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Avatar universal

Terrifed that I have herpes

Thank you for taking my question.

10 days ago I had unprotected sex with a girl. She claims that she has never had any sign of herpes. I believe her.

9 days ago I had unprotected oral sex and protected sex with a different girl. This girl maintains that she knows when she gets cold sores and she did not have a cold sore at the time.

3 days after the encounters, my genitals felt strange and there were some suspicious looking bumps/irritation on my penis. I also had bumps appear on my buttocks, and a nickel-sized rash appear rapidly on the top of my pubic bone. Both the bumps on my buttocks and the rash on my pubic bone seem to be resolving.

I went to the doctor on Wednesday (6-7 days after exposure). After a visual exam, he determined that I do not have herpes. He said that the bumps/irritation on my penis were likely balanitis (I am not circumcised), the nickel-sized rash was "non-specific" and the pimple/blisters/spots on my buttocks were probably folliculitus. He did not seem worried about my pronomes. He claimed 95% confidence. This doctor works at an STD clinic associated with a research hospital that is very well regarded.

1) I have been feeling the pronomes for the last 4-5 days (and especially the 2 days after my doctor's visit). My penis is always tingling or feeling weird (the last 5 days), itchy anus, the glands under my throat feel sore (similar to before I get a cold sore), tinging in my face, sick feeling, sore legs, arm and leg tingling. I am obsessing, and having panic attacks so perhaps that is the cause of some of these. I have also been taking anti-virals.

3) At 9 or 10 days post-contact, what are the odds that it can still happen if it hasn't already? Should I ask the doctor anything specific on my next visit?

4) Do you read my situation and see a perfectly logical explanation that I don't have herpes? I won't ask for a web percentage but I would certainly love one!

Thank you so much for your time. It is very much appreciated.
12 Responses
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300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Sorry, there are no percentages to provide and even if I did, given the level of anxiety you display, I am doubtful if it would be helpful.  As we have said repeatedly, if you have not developed lesions by day 214 you really need not worry further.  I cannot tell you about day 10, 10.5, or 11.

It is becoming clear however that your problem is not risk of HSV but unwarranted anxiety over the exposure you described. Rather than feed these anxieties further, this will conclude this thread. Further questions will lead to deletion of the entire thread.  My advice is for you so seek help from others in how to deal with this inappropriate anxiety.  EWH
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Avatar universal
Hi again Dr. Hook,

I went to see a doctor at the sexual clinic of a hospital today. He examined me and said that I don't have any visual signs of herpes, and that he would be "very surprised" if herpes manifested after this long. I didn't really get an answer when I asked him whether my previous exposure to cold sores would delay the onset of a primary genital outbreak or make the symptoms less severe (or any differences in timing if it were HSV-1 or HSV-2). As well, I was hoping for more clarity on the possibility of herpes still showing at Day 11/12 in my situation. 2%? More? Less? Specific odds notwithstanding, all in all a good visit.

I would like to thank you again for taking the time to help. Your answers were everything to me. I hope this thread will also be useful to others.

Best,

Uwe
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Avatar universal
Many thanks, Dr. Hook. As indicated by my being repetitive, I am having a very difficult time over here.

I will let you know as soon as have the results. Thank you for all of your time.
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300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Promise or not, this will be your last answer.  Your anxieties seem to have taken you over and is showing in the form or repetitive questions.

1.  Just in case you are going in this direction, balanitis is not in any way suggestive of herpes.  As I said before. "Balanitis is inflammation of the head of the penis, not the urethra which is where you describe the redness.  On the other hand, repeated self-examination is a common cause of irritation of the urethra."  You may be showing irritation due to your repetitive examination.  Stop.

2.  Are you for real?  She has not had suggestive symptoms, tested negative and the only person she has been with since then is YOU!  

You really need to get a grip on yourself.  I hope my comments help you to do so. If you cannot do so, my heartfelt advice is to seek counseling assistance to get over your unwarranted anxiety.  As I said, this is your last answer.  No further questions until you have been seen by an expereinced health care provider.  EWH
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Avatar universal
Dr. Hook

I have to try to ask a couple more questions, as I am really struggling to get through the next 27 hours before my doctor's appointment.

1. It seems like the area around my urethra is getting redder. In fact, there is redness all the way around the urethral opening to where the foreskin attaches to the glans. It is possible to see some discrete, small red bumps. Is this starting to sound less like balanitis? If it still seems indicative of balanitis, how should I be treating the area to make sure I am not irritating it more?

2. The girl who I had protected vaginal sex with and unprotected oral sex with 10 days ago just told me that she once dated someone with genital herpes 7 years ago. She claims that they always used condoms, avoided sex if there were sores and she tested clean directly after the relationship. She also says that she was tested a year ago and I am the only person she has been with since that time. Me and this girl did have unprotected sex 3 times about 6 weeks ago (which I didn't consider relevant until this news). Coupled with all my symptoms, does this put me more in the danger zone?

I promise to avoid more questions until my doctor's appointment (really, this time). And, I appreciate that doctors of the prominence of you and Dr. Handsfield take the time to help people like this. It is amazing.

Look forward to hopefully following up with some good news tomorrow or the next day!
Helpful - 0
300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
1.  This does not change my opinion. Balanitis is inflammation of the head of the penis, not the urethra which is where you describe the redness.  On the other hand, repeated self-examination is a common cause of irritation of the urethra.  

