Scared

[Dempsey32]

4 weeks ago, Fri, Feb. 22, I had unprotected vag sex for approx. 30-45 sec before I walked out. I go to college with the girl and I asked her if she had any STDs; she said no and that she had been tested. I am not sure about her history, but I do know she drinks. Until that night I only had sex with my girlfriend; we were both virgins. I am 21 yrs old and I am stressed out and paranoid. I  had unprotected sex with my girlfriend 1.5 days after the incident with the other girl on Sun, Feb. 24. I decided to go get tested because just about 2 weeks after I had sex with my girl friend, she said it burned upon urination. That was Sat March 8th and it only lasted until the next night.She seems to think soap got in there. I know that I manually stimulated her clit vigorously the Thurs night before. My nails were also long at the time. I went to get tested for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea the Mon after my girlfriend said something to me. This was about 17 days after exposure from that girl. I had no symptoms until that point. I had walked around in the rain on the Sun before. I had also been vigorously checking my penis for any bumps. It also felt like I was leaking from the urethra because my tip was cold. I only really had this feeling after urinating. My penis tip soon after began chaffing. It is mild and I only felt it when it rubbed against something. My anxiety levels are through the roof; I'm freaking out that I gave something to my girlfriend. The mild chaffing continued for about 8 days, but has lessened now that I wipe my tip off after peeing. There is no burning sensation  for me. It did seem like my tip around the urethra was red during this experience, but that may have been from rubbing against my pants. On March 18 (25 days after exposure) my tests results came back neg for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. I went to a clinic to have them look for herpes and warts and the doctor looked at my genitals and said everything was fine, this was yesterday, 27 days after exposure. What worries me is that my girlfriend said she has been tired recently. She has been working a lot, but she says she should not be this tired; I asked at one point if she was physically tired and she said she just needs more sleep. My girlfriend has no aches or a fever  She also has no other irritations,or burning, and no bumps or lesions. It does not hurt to have sex and my girlfriend really wants to. I am paranoid and want to know if I could we could have hsv-2 or warts.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Wow!  That's a lot of information for an essentially low to zero risk situation.  You seem to recongize the primary health problem here, since you say it at least 3 times (last sentence and a couple of other places in your message).  Whether you're truly "paranoid" or not I can't say, but obviously you are anxious and stressed beyond all need or reason, given the situation you describe.

The facts:  The exposure you describe is low risk.  The symptoms you describe, both for yourself and your girlfriend, don't suggest an STD of any kind.  (The only exception is your gf's burning on urination, but that's more commonly due to non-sexually transmitted urinary tract infection, yeast, and sometimes just irritation from sex.)  And your tests are negative and your doctor can't find anything wrong.

As to the two infections you mention:  First, never worry about HPV.  You're going to get it someday, probably several times, and might be infected already.  Getting genital HPV is a normal, unavoidable part of being sexually active.  Fortunately, it's usually asymptomatic and harmless.  Second, you decribe nothing to suggest HSV-2, and it is uncommon for people like you and your gf (your age, your sexual lifestyles) to have it.

Bottom line:  There's no STD problem here.  Try to mellow out a bit.  Return to your provider if you remain concerned.  In that case, you probably should discuss your irrational anxiety level and whether further evaluation or treatment (counseling? medication?) might be a good idea.  I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[Dempsey32]

Thanks doctor! I tend to over analyze things. I would be fine if it was just me involved, but I put someone I love at risk. I have never learned so much from one experience, as I have from this one. Also, does HSV-2 cause any discharges? And can it cause fatigue?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

HSV-2 can cause those symptoms, but not by themselves.  Discharge or fatigue without pain or sores are due to something else.

[Dempsey32]

Are you saying the older you get the more you are at risk of getting HSV-2 and that if my girlfriend has HSV-2, her fatigue would be accompanied by a noticeable pain and or blisters?

[Dempsey32]

Would you recommend a HSV-2 test and if so about how long after? I probably should also mention that I am pretty sure I have HSV-1, as evidenced by the cold sores or fever blisters I get every now and then. I had this problem before I was sexually active.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

From your comment earlier today:  "I tend to over analyze things." Indeed you do.  

Herpes is not your problem.  I recommend against any further testing and suggest you drop the whole thing.  I have no furher advice or comments.  This thread is over.