[Question #374] Negative Test Results but still Unsure

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107 months ago
On September 1st, 2015 around 1:00 AM I received unprotected oral sex and protected nearly vaginal (ejaculated before insertion) sex with a stripper. I ordered a 10 panel test from stdcheck.com.

Tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea on September 8th, 2015. Next day urine test came back negative for both. Tested for HIV 1/2, Herpes 1/2, syphilis, and Hepatitis A/B/C on September 30th, 2015. Next day blood test came back negative/non-reactive for everything (HSV were IgG specific).

In-between 1st and 2nd part of test I started to feel/believe I had symptoms. Itching/burning sensation at head of penis and what appeared to be a faint pimple half way up my shaft on the right side. According to my web research, looked like I would test positive for HSV 2, but I didn't. After October 1st, 2015 it appeared my "symptoms" were all in my head and everything felt fine.

Around early December I noticed the same discomfort once again in addition to the sighting of what looked like stretch marks inside my thigh (I've gained a few pounds, so that seemed understandable). I ordered a single HSV 2 test from stdcheck.com. Tested on December 4th, 2015. Next day results came back negative once again. Still unconvinced. 

On December 17th, 2015 I went to an urgent care clinic. Doctor deduced the "stretch marks" as jock itch and could hardly notice the "pimple on my shaft." I was prescribed some anti-fungal medicine and have been applying it for about the past five days. 3 days ago I noticed a sizable bump with some definition on my lower back. It does not seem like a pimple.

After being given the negative results from everything on the 10 test panel I have had unprotected vaginal sex with my wife about 4 times and have engaged in mutual masturbation at least 10 times. I have given her oral sex about 3 times. During the entire time she has experienced no physical or visible symptoms for anything. 

So my question is this: What, if any, STD could I possibly have? Thanks
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
107 months ago

Welcome to the Forum.  I am going to do my best to convince you that your symptoms and signs at varying locations are not an STI.  Here goes:

1.  Your risk for acquiring any STI from the exposure you describe is low.  Most people, even most commercial sex workers do not have HIV or other STIs.  Further, when they do, acquisition of infection from receipt of unprotected oral sex  is statistically considerably less common than from unprotected genital-genital contact. 

2.  Even if your partner did have an infection, most single exposures do not lead to infection.  the best data are for HIV where transmission is estimated to occur, on average, once for every 1000 exposures and for gonorrhea where infection occurs as often as once in every five vaginal exposures for men having unprotected sex with infected partners.

3.  You used a condom.  Condoms are highly effective.  There is no reason for concern about breakage.  When condoms fail, they break wide open leaving no doubt that they have failed.

4.  The abnormalities you have described are at varying locations around your body rather than in the same place.  The sorts of migratory and varying signs and symptoms you describe are not suggestive of any STI.

5. Lastly and most importantly, you have been tested with highly reliable tests at times when tests will provide accurate results.  I urge you to believe them.

Thus, to summarize, for all of the reasons mentioned above, you are more likely to be struck by lightning while reading my response than to have acquired an STI from the events you describe.  My guess is that due to heightened concern and perhaps guilt, you are looking for "any" sign of infection and attributing the sorts of lesions, stretch marks, etc. that we all see  and have from time to time to possible STIs acquired during your dalliance.  I urge you not to worry further and to focus on moving forward without concern. Further testing would be a waste of time and money.  EWH


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