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Anxiety & fear regarding potential HSV-1 infection
Hi,
I've posted questions to Dr. HHH and Terri and have gotten good answers. However my anxiety is getting the better of me again and I wanted to run this by the community as well.
I'm a 32-year old male. Recently had a session with CSW where she gave me unprotected oral and we also kissed using tongue. I'm worried about catching HSV-1. I also found out that the CSW has HSV-1 and gets outbreaks "about once a month" but did not have an obvious sore on the day. I myself was tested negative via IgG test 22 days post exposure.
Timeline:
6 days PE(post encounter): saw a doctor who said my chances to catch anything are low but ordered tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea
7-10 days PE: I start panicking about herpes, inspect my penis rigorously, when it got a little red I applied antiseptic liquid and tons of hydrocortizone. I also try to see inside my urethra for herpes lesions. My urethra starts to tingle and itch. This goes away in few days but is replaced by pain in the pelvic region and low pressure in urine stream. Prostate hurts when touched and also feels like it's constantly irritated, not relaxed.
11 days: see a doctor who thinks I've got UTI (but doesn't order tests), presses my lower stomach, which feels painful. Prescribes 5-day course of trimethroprim (160mg, 2/day).
12-14 PE: UTI & prostatitis type of symptoms start going away and disappear after taking the antibiotics. On evening of day 14 I go to do some outdoor activity with heavy clothing and my groin area is sweating a lot. I did not shower or wash afterwards.
Day 15: I notice two red patches on the tip of my penis (glans). I'm uncircumcized. There are no visible sores, blisters or any fluid coming, no pain, no itch. I was unable to get a swab done at this time. The patches were not raised, seem to be part of the skin rather than on top of it. I applied hydrocortizone 1% on the patches.
Day 16-17: I continue to administer hydrocortizone in the mornings and Bepanthen for the nights. On evening of day 16 patches look like they are recovering, day 17 gone.
No symptoms after this except a mild throat infection on day 23, which went away in less than a week.
The most worrisome symptom is the red patches that appeared on day 15. I can't seem to get past that and my mind keeps going in circles around this. Somehow I've convinced myself that it was herpes, especially because it can cause so different symptoms in different people. I'm afraid that it was a mild outbreak. I was unable to see a doctor but two doctors have told me based on my description it doesn't sound like herpes. They base it on the fact that it went away in 2 days and that it reacted favorably to moisturizer and hydrocortisone. I also realize that there is a lot of other things that could've caused it. I was on trimethroprim at the time. I had almost finished the meds when the rash appeared. I had also masturbated two days prior to relief the tension in my prostate. I did not feel like masturbating so I had to be quite rough. I might've damaged the skin. This combined with the sweating might suggest nothing than damaged skin reacting to sweat.
I have a regular partner and two kids so I think part of this is psychological. I've convinced myself that because of one stupid mistake I deserve to be punished. I have also noticed that quite many men get these symptoms (tingling, prostatitis) after regretting a sexual encounter and feeling extreme anxiety.
Nothing to do now but wait. I was planning to get tested at 12 weeks post exposure but I think I'll take one test at 8 weeks, the waiting is just killing me. And if I get a negative at 8 weeks, it would be encouraging result.
I've not kissed my wife or my kids since the incident. I have moved my toothbrush to the other bathroom. I wash my hands more frequently. Also no sex with wife but I fear how long I can keep this up before she starts to suspect. I just don't want to infect her with anything.
I have already gone through my confession in my head if I end up being positive. I am prepared to live with no sex for the rest of my life. I just don't want to lose my family.
I've posted questions to Dr. HHH and Terri and have gotten good answers. However my anxiety is getting the better of me again and I wanted to run this by the community as well.
I'm a 32-year old male. Recently had a session with CSW where she gave me unprotected oral and we also kissed using tongue. I'm worried about catching HSV-1. I also found out that the CSW has HSV-1 and gets outbreaks "about once a month" but did not have an obvious sore on the day. I myself was tested negative via IgG test 22 days post exposure.
