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COULD THIS BE HERPES???????????
I have been suffering from some form of genital discomfort now for over 3 mnths now. I have had 3 diff blood test in 3 mnths and they come out negative except for HSV-1. I have never had an outbreak. I am 41yrs and suffering from burning at tip of penis and sometimes frequent urination also. The penis head/shaft is beginning to get discolored. The frequent urination stopped but the burning and tingling still exist.
I have seen several doctors and they have prescribed all kinds of antibiotics including penicillin shots, doxy, Augmentin, diflucan, flagyl, bactrim, levaquin and yet i am still suffering from this problem. The first time I had this, i had penicillin shots and cipro and used some some cream, for some reason it went away after aa few weeks surprisingly I felt relieve. A few days after I felt the releieve, I had sex with my wife and everything was fine.
About 3 weeks later I met with this same gf and she told me she had treated herself for yeast and we almost had sex but we did not but she was rubbish her virgina on my penis and I beleive at some point it may have touched my tip. 2 days later I started feeling the same burning and tingling feeling and I went to the doctors. This time I took test for urinaylsis, Chla/GN and herpes, all came back negative except for HSV-1 which didn't surprise me. After several treatments and shots, again the feeling went away and I thought i was cured/releieve.
About 2 weeks after this releieve, i had sex with my wife and next day i started getting the same burning, itching and tingling feeling at the tip of my penis. I feel the first relieve was not really a relieve, the infection probably went into remission.
The sypmtom also occurs when i masturbate and I had to use the left over of Levaquin to calm it down. Also, the discomfort and burning is underneath the shaft of my penis. I have just recently had a cystocopy done and my Urologist said I don't have prostate issues.
Could this genital HSV-1?
Thanks,
Terry..
I have seen several doctors and they have prescribed all kinds of antibiotics including penicillin shots, doxy, Augmentin, diflucan, flagyl, bactrim, levaquin and yet i am still suffering from this problem. The first time I had this, i had penicillin shots and cipro and used some some cream, for some reason it went away after aa few weeks surprisingly I felt relieve. A few days after I felt the releieve, I had sex with my wife and everything was fine.
About 3 weeks later I met with this same gf and she told me she had treated herself for yeast and we almost had sex but we did not but she was rubbish her virgina on my penis and I beleive at some point it may have touched my tip. 2 days later I started feeling the same burning and tingling feeling and I went to the doctors. This time I took test for urinaylsis, Chla/GN and herpes, all came back negative except for HSV-1 which didn't surprise me. After several treatments and shots, again the feeling went away and I thought i was cured/releieve.
About 2 weeks after this releieve, i had sex with my wife and next day i started getting the same burning, itching and tingling feeling at the tip of my penis. I feel the first relieve was not really a relieve, the infection probably went into remission.
The sypmtom also occurs when i masturbate and I had to use the left over of Levaquin to calm it down. Also, the discomfort and burning is underneath the shaft of my penis. I have just recently had a cystocopy done and my Urologist said I don't have prostate issues.
Could this genital HSV-1?
Thanks,
Terry..
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
First, your follow-up comment/question below: MedHelp's standard is that questions on the professionally moderated forums will be answered within 24 hours. We generally do so within several hours on this forum. But it's a bit much to be antsy after less than an hour! Dr. Hook and I don't sit around at our computers in order to respond instantaneously!
Herpes does not behave in the way your symptoms have done. Herpes only causes discrete outbreaks, which rarely last more than 2-3 weeks (for the initial infection) and usually 10-14 days (for recurrent outbreaks). Such recurrences are never more often than once every 4-6 weeks, usually every 2-4 months. And between those outbreaks, there are no symptoms at all. In addition, herpes rarely causes urethral discomfort as its primary symptom. The primary symptom is blisters/sores of the penile skin.
As you were told on the STD community forum, your positive HSV-1 blood test most likely reflects a distant past infection, most likely oral, most likely acquired in childhood. Of course it is possible it reflects a genital infection, but if so, that infection is asymptomatic; almost certainly your positive blood test and your symptoms are not related to one another.
As for other STDs, they are not likely either. All the bacterial STDs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, NGU) would have responded to the antibiotics you were given; and in any case, none of those usually causes urinary discomfort alone. For all of them, discharge of pus or mucus from the penis is the main symptom.
Almost certainly you have no infection of any kind. Some other sort of inflammation, not to due any bacteria or virus (and not due to any STD) is the problem; or maybe the problem is primarily genitally focused anxiety. Or you might have the chronic pelvic pain syndrome, which used to be considered a form of prostatitis. For more information about that possibility, google CPPS (spell it out); start your reading with the excellent Wikipedia article, then read the information from the Stanford University Dept of Urology.
