[Question #10187] Do I need to worry

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25 months ago
I have had this going on for a year now , and every time I think about it I worry. Do I need to worry if I had protected sex but unprotected oral with a sex worker and noticed my penis was itchy 36 hrs later? I never have seen a blister or anything. I have never had a cold sore anywhere in my life. The worst I have had on my penis is redness and itchying at times. I did a igG antibody test 19 weeks after my worried event and it was negative for both. Just the 30% hsv 1 and 8%hsv really scares me..
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25 months ago
Have you personally ever seen anyone have a false negative igG for 1 or 2  at 19 weeks with no blisters or sores ? 
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25 months ago
I am also fairly certain I have never had any herpes my entire life, so in that case if I was to get a first primary infection of 1 or 2 genitally would I for sure get blisters of some sort ? Would I notice it ? The redness never progressed into anything 
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
25 months ago
Without any sores or blisters, I think genital HSV 1 infection is unlikely.  You are correct that the risk here with receiving unprotected intercourse is HSV 1, but it's good that your IgG was negative for both.  For people who have neither HSV 1 nor HSV 2 who acquire HSV either, they are more likely to symptomatic.  Unfortunately, you used all three of your posts already, but I will leave this open anyway for one follow up question.

Terri
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25 months ago
Thank you , don’t like to be in a constant what if situation but I feel like you’re the only person I will truly believe if I don’t have it. Have you ever seen a new infection where no one seen blisters in 2-10 days , never have a blister in a year , test negative igG 19 weeks  and have redness and itchying for three weeks or more and it never progress into anything worse ? I feel like if I did have sores I wouldn’t have missed them by how fixated I been on it. Also have showed multiple online doctors and my own and they said didn’t have the appearance. Also when it got super red and swollen in October I got prescribed a steroid cream and it started peeling instantly the next day and it was the first time I felt relief in months , for sure skin peel 
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
25 months ago
I have seen people who acquire genital HSV without symptoms, yes.  I know you don't want to hear that but you asked and I will answer truthfully.
I also feel that if you had had sores, you would definitely have noticed them.  the redness and itching you experienced could definitely be fungal and the peeling also suggests that.
If you can't put this behind you, you should obtain a herpes western blot.  You can work with your own provider to get this or with me at westoverheights.com.  Life is too short to worry for a long time!

Terri
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25 months ago
I don’t understand tho why would you be worried about hsv1 if they don’t have symptoms, how would someone even know or be worried this all confuses me
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
25 months ago
I don't know - why are you worried?  I think the reason people are concerned about whether they are infected with HSV 1 or 2 is that both can be transmitted to another person even when symptoms are not present.

Terri
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