Hi Doc, Since there is word limit I will try to limit it to facts. 04/13 - had protected sex with sex worker- oral and vaginal. changed condoms for each individual act. ( I was soft during intercourse and never came ) Four days after I started having hot flashes. ( feverish/unwell feeling ) but no fever. Robitussin seemed to take care of . 04/19 - Went to urgent care for std screening as I was concerned at this point. All came back negative but HSV 1 was positive.  I had HSV 1 for years. Also my blood pressure was very high 135/103 as I was very stressed. Next few days I had headaches all day long ( mild ) would go away with otc meds. ( But no hot flashes )So I went to follow up with my PCP ON 04/26 and he was like you wore condom so no way you have std's ( ignorant sorry ) I insisted him to take HSV1 and HSV2 ( IGM and IGG tests ). HSV 2 IGM and IGG both came negative. Things were going  ok then out of no where I felt throbbing pain one day. ( I would not tell if it was from lower abdomen, groin or even back ) Since then I feel like I have very mild pain in my testicles or groin ( could be imaginary ) Other symptoms:- I had buttocks pain ( only hurt when pressed like pain you feel after work out. ) lasted two days. Stool: mostly ok but one or two times I had watery discharge. Again yesterday I had a bad headache and the flu like feeling came back no temperature though. I am very stressed and for 3 weeks the only thing I have done is goggling it. It is 27 days now and no sign of sores or liaisons. Also, last time I did STD screening was last year and except HSV1 everything was negative and this is was first sex after that.

1. What is the possibility of HSV 2?

2. I know about IGM tests, but does this particular test has any significance as I knew of status last year?

3. Should I not have sex until 3 months with my wife to get tested or herpes lesions shows up?

4. If I take test 6 weeks after my initial exposure. How confident can I be about the test?

Terri,

Thank you so much for your quick response. I have been waiting for one since morning then I forgot my user name and password and then reset.. see how worried I am. I respect your opinion below and I fully acknowledge it. I have been to few PCP's now for some kind of assurance in my situation and have got none. They look at web md and convey me the same message that I have been looking for 3 weeks now. My only concerns are the coincidences. ( symptoms )

1. I started having hot flashes ( feeling unwell ( feverish ) ) to the point I took off and the whole week I was feeling miserable. I had no fever though. May be at one time it was 99.6 and soon after I measured again it was 98.6. So, I don't think I even had a low grade fever. But this weak and stressed, unwell feeling lasted for a whole week. As I mentioned once I started having the flu med it was gone.

2. As soon as the feverish feeling went away, it followed by headaches. I barely get headaches even when I have cold. If I do get one it lasts for a day. This one lasted almost a week. During this time I had buttocks pain as well as I had described in the earlier post. The buttocks pain lasted just 2 days.

3. I was doing ok then all of a sudden at work one day I started having throbbing pain in my lower abdomen/groin/back. ( I couldn't tell ) I tool Tylenol next day it was gone.

4. After that I had a feeling that I have been having pain in testicles or groin which again not sure of. ( could well be stress related or imaginary )

All these happen after that encounter and I am having hard time believing it has nothing to do with it. I am more worried about herpes 2 as it can be easily caught even with protected. I should be more worried about HIV but I have convinced myself that it cannot be HIV as I have to be very unlucky to get one in this circumstances. So, it brings back to the same thing that if I have got something it probably HSV 2.

The day before yesterday ( Saturday ) I was going ok. Yesterday my headache started again and the weak and feverish feeling followed. I took the blood pressure and it was high 140/92. I am not sure if these two are related.

Questions:

1. The things that made me believe that I have herpes are the flu like symptoms ( feverish, weak, stressed, general malaise ) followed by headaches. Aren't these the symptoms of herpes. Or am I misinterpreting these symptoms. I have heard these can precede outbreaks. Or one can have these feelings for long time without outbreak. If these were the symptoms of herpes how long usually would it last. And headaches would that be on or off or continuous. Also, how would the headaches feel like. Mine is more towards left side near by eye.

I guess I am repeating the same things I said earlier but just wanted to make sure that these are not typical symptoms of herpes. I guess I read a lot online and misinterpreted every thing.

2. One fear I have is I have HSV 1 and its shielding my outbreak. In other words, I am having these symptoms but not the outbreaks as a result of it. It has been 25-27 days post exposure. If I were you have initial outbreak ( with HSV 1 ) present, is it too soon. I know primary herpes outline but it would not be same for me as I have HSV 1 correct. What is the time frame for outbreak in this situation.

3.  I worry because even though I used condom I am not sure if it was used correctly. I only saw that I was going hard and soft during the intercourse. But the penis was covered just was soft so I question.

4. Do you think my symptoms like feverish and headaches are due to fear and stress then the herpes.

5. Lastly, do you think my symptoms resembles any other std symptoms.

I apologize for the long email but it feel so comforting to talk to std's experts then other doctors at this moment. I have waited 3 weeks to talk to someone about this.

Sorry again.