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Is it Herpes?
About 8 months ago I had unprotected oral sex with a male friend of mine, he on me and vice versa.
I didn't think about it all until about 3 months later when a piece of news got me reading up on STIs.
Going into panic mode, I saw my doctor right away and got some blood work done and had a pap smear.
All seemed okay, except for the fact that I have been getting sore throats a lot lately. My whole family has oral hsv 1 but I never remember having cold sores like my brother and sister. Maybe once? Can stress cause it to flare up if I already have it?
I also started shaving recently, before I used to always wax down there. I started getting some bumps along my bikini line, some hard to the touch while others were easily squeezed. My doctor said it was folliculitis and prescribed antibiotics. A short time later I go to a clinic to get my throat checked out. That Dr says I had strep and assigns me another course of antibiotics.
After that I start to get itchy down there. I freaked out. I go to another clinic, state I think I have herpes and he takes a look. He says there maybe a lesion consistent with herpes, swabs the area and advises me to go a clinic which deals specially with STIs. He also prescribes me a round of antivirals just in case. I went to the clinic, the specialist says it is unlikely given my lack of symptoms but does a blood test. The swab comes back negative, the blood work comes back positive. I get all the other STI tests they offer. All negative.
I begin thinking it might be a yeast infection after the antibiotics. I don't treat it, I read it goes away naturally.
Thinking it's not clean enough though, I start using antibacterial soap down there for a bit until I realize that could make it worse.
A month later, I have got that itchy feeling again. Right before and during my period. I just got the test to differentiate between HSV 1 and HSV2 and a check up with an OBGYN scheduled.
I also found some bumps down there around the inner part of my labia majora. At first I assume they are oil glands or fordyce spots of some sort but my paranoia grows so I go back to the STI clinic. Another doctor looks and says everything is normal, the bumps are from oil glands and are simply a part of my anatomy. I go home and look at them again. There is one that seemed larger than the rest so I, stupidly, start squeezing it. Nothing happens but now I think I've irritated it because it hurts to touch. My conclusion: this is either a sebaceous cyst due to my constant interference (I check the area daily, stretching out the skin and sometimes touching the area making sure the bumps aren't too large) or it is a herpes OB.
What do you think?
Also worried about giving it to myself, passing it fro my mouth down there. How common is that? Say I licked my finger to turn a page on a book and forget about it and a few hours later go to check the skin down there? I almost always wash my hands before checking but sometimes when I freak out about it I just race for the washroom and begin looking.
This has gotten me so stressed lately.
My friend also told me he was once with a girl who had had herpes outbreaks in the past but he had never had symptoms. Could I get it from his mouth if he had HSV2 in his mouth? Could I get it genitally if I swallowed some of his sperm and it entered my body?
So many questions, I am very sorry but just so worried.
Mid twenties. I'm not a virgin, I had sex once out of curiosity.
This was only my second time doing anything of a sexual nature, it would be so unlucky :(
I didn't think about it all until about 3 months later when a piece of news got me reading up on STIs.
Going into panic mode, I saw my doctor right away and got some blood work done and had a pap smear.
All seemed okay, except for the fact that I have been getting sore throats a lot lately. My whole family has oral hsv 1 but I never remember having cold sores like my brother and sister. Maybe once? Can stress cause it to flare up if I already have it?
I also started shaving recently, before I used to always wax down there. I started getting some bumps along my bikini line, some hard to the touch while others were easily squeezed. My doctor said it was folliculitis and prescribed antibiotics. A short time later I go to a clinic to get my throat checked out. That Dr says I had strep and assigns me another course of antibiotics.
After that I start to get itchy down there. I freaked out. I go to another clinic, state I think I have herpes and he takes a look. He says there maybe a lesion consistent with herpes, swabs the area and advises me to go a clinic which deals specially with STIs. He also prescribes me a round of antivirals just in case. I went to the clinic, the specialist says it is unlikely given my lack of symptoms but does a blood test. The swab comes back negative, the blood work comes back positive. I get all the other STI tests they offer. All negative.
