[Question #157] I really need to ease my mind

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109 months ago

Hi!

I hope my explanation isnt that long but I really want you guys to have all the details because I feel like Im gonna go crazy. Back in December 2013 I got the chickenpox vaccine administrated, 4 days later (right where they putted the vaccine) I got a ¨cellulite¨ it became really red, inflammated and it was warm to touch. I went to the ER and they gave me some antibiotics. 2 days laters I was eating and felt like I needed to pee. When I wipped myself there was blood in the tissue paper and it kind of hurt. When I looked myself I had like a ¨pimple¨ with pus on it (just one) it was red and I was able to see blood and pus on it, I went back to the ER and I showed the MD a picture of what I had. He prescribed me Famvir and I thought it was because chicken pox was related with herpes zoster. I took them and the ¨pimple¨eventually faded but it didnt popped, crust or anything (like I read herpes blisters do) it just reduced its size and eventually dissapeared (it took like 5 days).


December 2014 I got the same thing in the same place and I felt discomfort and pain before it popped out. Obviously I panicked and I went to my gyno. She told me that we should wait 2 days to see how it developed. I went back and as soon as I opened my legs she said ¨thats definetly a cyst or pimple¨. She didnt swabbed it or anything I kept taking Keflex and as soon as she popped it I felt completely cured. It came out a lot of pus and blood when she popped it and she told me ¨you have nothing to worry about that wasnt an herpes blíster¨.I got a blood test done that time (Igg) and it came back negative. Ok, why am I worried? When that happened I was with my ex who used to get something like cold sores on his lip (he said it was because of stress) but now I think it was herpes. I was a virgin so we never had intercourse but he practiced me oral sex. He never did anything while having that on his mouth (that I remember) , in fact we didnt kissed when he was like that.


Now Im in a new relationship and sexually active, I started to take birth control pills and last week (when I started my period) I started feeling some discomfort, itchiness in my vulva and like a really mild burning sensation inside my vagina. It doesnt hurt to pee or anything (not even when I had the pimple)  so I went to my gyno and she didnt took a look at it because she told me she was sure Im having a yeast infection. I got another blood test done and it came back negative again but she says that she doesnt believe in those tests and that she have to take a look to the ¨blisters¨ to know if its herpes or something else. Im really worried and I feel like Im gonna die if I get that thing again this December. What are the odds that I may have herpes?, Should I trust my gyno and blood tests?, If its a pimple, why it is recurrent for the same season?.

I really need to easy my mind since Im having the perfect relationship now and it scares me the possibility of losing it. Please enlight me with your knowledge because I barely can eat or sleep worrying about this.

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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
109 months ago
I'm so sorry this is getting to you so much, I hear the frustration and fear in the words that you type.
If your antibody tests are negative, the HSV 2 test is about 98% sensitive compared to western blot (meaning is only misses about two cases in 100) and the HSV 1 antibody test picks up about 73% of cases compared to the herpes western blot, missing about 27 our of 100 cases. 

The cellulite sounds nothing like herpes, it sounds like an infection after the vaccination.  Also, herpes lesions do not normally contact blood OR pus.  It sounds to me like no swab testing has ever been done from these lesions, is that correct? 

Have you ever had a cold sore on your lip or in your nose in the past?

Terri
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109 months ago
Thank you for answering... No... Never had a swab test done. Do herpes blister always look like the water blister someone gets for using tight shoes? Like clear liquid inside? I really need to put this behind. Should I be worried? Should I trust my gyno? By your expertise... Does it sound like herpes? 
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
109 months ago
Herpes lesions do look like very small water blisters, yes.  And often they are in groups but not always.  And sometimes in women, the blisters break as the labia rubs together with walking and you might only see the little ulcer that they leave.  Your lesions with pus and blood do NOT sound like herpes to me, no.  But if you get another one, I think you should go in to have it swab tested right away (like the same day or next day) so be certain.  I'm not really concerned about HSV 2 because the testing is quite good.  Did you get my question about cold sores? 

Terri
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109 months ago
Yeah I got it... I've never had a cold sore in my life and I was thinking that the possibility of being infected it would be higher for hsv 1 because we kissed a lot more than we had oral sex. But I've never have a cold sore or anything like that. My blood tests came back negative for both types of Hsv (0.2). What is your advice? Should I not be worried? I always present 1 lesion and it never became an ulcer or anything like that. My gyno says it comes from inside the skin not like herpes that looks like a water blister in the surface of the skin. Is it true? Please help me! 
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
109 months ago
Your gyno is in a far better position to respond to the appearance of this lesions.  If both of your antibody tests are negative it is unlikely that you are infected.  The screening test picks up about 98% of HSV 2 and about 73% of HSV 1 infections.  If I had to bet, I would bet you are in the clear here.  This is your final post, Joy.  If you have more questions, feel free to renew.

Terri
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