[Question #220] Anxiety and need advice please help
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106 months ago
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Male age 24 had unprotected sex with a female I was casually seeing two times and protected a couple times as well. As well as unprotected oral.
Few weeks after suffered itchy penis and groin and a single sore spot on penis approximately half way up which didn't blister or hurt but did kind of scab and dry out. Had a general groin rash on penis and scrotum as well as underneath some as well. Other symptom was leg pain in left quad for a week or two which seemed to come and go but was a weird feeling.
Went to doctor about a week after onset of symptoms and sore spot was mostly gone but still red but groin rash was still very pronounced. Doctor told me it looked fungal. In total I saw five or six doctors (planned parenthood, ER a couple times, family doctor) none were that concerned about Herpes. I was and still am. I fear I went to late when sore spot was mostly gone but I showed them pictures I took initially and the planned parenthood doctor didn't seem nearly as concerned as I was.
I was tested for bacterial stis and blood test for HIV as well as syphillis and Hep and that was negative. Retested for HIV twice (8 weeks oral fluid test, then another blood test just shy of ten weeks doctor told me that would be conclusive.) I have always been paranoid of HIV but the last test helped
I had red spots appear in my mouth on tongue a couple months after incident and went to see doctor immediately this was as soon as I noticed. They thought possible yeast or thrush I asked for a Herp swab and they did which was negative for 1 and 2 and neither of the two doctors I showed my tongue to thought it looked herpetic. Where I live in Canada they told me they rarely do herpes blood tests and they think I have an anxiety issue and can put it all behind me. But I am having trouble with that. Should I listen to them or what should I do? I have asked multiple doctors for a herpes blood test and they have said no basically so I need some support or another opinion. I have a ge
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106 months ago
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I submitted that by accident too early. Basically my questions are: 1) does this sound like herpes?
2) should I listen to the handful of doctors I have now seen? (7 or 8) total
3) I currently have another groin rash which has been here all month and have seen three doctors who say it's fungal again and not herpes at all. What should I do?
4) even my family doctor told me to move on and I can put the event behind me but I've become obsessed with herpes and am so sure I have it. Do my symptoms genitally sound like herpes (only visually viewed but by six doctors) ? Or my tongue issue by two doctors and was swabbed?
any advice? Thanks
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
106 months ago
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The problem with seeing a doctor and relying on that visual diagnosis (or lack of one), is that without an active lesion, a visual rule in or rule out is not very useful. I seriously doubt that they would mix up a fungal infection with a herpes infection but also it is possible that you have both. The tongue issue does not sound like herpes to me, but the sore spot with a scab does concern me some.
In this situation, I think a herpes antibody test is the best possible answer to your question. I don't know when this contact happened, but I would advise that you wait at least 12 weeks for an accurate antibody test. Let me ask - have you ever in your life had a cold sore on your lip or in your nose? If yes I would expect that you have HSV 1 which would mean that the unprotected oral sex that you received from her would not put you at risk of getting HSV 1. If you've not had a cold sore, there might be some risk there.
Are you saying you are unable to get the test or it is just difficult?
Terri
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In this situation, I think a herpes antibody test is the best possible answer to your question. I don't know when this contact happened, but I would advise that you wait at least 12 weeks for an accurate antibody test. Let me ask - have you ever in your life had a cold sore on your lip or in your nose? If yes I would expect that you have HSV 1 which would mean that the unprotected oral sex that you received from her would not put you at risk of getting HSV 1. If you've not had a cold sore, there might be some risk there.
Are you saying you are unable to get the test or it is just difficult?
Terri
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106 months ago
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I live in Canada and I've had the planned parenthood and several other doctors tell me they don't do blood tests and only swabs etc. I have never had a cold sore that I can remember at least. I don't know what the heck to do, they told me to put it behind me and move on but I have been basically unable to do so and don't know how to get a test or whether I should just trust them because I have seen a lot of doctors. Does my leg pain I mention sound herpe related? It probably started a week or two after my groin rash and lasted a couple weeks. I guess I could have pulled a muscle but I don't know. What would you recommend I do in my situation?