2.  See number 2 above.  You are overly sensitized to the possiblity of HSV. As far as your risk of HSV, nothing you have said changes your risk of HSV.  Unless you have had previous antibody tests for HSV, like all adult Americans on average there is about a 1 in 5 chance you have HSV-2 and about a 60% chance you have HSV-1.  80-90% of each group is unaware that they have HSV desite the fact that they do when tested using an antibody test.  These are the figures for the entire U.S. population.  

3.  Even experienced clinicians sometimes mis-identify HSV and tests prove them wrong. That said, there remains little reason to suggest you have HSV and I would probably not test you.

4.  Correct.

EWH
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Avatar universal
Please ignore question 3. I read your answer so many times and so fast that I realized that you had already directly answered that question.

Apologies. I will report back after I see the Doctor on Monday.
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Avatar universal
Dr. Hook

If it wasn't clear in my initial post, I am fearful of being exposed to HSV-1 from oral sex with one person and HSV-2 from unprotected vaginal sex with the other person.

Regards
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Avatar universal
Dr. Hook

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. It means more than I can explain. I am not sure of the precise rules but I would like to ask a few follow-up questions if possible.

1. I might have a couple new tiny red bumps around the opening of my urethra (they may have already been there when the doctor looked). I just opened up my urethra and there also seems to be a red, irritated patch on the inner wall (the doctor did look in there). Does this sound consistent with balanitis? Does that information change your opinion?

2. Am I reading you right that the laundry list of my perceived prodromes would not last for days and days without a visual sign? As in, there may be a chance that I have herpes but these perceived prodromes would not be related? It just seems like I have every non-visual sign and it kills me every time I feel anything.

3. Would you suggest that I ask the doctor to swab the areas he believes are balanitis? And, what is the earliest that you think a blood test might provide a useful result?

4. If the doctor is still unable to find any visual signs indicative of herpes on Day 12 - coupled with your appraisal - am I pretty much out of the woods pending an unusual result on the blood test?

I apologize if any of my follow-up questions treads over information that you have already covered. I am breaking down emotionally, and am certainly not trying to make you repeat yourself. Just trying to drive the information into my mind so that I can breathe.

Thank you so much.
Helpful - 0
300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum.  I suspect that the title which accompanies your question summarizes things – you are frightened that you have acquired genital HSV-1 and, as a result, have gotten into a vicious cycle of self examination and anxiety.  I agree with the doctor who has already examined you that all that you describe does not suggest genital herpes.  You have accurately described the explanations you have received as well as what you have learned about HSV.  I will repeat them to summarize the situation.

You were exposed to two partners, one of who has cold sores for sure, and in the 9-10 days since then have experienced a number of sensations which concern you about possibly being HSV prodromes.  You have also notice a number of possible skin lesions and abnormalities.  Putting all of this together, they really do not add up to herpes.  Here are my thoughts:

1.  Exposures.  Most exposures to infected partners do not lead to infection.  
2.  Sensations.  "Tingling" sensations can precede HSV outbreaks and in some persons can even occur without outbreaks. At the same time, such sensations can also occur when we start to focus on an area.  Sometimes after an exposure that, in retrospect, one wishes they had not had, persons tend to examine themselves and be far more attuned to genital sensations than in periods when they are not concerned.  This in turn leads to noticing what turn out to be normal sensations that might have been not noticed or ignored at other times.  Perhaps this was a contributor to your situation – I doubt that they are related to HSV.  HSV prodromes do not move around or come and go  
3.  Skin lesions. The locations of most of the lesions you describe (pubic region, buttocks) may not have even be directly exposed in your described activities and HSV occurs at sites of DIRECT contact.  Further the pigment variation that you describe in neither typical nor suggestive of HSV .  
4. I note that you are taking antivirals.  These will only confuse things. My suggestions is to stop.

Bottom line, there is little to suggest HSV in the descriptions you provide. My advice is to stop taking antiviral therapy and to try not to worry. If there are specific lesions that concern you, ask your doctor to take a viral culture or perform a PCR test on a swab taken from the lesion.  A blood test will tell you little about this. If a blood test were positive it likely will reflect old infection and will not tell you whether your current signs and symptoms are related to infection.  If the blood test was negative it would be reasonable to assume that the test had been take too early to yield meaningful information.

Hope this is helpful to you.  EWH
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Avatar universal
Sorry to follow-up again, I am just trying to think of all my symptoms. I should also add that I have no swelling or pain in my glands in the pubic region.

And, would it be weird for me to have these herpes pronomes last for more than 1-2 days without blisters as suggested in some of the literature? And, related, if I was experiencing similar pronomes to when I get a cold sore, would that make it more likely that if I had anything that it would be HSV-1 on my genitals? I thought that I read somewhere that pronomes don't typically occur for a primary infection (not sure whether HSV-1 on the genitals would count as "primary").

I think that is all the information. Thanks again.
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Avatar universal
Just as a follow up, I seem to have these unusual brown patches on the shaft of my penis. I am 99% sure that they weren't there before but, of course, I have never spent this much time looking at my penis. These darker brown patches (I am Caucasian) don't hurt and they don't seem to be developing into anything as of yet.
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