Aa
is it herpes?
I had unprotected sex with someone I was dating 2 months ago. 2 days later I started to feel itchy in my genital area and progressed to the occasional prickly sensation but no pain. Sometime after that I had the chills for a couple of days. I still could function and went to work every day no other flu like symptoms. No pain in my genital area, no pain in my back or side or anywhere else in my body. More recently my throat hurt on 2 occasions with no other signs of a cold. I looked for redness in my genital area because I thought I had a yeast infection but no redness. Over the last 2 months I checked twice and nothing. Then 3 days ago which was Friday I got home from 5 days in the hospital for an operation and my genital area felt more aggrevated than usual. I examined myself with a mirror and I was red so I thought I had a yeast infection, then I spread my vaginal opening and noticed swelling on the right side and a raised 'bump' which was flat in appearance. I started doing research on the internet and putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 4, I diagnosed myself with genital herpes. First thing Saturday morning I went to the walk in clinic, the doctor examined me said its a yeast infection and if I dont have pain that its not herpes. he could not detect any raised bumps although I am not sure how thoroughly he looked. i could see the one as stated previously. he told me to take canesten to clear my yeast and took swabs of my genital area and throat. he is convinced I dont have herpes so he is testing only for yeast infection he said. over the weekend i noticed another 'bump' around the same area of my vagina. this morning I am going to call my family doctor to get in to see him because i want to be tested for herpes and the other std's. Please tell me what you think and if my symptoms sound like herpes. i have 3 adult children that I have shared wet towels and everything else with because I had no idea that I might have herpes until 3 days ago and I am terrified that I may have transmitted something to them.
Yes I was going to wait at least another month or even two. All my research points to the test being most accurate at the 3-4 month mark and yes its been only 2 months (and yes I pay taxes!). In the meantime the Canesten oral over the counter pill and the topical cream that I started using saturday for yeast infection have helped dramatically. I would say that I am about 95% better. So either both doctors that examined me were right that I have vaginitis or my ob is healing if indeed it was an ob. Since I am new to this I dont know what the right answer is. Anyways, I am keeping a positive attitude either way. If I have it I have it and I'll deal with it in a positive way. I have a new found respect for my family doctor thru this. He spent alot of time with me and we talked about it for a long time, he was very thorough and let his waiting room get quite backed up with patients waiting to see him while he helped me thru my concerns. He said he is almost positive I dont have it but even if he's wrong and I do its a managable condition and I'll be ok. Will keep you posted as to anything new. Thank you again for all your help with this. And to anyone else reading my post that thinks they may be + please try to stay positive. Everything in our lives depends on our outlook. We are the ones that make it positive or negative. Keeping a positive outlook no matter what the prognosis is best for our physical and emotional health.
if it's been 2 months since you last had sex, wait another month at least before getting the type specific testing done.
you are paying for the non-type specific test dear - you pay taxes right? he he he
you are paying for the non-type specific test dear - you pay taxes right? he he he
We talked about that and yes you are right. The test is a general one and is covered by my health insurance so it didnt cost me anything. We decided to do this test first as a matter of course and then go on to the second test. My doctor says I have to pay for the second test, which he said is the type specific test as you mentioned. I dont think the specific testing is covered if it is ordered by doctor, at least that is what he said, although I will do some research to find out or if you have any suggestions that would be helpful. Thanks for clarifying about my marks. I am preparing myself if the news is positive that I have it. Have done quite a bit of research since Friday and am on westoverheightsclinic.com thanks to your recommendation to someone else. Education is everything in terms of emotional and psychological acceptance. At the very most I will have prepared myself and at the very least I will have learned a great deal about this condition and view people that have it in the proper light/perspective. Thank God for the internet and people like you.
you won't have marks on all those body parts from herpes.
you didn't have a type specific herpes igg blood test done unfortunately. Pretty much a waste of time and money. Your provider should've asked if you wanted to pay out of pocket for type specific testing which is available in canada but not covered unless ordered by an ID doc or gyn.
you didn't have a type specific herpes igg blood test done unfortunately. Pretty much a waste of time and money. Your provider should've asked if you wanted to pay out of pocket for type specific testing which is available in canada but not covered unless ordered by an ID doc or gyn.
Thank you Grace. I was more comfortable after the exam with my family doctor. Since then I have been thinking more and more about it and am having difficulty explaining to myself all the other symptoms I have. And I have also noticed some marks on my body (one on my neck, one on the back of my right shoulder and two spaced out on the back of my left shoulder), which have made me wonder again. They dont look like any pimples i've ever had. They are very tiny, slightly raised from the skin but flat and reddish in appearance and i'm wondering if they are lesions. Also my doctor told me the herpes test i had will come back positive even if i had a cold sore as a child which may be the case. this test is covered by health care here in canada. if it does come back positive i will do the secondary test which i will have to pay for. so yes i did feel comfortable after i saw my doctor but since then, and reflecting on all of my symptoms, i am now back to square one with my self diagnosis.
you might want to change your icon to female - less confusing that way!
every one in a house should have their own towel, washcloth, toothbrush, razor and body puff - very common germs are easily transmitted through sharing them so it's always a good idea not to.
sounds like you feel much more comfortable with the exam you had this time. If you need help with your herpes blood test, feel free to post results here when you get them - e.g. hsv1 igg 4.5 and hsv2 igg .34 or whatever they are.
grace
every one in a house should have their own towel, washcloth, toothbrush, razor and body puff - very common germs are easily transmitted through sharing them so it's always a good idea not to.
sounds like you feel much more comfortable with the exam you had this time. If you need help with your herpes blood test, feel free to post results here when you get them - e.g. hsv1 igg 4.5 and hsv2 igg .34 or whatever they are.
grace
I saw my family doctor this afternoon. He said my condition is consistent with vaginitis and from my description and very thorough physical exam, he sees no reason for concern that I have herpes. This is the second doctor I have seen in 3 days and both said the same thing. To be on the safe side because he is a very thorough doctor, he took swabs for all std's and ordered a blood test for herpes, which I went and had before I left the medical building. The herpes test will come back in about 2 weeks. He told me in the meantime not to worry. He has seen and diagnosed herpes and my condition is not consistent with herpes but with vaginitis. What a relief!
Thank you so much for your response. If I do have herpes it is something I can learn to manage and live with, but I was terrified to transmit it to my children who have their whole lives ahead of them. Thank you again. I have an appointment to see my family doctor this afternoon.
You symptoms do not sound a lot like herpes. If your doctor has not noticed the bumps, it's probably benign.
That said, if you are still having symptoms, be seen by a doctor again. Preferably in a STD clinic or by a GYN.
As for the wet towels, they don't represent a risk. If you do happen to have herpes, it cannot be transmitted this way - transmission requires massaging the virus into the skin.
That said, if you are still having symptoms, be seen by a doctor again. Preferably in a STD clinic or by a GYN.
As for the wet towels, they don't represent a risk. If you do happen to have herpes, it cannot be transmitted this way - transmission requires massaging the virus into the skin.
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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.
