Oral issues after escort encounter

[qhz246]

I have had 2 encounters over the past 3 weeks with 2 different women of unknown status.  First encounter, received but did not give oral (no condom), protected intercourse.  

Second encounter, gave and received oral for a few minutes (no condom), protected intercourse.  

First encounter was ~15 days ago and the second was 5 days ago.  

Symptoms began 2 days ago.  My tonsils and along my neck became swollen and somewhat tender, although no sore throat or fever.  Both tonsils have white spots all over them as well as there are a couple of cold sores on the inside of my right cheek  The ulcers themselves are not highly unusual as I get those somewhat often and have since childhood.  However together with the tonsils and general soreness as well as the timing of all this. I have never experienced anything like this on my tonsils and coming so soon after these encounters has me worried.

There are no genital symptoms at all at this point of anything.

1)  What are the odds I have picked up herpes or chlamydia/gonorrhea orally?  (or something else)

2)  I do not currently have medical insurance although I actually applied for some a couple weeks ago and it will kick in soon.  What would you recommend in the way of treatment/testing if anything and can it wait a few days till I would have insurance coverage?  

3)  I have a full course of amoxycillin here now.  Would it be a reasonable measure to take the antibiotics (amoxycillin) now and see a doctor once insurance kicks in?

Thanks in advance, I'm rather worried.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The misprint is supposed to read "...if your symptoms persist more or less unchanged for more than 10 days...."

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Sounds like you caught a garden variety respiratory virus, or perhaps a strep throat.  The timing is consistent with something you might have caught from your more recent partner; of course if you were close enough to have sex with someone, you were plenty close to catch a cold if she had one at the time.  That you have "never experienced" the identical symptoms says nothing about the possible causes, STD or otherwise.  Oral STDs are rare from performing cunnilingus; and of course you cannot catch an oral/throat STD by receiving oral sex or through vaginal sex.  There probably is some small, theoretical risk of herpes acquired from a genital HSV-2 infection in one of your partners; or due to her oral HSV-1 infection, i.e. by kissing.

1) The odds you have an STD are low, but I cannot say they are zero.

2) Most cold or similar virus symptoms clear up on their own.  If you have high fever or generally feel ill, see a provider right away; or if your symptoms persist more or less hd for more than 10 days or so.  Or if you remain in doubt and would just like reassurance.  Most larger towns have low-cost or free options for acute health care, like your local health department or a community clinic.

3) Definitely do not take amoxicillin or any other antibiotic without professional advice.  It won't help a virus; won't cure most STDs if you have one after all (not reliable against either gonorrhea or chlamydia, no effect on herpes); and will screw up accurate diagnostic testing if a provider suggests testing.

By the way, sores inside the mouth are not cold sores.  Oral herpes (cold sores, fever blisters) occur only on the lips or outside the mouth.  You probably have aphthous stomatitis (canker sores), which can be triggered by garden variety viral infections.

Bottom line:  I see nothing to be significantly worried about here.  But as I said, see a health care provider if you remain concerned.

Regards--  HHH, MD