Aa
Syphilis-Further Testing?
Thank you in advance for your help, as I cannot seem to find answers to some of my questions.
6 months ago in a club in Las Vegas, I drank too much and don't remember some of the evening.
Later my friend told me that woman we were with from Minnesota had licked the rim of a shot glass filled it with Tequila and placed between her breasts where upon I went over and shot it with no hands.
I immediately began to worry if I could catch anything and was happy to see that I probably couldn't.
But at 20 days I developed 3 sores on my bottom lip, 2 were like cuts and one was round, all had white surfaces. I scraped off the white surface and it came back later in the day. the two small sores healed in 4-5 days and the big one, took about 10 days, I was using herpecin-L from walgreens. They were painful when I pressed on them, but not hard.
Then I developed a rash around my mid-section, underwear line down to top of my penis area, the hairy area mostly.
It was light red and bumpy, it went away in 3 weeks with topical essential oils.
I was pretty scared about Syphilis now so I had an RPR done at 6 weeks and 2 days, at a testing center, not a Dr's. it was non-reactive.
I then started reading about the prozone effect.
I had sex with my wife at 4 1/2 months from exposure and 5 1/2 months from exposure, I am scared to death I gave her something. Plus I know it would have to be through my semen and I can't find good information on whether you can pass syphilis through semen, vaginal intercourse with no rashes.
So I guess my Questions are:
1. Do you think I could have caught Syphilis from a glass, she may have bled on it, (my buddy says no, but he was drunk too)
2. My sores in my mouth don't sound like a Chancre but the timing is what scares me, same with the rash, the timing is perfect for Syphilis.
3. RPR negative at 6 weeks, should I get a ttpna or that other test that people use?
4. Could I have given my wife Syphilis through intercourse?
What is your opinion.
6 months ago in a club in Las Vegas, I drank too much and don't remember some of the evening.
Later my friend told me that woman we were with from Minnesota had licked the rim of a shot glass filled it with Tequila and placed between her breasts where upon I went over and shot it with no hands.
I immediately began to worry if I could catch anything and was happy to see that I probably couldn't.
But at 20 days I developed 3 sores on my bottom lip, 2 were like cuts and one was round, all had white surfaces. I scraped off the white surface and it came back later in the day. the two small sores healed in 4-5 days and the big one, took about 10 days, I was using herpecin-L from walgreens. They were painful when I pressed on them, but not hard.
Then I developed a rash around my mid-section, underwear line down to top of my penis area, the hairy area mostly.
It was light red and bumpy, it went away in 3 weeks with topical essential oils.
I was pretty scared about Syphilis now so I had an RPR done at 6 weeks and 2 days, at a testing center, not a Dr's. it was non-reactive.
I then started reading about the prozone effect.
I had sex with my wife at 4 1/2 months from exposure and 5 1/2 months from exposure, I am scared to death I gave her something. Plus I know it would have to be through my semen and I can't find good information on whether you can pass syphilis through semen, vaginal intercourse with no rashes.
So I guess my Questions are:
1. Do you think I could have caught Syphilis from a glass, she may have bled on it, (my buddy says no, but he was drunk too)
2. My sores in my mouth don't sound like a Chancre but the timing is what scares me, same with the rash, the timing is perfect for Syphilis.
3. RPR negative at 6 weeks, should I get a ttpna or that other test that people use?
4. Could I have given my wife Syphilis through intercourse?
What is your opinion.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ABOUT "There is no information you can provide, and no extenuating circumstances your anxious mind can think of, that would change my opinion or advice. Therefore, there is no point in asking, and I won't have any further comments or advice"?
ONE MORE LIKE THE ONES I DELETED WILL RESULT IN DELETION OF THE ENTIRE THREAD. THIS IS NOT A HAND-HOLDING COUNSELING SERVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT OR WILL NOT ACCEPT REASONED, SCIENCE-BASED REASSURANCE.
ONE MORE LIKE THE ONES I DELETED WILL RESULT IN DELETION OF THE ENTIRE THREAD. THIS IS NOT A HAND-HOLDING COUNSELING SERVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT OR WILL NOT ACCEPT REASONED, SCIENCE-BASED REASSURANCE.
