Herpes or shingles?

[SP7]

Hi. I'm a 52-year-old gale male who recently started dating again - also been under a lot of stress due to previous relationship ending. Have tested negative in the past for HSV 1 & 2 on HerpeSelect test.

This past Saturday noticed a red/irritated spot midway down my neck after shaving. In a few days it became raised w/other red bumps forming off to one side. Stinging pain & itchy as well. Then small blisters, open sores & scabs, w/new blisters forming. Dermatologist said it looked like shingles due to location (on my neck rather than mouth) and appearance. He wouldn't culture it - gave me Valtrex. Said it could be shingles or HSV1 but "everyone has that" so it doesn't matter.

Since I had new blisters, went to a clinic last night to get it cultured. Nurse practioner there said it looked like shingles. She would not test for shingles but did take a culture to test for HSV1 or 2. Awaiting results.

Do herpes simplex and shingles look about the same? Any distinguishing factors? A week before this outbreak I had a date where there was brief, rough kissing on my neck. If it ends up being HSV1, why didn't it affect my mouth instead of my neck? Will I be more contagious to others for the next year? If HSV1, should I assume most people have been exposed...or do I need to tell them I recently got it? Thanks.

[Life360_Dave]

No need i just saw it was cultured and that is positive proof. You oral ganglia goes to that area on you.

[Life360_Dave]

Please post your test results

[SP7]

Thanks. Got my culture results back fast - they called me tonight. Truly bizarre. Not only is my outbreak positive for HSV...and on my neck (rather than my mouth or genitals) but it came back as HSV-2. Go figure. Not sure what this will mean for future outbreaks or shedding, etc. Seems like it's a one-in-a-million combination.

Will follow up w/the herpes and STD docs.

[Life360_Dave]

Meds dont kill it, its surprsses it and would not interfer with testing. The thing about cultures you need to have it swab within 48 hours after the lesion appears or could show a false negative.

[SP7]

Thanks, I will. One question: If I first started taking the Valtrex earlier on the day I got the culture done, will that interfere with the test? As in maybe not be positive for HSV-1 because the medicine killed it?

I took one (1gm) tablet about 12:30pm, a second @ 6pm, and then had the culture taken @ 7:30pm. So just took my first two doses the same day as the test in the evening.

[Life360_Dave]

Hi, if you every had chicken pox or the vaccine it could be shingles. Shingles does appear more of a rash than does herpes. Just wait for the results and come back and let us know.