Need help regarding HSV

[WorriesTooMuch23]

Hi there, I am obviously new to the forum but I need some serious help.  My boyfriend performed oral sex on me about 3 weeks ago. I got some discoloration of the skin about 24 hours after the 'event'. At first my skin turned red near my anus and every once in awhile would give me a burning sensation. Then after a couple of days it turned an off color sort of purplish or white color. There was no blisters forming or bursting. Then a rash started to form running in the 'jock' area between where my inner legs and genital area meet. It is a very thin line on both sides that is a very faint irritated red color. Ever since it has formed it has looked exactly the same, tiny almost impossible to see white bumps that have never gotten bigger or smaller but look like dry skin.  I have suspected this may in fact be a yeast infection OR HSV-1 from the oral. I went to the doctor about 5 days ago and he did a physical exam and looked at everything and told me that he has no reason to believe that I have contracted herpes but that it is follucitis from me shaving. I told him that I have been shaving my body for over 4 years weekly and never have I had this problem until I had this first sexual encounter with my boyfriend and he stood by his explanation and refused to prescribe me anti virals or anti fungals of any sort. He told me to ride it out for 2 weeks and to not shave and see if it goes away... :(.   So keeping this in mind, I also did get a little bit of burning sensation on the 'shaft' of my penis that itched occasionally for a couple of days. It is the same color as the others and doesn't seem to be blistering or anything.

Can somebody please help me with ideas or help me understand how this could or could not be herpes?  I am so confused and I'm really scared. My boyfriend has been here holding my hand and reassuring me that nothing is going to happen and that he will take responsibility if it's his fault. I also found out that his full STD panel never tested for Herpes, and that this is very common. I'm really freaked out that this is going to ruin our relationship, or my life and sexual health.

[WorriesTooMuch23]

So here's the deal guys. I got an IGG done for both HSV1 and 2 WHILE having what I thought were the symptoms of cold sores and genital itching / redness.

HSV1 came back 0.11
HSV2 came back 0.12

Both are far FAR under the negative thing. It's impossible for me to have herpes and have numbers that low below the threshold...right?
They are so low in fact that it makes me think I do in fact have it and that my immune system is just not doing anything to contain it. I should be showing elevated numbers 6 weeks into an infection shouldn't I???

They gave me an oral dose of lamisil and I'm on the 3rd day and undecided on whether or not it's doing anything. They said I have a yeast infection.  
So to borrow a phrase from Dr. House, what looks like herpes but isn't herpes??? I'm so freaking lost. :(

[onmyown365]

Sorry, Im new to this and I didn't mean to post on your thread.

[WorriesTooMuch23]

Not really sure why you posted that in my thread but if you had an IGG come back positive then that's pretty much all you need.
To be honest I have started taking a course of Acyclovir and it's not doing anything at all for me either, if anything I'd say I'm getting worse.

But if you have your own concerns you should probably start a new thread.

[onmyown365]

Hi Grace! I am newly diagnosed with HSV2. Im sorry I have so many questions. I posted before that my igg was positive at 1.29. There are some vaginal lesions present. They didn't look like any I had seen on the net. No pain,itching, and they are not blisters.  They are on the labia minora. I just found that I was only tested for HSV2. A few people have suggested I get retested. In your opinion do you think I should. There are some lesions present. They have not changed in over three weeks.I took acyclovir for 10 days. Still no change. I can accept that I have this. I just want to be sure before I spend the rest of my life alone. I dont want to be retested if there really isnt any need. Thanks in advance for your response.