I begin thinking it might be a yeast infection after the antibiotics. I don't treat it, I read it goes away naturally.
Thinking it's not clean enough though, I start using antibacterial soap down there for a bit until I realize that could make it worse.
A month later, I have got that itchy feeling again. Right before and during my period. I just got the test to differentiate between HSV 1 and HSV2 and a check up with an OBGYN scheduled.
I also found some bumps down there around the inner part of my labia majora. At first I assume they are oil glands or fordyce spots of some sort but my paranoia grows so I go back to the STI clinic. Another doctor looks and says everything is normal, the bumps are from oil glands and are simply a part of my anatomy. I go home and look at them again. There is one that seemed larger than the rest so I, stupidly, start squeezing it. Nothing happens but now I think I've irritated it because it hurts to touch. My conclusion: this is either a sebaceous cyst due to my constant interference (I check the area daily, stretching out the skin and sometimes touching the area making sure the bumps aren't too large) or it is a herpes OB.
What do you think?
Also worried about giving it to myself, passing it fro my mouth down there. How common is that? Say I licked my finger to turn a page on a book and forget about it and a few hours later go to check the skin down there? I almost always wash my hands before checking but sometimes when I freak out about it I just race for the washroom and begin looking.
This has gotten me so stressed lately.
My friend also told me he was once with a girl who had had herpes outbreaks in the past but he had never had symptoms. Could I get it from his mouth if he had HSV2 in his mouth? Could I get it genitally if I swallowed some of his sperm and it entered my body?
So many questions, I am very sorry but just so worried.
Mid twenties. I'm not a virgin, I had sex once out of curiosity.
This was only my second time doing anything of a sexual nature, it would be so unlucky :(
Its been a month and the Yeast Infection still hasn't gone which leads me to suspect I must have a very mild form of genital hsv1.
I had one more round of antibiotics so that didn't help but I did a 5 day treatment with Monistat and it still isn't gone.
If this has been going on for 4 months without cease, do you think it's HSV 1?
Both my lab cultures came back negative for Herpes but I hear that they are unreliable.
And I later had a test to confirm I do indeed have a yeast infection.
It got confirmed a weak and a bit ago.
Could those pimples, the one on my outer labia and the one on my bottom, have been my first outbreak but because I already have HSV1 orally there was no pain and few other symptoms? I wouldn't have remembered if I hadn't been so paranoid.
I just cry all the time. I just don't know.
I'm going back in soon.
So many doctors, so little answers. I feel as though everyone just shoves me off and won't take my concerns seriously.
I had one more round of antibiotics so that didn't help but I did a 5 day treatment with Monistat and it still isn't gone.
If this has been going on for 4 months without cease, do you think it's HSV 1?
Both my lab cultures came back negative for Herpes but I hear that they are unreliable.
And I later had a test to confirm I do indeed have a yeast infection.
It got confirmed a weak and a bit ago.
Could those pimples, the one on my outer labia and the one on my bottom, have been my first outbreak but because I already have HSV1 orally there was no pain and few other symptoms? I wouldn't have remembered if I hadn't been so paranoid.
I just cry all the time. I just don't know.
I'm going back in soon.
So many doctors, so little answers. I feel as though everyone just shoves me off and won't take my concerns seriously.
Results came back!
Positive for HSV 1, not surprised as I get coldsores.
Negative for HSV 2.
And being treated for a Yeast Infection.
Very relieved.
This whole sex business is much too risky for my taste.
Will not be doing anything else of that nature for a very long time.
Positive for HSV 1, not surprised as I get coldsores.
Negative for HSV 2.
And being treated for a Yeast Infection.
Very relieved.
This whole sex business is much too risky for my taste.
Will not be doing anything else of that nature for a very long time.
Getting some shooting pains down there, not severe. Very dull.
