Anxious about Herpes

[asp9697]

Hi all,
About 5 weeks ago I was essentially raped however the guy only entered me (unprotected) two times before I was able to push him off. This was a saturday. I was really sore after this encounter. About 3 days after this (tuesday) encounter I started to experience some itchiness around my vagina. It was not too itchy just enough to slightly bother me  I also felt the urge to frequently urinate. On thursday, I started feeling a little achy, I went to the doctor for other reasons and had them check me out. The doctor found a slight yeast infection and she gave me diflucan. On friday night I panicked. I had not thought that herpes could be an issue until I looked around online. After i panicked, my body aches go worse. But miraculously by Sunday, I felt a little better, with some minor vaginal irritation. I decided to go back to the doctor on Monday and explain my whole situation (with the rape) to my doctor. She looked at me and tested me for everything (HIV, HSV etc) and sent me for blood labs. SHe also prescribed me me antibiotics in case I had gonorrhea or chlamydia. By Wednesday I was feeling better (no body aches), though I still had the urge to frequently urinate.

Of course all of my blood tests came back negative (its too early to test). But this provided me with some relief and  I felt better-not completely normal, with still some minor irritation and tingling  for the next week and half. At this point I was frustrated with the constant urge to urinate and the constant mild irritation in my vaginal area. I ended up going back to the doctor. She did not see anything of noticed and prescribed me some medicine to relieve irritation around my urethra (to see if it worked i guess) and some anti-depressants because she thought that the irritation could be pyschosomatic due to the rape. After I started the medicine I started to feel the same body aches that  I felt four weeks prior (just after the encounter) I have had these "achy" feelings ever since. I have also had some more tingling and numbness in my vaginal area.

What i want to know is if you think this could be herpes related or if it is possible that these symptoms could be due to my anxiety? I feel very alone and scared. I know it is too early to take the blood test again so any advice you have or similar stories would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

[asp9697]

Hi Grace,

I am almost to my 12 week mark for testing and I am getting very anxious. I went to my doctor today for a follow up visit because I still have been having vaginal irritation.

I had mentioned to her that i have been feeling a localized pinching feeling on the left side of my labia for about a week. She said that it  looked red there and that she didn't know what it could be. She referred me to another doctor but who knows when I will be able to get an appointment. I self-examined myself upon returning home and I noticed that there is a red flat lesion type think that I have not noticed before. It is barely noticeable against the other coloring of my labia. I am extremely worried now.

I thought I had made progress on this matter. I contacted the the guy who assaulted me and he assured me that he was "clean" however after reading all of these posts I know that that does not mean that much. It does help to  know that he does not have any open sores or lesions that he is aware of.

I just want to know the likelihood of this being herpes with a lesion showing up 10 weeks post exposure? I have also been having muscle twitches in my legs and general irritation.

I was tested at 9 days post exposure with an IgM of <.09 and an IGG of <.37

Thank you Grace!

[asp9697]

Hi Grace,

I hope you have been well. I am still incredibly anxious about my results. I am still irritated in my vaginal area (it has been on and off, mostly on for 8 weeks now). About 20 days ago I experienced a little red bump on my bikini line. It looked like a typical razor bump, it was solid and I of course freaked out and it bled a little bit. I saw my doctor during the time i had the bump and she didnt say anything about it.I still have the mark from the bump. I have had bumps like this before and now that I think about it I had one right at the beginning of these symptoms.

I am bugging out! Does this sound like herpes if you add it with my additional symptoms? Would I still experience vaginal irritation?

Thank you!

[gracefromHHP]

even your provider agrees with what I told you :)

[asp9697]

Hi grace,

Just wanted to provide an update that might provide some helpful information to others in a similar situation. I went to my doctor for a follow appointment and she was able to explain to me that it is very unlikely that I would have contracted herpes for  several reasons:
1. I had limited contact for a very short time and I don't know I the man had herpes
2. I have had tingling and burning sensations for almost 6 weeks, the tingle is not localized, and appears on both sides of my genitalia. She explained that if I has contracted herpes I would have had further symptoms by now.
3. The area that is bothering me is an area that is less likely to contract herpes. I have burning and tingling sensations in my pelvic area where pubic hair grows. She explained to me that the most likely place to have herpes is near the vagina. I know that people can get it anywhere so this is not really comforting to me.

She also preformed a physical examination. I have one small bump on my inner thigh. She said that it did not look like herpes and was probably a razor bump.

Grace, do you agree with what she said?

I have testing scheduled for 12 weeks post exposure. Aside from that it is just a waiting game!

Thanks!

[gracefromHHP]

best of luck :)

[asp9697]

Thanks Grace. Your responses are so helpful. I have a follow up appointment with my doctor later this week. I am already feeling slightly better so hopefully everything goes well!

[gracefromHHP]

just sitting too much can cause them as can anxiety and even how tight your jeans are or where the waistline on them hits. it's not always a sign of anything really "wrong" if that makes any sense?

[asp9697]

Thanks Grace. What else could cause tingling sensations? ( I have them on the outsides of my butt sometimes) From everything I read it seems to imply herpes but I think it may be psychosomatic because i get the tingle sometimes in my hands too.

[gracefromHHP]

the genital skin is very sensitive in general. sweating and friction can be very irritating for some folks.  

[asp9697]

Thank you Grace! I appreciate your comments. It means a lot to me. I have one more question. Can sweat further irritate the vagina? I have always been someone who works out a lot, but since this encounter I have been more irritated and red after I work out. Could this be from sweat, or rubbing together?

Thank you!

[gracefromHHP]

So sorry that you've had to deal with all of this :(

it's unfortunate that your provider just threw some antidepressants at you instead of referring you to a rape crisis center. You don't throw drugs at it that have unpleasant side effects, you give support.  I recommend you call your local rape hotline and talk to someone so you can get some support to help you through this.  

you treated for chlamydia and gonorrhea so no reason to repeat that testing. cover your bases and repeat your syphilis, herpes, hepatitis and hiv testing about 3 months post encounter.

is this likely herpes causing your symptoms? no it is not. you've been seen a few times now and no one saw any signs of active herpes lesions. Odds are it's either irritation/vaginitis genitally combined with anxiety causing most of this or even perhaps you contracted another viral illness, of a non-std nature , that is causing your general feelings of unwellness.  

best of luck and follow up with your testing again once enough time has passed to properly cover your bases.

grace

[asp9697]

I want to add that the body aches that I have been having have been all upper body (my arms mostly) sometimes by upper back will ache too.

Thank you again!