Aa
My life is over
Not too long ago i was dating a guy whom i believe gave me herpes oral hsv-1. The symptoms ive experienced is tingling all over my face as well as my face has been itchy i seem to have broken out into a rash or something i developed tiny bumps all over my face and when i touch my face it will get extremely red and feel like sunburn, my ears are the same way itchy and feeling like i have sunburn. I know that oral hsv-1 is not a big deal in a sense but i have some concerns which i will list in a minute... i have hsv-2 and i know its a pesky skin condition but nothing that has really changed me and im not the type that thinks because i have this condition i can never be in a relationship because i know thats far from the truth. However im concerned about brain herpes i have been having these strange head sensations it feels like sunburn only its on my head and it itches just like my face and ears be doing im afraid i have brain herpes? Also my eyes seem to have been infected i get the blurry vision and my eyes have all these red lines however im not in pain rly 4rm my eyes but i do have the tiny bumps all around my eyes and it can be itchy. I also seem to have a bump in my nose it doesnt bother me a whole lot but if this is hsv-1 why has it affected me like this? why did it affect so many areas?? I feel like my life is over and i am extremely worried that this is brain herpes i didnt have all these problems until after being with this guy what troubles me also is that my sister is having the same symptoms as me as far as the breaking out and her eyes, back pain stiff neck everything i experienced do u think my head problems is brain herpes?? i also had like 2 bumps in my mouth they dont hurt but they've been there for a few weeks the head sensations is really bothering me my doctor is of no help he wont even test me 4 herpes...any advice will i be able to carry on normally???
any feedback?
This will be my last post...u dont think its possible 4 herpes to effect so many parts of the body such as the eyes and ears all at once? i know for certain i have hsv-2 ive had that 4 over a year however im just concerned that hsv-1 has now infected my eyes and ears whats ur opinion on this? can people lead normal lives? and do u think i infected my family? Also i figured what i was experiencing was called herpes rash? why do people make a big deal out hsv-2 more so than hsv-1 isnt it the same virus just outbreaks for hsv-1 are more mild? thanks in advance.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The additional information does not change my opinion or advice. You describe no symptoms that even hint at herpes. You may or may not have HSV-1 or HSV-2; a blood test could tell). But if you do, herpes simply is not a possible explanation for the large majority of your symptoms. Find a health care provider you trust and then work with that person to figure out the cause. But forget herpes -- no chance.
That's all on this thread. I won't have any further comments.
That's all on this thread. I won't have any further comments.
I appreciate your quick response sir. What about my sister experiencing the same symptoms as me..my mom had a bump on the roof of her mouth and it didnt hurt but then she got one on the inside of her cheek which did hurt. Her bf broke out with all these red itchy bumps on his wrists which did go away. I remember having a sore throat it would act weird one minute it would be very sore and then it would stop hurting and it kept doing that for a couple of days when i looked in the back of my mouth it was red i think i saw what looked like a very tiny bump my doctor didnt say it wasnt herpes he just said hsv-1 is common and he refused to test me 4 it this was b4 the whole rash thing my skin was fine before i also get the same red and sunburn feeling on my arms 4rm time to time my symptoms have been here 4 over a month which i read somewhere where either u or dr. hook said it can take up to 7 weeks. Im afraid that i infected my family or my ex did because none of us experienced any of these symptoms until he came along im just really worried. Ive seen a couple of doctors but everyone continues to blow me off because i guess i dont have your typical symptoms also i did feel like i had a fever for like a couple of days idk and doesnt the tingling and rash suggest it or is ur opinion still the same and u dont think i have anything to worry about? Also i had one bump behind each ear but they felt like they were under the skin so it wasnt a blister i dont think and i had tiny bumps behind my ears i dont know im extremely stressed i feel like if it does come out to be hsv-1 my family will blame me even though i would never intentionally have infected them...i hope im just overreacting also my doctor got lesion on her tail and it still has yet to go away its been like close to a month. Am i tripping??? Also if a person takes valtrex then is it safe to kiss a person without infecting them since ure on suppressive therapy...Im in the process of finding a new doctor one that will take me seriously i just thought i'd ask u since ure an expert...thanks 4 ur help sir i am no longer concerned about brain herpes i found a site with people who have had it it seems to have devastating affects...nothing really has changed 4 me except the sensations on my head.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Wow, that's a pretty dramatic title for your question. My gut reaction is that I doubt very much that your "life is over". That's an inappropriate response to any STD.
Now I have read the rest of your question. First, HSV does not cause the kinds of symptoms you mention. Second, the risk of encephalitis (brain infection) due to herpes is exceedingly low. Encephalitis is a complication only of HSV-1, not HSV-2; half of all Americans have HSV-1, yet there are only a few cases of HSV-1 encephalitis every year. Your chance of getting that complication is probably a lot lower than the chance you will die of a lightning strike (1 chance in 17,000 over the course of your lifetime, according to the National Safety Council); and much, much lower than the chance you will die of some accident within the next 12 months. (That risk is 1 chance in 1,756 for the average American, also according to the NSC.) Certainly there are things to worry about in life, but getting HSV encephalitis is not one of them. (And if you had encephalitis now, you wouldn't be writing this question. You would be in a hospital probably near death. Encephalitis does not cause symptoms anything like you describe.)
The reason your doctor won't test you for HSV is that s/he understands that herpes is not a possible explanation for your symptoms. You need to trust him or her and follow the advice s/he has given about the likely causes and what to do about them, perhaps including referral to a specialist.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Now I have read the rest of your question. First, HSV does not cause the kinds of symptoms you mention. Second, the risk of encephalitis (brain infection) due to herpes is exceedingly low. Encephalitis is a complication only of HSV-1, not HSV-2; half of all Americans have HSV-1, yet there are only a few cases of HSV-1 encephalitis every year. Your chance of getting that complication is probably a lot lower than the chance you will die of a lightning strike (1 chance in 17,000 over the course of your lifetime, according to the National Safety Council); and much, much lower than the chance you will die of some accident within the next 12 months. (That risk is 1 chance in 1,756 for the average American, also according to the NSC.) Certainly there are things to worry about in life, but getting HSV encephalitis is not one of them. (And if you had encephalitis now, you wouldn't be writing this question. You would be in a hospital probably near death. Encephalitis does not cause symptoms anything like you describe.)
The reason your doctor won't test you for HSV is that s/he understands that herpes is not a possible explanation for your symptoms. You need to trust him or her and follow the advice s/he has given about the likely causes and what to do about them, perhaps including referral to a specialist.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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.
