can i be sure i dont have herpes?

[need to get this out of my head]

This summer i went to the gyno for the first time with what i thought was a bad yeast infection. He said it could be a yeast infection but there was a possibilty for herpes. He did a culture and a week later it came back negative. I had no problems then three months later i had the same symptoms. Itching burning irritation. I went to the doctor again he checked me and said that everything was fine i had nothing to worry about, it was just a yeast infection and he gave me a topical which i use but not as frequently as directed. Its been over a month and i still dont feel completely healed. And then just yesterday there was a little tiny cut at the top of my labia(i think..like the out lips). It has pretty much healed over a day but im still scared. Ive never had a blister or anything but the cut scares me. Do you think i really dont have a need for concern?

Then secondly ive never had sex with anyone. And ive only had oral sex preformed twice. Also i have had cold sores on my mouth since i was a little girl. Do you think i could have given it to myself when i was little by touching a cold sore and then touching myself? And thirdly ive never had sex but one time i rubbed up on someone naked. He had no symptoms and i asked and he said he doesnt have herpes. so my specific questions are:

1) do you think the cut is something to be nervous about?
2) could i have gotten herpes from oral sex if i have had cold sores since i was a kid?
3) do you think i gave myself herpes as a young kid and is just now having syptoms (symptoms)?

ok that is all. Sorry it is long. its just i think about it all the time and i know you cant tell me for sure but you can answers these questions that will maybe help clear my mind.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You need to ask your provider to send a blood specimen for a type-specific herpes blood test, which will show whether you have ever been infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1, 2, both, or neither.  HSV-2 is extremely unlikely, since you have not had genital intercourse.  If your history of cold sores is accurate, you can expect your HSV-1 test to be positive; but in that case, you are immune from catching genital infection with HSV-1.  So the bottom line is that it is unlikely your symptoms were due to herpes.  Anyway, have the blood test, then come back to the forum if you still have concerns or uncertainties.

In the meantime, the answers to your questions are 1) Probably not, see above--but see an STD-knowledgeable health care provider if the "cut" persists or recurs.  2) No; see above.  3) No; autoinoculation of HSV from one part of the body to another is very rare.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[moet]

1) do you think the cut is something to be nervous about?
Not necessarily
2) could i have gotten herpes from oral sex if i have had cold sores since i was a kid?
Probably unlikely but this person could (again unlikely) have HSV 2 in the mouth
3) do you think i gave myself herpes as a young kid and is just now having syptoms (symptoms)? again unlikely, since you would have antibodies

If I were you, I would get a herpeselect test for IgG HSV 1 and 2 only. If you have cold sores, you will probably come up positive (over 1.1) for HSV 1 and most likely negative for 2.

Some bad yeast infections could cause such irritation, suppose you could get a tiny tear.

Sure you are ok ;)

[ryn21]

First of all, I highly doubt you have genital herpes from your description and from you sexual history.  I also dont believe that a herpes outbreak lasts a month long.  You had a negative culture, another good sign in your favor.  You have never had sex, so why do you even think you have it?  Self inoculation (you giving yourself HSV1 genitally) is rare, and mostly seen in cases of herpetic whitlow in which a doctor does not protect him or herself when toching an open lesion.  A cut doesnt necessarily mean anything, other than maybe irritated or dry skin in the pubic area which is common.  The skin in the pubic region is susceptible to irritation and infection due to the sensitivity of the skin.  And to add to that, an outbreak would last longer than a day or two.  If you had oral HSV1, then the chances of you giving it to yourself genitally are so close to zero to even worry about.  From my research on it, your body develops such a strong immunity defense towards the virus when you have it orally making it hard to spread the virus elsewhere.  If this werent the case, your whole body would eventually become infected, (if you really think about it).  So dont worry too much about it.  

Before you begin to have sex, educate yourself.  This site can be used as a very informative tool.  Just make sure you always protect yourself, no matter how intimate the moment may be.    Now wait for the docs comment, which i feel will relieve your anxiety further. Take care, and quit worrying.

[loosewheels]

Even though many people expect blisters in the case of genital herpes, cuts, often described as paper cuts are also a classic sign, especially if recurrent.

