I'm so worried at the moment, as I strongly suspect I have genital herpes. I've been married to my husband for 15+ years , and together 18, and have never strayed. I honestly don't think he has either.
We have the last year spiced things up in the bedroom and have started using a vibrator on me only. with the vibrator, sex is a little rougher than normal. In the last 4 months I have had two incidents after rough sex where a couple days later I felt very irritated and sore around the right side of my labia. The 1st time I didn't look, but the area was just very painful and I felt a small bump. Thought not much of it, and it was all back to normal in a week or so. Fast forward to last week, and after some rough sex, in the same spot I was very sore, I took some pictures and it was just really red and inflamed and did feel 'bumpy" under the skin. The area was itchy, and I did have a tingly sensation from the vagina canal though it felt similar to being aroused. I felt generally unwell, was tired and I had a headache for two days. ( perhaps coincidence as both kids were down the week before with viral and same feelings of unwell) However, it just didn't seem that I should let it pass as it was very sore and I couldn't even have the shower touch it with out feeling like I wanted to faint! I took pictures to monitor it myself, and about after a few days it showed what looked like two small scratches or crackes that were barely visible. My husband described it as if I had scratched myself and left two small nail marks. I know that at the beginning of symptoms a week previous, I was itchy and did try and relieve the itch in my sleep one night, but after that I didn't touch the area as it was to painful. I live in the Middle East, things are not as open here, and are different. Without going into that detail I went private to see a gynaecologist, so that I didn't need to have my husband present. I told her, all the above symptoms leaving out the rough sex bit and she had a look. I pointed out where I was sore and she she said yes, very red and inflamed and also said the same about the entry though I couldn't feel any irritation from that area. She said I had discharge, and it is yeast. ( discharge was creamy white) not lumpy like yeast. She took a swab, I don't think from the spot but from the inner vagina and tested for yeast, BV as well culture and urine sample. Prescribed a pesserary, two different creams, one hydrocortisone the other monistat and a week prescription of tablets for fungal treatment, booked a follow up for 3 days later to get my swab results. After the appointment, I immediately used the cream, and used the pessary that night. The next morning, my 'cracks' had gone and redness gone down and it was feeling normal, was feeling relieved but also suspicious as I thought it pretty quick for treatment to work. Yesterday was day 3 to get my swab results. ALL NEGATIVE for fungal, And everything else normal. So I said it can't be yeast, as laboratory results. She said, yes dear I see with my eyes, it is fungal and shrugged her shoulders at the lab results.
I think it's herpes, and it just so happened to clear up/run it's normal course at the time I started fungal treatment. I can't get tested for herpes here, without problems from the ministry. I will back in the uk in December and can visit a GUM clinic or my GP then, I guess I'm just scared that my past has come back to haunt me! I would appreciate anyone opinion, own experience and general thoughts. I have read, that a lot of people live with herpes and not know it, but seriously, could it take me 15 years to find out?!