Thank you, much appreciated.
I understand, thank you for your valuable time.
I understand, thank you for your valuable time.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No comment. As I said above, "There is no information you can provide, and no extenuating circumstances your anxious mind can think of, that would change my opinion or advice. Therefore, there is no point in asking, and I won't have any further comments or advice"
I will leave you alone be after this one, I promise.
I appreciate your gentle soul, I know you put up with a lot from us people out here who worry!!!!!!
I just don't want to take a chance on hurting my family.
J
I appreciate your gentle soul, I know you put up with a lot from us people out here who worry!!!!!!
I just don't want to take a chance on hurting my family.
J
The only thing I never mentioned was that I had the rash in my pubic zone when I got the RPR test, and that is when they say you can have a prozone because of the overwhelming antibodies?
Does that at all change your opinion, I just wanted you to have all the facts in this case before I move on.
Thanks for your help. I hope no further testing is required but if you think it is I will do it.
J
Does that at all change your opinion, I just wanted you to have all the facts in this case before I move on.
Thanks for your help. I hope no further testing is required but if you think it is I will do it.
J
I know these follow ups annoy you, I suffer from OCD and am in counseling, if you could respond to these follow ups I would be most appreciative.
Thank you in advance for your kindness.
This OCD is not fun
Thank you in advance for your kindness.
This OCD is not fun
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, I wouldn't worry about any other STDs from this event. They call them STDs because you have to have sex to transmit them! (Duh.)
The other comments etc do not change my opinion or advice. Syphilis is very rarely transmitted by kissing, if ever. It's theoretically possible, but in my 4 decades in the STD business I have never seen or heard of such a case. Whether or not syphilis can be transmitted through semen is irrelevant, since you were not exposed to semen, and because you don't have syphilis, you could not have infected your wife. Finally, your exposures are entirely irrelevant. Even if you had the highest risk exposure you can imagine, your blood test results prove you don't have it.
Therefore, I urge you to ignore any and all "what if" or "yes but" questions that might come to mind. There is no information you can provide, and no extenuating circumstances your anxious mind can think of, that would change my opinion or advice. Therefore, there is no point in asking, and I won't have any further comments or advice. If and when further concerns come to mind, reread my replies, concentrating on every word. All the answers are there.
The other comments etc do not change my opinion or advice. Syphilis is very rarely transmitted by kissing, if ever. It's theoretically possible, but in my 4 decades in the STD business I have never seen or heard of such a case. Whether or not syphilis can be transmitted through semen is irrelevant, since you were not exposed to semen, and because you don't have syphilis, you could not have infected your wife. Finally, your exposures are entirely irrelevant. Even if you had the highest risk exposure you can imagine, your blood test results prove you don't have it.
Therefore, I urge you to ignore any and all "what if" or "yes but" questions that might come to mind. There is no information you can provide, and no extenuating circumstances your anxious mind can think of, that would change my opinion or advice. Therefore, there is no point in asking, and I won't have any further comments or advice. If and when further concerns come to mind, reread my replies, concentrating on every word. All the answers are there.
You wouldn't be worried about any other std's from this exposure?
Thanks for your help.
I appreciate it, and wish I could have thought of all these follow ups at once.
J.
Thanks for your help.
I appreciate it, and wish I could have thought of all these follow ups at once.
J.
sorry, don't kill me, all these thoughts keep rushing at me.
As I was blacked out, If I had kissed this woman, would that change your answer? I know you say you can get Syphilis from kissing.
Last one, promise
J
As I was blacked out, If I had kissed this woman, would that change your answer? I know you say you can get Syphilis from kissing.
Last one, promise
J
FInal..
Can you address syphilis in semen, there is conflicting info out there and if you could answer it would be great. Toronto dept says you can, Chicago dept says you can't, some on this site say you can't? Dr. Hooke in 2007 said he wasn't sure?
What do you know about passing Syphilis through semen in vaginal intercourse.
I appreciate all your time and effort and will put this behind me.
J
Can you address syphilis in semen, there is conflicting info out there and if you could answer it would be great. Toronto dept says you can, Chicago dept says you can't, some on this site say you can't? Dr. Hooke in 2007 said he wasn't sure?
