Possible Genital Herpes and extreme pain. Feeling extremely upset

Posted , 5 users are following.

I'm a 21 year old female. I've been in a new relationship with my boyfriend for 4 months. My partner and I have always used condoms since becomming sexually active at the beginning of us dating. We were sexually intimate on a sunday, about a week ago, and didn't use a condom for about 10 minutes. The following days I had very mild burning when I peed. That thursday night however my partner and I engaged in sex without any condoms. That Friday I woke up at 6 AM with the pain still there and also a red bump on my vagina along the bottom inside of my vagina. I thought it was just an ingrown hair.

So I went to the Dr tested positive for UTI and got on antibiotics. That sunday, 2 days later and a week after the night of no condom for 10 minutes, I woke up and now had 3 red bumps on the other side, inside of my vagina. They all looked the same. I immediately went to the ER and had them swabbed. I should be getting my results tomorrow but the Dr. believes the new bumps I found Friday morning were Genital Herpes. The original one just an infected hair follicle. He put me on something for the outbreak.

I've only been sexually with 1 other partner 2 and a half years ago. It was 1 time, with a condom. I've given oral to two other guys between that and now but never showed any oral or gential symptoms. His sexually history is 2 long term relationships of 2 and 5 years. 

Is it possible I contracted Herpes from my current partner on sunday and had an outbreak 4 days later? Also, If I am positive, I don't know how to tell my boyfriend. He's never showed symptoms so he could just be a carrier. I don't want to ask him to get tested and make him feel that I'm accusing him. Or him be positive and blame me. When the doctor told me I may possibly have herpes I cried pretty hard. I don't know how I'll handle being told I'm positive. I so emotionally distraught that I can't even go to my classes or focus. The pain is awful too, I can't pee without almost crying. Sorry I have so many questions. I don't want to believe that I got herpes from 1 night of no condoms. 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    It would be pretty unlucky to contract it the first time you have unprotected sex, but it is certainly possible. Bear in mind though, that because condoms do not cover the entire genitals, it is possible to contract herpes even when using a condom. Type one genital herpes through receiving oral sex from somebody with a coldsore is also increasingly common! Be honest with your boyfriend, in sure he will understand. At the end of the day it is a skin condition, not a hideous disease.
  • Posted

    It is possible to develop symptoms within 4 days. Best to see what the results are, though. Hopefully it's something else, but if not, know that the outbreak will pass, even though it may not seem like it at the time. Hang in there!

    Some testing advice to address one of your concerns. If you were swabbed and the result is positive, you can immediately ask to do an HSV IgG antibody test for the type you have (must be done sooner rather than later). If you never had it before, it will come back negative, and that's how you can prove it didn't come from you, but him: positive swab with a negative IgG (not IgM). Means you have it, but you've yet to produce enough antibodies because the infection is very recent.

    Hope the above helps!

    • Posted

      Thank you so much for all the info!

      A question about the blood work though. If I found out today I'm positive and went tomorrow to get the blood work would that be too late? I'm also taking acyclovir. Not sure if that's important!

      And if my boyfriend were to go get tested would it be blood work as well? Would he for sure show if he was a carrier or could there possibly be a false negative?

    • Posted

      No, that would be fine, but the meds would affect your IgG level (the drugs delay/suppress antibody production). Whenever you want to do a blood test for HSV, you need to stop the meds at least 5 days beforehand. That would still be okay. HSV IgG antibodies are unlikely to reach detectable levels until closer to 4 weeks, and even longer in some people (hence why the recommended test window for confirming herpes infection by blood is 3-4 months). Your bf should do the same IgG test, that's correct. If he is an existing carrier, he will test positive and should have a reasonably high index value.
    • Posted

      IgG and IgM are two different types of antibody that your body produces. IgM can be used to test for new infections in many cases, because IgM is the first type of antibody produced. IgM disappears, however, to be replaced by IgG antibodies, which remain for life. The problem with herpes is that IgM occurs with both new infections and recurrences, so is useless in determining recency. Furthermore, the HSV IgM test is less sensitive/accurate and not type-specific. The HSV IgG tests are much better, especially for Type 2. Up-to-date doctors know not to test for IgM anymore.
  • Posted

    That's usually the time span it takes for things to start showing ...

    If he does have it he doesn't know which means he probably got it from his ex .. Rather HIS ex knows or not is an unknown answer.. It's different for males and females . A female is more likely to have an outbreak within the first 1-2 weeks of activity. A man might not even show signs for years .

    I went through the same thing sweetie , the best advice I can give you is use a&D ointment to keep it moist, when it's lubricated it doesn't hurt as much..

    If the test does come back positive for herpes . Everything will be okay . There will be good days and bad days, the virus isn't deadly .

    And if you don't have it , just thank god you got lucky and live and learn from this situation ...

    Being diagnosed with this type of thing is nothing to play about it .

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