Timeline:
6 days PE(post encounter): saw a doctor who said my chances to catch anything are low but ordered tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea
7-10 days PE: I start panicking about herpes, inspect my penis rigorously, when it got a little red I applied antiseptic liquid and tons of hydrocortizone. I also try to see inside my urethra for herpes lesions. My urethra starts to tingle and itch. This goes away in few days but is replaced by pain in the pelvic region and low pressure in urine stream. Prostate hurts when touched and also feels like it's constantly irritated, not relaxed.
11 days: see a doctor who thinks I've got UTI (but doesn't order tests), presses my lower stomach, which feels painful. Prescribes 5-day course of trimethroprim (160mg, 2/day).
12-14 PE: UTI & prostatitis type of symptoms start going away and disappear after taking the antibiotics. On evening of day 14 I go to do some outdoor activity with heavy clothing and my groin area is sweating a lot. I did not shower or wash afterwards.
Day 15: I notice two red patches on the tip of my penis (glans). I'm uncircumcized. There are no visible sores, blisters or any fluid coming, no pain, no itch. I was unable to get a swab done at this time. The patches were not raised, seem to be part of the skin rather than on top of it. I applied hydrocortizone 1% on the patches.
Day 16-17: I continue to administer hydrocortizone in the mornings and Bepanthen for the nights. On evening of day 16 patches look like they are recovering, day 17 gone.
No symptoms after this except a mild throat infection on day 23, which went away in less than a week.
The most worrisome symptom is the red patches that appeared on day 15. I can't seem to get past that and my mind keeps going in circles around this. Somehow I've convinced myself that it was herpes, especially because it can cause so different symptoms in different people. I'm afraid that it was a mild outbreak. I was unable to see a doctor but two doctors have told me based on my description it doesn't sound like herpes. They base it on the fact that it went away in 2 days and that it reacted favorably to moisturizer and hydrocortisone. I also realize that there is a lot of other things that could've caused it. I was on trimethroprim at the time. I had almost finished the meds when the rash appeared. I had also masturbated two days prior to relief the tension in my prostate. I did not feel like masturbating so I had to be quite rough. I might've damaged the skin. This combined with the sweating might suggest nothing than damaged skin reacting to sweat.
I have a regular partner and two kids so I think part of this is psychological. I've convinced myself that because of one stupid mistake I deserve to be punished. I have also noticed that quite many men get these symptoms (tingling, prostatitis) after regretting a sexual encounter and feeling extreme anxiety.
Nothing to do now but wait. I was planning to get tested at 12 weeks post exposure but I think I'll take one test at 8 weeks, the waiting is just killing me. And if I get a negative at 8 weeks, it would be encouraging result.
I've not kissed my wife or my kids since the incident. I have moved my toothbrush to the other bathroom. I wash my hands more frequently. Also no sex with wife but I fear how long I can keep this up before she starts to suspect. I just don't want to infect her with anything.
I have already gone through my confession in my head if I end up being positive. I am prepared to live with no sex for the rest of my life. I just don't want to lose my family.
Congratulations! I thought you would be fine. If your doctor doesn't think you need another test don't even bother with it. If she thought you had herpes, I'm sure she would have you retest again.
Just got called by my doctor.
All results NEGATIVE!
IgG for HSV-1 and HSV-2 negative!
IgM also NEGATIVE!
Doctor said she feels no need for more testing (She knows my case) and she looked at the visit history from when I showed the rash. The doctor who looked at the rash had written in his notes that he had not thought it was herpes. Also my doctor said that herpes would not heal as fast as my rash did.
I think I will still do a 16 week test just to put this finally behind me but I will take this result as an encouraging step on my journey to finally get over this.
All results NEGATIVE!
IgG for HSV-1 and HSV-2 negative!
IgM also NEGATIVE!
Doctor said she feels no need for more testing (She knows my case) and she looked at the visit history from when I showed the rash. The doctor who looked at the rash had written in his notes that he had not thought it was herpes. Also my doctor said that herpes would not heal as fast as my rash did.
I think I will still do a 16 week test just to put this finally behind me but I will take this result as an encouraging step on my journey to finally get over this.