Never noticed it before. Should I have told the doctor about this? I didn't notice till after the swab. Went back to a clinic I went to before and got another swab done. He said it didn't look like HSV. That the risk was low.
I have some pain down there but only when I move and hit that sore.
Never noticed it before. Should I have told the doctor about this? I didn't notice till after the swab. Went back to a clinic I went to before and got another swab done. He said it didn't look like HSV. That the risk was low.
I have some pain down there but only when I move and hit that sore.
always best to know your status. you can take precautions to protect a partner when you know what you have to keep their risk minimal. not know what you have then you don't take even the simplest of precautions of avoiding sex when anything is going on genitally and it increases the risk of transmission.
waiting is hard but soon you'll have better answers :)
waiting is hard but soon you'll have better answers :)
Right, well. The little welt I was talking about has now become softer after I put a hot compress on it and seems more elongated.
On thinking about it more, I realize that I had had a pimple on my labia major in April which is what really started my panic. I've had acne all my life and had gotten pimple does there before but . . . this seemed different.
What do the sores look like? Are they always blisters?
I had sex once before and we used a condom. How much likely is it that I got it from that encounter if it was protected?
Should I just have ignored it all and not got tested?
Ignorance is bliss afterall and it's not life threatening.
I just don't know.
I feel alone and confused.
Waiting for the results is horrible.
Especially because deep down I already know I have hsv 2.
On thinking about it more, I realize that I had had a pimple on my labia major in April which is what really started my panic. I've had acne all my life and had gotten pimple does there before but . . . this seemed different.
What do the sores look like? Are they always blisters?
I had sex once before and we used a condom. How much likely is it that I got it from that encounter if it was protected?
Should I just have ignored it all and not got tested?
Ignorance is bliss afterall and it's not life threatening.
I just don't know.
I feel alone and confused.
Waiting for the results is horrible.
Especially because deep down I already know I have hsv 2.
That's comforting. I guess I'll just wait and find out now.
Oh the nerves.
Thank you so much Grace!
Oh the nerves.
Thank you so much Grace!
if you have hsv2, the risk of transmission during pregnancy is incredibly low thankfully. It wouldn't be a risk for children after that point.
Oh I see. And if it's hsv 2?
I read that in many cases it can be asymptomatic?
I really hope not.
My worst fear is that I would pass it on to my kids if I ever had children.
I read that in many cases it can be asymptomatic?
I really hope not.
My worst fear is that I would pass it on to my kids if I ever had children.
if you test + for hsv1, I wouldn't think it was genital. you never had any symptoms that were suggestive of genital herpes and hsv1 genitally typically causes very obvious symptoms within a few days after infection. odds are you would've had painful lesions after you received oral sex from your friend a few months ago.
really unfortunate that they skipped the most likely causes of your symptoms :( when is your next gyn appt?
But whether or not it's one or the other, how would I know where I have it? Surely the blood test can't tell you anything about that?
Goodness that was quick! Thanks for taking the time to read.
No, they didn't. They were going to do a yeast test but I think there was a mix up in communication I think and it didn't happen.
The test that came back positive was just a general test for hsv antibodies, which came back positive. I am waiting to find out if it's hsv 1 or hsv 2 and should know within the next week or two.
No, they didn't. They were going to do a yeast test but I think there was a mix up in communication I think and it didn't happen.
The test that came back positive was just a general test for hsv antibodies, which came back positive. I am waiting to find out if it's hsv 1 or hsv 2 and should know within the next week or two.
so did they test you for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally when you were seen this last time?
what herpes testing came back as + ? if it was herpes blood testing, if you can get the results to post here, I can much better help you . all you have to do is post the actual results - e.g. hsv1 igg 4.3 and hsv2 igg .33 or whatever they are.
grace
what herpes testing came back as + ? if it was herpes blood testing, if you can get the results to post here, I can much better help you . all you have to do is post the actual results - e.g. hsv1 igg 4.3 and hsv2 igg .33 or whatever they are.
grace
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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.
