Herpes, HIV or just the flu/cold???

[Johnmoon]

Hello doctor for about 2 months now I've been struggling to find out what's going on with me. I've had multiple partners I'd say about 10 in a span of about 2 - 3 months(received unprotected oral, protected vaginal) then early in December I got a cold/flu and long story short I noticed pain in my penis and at one point it was painful at the base of penis near the prostate when my bladder filled but that went away. Note that pain was really intermittent. I also noticed bumps that started to develope on the tip of my penis which the sexual health clinic passed as "sweat/mucus glands". I also noticed that my groin felt tense. Gradually these pain, bump and tense groin symptoms have reduced to very very mild. I've been tested for Ghonerea chlamydia syphilis and HIV all came back negative, but right now I'm once again getting a cold starting with a harsh lung or larynx feeling with colourless phlegm then it's gotten worse now with a bit of cough and green/yellow phlegm when I wake up. Oh and I've got pain on my right wrist and left shoulder which came before the second cold/flu there's more wierd stuff going on but it'd be too much to list

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

You're welcome

Terri

[Johnmoon]

Thanks

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I'm sorry, but without seeing them, I can't really say what they might be.  Herpes lesions move through a process - a bump, a blister, an ulcer, a scab, resolution, new skin.  If these bumps are pretty much staying the same, they don't sound like herpes to me.

Terri

[Johnmoon]

Hello Ms Warren I know I've said before I wouldn't bother you about this issue anymore, but there's one thing I can't seem to wrap my mind around and has been the biggest contribution to me thinking I might have herpes. I said I've got these bumps near the tip of my penis pretty much next to the urethra. Doctors said it's "sweat/mucus glads" but they've never seen it the way I have because my penis is so flaccid by the time they examine it. and to top it off I've watched it gradually become more and more visible from day one. the thing is these bumps seem really distinct to me it doesn't just look like rough skin or rash there's a couple that distinctly look like a blister minus the transparent fluid filled part. Is that actually what you call "sweat/mucus glands" that my penis uses to sweat from??

[Johnmoon]

Thanks again Terri just wanted to let you know I'm really grateful for your help.

[Johnmoon]

Thanks again Terri just wanted to let you know I'm really grateful for your help.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Yes, the window period is 4 months from the encounter for greatest accuracy.

Terri

[Johnmoon]

Thanks doctor I'm pretty much gonna wrap this up with 1 last question is there a window period for testing for the antibody and if there is how long should I wait to be sure?

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Canada has quite a different approach to this than the US, yes.
If the antibiotics made things feel better, and things continue to be better, then I think you could move on.  But you have had a number of sex partners in a short period of time, and if you were my patient, I would suggest that at some point you get a herpes antibody test, just to see where you stand.

Terri

[Johnmoon]

I was thinking the same! I'm from Canada. I did feel some sort of pain down my leg but now it's gone. Here and there I'd feel pain in my penis but I mean in the beginning it definitely didnt feel right now it's so mild and less that I don't even know what's normal anymore. I even went to see the emergency room and they prescribed me 1 time dose of antibiotics "just incase" and surprisingly I think I felt a difference. Well bottom line is I really just don't want to infect others with something I might or might not have (knock on wood) and at this point I think I've done everything within my power to make sure I'm good and seems like I'm the only one who thinks there was/is something up. What ever it is it's not physically bothering me so my question is pretty much doctor with your knowledge personally would you conclude that I should just go ahead and believe the doctors here or do you think otherwise?  Thanks again for your help I appreciate it.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Wow, interesting response from the sexual health clinic.  Where are you?
In terms of pain, I would expect some pain perhaps from a lesion, but not necessarily pain in general in the groin.  Some people get pain down the back of the leg prior to recurrences.

Terri

[Johnmoon]

The doctor at the sexual health clinic said the blood test for herpes has no value to them so is not recommended and will not give me a referral to do a blood test. I have not done a prostate exam either. I greatly appreciate your input on this situation since it has caused me to become very depressed and Anxious. I will also do a prostate exam as soon as I find a family doctor accepting patients. Just a question though, what kind of pain am I expecting from herpes ? For example pain on lesion only if there are any, pain in groin ,  pain inside the penis, pain in urethra? Thanks a lot for helping me out with this.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

None of the symptoms that you describe sound like they have anything to do with herpes.  When people talk about flu symptoms with herpes, they don't mind cold symptoms, they mean aching, sometimes a fever, that kind of thing, nothing respiratory.  It is good that you went to see a professional to look at the bumps because nothing takes the place of a good examination.  The pain in the penis in the area that you describe sounds more prostatic, has anyone done a prostate exam?  

Have you actually been tested for herpes at some point?

Terri