I have a very difficult time concentrating at work. My heart is racing and I'm feeling a high level of anxiety. I feel like getting up from my desk, and running somewhere, I don't care where. I'm also shaking a little bit, as if it was cold but it's normal room temperature.
And even if this result is negative, I know it will turn positive by the 16 week mark. I was browsing the herpes community forums few minutes ago and there was a case where someone was negative at 6 weeks but positive at 16 weeks.
And even if this result is negative, I know it will turn positive by the 16 week mark. I was browsing the herpes community forums few minutes ago and there was a case where someone was negative at 6 weeks but positive at 16 weeks.
Also remembered something HHH has said in a few threads. He has said that you will feel herpes before you see it, so no need to check your genitals. Both of my rashes appeared as complete surprises, no pain, itching or tingling present. Was blown away on both times when I rolled back the foreskin and saw them.
I've been doing a lot of research as well.
The things that I find support a yeast infection:
- both times rashes started after not taking care of hygiene properly
- first rash started during the latter stage of being on a course of antibiotics
- rashes have always been only on areas that are covered by the foreskin
However:
- there was no itching
- there was no white discharge typical to yeast (however there was a lot of some dry white narrow strand/fiber looking stuff under the foresking, from the extreme close ups it looked like the skin was so dry that small strands/fibers where coming off from the entire area of the glans)
Also I'm worried it's herpes because at least the 2nd rash seemed to have a very clear course: red patch that looked to be under the skin, then inflammation and bumpy skin, then small ulcers that were weeping clear fluid, then healing stage
There were no blisters but I've read it's typical for uncircumsized men. Only thing is that I don't think the ulcers formed themselves. I only noticed them after taking a shower and after that I roughly dried the tip with a piece of toilet paper and then proceeded to take some extreme close up photos of the inflamed skin. So it's feasible that the long warm shower caused the area of the rash to become soft and as it was already tender it easily broke open when the rough toilet paper swiped over it.
Then there's also some mixed info out there. Dr. HHH says that when an outbreak starts, it cannot clear in under 7 days, or something along these lines. But other websites say that genital OB can last anywhere from 3 days up to about 2 weeks. Dr. HHH also said it's not typical to have a recurrent OB so shortly after the previous one (my rashes were 3 weeks + few days apart) but for example Grace has stated that it's typical to have another OB shortly after the first one.
Dr. HHH also said to me that herpes wouldn't cause so small ulcers that you can barely see them, but again other websites contradict this.
I should get the results from my 7 week test today within the next 6 hours or so.
The things that I find support a yeast infection:
- both times rashes started after not taking care of hygiene properly
- first rash started during the latter stage of being on a course of antibiotics
- rashes have always been only on areas that are covered by the foreskin
However:
- there was no itching
- there was no white discharge typical to yeast (however there was a lot of some dry white narrow strand/fiber looking stuff under the foresking, from the extreme close ups it looked like the skin was so dry that small strands/fibers where coming off from the entire area of the glans)
Also I'm worried it's herpes because at least the 2nd rash seemed to have a very clear course: red patch that looked to be under the skin, then inflammation and bumpy skin, then small ulcers that were weeping clear fluid, then healing stage
There were no blisters but I've read it's typical for uncircumsized men. Only thing is that I don't think the ulcers formed themselves. I only noticed them after taking a shower and after that I roughly dried the tip with a piece of toilet paper and then proceeded to take some extreme close up photos of the inflamed skin. So it's feasible that the long warm shower caused the area of the rash to become soft and as it was already tender it easily broke open when the rough toilet paper swiped over it.
Then there's also some mixed info out there. Dr. HHH says that when an outbreak starts, it cannot clear in under 7 days, or something along these lines. But other websites say that genital OB can last anywhere from 3 days up to about 2 weeks. Dr. HHH also said it's not typical to have a recurrent OB so shortly after the previous one (my rashes were 3 weeks + few days apart) but for example Grace has stated that it's typical to have another OB shortly after the first one.
Dr. HHH also said to me that herpes wouldn't cause so small ulcers that you can barely see them, but again other websites contradict this.
I should get the results from my 7 week test today within the next 6 hours or so.
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
