[Question #580] Herpes 2

Avatar photo
103 months ago
Hello experts
My question to is for years 15 or so I get an intense itch on my penis every so often around the glans.  Sometimes I have scratched raw.  The skin was very dry and flaky it was always the same spot that would itch and other dry spots would appear on other spots they where not raised or blistered.  Does this sound like reoccurent herpes 1/2 .  I went to the dermatogist finally  because it appeared again after about a year of nothing and she said it appeared to be irritation , I also went to std clinic 3 days before dermatogist and she said looks like yeast.  Also one final question I had sex unprotected with my wife who I have been with for the past eight years , 15 days ago if this was a non traditional herpes presentation what is the chances she would have had an out break by now. 
Thanks in advance
Avatar photo
Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
103 months ago
Good morning Lawrence,
Genital herpes  normally does not present like very dry and flaky skin - the presentation is more blistery with ulcers and scabs.  Do you think the rawness that you describe is from scratching or does the rawness come first and then you scratch it?  It's so good that you went to the dermatologist as there is just nothing quite as good a being able to evaluate something in person.  If you happen to have herpes  (and this may or may not be a presentation of herpes), yes, it could be transmitted to your wife but if you've had no other partners, you could have transmitted it years ago as well.  do you have reason to be concerned that you have new herpes?

Terri
---
Avatar photo
103 months ago
Terri
I have no new concerns regarding herpes my wife was tested before we got together ( I just had blood work done myself  last week no results yet the wait is shear agony)and I haver never been unfaithful .  My concern is only from this reoccurent itch that would come from time to time and redness in the same area never A blister that I noticed  BUT who knows if I missed it. It was a  similar itch to what just finally got me to go to the doctor.  My worry is that it was an atypical presentation that was present around the the time my wife and I had sex 15 days ago and I going nuts not for me but for I could given my wife.  She is very calm about the whole thing.  Terri saying I'm scared is an understatement. Have I been dismissing something all this time and wife's well being is why I asked the question.  I came to this site because of the expertise that you and the other experts have in these matters from what I have gleaned from the Internet.
Avatar photo
Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
103 months ago
OK, Lawrence, I hear that you are not concerned about this because of a new encounter which makes the discussion far easier.  So what if you do have genital herpes?  You would have had it before you were with your wife (or she had it and gave it to you).  You have some intense itching from time to time but other than that, the diagnosis itself might be what is bothering you so much.  The word herpes?  The fact that you might have an STD?  If your wife is calm about this, then the anxiety is coming from inside of you.  This may be a non-issue when the results come back from your blood tests, but if you are positive for HSV 2, then I want you to step back and view this from a very reasonable, rationale point of view and try to sort out why the possibility of this diagnosis has you so anxious.  You've got one more post to make here, how about if you wait until you've got results, if you want to, and we can discuss?  I don't want you to feel like I'm not being sensitive to your concerns at all, but sometimes it's easy to get swept up in the whole stigma thing without thinking it through rationally. 

Terri
---
Avatar photo
103 months ago
Terri
Thank you for your words I know it is my anxiety that has gotten the better of me , I have had bad anxiety my whole life and have learned to control it obviously not with this issue.  I did get my results today I drove to doctors office when they first opened and the lab faxed them over. 
Neg hiv 
neg hsv2 <.91 
pos hsv 1 8.3
So I am relieved to an extent the hsv 1 still concerns me because I will never know where it is, I have never had noticeable blister oral or genital.
Only the symptoms I had previously described.  My question is how concerned should I be  about this itch from time to time and having sex or intimacy with my wife?  I know I have not had what I percieve to be typical symtoms on my genitals but when this itch or red area develops should I go to the doctor and have it looked at?  I just want to be proactive to the best of my ability instead of reactive.
Thank you in advance ,the information that you have offered and your online resources have been very informative and helpful.
Avatar photo
Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
103 months ago
I think the itching alone should not be a concern.  More than 56% of the US Population between 14 and 49 have HSV 1 infection, so it is more common to be an infected than NOT to be infected.  We can't know if your infection is oral or genital because I don't hear you saying you've ever had a cold sore on your lip.  If you have, and you've not told me, that's why you are HSV 1 positive.  Has your wife been tested?  She might well be HSV 1 positive as well!

This is your final post on this subscription, I hope this has been helpful for you, Lawrence.

Terri
---