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I might have Herpes. Need some advice

Posted , 4 users are following.

zk71090
zk71090

Hi Everyone, To paint a quick picture. I am a guy and I have been sexually active with ladies that I know. All of them insist they are clean which I believe. A week ago I spent five days with my current gf and now I am blisters on my trunk just above the genitals... (sorry for being explicit). She did have a sore on her mouth which I didn't know what it was and she did give me oral. Upon inquiry she said she gets them sometimes. Back to my predicament... There is  no aching... just slight itching...  but the blisters do seem like Herpes blisters from the one I have seen online. No painful urination. Although I do feel that my lymphnode in the left armpit is slightly hurting. Some quick background also; a week ago I got my finger infected because I cut the nail too deep. On antibiotics for that. Now these blisters have come up. Wondering if I have herpes. Wondering if I have herpes and caught it from the ladies before my current gf and whether the stress of the finger infection just brought out my first episode. If indeed this is herpes, this will be my first episode. From what I have been reading on this forum, the first episode is very painful. It is the second day for me that I have noticed the blisters so not sure if this is too early for it to be painful and the fun is yet to come or maybe it is not herpes but something else. 

Any advice would be great. 

Thanks

0 likes, 20 replies

20 Replies

  • NuMe
    NuMe zk71090

    Posted

    Sounds like the girl might get cold sores? If she does then it's very possible that she gave it to you while performing oral. The only way to be positive though is to get tested.
    • zk71090
      zk71090 NuMe

      Posted

      Thanks NuMe. I did do a blood test and am waiting for the results which I think are another 3 days away. Wondering if I should go the doc tomorrow and preemtively start anti-virial thearpy? 
    • NuMe
      NuMe zk71090

      Posted

      Did they do a swab test too? And I suppose if you're not in pain and they're not sure they might not give you meds. The need for suppressive therapy can also depend on the type. If it's HSV-1 you may not need it. If you feel you do though I'd wait until I get my results to go about that.
    • zk71090
      zk71090 NuMe

      Posted

      They didn't do a swab. Did a blood draw. I suppose they are going to be use the HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibody test on the drawn blood.

      New twist in the story. I noticed I am runnig a 99 degree fever. I got a Tdap (tetnus, dipthera) booster shot in the arm today. Not sure if it is related to that and not my blisters. My arm is sore from the shot.

    • NuMe
      NuMe zk71090

      Posted

      If the fever gets out of control I'd definitely go back to the doctor! And suppressive meds do have some side effects. I'm on it and it makes me tired. I've learned to deal with it but it's not the best feeling.
  • Dawkamaniak
    Dawkamaniak zk71090

    Posted

    The antibiotics from your previous injury could be stopping the first OB from being so painful. I at first thought that I only had friction burn from my GF's crotchless panties. Let me tell you that the pain was the most excrutiating I have ever felt. Went to dr's, told her I thought it was friction burn, she said it looked like syphyllis so I got swabbed as a precation and got all other STI screening. The anitbiotics I was given took away the pain and started healing only a day. Found out it was actually HSV2, got put on daily suppression meds, healed and havent had a second outbreak in 3 months so far. Good luck my friend.
    • zk71090
      zk71090 Dawkamaniak

      Posted

      @ Dawkanmaniak. Thanks for your response. A couple of quick follow up questions. Was it your first OB? Did you experience fever, pain in the blisters, painful urination in your OB? How quickly did it take for onset of these symptoms if they did happen? How quick was your healing? Did it heal completely i.e. blisters completely gone or are there still scars etc?

      Thanks

    • zk71090
      zk71090 Dawkamaniak

      Posted

      Also, are the there any long term side effects to supppression meds?
    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus zk71090

      Posted

      Lesion pain and urethritis vary from person to person. Depends on where your lesions are located and how bad they are, etc. Onset is usually 2-5 days and can be expected to heal in 2-3 weeks. External skin, like the base of the penis, tends to heal more quickly. Scarring is not common.
    • Dawkamaniak
      Dawkamaniak zk71090