What do you know about passing Syphilis through semen in vaginal intercourse.
I appreciate all your time and effort and will put this behind me.
J
when you wrote,
"Second, it is probable that syphilis was never transmitted by contact with saliva (or blood) on a glass."
are you referring to my specific case or in general.
Thanks,
I won't bother you again.
"Second, it is probable that syphilis was never transmitted by contact with saliva (or blood) on a glass."
are you referring to my specific case or in general.
Thanks,
I won't bother you again.
Thank you Dr,
A. so when you say maybe herpes, you mean Herpes 1? Because I know you can't get Herpes 2 from a glass?
B. What is all this prozone talk. It's driving people nuts.
I appreciate your advice and your well-educated opinion.
What about the timing of mouth sores and a rash, I've never had a rash there before, do you think it's just coincidence?
You are confident in RPR non-reactive at 6 weeks?
A. so when you say maybe herpes, you mean Herpes 1? Because I know you can't get Herpes 2 from a glass?
B. What is all this prozone talk. It's driving people nuts.
I appreciate your advice and your well-educated opinion.
What about the timing of mouth sores and a rash, I've never had a rash there before, do you think it's just coincidence?
You are confident in RPR non-reactive at 6 weeks?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I saw these comments before I replied. They don't change my opinion or advice. If your rash or other symptoms continue, see a doctor about them. But there simply is no possibility you caught syphilis.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
First, it is probable that the woman involved didn't have syphilis, which is rare in the US (only about 10,000 cases per year in the whole country) and is largely limited to gay men and inner-city non-whites. Second, it is probable that syphilis was never transmitted by contact with saliva (or blood) on a glass. Third, the sores on your mouth were not at all typical for syphilis. (Herpes, maybe.) Fourth, the blood tests for syphilis are highly reliable, and most labs routinely test in a way that precludes the prozone phenomenon. To your specific questions:
1) Drunk or not, your buddy is right.
2) The blood tests rule, and prove you didn't have syphilis.
3) You don't need any further testing for syphilis.
4) You could not have infected your wife with syphilis.
So do your best to stop worrying about syphilis and move on. There is simply no way you have it.
Regards-- HHH, MD
First, it is probable that the woman involved didn't have syphilis, which is rare in the US (only about 10,000 cases per year in the whole country) and is largely limited to gay men and inner-city non-whites. Second, it is probable that syphilis was never transmitted by contact with saliva (or blood) on a glass. Third, the sores on your mouth were not at all typical for syphilis. (Herpes, maybe.) Fourth, the blood tests for syphilis are highly reliable, and most labs routinely test in a way that precludes the prozone phenomenon. To your specific questions:
1) Drunk or not, your buddy is right.
2) The blood tests rule, and prove you didn't have syphilis.
3) You don't need any further testing for syphilis.
4) You could not have infected your wife with syphilis.
So do your best to stop worrying about syphilis and move on. There is simply no way you have it.
Regards-- HHH, MD
It's still me, My biggest concern is the Prozone effect,
I see 1 to 3% of RPR's have false negatives.
As I wasn't with a Dr., they couldn't ask that the sample be diluted or run another test.
I've seen Dr. hook say the test is 100% accurate, and Dr. HHH say there is only a theoretical chance of a false negative.
I feel like I'm in the 1 in a Millions area, but curious as to maybe what other symptoms I'd have if I had a prozone effect, because the anti-body count would have to be very high, should I have expected more symptoms like hair loss and lymph node swelling
Thanks for allowing this.
Very nervous
I see 1 to 3% of RPR's have false negatives.
As I wasn't with a Dr., they couldn't ask that the sample be diluted or run another test.
I've seen Dr. hook say the test is 100% accurate, and Dr. HHH say there is only a theoretical chance of a false negative.
I feel like I'm in the 1 in a Millions area, but curious as to maybe what other symptoms I'd have if I had a prozone effect, because the anti-body count would have to be very high, should I have expected more symptoms like hair loss and lymph node swelling
Thanks for allowing this.
Very nervous
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.