In the event that you have had coldsores in the past, they would most likely be attributed to HSV1.  However, there is the small percentage of chance 2-3% that they could be attributed to HSV2.

In the event that you have never had sex, but you have had oral sex performed on you, you would run the small risk of the person who performed the oral sex on you from carrying HSV2 orally.

Most oral lesions are never virally cultured and are always assumed to be caused by HSV1 however, unless an Outbreak was cultured, one would be guessing.  So in saying that, the 2-3% figure of oral HSV2 figures quoted in a recent Medscape article may be flawed.

If you tested negative to a HSV2 blood test, it is possible that your body has not had enough time to produce antibodies to show up in the blood test.  If you had the cut, cultured, it is possible that it was a false negative result.

Give yourself a few more weeks and go back for another blood test to check for HSV2 or in the event that you get another cut, have it virally cultured if you haven't already.

[gracefromHHP]

The longer you let a yeast infection go ( or don't treat it properly for it to go away quickly ) the more side effects you can develop from it ( including ulcerated areas, rashes, paper cut type lesions etc ).  If you can't remember to use the cream nightly for a week then call your doc and ask for a prescription for oral diflucan to treat it. If it's been there this long it might take 1 dose and then repeat it in 72 hours to work.  You can also buy boric acid vaginal capsules/suppositories in most health stores to use for yeast - 1 a night for 2 weeks.  They tend to work when nothing else does :)

grace

[danarm]

I had a blister outbreak on my penis about 2 years ago. I experienced no other symptoms. I went to the doctor and told him what had happend. He indicated that it was likely herpes but there was not definitive test. So he just prescribed me some Valtrex which I took until the blisters subsided (about 12-14 days). I went about a year or so until I had another outbreak of blisters and I just started taking the Valtrex I had left over from the last time. The blisters subsided in about a week.

My question(s) are

1) Can these recurring blisters/sores be caused by anything else other than herpes?
2) These are the only symptoms I've ever had. Shouldn't I expect to encounter any other herpes symptoms in conjuction with the blisters, if it is actually herpes
3) I heard there may be some new and cheaper test to diagnos HSV 1 & 2, is that correct and does insurance usually cover them?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

[alf0202]

UNfortunately, i had my first herpes outbreak a year ago. About a year before i had my first outbreak, i would sometimes get a small paper cut on the very top of my outer labia that would go away after a week or so. I had them sporadically and then i got the paper cut again and it was where my herpes outbreak started. Since i had my first herpes outbreak, i have never had those paper cuts again. In addition to that, i had a recurring yeast infection last year because i was treating it with the one and three day treatments. My doc told me to do the full seven day treatment if you are going to use an over the counter drug because the one and three day treatments aren't as effective. I used the 7 day treatment and haven't had a yeast infection since.

[emono]

Curiously,

What was your initial body response to being infected?  I just noticed red specles on or around the head or glans of penis after unprotected sex few weeks ago.  Also burning while urinating.  But my whole body was over-sensitized for a while.  I was itching all over my body and my eyes watered a little as well as some penal drip.  The tingling all started in the head of my penis.  Was tested for Chlamydia, Syphilus and Gonorea all negative.  I'm afraid herpes seems to be the only remaining possibility.  But I have to wait to get tested for that and HIV.  I have had some abdominal pain as well.

[need to get this out of my head]

i initiated this post and i was just curious about tingling and the incubation period of herpes. One i dont know if it was after i read about tingling that this tingling in my legs back arms and vagina began to occur but it has been going on for probably more than a month now. it probably happens every day. no outbreak or anything. is this not related to herpes?(well if i even have herpes). two i am more concerned about potentially getting herpes from the skin to skin contact i had one time. It lasted a few minutes. He had no visable signs and i didnt get any of my symptoms until about 60 days later. he also claims to have been tested and is negative.I know i just seem obsessive now but i have a boyfriend who is very confused why i wont touch him anymore. Oh also if my doctor first suspected the herpes and it was inside my vagina would my future outbreaks occur inside. Because the cut i talked about was all the way on top of my outter lips. could all these symptoms just be related to a yeast infection. its been about 2.5 months and i feel like im still irritated. I am getting tested on Jan 5 but some feed back would maybe put me at ease