, but I guess my number was up. I have no contact information for her as it was a rather random hookup, but I am certain that she gave this to me. This whole experience has devasted me and made me want to crawl back into my sexual hole for at least another year.  

[2terrified]

You can call and tell them you are still experiencing symptoms.  I'm sure there is a nurse there you can talk to.  Ask if it is normal and they will tell you whether or not you need to make an appointment.  That should tell you if it is normal.  It doesn't hurt to ask the question.  All it requires is a simple yes, it's normal  or no, you need to come in.

[noname32]

I agree...but the dr I was treated by has a long backlog. I cannot get an appintment for 2 weeks. I have one booked but wanted to see if I can get some information in the meantime.

[2terrified]

I don't know much about syphilis but you do know that you can ask the people who treated you the very same question?  It is probably best because they know your situation more personally than any of us do.

[noname32]

I also wanted to add that I was neg for hiv and herpes (so the node activity shuld not be related to that)