[Question #6655] Flu-like symptoms and unusually severe oral HSV outbreak after exposures
12 months ago
|
3 weeks ago: Unprotected vaginal sex with new partner 4 times. I considered her very low risk (just got out of divorce, one lifetime sexual partner and 3 kids. Drugs were part of the reason she left, but the drug being abused was adderall). I wasn't very worried about this. This was a one weekend fling. I developed a small cold sore on my lip just before this time and took 4g Valtrex.
1 week ago: Kissing and light petting from a girl I met at a bar.
5 days ago: Kissing and hand stuff from a differnt new girl.
3 days ago: Same girl. Deeper kissing, dry humping, unprotected oral (on me), maybe some very brief skin on skin contact. I was about to perform oral on her, kissing her upper pubic area, but stopped. I don't think my lips contacted her vulva, but if they did it was for a split second. Definitely no penetration at any point.
Within the next hour I developed chills and severe fatigue. I thought this was the flu and got Tamiflu and took it immediately. I could not get out of bed for 48 hours with a temp of 102.5. The cough wasn't that bad when I was laying down, but if I would get up or take a deep breath I would have a brief fit and cough up a little bit of phlegm. I had a burning sensation in my throat, trachea, and upper chest when breathing, which hurt when coughing.
Also, given that my flu-like symptoms started 3 weeks after my unprotected sexual encounter, combined with the unusual HSV outbreak, I'm worried this could be ARS. I have not had a skin rash that I can notice. I have had diarrhea, but I heard that can be due to Tamiflu.
12 months ago
|
![]() |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
12 months ago
|
Welcome to this side of our Forum. Thanks for your question and the detailed history which accompanied it. I reviewed your earlier interaction with Terri and agree with all that she said, their is very, very little chance of having acquired HSV-2 from the encounter you describe and once a persons has HSV-1 they do not get other HSV-1 infections from other persons (or at other parts on their body). I also are confident that other than I don't have a good explanation for the unusual appearance of your apparent HSV-1 recurrence, while they tend to follow a pattern they do vary. The only way to find out if the lesion you had was HSV-2 is to have the lesion tested, preferably by PCR. If the lesion is still there and it is due to HSV-2, the PCR should still be positive. Blood tests will not be helpful in this situation at this time.
The other flu-like illness you describe certainly sounds like influenza and you did all the correct things. The possibility of dengue is an interesting one. In case you are interested, neither the exposures nor the timing are in any way suggestive of HIV. I'm glad you are feeling better. I'm not sure there is much to be gained by other testing.
I hope that I've addressed your questions. If there are other concerns or if I've missed something, please don't hesitate to use your up to two follow-ups for clarification. EWH
12 months ago
|
![]() |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
12 months ago
|
There are no scientific studies which inform us as to what makes some HSV outbreaks better or worse. We certainly do know that when persons immunity is weakened by things such as cancer chemotherapy outbreaks can be much worse so there is some logic to the idea that when your body is fighting another illness your outbreaks could be both more likely to occur and more extensive than usual.
As far as the PCR testing is concerned, the sooner you test, the more likely it is to be positive but we certainly do know that the valacyclovir will shorten the duration that the virus is detectable, if it is HSV-1 as expected.
And you are correct, nothing you have described suggests a need for HIV testing. EWH