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[worried200912]

Hello doctors,

I wrote on the forum a couple of months ago and shared my concerns after loosing my virginity to a one night stand unprotected, Dr. Hook tried to help me put my worries aside, I had all of the proper STD testing minus herpes because as my gyno said no lesion or sores where present.  But since then I have an intense fear of having contracting herpes from the two encounters, at the time I had not really had any abnormal symptoms except for experiencing my first yeast infection. Since then I have had what seem to me as really weird and abnormal things happening with my genital region, and have seen many doctors who have claim to see nothing to suggest herpes and of course do not recommend testing. Most of the doctors I have seen believe all of my symptoms are stress and anxiety related I have been struggling with my fears for about 9 months and just have no idea what else to do. I have been to counseling which doesn’t seem to help. Most recently I have had a weird tingling or burning sensation inside my vagina on the left side also with left leg pain occurring with my period. I went to the doctor who did a pelvic exam and said she saw nothing except for some redness and took a swab and found a traces of bacteria, which is nothing new I have suffered from bacteria vaginosis for a while but have never experienced this pain or type of sensation with it. I took the antibiotics and the symptoms went away only to come back with my next period. I have never noticed any lesions or sores nor have any of the many doctors I have seen. I am just a loss of what to do and the bills are racking up with all of the doctors visits. This is really affecting my life mentally and physically and I would really appreciate any light you could shed on what should be my next step as to figuring out what is going on and ruling out STDs.


Your help is truly appreciated.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome back to the forum.

I'm afraid your continued fear of STD is a manifestation of ongoing anxiety about your first sexual exposure and its circumstances.  As Dr. Hook told you, you seem to have knowledgeable doctors and their advice and evaluation are accurate.  As he also said, the statistical likelihood of picking up any STD in your first encounter was low, and the negative tests were reliable.

Your symptoms don't even hint at herpes.  You may have read about tingling, burning, and such, nut those are symptoms occur only with herpes sores; by themselves they do not suggest herpes.  However, tingling and similar symptoms are probably the most common physical symptoms of genitally focused anxiety -- so this fits best with the obvious main problem.  Still, you could be tested for HSV if you wish, if negative test results will help calm your fears.

But my main advice is to seek mental health counseling; or at least speak frankly with your doctor about it and see if s/he agrees. This is obviously a very big deal in your life, and I am concerned to see you start what should be a joyous part of your life, your sexuality, on such a sour note; Dr. Hook's comment about sexual health was based on the same concern.  So I suggest this out of compassion, not criticism.

In the meantime, try to put STDs out of your mind.  It's really not an issue at this point.

Best wishes--   HHH, MD

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Sorry, I have no further comments.  And you may not repeat the same questions in a new thread, which would be deleted without reply (and without refund). This is not an emotional support service for users who have trouble believing or accepting our reassurance.

[whattodonext]

HHH, you are certainly the MAN and that is why you are asked for on this site alot.

I will pay for you to answer my question re symptoms and anxiety if you will.  Please simply reply that you will and this may help Worried and myself.  I prefer your opinion to the community forum.  You are, after all, the expert.

Thanks.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Thanks to both for the expression of respect, and to WTDN for contributing to worried's support.  However, Dr. Hook and I limit user-to-user advice and communication on the STD and HIV professional forums.  Feel free start a discussion on the STD community forum.  Thanks.

[worried200912]

I agree I would also like to hear a doctor explain how this is possible as well, but I also respect Dr. HHH's and do find some comfort in the fact that he thinks all my problems are due to anxiety.

I will be headed to the doctors I'm hoping for the last time at the end of the week as HHH advised to lay it all on the table and hopeful get past this mess thanks and good luck to as you well I'll let you know how it goes.

[whattodonext]

Hi, I am in the same boat with you.  I highly respect HHH's opinion.  I know for sure I was exposed to HSV2 and last week my scrotum was  hot all week with tender lymph nodes.  This week, the tip and foreskin on my penis appear to be hot, I but I have no lesions anywhere.  

I believe anxiety is powerful but to your point I find it very difficult to understand how anxiety can manifest itself in such a way that it appears to be dead on with symptoms you read and how are you to know if its real or somatic?

I like to hear one of the doctors explain how this happens and we are to know whether it is real or not...

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

[worried200912]

Thank you so much for your time I just find it so hard to grasp that anxiety can cause all of these abnormal feeling but I will continue to follow up with my counselor and doctor thanks again for your time and advice.