I'm almost sure I have oral herpes.Many questions.

[neismanele]

Hello,

I kissed with and performed an unprotected oral sex on a man nearly two weaks ago. There was no semen and I'm alsmost sure  no pre-cum either. I did not see any open sores or anything of that type. However I'm convinced I've caught herpes.

I always have problems with lips at least a few times a year. It's some sort of allergy or something of that type. And it was really bad this summer just before I engaged in this unprotected oral sex act. But now, (when it's about a week and five days since I did it) I've noticed an itchy spot on my upper lip which by the evening came to look like a fluid filled little white spot. Well, it's really small, but I can see that it's a white spot. The worst thing is that I appear to have an itchy eye as well. I most likely touched my eyes after touching my lips since I did not think that could be herpes.

So now I'm sat here shaking and crying. I will obviously go and get tested, but I think it's pretty obvious.
However, my friend performed oral sex on the same man the same night and she does not seem to have any symptoms. I suppose she might have an asymptomatic type?? or could it be that for some reason she did not get anything?

I just would like to understand how do these herpes differ from the cold sores u get simply by getting a cold?
So when u get the ones from the cold, does it also mean that the virus will stay with you forever? I had them normal cold sores in my mouth before, as I believe most of the people had. So how can I get that virus again and why is this one so contagious and has reoccurances?
Is it really unlikey that once primary symptoms arge gone they could never reappair?

Also it said on some website that during reoccurances, the sores appear at the same places they did during the primary appearance. Is it true? But that does not make sense then saying that you can spread them to other parts of the body..

Also, is it normal that I have only one sore? Should I be expecting  more  or do they all suppose to appear at the same time during an outbrake?

Also, I do fully understand that I should never have any sexual contact during an outbrake. But I'm still not convinced I can do it even when the sores are healed and we're using a condom . So does that mean I can never kiss or perform oral sex?

And most importantly, what do I do if I got my eyes infrcted? How dangerous is that?

Thank you for your patience reading all this and especially your time.

[Mistakeguy789]

Your testing right now may not be accurate from this experince two weeks ago.  Only getting tested at 12-16 weeks after the encounter will give you the accurate answers.  I seriously doubt you need testing but being seen by your provider will give you information on your lip issues.

[neismanele]

Ok, I will get checked somewhere tomorow, as I would actually feel better knowing for definite that I have it rather than worrying like this as I can't ever sleep even with pills.

I do believe I'm having this prodrome or whatever it's called since the sensation on my lip is really tingly.

And what concerns vaginal secretions: no, I did not receive oral sex, I performed it.

Anyway, Thanks for everything. I'll just get tested and will stop this.

[gracefromHHP]

honestly not everything is herpes!

be seen tomorrow for a proper work up.

grace

[neismanele]

Thanks.

My lips got better. They're not red. Just sore and itchy. There is sth that I could maybe call a tiny sore that is about to come but I'm not sure.

Also, I had this fluid filled spot on my neck this morning. I just got rid of it as I couln't stand looking at it.Could that have been herpes on my neck?

And now I started to feel sth inside my mouth on my cheek. It's in a place that is difficult to see, but I believe I do see a white spot.


Can it be that herpes are coming on diff areas at slightly different times?


Should I expect things to get worse? If it does not, is it not herpes then? Can it be that the first outbrake is so mild?

If it is firs oubrake of herpes and it is so mild, does that mean that later oubrakes (reoccurances) will be even milder or can it get worse?

Also, is  it true that the first outbrake is suppose to last not longer than 3 weeks and the later ones even shorter?

In how many days should the culmination come? as in that I should not get any more this outbrake?

Thanks for your help so much. I'm almost sure I have it. I just can't accept it yet and this stupid hope is killing me. I just need to get checked and to actually get myself seen by doctors. The problem is that I'm not in Britain at the moment, and I do not trust doctors where I am now that much. Two days ago when I went to local hospital and asked if they do tests for herpes they just started laughing and said that you can't know unless you see them. jesus.

Thanks again.

[petal130]

Indeed there does need to be genital contact to get an STD, so obviously your discharge is something else - and you read it could be normal from the pill. Follow-up with your provider as well if need be.

And no, herpes does not go away overnight. Here's a great resource to read more about oral herpes: http://www.ashastd.org/herpes/herpes_learn_oralherpes.cfm

[gracefromHHP]

you've received oral sex. this could be an infection. you can get your vaginal secretions tested to check for that.  

indeed, oral herpes won't go away that quickly.

grace

[neismanele]

Thanks a lot for this thorough response. I appreciate your help.

It is really strange since over the night that mini spot dissapeared and what I have left now is itchy red lips that I had before. As I understand herpes would not go away so quickly.

Well I suppose the best thing for me is just to get tested..


Just one more question: I have really really small amounts (I do not need to wear towels or anything) of some redish-brownish discharge from vagina. I never thought it could be a symptom of anything since I started using contraceptic pills this month and I read that during the first month this discharge is normal.
But maybe I'm wrong? Could it be a symptom of some STD even if I did not have vaginal contact?


Thank you in advance again!

[Mistakeguy789]

First off all there is a few things that cause bumps on the skin.  If this has just started I would be seen by a doctor if you can by tommorrow.  A doctor will give you an idea if they think it is a cold sore or not.  If they worry they can also culture it.  If not at least be seen.

Cold sores and Fever blisters are HSV (typically type 1).  So if you get cold sores you have Herpes.  Just like majority of the adult population.  

Oral sex is a LOW risk for HSV (in both directions) because of a few different things.  If your partner had HSV-2 and was actively shedding or having an outbreak it doesn't take well to the oral region.  If he had HSV-1 it doesn't shed as often and outbreaks are generally not as often when dealing with a genital infection.  

For the person getting it is low risk for them if there is no sores present and as the virus is not always actively shedding.  Though condom protected oral sex is no risk because there is no skin to skin contact which is how the virus spread.  

The best thing to do is be seeen by your provider for a work up.  Let them investigate and they can do some bloodwork now to get a base line. You can also retest 12-16 weeks after the encounter for an accurate blood test to be done.  Make sure a type specific IgG blood test is done and NOT an IgM test (it is worthless with false positives high).

Cultures gather the virus on the skin on to a cotton swab and they attempt to "grow" the virus to find out if you have it and which type.  Bloodtest check for the body's immune response (IgG) to detect the virus.  HSV is not blood borne so it is not in the blood.

[neismanele]

Also, I'd like to know how soon after cathing a virus tests can detect it?
And how exactly do bloodtests differ from cultures tests?

I would be really grateful if someone could answer at least some of this.

Thanks in advance!