[Question #7748] Irritated and red in perineum - can this be herpes?

52 months ago

Hello Terri, I have kind of asked few questions in the past and I continue to struggle with the genital issues on a constant basis. 3 years ago I had a completely condom protected encounter with CSW for 5-10 min and 4 days later symptoms of itching irritation and feeling of pins stabbing my genitals started. Western Blot from UoW at 6.5 months post exposure is negative for both hsv 1 and 2 and so do the IgGs post 14 weeks and 1 year after exposure.

Today I found my genitals r very irritated and I can’t resist to touch and check for cracks or sores myself and I can’t find any in this process I might have irritated then. I am truly worried as I cheated my wife and I still have this virus.

Pls see my perineum pic but u don’t have to diagnose looking at them. I know u r not comfortable generally looking at pics but given if I ask a derm doc apt I might not even get it for 1-2 months. So appreciate taking a look and tell me if u r really concerned are not? I can’t see anything physically given. Pls I urge to help me.

https://ibb.co/3dM6j24

https://ibb.co/XX3TwgG

What r ur thoughts on Negative WB from UoW accuracy 6.5 months post testing? I never had issues before sleeping with this CSW but following I had all these . I am scared to death and don’t know what to do should I go do PCR tomorrow? I don’t even know what to do at the moment..

My penis has a small bump and I am also trying to understand what causes it. It seems like a follicule

infected there but I have no clue. The bump is painless, no in grown hair, no broken skin areas. Should this concern?

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

52 months ago

My thought is that if you had a negative western blot at 6.5 months post-contact, you should believe it most certainly, 100%.

I believe that your guilt and worry are overriding your common sense about this. You had one protected encounter, a negative western blot 6 months out and no sores.

You should take herpes completely off your worry list, as well as any other STD

Terri

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52 months ago

Sure Terri, I understand but I have read posts showing people with negative blot still had issues but no spot to swab and struggle with this issue of constant itching and irritation.

I took COVID shot, 2-3 three weeks ago and the itching increased so much and so bad that I am itching again like I was doing during the first exposure. I saw a GP and a dermatologist yesterday and they felt the area did not look like typical herpes but I read of atypical symptoms. One guy has paper cut tested neg for WB and still did PCr and found positive. He even checked with u and u advised him to repeat PCr. Cases like these r pretty scary,

I have asked the doc to swab the area for me PCR so will see what happens.

Since my genital irritation on Sunday I applied Triamcinolone acetonide steroid and it reduced my itching and pain in the area, I can’t keep using this ointment for ever as it could hurt the skin there..

Given u saw two more cases that missed western blot last two years how do we know we r missing more cases if they r not swabbing? Found on other websites people r missing on WB and PCr finding it. Will this reduce the sensitivity to 96 or 97???

With us having these issues and not showing on WB so u think our bodies r not making Antibodies and not significant enough for detection in test?

My GP said he will prescribe antivirals if I don’t see improvement. What r ur thoughts on this? If I start and stop AV will it increase the r chances of any break out? Pls suggest. I m stressed out that I will infect my wife :( :(

52 months ago

Hello Terri,

My red area was swabbed by the emergency care doc and they found I tested positive for genital herpes despite the negative western blot after 6 months of exposure and iggs and I tested positive for herpes culture.

I knew something was wrong with my body despite I trusted the Western blot I think I might even have infected my wife. I need to get her checked.

I have been constantly following up with you for the r last 3 years thanks for the support. I could not believe that I tested positive for herpes. My fears came true unfortunately.

Thanks

52 months ago

Hello Terri,

Hospital called and said they misinterpreted the result, it’s negative for culture I don’t know if doing culture is right as they have nothing to swab. I asked for PCR but they have done a culture which is probably not the right one. It turned out to be negative though. Sorry for the wrong information above.

Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner

52 months ago

I suspected that something was off with the reading of the culture. It just didn't make any sense given your history of a single protected sexual encounter and a negative western blot

This has been bothering you for so long and you have lots of evidence that you are not infected. I just don't know what else to say to you at this point. If I had the slightest concern here, I would feel differently, but I just don't. I'm sorry.

Terri

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