Penile Infection

[Clfrnc]

I am a 22yr old male. A year and a half ago i had chlamydia and was treated. Since then i have been with only one person and wear condoms. I only have sex maybe every 3-4 months due to a long distance relationship. About 4 months ago a red spot on the shaft of my penis appeared. It just looked like irratation but a week later the whole upper shaft was red but no bumps at all just red. The skin started to peel and the red was deep. About 3 weeks later I was in the shower cleaning it and the skin ripped open and started to swell and it got so bad I went to the doctor and he said that is does not look like herpes. They did a culture and gave me a bunch of pills and a shot for syphillis. The test results for std's were negative. The only thing he said is that i had bacteria and said it was signs of chlamydia but like i said results were negative. He treated me for chlymidia, bacteria infection, gonno and syphillis. Still no help. I tried everything over the counter to correct this problem and nothing worked. Today it is much better and seems to be disappating but there is still some red spots after masturbation. When I do not masturbate the upper shaft becomes very white. Also on the right side of my lower shaft there is a lump but it is in a line but not going around my whole shaft. Also the veins in my upper shaft are very red. My urine is also very smelly. Might you know what this is? Do you recommend any over the counter remedies for this? I know that you cannot diagnose me over the internet but any point of view would help. Thank you for your time.

[troubledfriend]

I have tested positive for  hsv 1 and 2.  The doctor told me not to worry about it.  I might have just been exposed to it from what she is gathering.  I don''t understand that if you test positive it is you have it but she says it is like the chicken pox you can be exposed to it doesn't mean you have it.  my boyfriend has a history of balanitis.  I need some pictures of herpes and balanitis.  They are saying since he has no pain when he has the reoccurring bumps that he doesn't have it.   All urologist are booked until september.  Please give me some help.  I have no outbreaks that fit the description of herpes and neither does he

[nl44]

I had something very similar.. didn't have any bumps or tingling either, and it appeared about six months after my last sexual contact. Was tested for Herpes, which came back negative, but the swab was taken when the sore had somewhat healed. It did take quite a while to heal though.

Been paranoid about it ever since, and my doctor has finally agreed to administer a blood test for Herpes next week. Fingers crossed.

[Clfrnc]

The redness started on the upper shaft and moved to the head....could that still be balanitis?

[worriedone4life]

Do a search on balanitis through google.  I am not saying to self diagnose, it may me balanitis you are suffering from.  I am no doctor either, check out some pictures and see if your problem looks similar to those in pictures for balanitis.

[Clfrnc]

I forgot to tell you that the week after it started I had a red spot on the head of my penis also but no bumps.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The main thing I can say with confidence is that your symptoms aren't those of any known STD.  I agree it doesn't sound like herpes, and any other STD that happened to have been present likely would have responded to the antibiotics you have had.  Perhaps the problems 4 months ago was a bacterial infection (cellulitis, pyoderma).  I'm also wondering about a fixed drug eruption, which is a localized allergic reaction to certain drugs; FDEs often occur on the penis.  This might be possible if the "red spot" looked and felt like a burn, with stinging pain, and if "ripped open" means it got a superficial blister (again, like a second degree burn) that opened up.  Are you taking any presecription or non-prescription medications?

Hard to say what the "red spots" might be.  As to your other symptoms, the strong urine odor, the apparent color of your skin after sexual stimulation, and prominent veins all sound like normal.  I can't recommend any OTC remedies when I don't have a clue what is going on.  Someone else before me (but comment appears below) mentioned balanitis.  That may be possible, but it's like saying "rash of the penis".  Balanitis is a general term for inflmmation/rash of the glans (head) of the penis; many things can cause it.

You need an exam by a health care provider to figure out what is going on; I recommend you see a dermatologist.

Best wishes--  HHH, MD