      Posted

      Zk there is still some minor scaring but overall pretty good. I did not experience any fever or painful urination whatsever which is why I why sold on friction burn. I even remember the encounter and the raw feeling the next day. Needless to say I was very surprised by my outcome. The healing process for pain was quick with the antibiotic. The overall healing was 3-4 weeks and as mentioned I still have some scaring where the outbreak was 3 months later.
    • Dawkamaniak
      Dawkamaniak zk71090

      Posted

      I have yet to experience any long term side effects. It has only been a couple of months but so far so good. No ill effects while taking meds so far either. I take it first thing every morning along with calcium, b-12, and a multivitamin as I am a bariatric patient. These will all help with immune system strengthening which can help prevent outbreaks.
  • FelizCastus
    FelizCastus zk71090

    Posted

    Antibiotics have no bearing on herpes, which is viral. A blood test will only confirm whether you already had herpes before, not now. You need a swab test to confirm the current infection. If they are still blisters, a viral culture may still be okay, otherwise a PCR (DNA) is much better and more accurate (no need for new lesions; older ones can be swabbed). Suppressive meds are not necessary for Type 1, assuming that's what you have since you probably got it from receiving oral sex from your gf. Usually prescribed for Type 2, which outbreaks and sheds more, and is thus much more annoying and infectious.
    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus

      Posted

      P.S. Should have probably waited to do your vaccination shot, as your body is already fighting infection from the herpes. The fever could well be due to the shot or a combination of both.
    • zk71090
      zk71090 FelizCastus

      Posted

      Thank you FelisCatus.

      I am novice so pardon the clarification seeking. Do you mean to say that the blood test will not reveal whether I currently have Herpes? How is a PCR test done? Are the blisters required to be swabbed for them? Can I ask a doctor for it?

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus zk71090

      Posted

      Blood test depends on detectable antibodies, which you won't have till a few weeks to months of acquiring a new infection. It also won't tell youthe location of the infection. A swab test requires actual lesions, and can confirm the infection now in your genital region. Viral culture requires 2-3 day old blisters (otherwise the odds of a false negative increase), while PCR just requires lesions. I would personally go for PCR if available. It's just a swab procedure, so quick and easy to do. Most clinics should offer both.
    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus

      Posted

      P.S. If you have had cold sores before, the blood test will show positive for Type 1 regardless of what you have going on down below right now.
    • zk71090
      zk71090 FelizCastus

      Posted

      I got my STD test results today... but still have an issue... any help?

      HIV 1 - 2 - negative

      Syphillus - negative

      Hep A, B C - negative

      Clamidya - negative

      gonorrhea - negative

      Herpes 1 - negative

      Herpes 2 - negative

      It seems like I have herpes and the lesisons crusted and dried up. Doctor had put me on 10 days of Valtrex just to be safe so to speak. Now it is the 16 days after the first day of OB and there are still red bumps which don't ache but are itchy. I wonder if these bumps will go away and how long does it take.

      I seem to have another new pimple (seems like one although it might be the sign of a new OB) which is itchy. Am I getting another OB 4 days after healing from the previous one? I finished my Valtrex 2 days ago. 

      Any thoughts or suggestions?

      Thanks

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus zk71090

      Posted

      According to your results , you're negative across the board. Could be too soon to test for most of these, if they relate to a particular recent exposure. Regarding herpes, were the tests done by swab? If so, which type of swab test - pcr or viral culture - and how old were your bumps at the time?
    • zk71090
      zk71090 FelizCastus

      Posted

      The herpes tests were done using the IGG antibody not the swab test. The test was done on the 31st of Dec.

      My first OB started about the 29th of Dec. Went to doctor on the 31st of Dec. He gave me Valtrex for 5 days, twice a day. The blisters were mostly painless although slight discomfort. They crusted in about 5 days. Now I have a cluster of small red bumps. 

       

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus zk71090

      Posted

      All that can be deduced from your results is that this may be herpes, and if so, it's a new primary infection, but you don't know which type you have (which is important to know), because your doctor oddly chose not to do a swab test and now your lesions are probably too old to swab. Missed opportunity to properly diagnose you and identify type. If and when you have another outbreak, get it swabbed immediately (within 2-3 days of lesions appearing), or repeat both IgG tests at 3 months post-exposure.

      If what you have is herpes, you should not get a back-to-back outbreak. The bumps should heal and go away soon, possibly in another week at most. You can apply diluted tea tree oil to minimise the itching.

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