[Question #2701] [Question #2685] Herpes infection scare: follow-up

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95 months ago
Thank you so much, Terri. I am 100% sure that I did not have genital HSV1 prior to this encounter. Having grown up in a developing country, I am pretty sure that I would have acquired oral HSV1 at some point. This makes me wonder- does it put my future female partner at risk of genital HSV1, if I go down on her? If yes, is that risk low enough to be ignored? Another question I have is, in your opinion what could have been the cause of the bumps on my penis head? The doctors I saw think it might have been fungal and/or caused by friction. Results and your response makes me feel much better now. Only thing I can't get out of my mind is that they did look like Herpes bumps (cluster), but never progressed and did not show any other sign of Herpes.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
95 months ago
I assume that you are so certain you don't have HSV 1 genitally because you have never received oral sex prior to this encounter.  Otherwise, there is no way to be so certain about the location of your infection. 
If you do have oral infection, yes there is a chance that you could be shedding without any symptoms and infect a partner by giving them oral sex.  But if you are giving oral sex to someone who already has HSV 1, that is not a significant risk at all. 
Your penis bumps really do sound fungal to me as well though obviously I wasn't there to make a realistic opinion, only going by your statements about the bumps, the duration, the nature of the bumps and your sexual history and test results given.

Terri
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95 months ago
Hi Terri,
Thank you. Yes, you are correct about the Oral sex situation. I am very concerned this morning and going to visit the doctor soon. I experienced lower right leg pain and intermittent headache (on top of my head and mostly and sometimes on the front). I was felling something weird on around my right ankle as well. Taking a Tylenol helped with leg pain, but headache kept on coming intermittently in the night. Also, I observed pain while moving my neck to the right side for few minutes. When I read online, all these seem like Herpes symptoms. What are the best options at this point for me? I don't want this to turn even more complicated if it's Herpes. Somehow I am feeling that I have caught HSV2 unluckily. I wasn't able to sleep entire night cause of worry.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
95 months ago
My advice would be to get off the internet.   You are worrying yourself into a snit.  I hope your visit to the doctor gives you reassurance.  I do not believe that you have contracted HSV 2.

Terri
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95 months ago
Thank you so much, Terri. Your words definitely put my mind to ease. The Dr. wasn't in on Friday, so I am planning to see her on Mon on our scheduled appointment. I did not observe leg pain or headache yesterday. I was just too scared because of the pain on Thursday night. You are right about the internet, I haven't even been able to focus on my work and have been just spending all my time reading the forums, seeing people attribute any and every problem to Herpes. It has gotten me too scared- reading about neuralgia and what not. Because of the headache, I was sure that I had meningitis cause of Herpes. I observed a new pus filled bump on my testicles yesterday, but I am sure it's just a pimple and will try not to worry about it, maybe have the Dr. have a look on it on Monday.  I will just try to stay positive now and continue with my work. 
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
95 months ago
Yes, that's a great attitude.  Just perfect.  Of all of the people who complain of neuralgia, most test negative for HSV 2. That's not to say that HSV 2 can't cause neuralgia, it certainly can, but way more people have neuralgia than test positive for HSV 2.

Terri
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