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What are these lesions?
by Lamo, Mar 04, 2008 09:29PM
About 1.5 months ago, i had unprotected vaginal/oral sex with an ex-girlfriend. 4 days later, an area in the pubic area to the left and above my penis became itchy for about a day. Then, I noticed an area about the diameter of a pea became pink and slightly raised (middle of same area), as if a pimple was developing and it was slightly sore (like a pimple). Then, maybe 1/2 to 1 day later, a small white blister developed at the site. The blister gradually grew in size as the itching got increasingly worse, almost unbearable itch. As the blister was looking like it was so tight and full that it was about to pop, I applied pressure to it and it drained a white puss and flattened. I knew it definitely wasn't a pimple at this point, due to the blister and extreme itch. After this, the lesion became like an ulcer, but the middle of it got scabbed over quickly. However it continued to grow in size and the edges would ooze more puss and blood around the edges of the scab whenever I applied more pressure. I also noticed the area surrounding the ulcer/sore was getting very swollen and pink extending to about the size of a quarter. It was very sore to the touch and constantly oozed fluid as i would notice the stains on my boxer shorts every time I went to the restroom. Also, underneath the sore, I noticed a definite hardened area like there was a marble (not as hard but around this size). I thought maybe this hardened area needed to be drained, such as in the case of a boil. But, applying pressure this far underneath the sore didn't produce any additional fluids. The fluids seemed to be building slowly or constantly but not under pressure. I frequently drained the sore by applying mild pressure and wiping with a clean cloth then cleaned the area afterwards. About 2 days into this process, another sore developed about 2 inches away and went thru the exact same cycle. About another day later, a 3rd identical sore developed and finally a 4th sore developed about the time the 1st one was becoming un-noticeable (maybe 1.5 weeks into it?), athough the hardned ball underneath it was still there and very slowly went away. The 4th sore became fairly large (about 1.5 inch ulcer and 2.5 inch swollen base) and lasted for about 3 weeks before the oozing stopped. I was extrememely worried about how badly this final sore looked. These sores went from extremely itchy to extremely painful to the touch, to the point where I couldn't sleep on my tummy as I usually did. The sores eventually totally scabbed over, leaving only the hardened ball of flesh underneath, which eventually softened after several days. Also, the area where my upper thigh meets my groin area (or slightly above it) was swollen and very tender to the touch (swollen lymph nodes?)--Dr. didn't examine this. The 4th sore finally went away but left a darkened area of pigmentation resembling a darker-than-usual colored (for me) scar (but flat). A month has passed since my inital relief from the final (4th) sore. I thought I was done with this, but now, a new one has developed yesterday and the cycle seems to be starting all over, UGH!!!! I had sex again with my ex about 1.5 weeks ago, btw.
About the time of the 2nd sore developing, I want to my PCP who immediately said it doesn't look like HSV, but he did the tests anyways. He said it looked like ingrown hairs, although the sores were not fully developed when he examined me. And I tended to believe him due to the fact that I had recently clipped my pubic hairs (but not shaved) with a beard trimmer, prior to the sex with my ex. The blood tests came back negative for HSV2 but POSITIVE for HSV1. My stand-in doctor at my regular PCP Dr's office gave me the results over the phone and said not to worry about the positive result for HSV1 because it's so common.
My question is this: Even though my doctor's assistant (PA) said not to worry about the HSV1 positive results, I never got any solid conclusion as to what these sores might be. They really didn't see them in their full blossoming colors. It was really a horrible ordeal, with the extreme itching and extreme soreness and lack of sleep and puss/blood oozing and swelling. I would like to know what this is and what causes it so as to prevent it/treat it properly.
If I had to characterize the look of these sores/ulcers, I would have to say they resemble chancroid pics (but not the ones located on the penis), more like the ones located in the pubic region or thigh region. But the symptoms seem like HSV? Plus my HSV1 diagnosis. I am not sure if I have had HSV1 since childhood or recently got it from the sex with my ex and maybe this is an atypical HSV1 manifestation in the groin area.
My PCP prescribed me the following antibiotic because of apparent infection in the 1st 2 sores when I was examined: sulfamethoxazole. I am also a diabetic and take plavix and aspirin to prevent clotting in a 1-yr old heart stent (drug induced acute MI). I'm in my late 30s.
I would greatly appreciate any help you can provide, as I am very worried as to what my next month or so is going to be like with these sores. Thanks very much!
About the time of the 2nd sore developing, I want to my PCP who immediately said it doesn't look like HSV, but he did the tests anyways. He said it looked like ingrown hairs, although the sores were not fully developed when he examined me. And I tended to believe him due to the fact that I had recently clipped my pubic hairs (but not shaved) with a beard trimmer, prior to the sex with my ex. The blood tests came back negative for HSV2 but POSITIVE for HSV1. My stand-in doctor at my regular PCP Dr's office gave me the results over the phone and said not to worry about the positive result for HSV1 because it's so common.
My question is this: Even though my doctor's assistant (PA) said not to worry about the HSV1 positive results, I never got any solid conclusion as to what these sores might be. They really didn't see them in their full blossoming colors. It was really a horrible ordeal, with the extreme itching and extreme soreness and lack of sleep and puss/blood oozing and swelling. I would like to know what this is and what causes it so as to prevent it/treat it properly.
If I had to characterize the look of these sores/ulcers, I would have to say they resemble chancroid pics (but not the ones located on the penis), more like the ones located in the pubic region or thigh region. But the symptoms seem like HSV? Plus my HSV1 diagnosis. I am not sure if I have had HSV1 since childhood or recently got it from the sex with my ex and maybe this is an atypical HSV1 manifestation in the groin area.
My PCP prescribed me the following antibiotic because of apparent infection in the 1st 2 sores when I was examined: sulfamethoxazole. I am also a diabetic and take plavix and aspirin to prevent clotting in a 1-yr old heart stent (drug induced acute MI). I'm in my late 30s.
I would greatly appreciate any help you can provide, as I am very worried as to what my next month or so is going to be like with these sores. Thanks very much!
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At this point - KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF OF ANY NEW LESIONS!!! stop picking at them!!! Since you are getting new lesions - try to be seen by your provider today for a herpes pcr swab of them or a viral lesion culture. Make sure they order it to be typed if it is + for hsv. It could be hsv1 genitally or it could be hsv2 and not showing up on the blood test yet. I also think getting a bacterial culture at this point wouldn't be a bad idea. So much mrsa out there that doesn't always respond to the typical antibiotics. Also the antibiotic they prescribed probably isn't the best one for a skin infection anyways so be sure to question it.
grace