You need to stop using Levaquin or other antibiotics entirely. (Any improvement you feel after a single dose is strong evidence AGAINST an infection, and suggests placebo effect -- i.e. that tends to support a psychological origin.
Bottom line: You don't have genital herpes or any other STD. I'm not sure of the exact cause of your symptoms, but it isn't anything you caught from a sexual partner. Maybe it's CPPS. In any case, probably it is harmless. Some men just have to learn to live with such symptoms. Over time, the problem is likely to just fade away. In the meantime, there is little likelihood of anything that will ever harm you in any serious way, or that can harm a sex partner.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Herpes does not behave in the way your symptoms have done. Herpes only causes discrete outbreaks, which rarely last more than 2-3 weeks (for the initial infection) and usually 10-14 days (for recurrent outbreaks). Such recurrences are never more often than once every 4-6 weeks, usually every 2-4 months. And between those outbreaks, there are no symptoms at all. In addition, herpes rarely causes urethral discomfort as its primary symptom. The primary symptom is blisters/sores of the penile skin.
As you were told on the STD community forum, your positive HSV-1 blood test most likely reflects a distant past infection, most likely oral, most likely acquired in childhood. Of course it is possible it reflects a genital infection, but if so, that infection is asymptomatic; almost certainly your positive blood test and your symptoms are not related to one another.
As for other STDs, they are not likely either. All the bacterial STDs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, NGU) would have responded to the antibiotics you were given; and in any case, none of those usually causes urinary discomfort alone. For all of them, discharge of pus or mucus from the penis is the main symptom.
Almost certainly you have no infection of any kind. Some other sort of inflammation, not to due any bacteria or virus (and not due to any STD) is the problem; or maybe the problem is primarily genitally focused anxiety. Or you might have the chronic pelvic pain syndrome, which used to be considered a form of prostatitis. For more information about that possibility, google CPPS (spell it out); start your reading with the excellent Wikipedia article, then read the information from the Stanford University Dept of Urology.
You need to stop using Levaquin or other antibiotics entirely. (Any improvement you feel after a single dose is strong evidence AGAINST an infection, and suggests placebo effect -- i.e. that tends to support a psychological origin.
Bottom line: You don't have genital herpes or any other STD. I'm not sure of the exact cause of your symptoms, but it isn't anything you caught from a sexual partner. Maybe it's CPPS. In any case, probably it is harmless. Some men just have to learn to live with such symptoms. Over time, the problem is likely to just fade away. In the meantime, there is little likelihood of anything that will ever harm you in any serious way, or that can harm a sex partner.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Don't assume that every unexplained genital symptom is a) important or b) caused by STD. Clearly it's not not an STD, so this forum will have no further advice. And probably it is harmless. Did you follow the advice above to research the chronic pelvic pain syndrome?
That's all for this thread.
That's all for this thread.
Hi Doc,
I spoke to soon. Just this morning I was noticing some slight burning and tingling at the tip again. Last month I had PSA test which came out good 0.4 i remember.
This problem creeps back gardually, starts with slight itching at tip and burning and causes frequent urination. When i take an antibiotic, it subsides and later comes back.
All the doctors I have seen are not helpful. I don't know what else to think.
I spoke to soon. Just this morning I was noticing some slight burning and tingling at the tip again. Last month I had PSA test which came out good 0.4 i remember.
This problem creeps back gardually, starts with slight itching at tip and burning and causes frequent urination. When i take an antibiotic, it subsides and later comes back.
All the doctors I have seen are not helpful. I don't know what else to think.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for a refreshing attitude! Most forum users with probable anxiety-related symptoms resist that explantion, sometimes angrily.
I agree having a knowledgeable, understanding provider is very important in situations like yours. Good luck.
I agree having a knowledgeable, understanding provider is very important in situations like yours. Good luck.
Your explaination has greatly relieved my symptoms. Frankly, the burning sensation and other feelings I had are beginning to subside. I believe you when you say the problem is primarily genitally focused anxiety, it's more in the psycology.
I think I need to find another Doctor as my GP because the one I use has caused me so much pain and anxiety through misdiagnosis and inexperience.
Thank you and thank you again.
I think I need to find another Doctor as my GP because the one I use has caused me so much pain and anxiety through misdiagnosis and inexperience.
Thank you and thank you again.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Patience, patience. See my opening comment above.
Anybody out there?????/
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
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.