[WorriesTooMuch23]

Well my boyfriend texted me awhile ago and said he went to a planned parenthood, he is not aware of whether he got an igg or not but they said he was negative for both hsv1 and 2. He doesn't seem to be worried that it may have been one of the innaccurate tests and this is now my fault.
After begging with my secondary doctor via the phone explaining how the watch and wait thing is not working and nothing is getting better, he begrudgingly called me in a prescription for 15 pills of acyclovir.
I have taken the second dose for today and I can say that the lesions between my legs look absolutely no different. Obviously I'm still on day 1 so not even a miracle drug could probably make any obvious changes yet but I am beginning to wonder if (and HOPE) that this isn't HSV.  If it isn't, what could it be?  I read up some on MRSA, which I still don't know jack about but it seems to perpetuate a lot of the same symptoms as HSV.

Does anyone have any clue as to what the heck could be wrong with my poor body?

[WorriesTooMuch23]

That kind of service would be possible for someone who has insurance, and who makes more than 8 dollars an hour. Unfortunately I am neither of those and cannot seek medical attention unless I have the financial support of someone else (which I don't). There isn't any free clinics or reduced cost clinics at all in my area, and the planned parenthood only takes credit card and not cash and I work so much I basically have no time when I'm off work that they will be open even if I had a method to pay. I feel like I'm pretty much screwed at this point, though my boyfriend has told me he will go get tested for hsv1&2 tomorrow at a compunet lab.

[gracefromHHP]

I think I'd see a dermatologist for a 2nd opinion at this point.

[WorriesTooMuch23]

I should say that the lines have looked the same for over two weeks, not one week as previously stated.  I have had some burning sensation on the scrotum and a little on the tip of my penis as well, but it subsides rather quickly. No blisters.  :\

[WorriesTooMuch23]

Yeah it was clean. I was part of a health survey for the CDC last year that was a $4000 blood work up and I was negative on every panel.  
What I was saying before was I didn't fool around between relationships at all so there wasn't any risk prior to my new boyfriend. He says he has never had a cold sore of any kind in his life or anything else. He does have psoriasis on his legs and a little in his genital area but I've never seen anything that shouted HERPES! to me.

The thing is I thought that herpes was more like an almost randomized 'splotch' of red that then blisters up and pops and then stuff comes out and it hardens and then heals.  With the exception of the white patch around my anus, the rest of it is formed in perfectly straight lines around 4-5 inches long and less than the thickness of a pencil. As far as I can tell this Lotrimin isn't doing anything and I'm beginning to worry.  I can say that my lesions look pretty much the same as they have for the past week, there isn't really any progression. They just stay the same with little white bumps right in the folds of my legs going back towards my rear. They are just little red lines that feel 'raw' almost like chafing or something, which is a problem i've never had before.

[gracefromHHP]

your partner can be tested to know his status to see if you even need to be thinking herpes in this relationship.

just make sure herpes was a part of your last testing and that it was done at least 3 months after you had last had sex.

[WorriesTooMuch23]

Since the doctor won't listen to me I got some lotrimin ultra in the meantime, and just applied it. I guess we'll see what happens. Hope for the best, but expect the worst. :(

[WorriesTooMuch23]

I had a full panel about a year ago before I met him and was clean. I don't sleep around and had zero partners in between so I've never had any reason to question my status.
And while the follucitis might be a good explanation for the jock area, what about the tip of my penis? That has felt a little bit of burning and itching as well.  There is also an off color patch around my anus like I said that's purple / whitish and red. It doesn't seem to hurt and there's no blisters or anything.

Also it's been 3 weeks so even an igg wouldn't do anything for me.

[gracefromHHP]

this doesn't sound like herpes going on. sounds more like a fungal infection or a bacterial folliculitis as the doctor diagnosed.  so why folliculitis now when you have been shaving regularly?  well you can get new bacteria on your skin at any time in your life as well as your partner can have bacteria that his body does just fine with but on you, isn't tolerated as well.  using a soap like unscented dial is often helpful too with clearing up the bacterial hair follicle infections.  I'd also try sprinkling a corn starch based body powder on your genital area too while the hair is growing back - it will help reduce friction and itching.  

since herpes is on your mind, why don't you and your partner both seek out type specific herpes igg blood tests so you know who has what?

grace

[WorriesTooMuch23]

Anyone??