Prodromal symptoms?

[prettydistraught]

Hi,

I'm a male in my mid-twenties with HSV-1 (oral), and recently--approximately three days ago--had sex with a woman I knew to have HSV-2 (genital) for the first time.  I used a condom, and she was asymptomatic.  Neither of us were taking antiviral drugs.

Now, just today, I've been experiencing some pain in one side of my hip--the upper-left-most region of my groin (where the lymph node is located...) , such that moving my left leg in certain ways causes me to wince--feeling feverish, and getting headaches (which are *extremely* rare for me).

With the exception of the hip / groin pain, my symptoms feel eerily similar to the prodromal ones I felt when I first began exhibiting symptoms of HSV-1 (approx. 3 years ago), and haven't felt for over a year, at least.  I guess what I'm wondering is: what are the chances I've contracted HSV-2 from this woman, given my current symptoms, the fact I used a condom, and the fact I already have HSV-1.

Also, because this is with whom I'm emotionally involved, I'd love to know to what extent both of us taking antiviral drugs would reduce my risk of contracting HSV-2 (provided, of course, I already haven't...) in a long-term situation.  

Thank you  so much for providing such a great service.        

[gracefromHHP]

sounds like sound advice that you were given.

grace

[prettydistraught]

Even more follow-up:

It's been just under a year since I initially posted to this forum, and everything has been more or less fine--until yesterday, that is.  I started experiencing a swollen, sore feelings in my left hip, knee, ankle, wrist and hand, along with tension in my back and neck.  To boot, I'm experiencing an acute burning sensation from what looks like a pearly pastule under the head of my penis.  

I had my doctor (gp) look at it this morning, and she said fairly definitively that it "almost definitely wasn't herpes" (citing that the structure of the lesion was wrong) that "blood tests would be pointless," and that "it'll probably go away."  She did temper this advice by stating there was a very unlikely chance it would develop into something more pronounced, which, if necessary, she'd then be able to culture.

So, my questions are: does this sound right to you?  Should I consider seeking a second opinion?  If not, what else might be causing such a painful little bump (it's very small--I probably wouldn't have noticed it if it weren't causing me pain) in that area?

Thanks so much again for continually providing such a wonderful service.    

[gracefromHHP]

The igm is a poor test for herpes. You tested for the igg too early. If you really want to know your status, you need to be repeating the herpes igg blood test.

here's a prior post that goes into more detail on why the igm herpes test should've never even been ordered for you - http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Confusiion-over-other-IgM-Herpes-posts/show/248394


thank you for adding to your original post - it's so much easier to respond when all your background info is right there :)

grace

[prettydistraught]

So, some follow-up:

Following that initial encounter (that girl and I promptly broke up, only having had intercourse that one time...), I went to have a blood antibody test taken roughly 20 days after that encounter, and received less-than-perfect results.  By this, I mean my mixed HSV-1/2 IgM count came back in the positive range (1.57, 1.10 or greater being positive) while my HSV-2 IgG count came back in the negative range (.47, .89 or less being negative).

Following this test, I'd been unable to get in touch with my (useless) doctor to discuss what these results could mean between then & now, sending his receptionist something like, 4 emails before she sent over the results, and then another few to discuss them with the doctor, to no avail.

I assumed that the doctor's unresponsiveness to discuss the results meant that I was probably fine--and I have yet to have any sort of genital outbreak--but I still do worry sometimes about it.

Can you draw any conclusions from these results?  Do you think it's worth getting tested again to reexamine my IgG levels?  How would you suggest I proceed?

Thanks so much for providing such a great service.

[gracefromHHP]

If you and a hsv2+ female partner do nothing but avoid sex during obvious genital symptoms on her, your risk is about 4%/year of contracting hsv2 from her. If she also takes daily suppressive therapy with valtrex, your risk is cut in half of contrating hsv2 from her.  Throw in condom use along with all that then your risk, on average is 1%/year of contracting hsv2 from her. Pretty reasonable right?

So what's going on with you now? Well it could be many things, even just you were using muscles you haven't used in awhile when you are having sex the other night.  Should you develop any obvious genital lesions then go and be seen otherwise no reason to suspect that you contracted hsv2 from a one time protected encounter.

grace

[prettydistraught]

Also, because this is with whom I'm emotionally involved, I'd love to know to what extent both of us taking antiviral drugs would reduce my risk of contracting HSV-2 (provided, of course, I already haven't...) in a long-term situation.

Along with using a condom, of course.