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106 months ago
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So my tongue spots doesn't sound like that? I guess a swab would help confirm that like it did. Doctors also told me that a fungal infection could scab with q break in the skin. Maybe I have both?
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
106 months ago
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Your tongues spots do not sound like herpes to me, no. And the leg pain is also not likely to be related. And if you were able to get an antibody test for HSV 1, we could not know if you have it orally or genitally unless it comes back again and you get a swab test that is positive. My only concern really is the area that scabbed and was sore. If you can put this behind you based on their opinions, then yes, that sounds like the most practical option for you. If you cannot and want an antibody test for HSV 2 in particular, I would suggest that you continue to look for someplace that does antibody testing. Where in Canada do you live?
Terri
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Terri
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106 months ago
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Thanks for the quick replies. I live in NS and they told me they don't do blood tests here and my research online seems to confirm that. My only real option would be some kind of US testing or something.
Can a fungal infection cause a break in the skin like I describe? I was very itchy in my whole groin and testicles as well no flu like symptoms or swollen lymph nodes. I am dating a girl and all we have done is kiss and I have told her about my scare and what the doctors have told me as well as my negative tests for everything else but I do not want to put her at risk. (I'm also sure she's never been tested for HSV as well). I read that you described leg pain in one leg as herpes related sometimes. So that got me worried about my left quad pain. But the spot I described and my groin rash did not hurt at all and the spot might have been there for three or four days total. What would be the best option for me moving forward? I usually always am a safe responsible person and I'm mad at myself for screwing up so I just want to cover my bases moving forward. When I went in the sore spot was mostly gone but still red and my groin was very inflamed as well as my urethra, scrotum etc and I showed them pictures from the different days. My family doctor didn't even think I needed to mention this moving forward but I really wanted to.
Also my tongue has come and gone with some spots but they don't last. You highly doubt that is herpes related based on my swab and visual? I have performed oral on girls before and didn't want it to be HSV 2 orally or something. Even though the swab was negative.
It's been like three plus months now and I have had groin itchiness and redness for a solid month now which I've seen a couple doctors for who say it's fungal. I have had plenty of fungal issues in ththe past.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
106 months ago
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Yes, a fungal infection can definitely cause a break in the skin - I see it often when the fungi really start breaking down the tissue and the most common location is where the leg meets the body and around the testes. Yes people with herpes can get pain down the back of the leg sometimes as the virus gets more active most often before an outbreak. It's good that you got the pictures for your doctor see, even if you weren't actually with him when you had the sore spot.
Yes, the tongue is not usually a spot for herpes outbreaks. You could Google something called geographic tongue and see if this is the kind of thing you are experiencing.
Glad you doc also thinks it is fungal - sure sounds that way!
In terms of eliminating herpes from your list of worries: at this point, I don't think there is much that you can do but accept what you have been told and move along. You've had the in -person opinion that this is not herpes and if no one in Canada has access to blood antibody testing, then everyone is basically in the same boat - you go by what your provider thinks. You have done responsible checking around, discussing this with experts, going to see your doctor. The redness and itching is likely fungal. What more can you do? I would go with what you have a life a full and loving life.
Terri
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Yes, the tongue is not usually a spot for herpes outbreaks. You could Google something called geographic tongue and see if this is the kind of thing you are experiencing.
Glad you doc also thinks it is fungal - sure sounds that way!
In terms of eliminating herpes from your list of worries: at this point, I don't think there is much that you can do but accept what you have been told and move along. You've had the in -person opinion that this is not herpes and if no one in Canada has access to blood antibody testing, then everyone is basically in the same boat - you go by what your provider thinks. You have done responsible checking around, discussing this with experts, going to see your doctor. The redness and itching is likely fungal. What more can you do? I would go with what you have a life a full and loving life.
Terri
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