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STD/HIV Confusion
On 12/28, I received oral sex through a 'gloryhole' at an adult bookstore.
Immediately afterwards, I panicked and applied hand sanitizer to my hands and genitals (I know the futility of this, but it bears mentioning). I also had some leftover doxycyline (100mg), and immediately began to take it twice a day.
On 12/31, I was was tested for Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and HIV. All negative. I was worried sick about my recent activity. I was constantly stressing, and began to notice a tingling sensation toward the tip of my penis. Also developed redness right around the meatus. Tingling continued on and off. Once, it became very intense and had me VERY worried about herpes and HIV (sores = transmssion). I also at some point poured pure white vinegar on the redness to check for genital warts (nothing turned white).
The tingling eventually stopped, but the redness did not. There has never been discharge, bumps, swelling, or painful urination.
On 1/6/12, I saw an urgent care doc. He did a visual exam and did a swab test for gonorrhea/chlamydia (negative). He said the redness was just irritation and that the tingling was non-indicative. Rx of 500mg of azithromycin which I took the next day. Redness continued.
On 1/11, I saw a urologist. He did a visual exam, said it looked like irritation and ordered a full blood panel (HSV/HIV). Negative results. Gave me mycolog cream and told me to apply to redness. He thought maybe a yeast infection.
On 1/20, had my follow up. My redness had abated slightly. Still no pain. Doc seemed puzzled it hadn't gotten much better and gave me doxy 100mg to take for two weeks. Told me it was "very unlikely" that I had HSV/HIV based on the negative results.
I am worried sick that I contracted both/either herpes/HIV from my partner since I could not see him to assess any sores/cuts. Do my negative tests really mean I am negative since the test was done only 2 weeks after the incident?
Immediately afterwards, I panicked and applied hand sanitizer to my hands and genitals (I know the futility of this, but it bears mentioning). I also had some leftover doxycyline (100mg), and immediately began to take it twice a day.
On 12/31, I was was tested for Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and HIV. All negative. I was worried sick about my recent activity. I was constantly stressing, and began to notice a tingling sensation toward the tip of my penis. Also developed redness right around the meatus. Tingling continued on and off. Once, it became very intense and had me VERY worried about herpes and HIV (sores = transmssion). I also at some point poured pure white vinegar on the redness to check for genital warts (nothing turned white).
The tingling eventually stopped, but the redness did not. There has never been discharge, bumps, swelling, or painful urination.
On 1/6/12, I saw an urgent care doc. He did a visual exam and did a swab test for gonorrhea/chlamydia (negative). He said the redness was just irritation and that the tingling was non-indicative. Rx of 500mg of azithromycin which I took the next day. Redness continued.
On 1/11, I saw a urologist. He did a visual exam, said it looked like irritation and ordered a full blood panel (HSV/HIV). Negative results. Gave me mycolog cream and told me to apply to redness. He thought maybe a yeast infection.
On 1/20, had my follow up. My redness had abated slightly. Still no pain. Doc seemed puzzled it hadn't gotten much better and gave me doxy 100mg to take for two weeks. Told me it was "very unlikely" that I had HSV/HIV based on the negative results.
I am worried sick that I contracted both/either herpes/HIV from my partner since I could not see him to assess any sores/cuts. Do my negative tests really mean I am negative since the test was done only 2 weeks after the incident?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our Forum. I will try to help. I have a number of thoughts and suggestions which I will provide. These suggestions will be direct and to the point as it seems that your anxiety is threatening to get the better of you.
1. What's done is done. You had the exposure. I suspect you got lucky and were not infected (more about this below) but there is nothing you can do about what has already happened. You can however stop adding to the confusion by going from doctor to doctor and applying various creams, cleansers and other substances like vinegar to your penis. Each of these things can be irritating in and of themselves. At this time the only thing these will do is confuse things.
2. Get one doctor who you trust and work with him/her. Do not "doctor shop". All this will do is result in people giving you still more antibiotics and drugs that you probably don't need. The redness you describe is an ongoing process that needs to run its course. Every time you see a new doctor, they have no perspective from which to judge how things have changed.
3. If you were exposed to a typical STD such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, etc, the combination of antibiotics you took (doxy- azithro- now more doxy) would have prevented cured what might have been there. You have negative tests- believe them and after you complete your current course of doxycycline, stop taking antibiotics unless you and your doctor are clear on what is being treated.
4. Redness is not herpes. By now if you were going to have an HSV outbreak, you would have. Put your fears of HSV aside and please don't waste your time and money with further blood tests.
5. HIV. There has NEVER been a case of HIV documented to result from receipt of oral sex- I repeat NEVER. You are not going to be the first. In fact, we no longer urge persons whose only exposure has been oral sex to have test related to such exposures. I realize that the fact the I do not recommend it does not mean that you will follow my advice but, if you chose to test, when your tests are negative, as I am confident they will be, please believe the result. At this time, a standard HIV antibody test would detect over 90% of recent infections.
6. At this point what may have caused your penile redness is difficult to say. Possibilities include irritation form the cleanser, drug reactions for the antibiotics you have taken, irritation from repeated self examination or some other dermatological process. At this time, my advice is to watch it, to keep your hands off your penis except to go to the bathroom and see what happens. I suspect it will resolve on its own. If not, work with the doctor you have selected (see above) to address the problem.
I hope my comments provide some perspective and are helpful. EWH
1. What's done is done. You had the exposure. I suspect you got lucky and were not infected (more about this below) but there is nothing you can do about what has already happened. You can however stop adding to the confusion by going from doctor to doctor and applying various creams, cleansers and other substances like vinegar to your penis. Each of these things can be irritating in and of themselves. At this time the only thing these will do is confuse things.
2. Get one doctor who you trust and work with him/her. Do not "doctor shop". All this will do is result in people giving you still more antibiotics and drugs that you probably don't need. The redness you describe is an ongoing process that needs to run its course. Every time you see a new doctor, they have no perspective from which to judge how things have changed.
3. If you were exposed to a typical STD such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, etc, the combination of antibiotics you took (doxy- azithro- now more doxy) would have prevented cured what might have been there. You have negative tests- believe them and after you complete your current course of doxycycline, stop taking antibiotics unless you and your doctor are clear on what is being treated.
4. Redness is not herpes. By now if you were going to have an HSV outbreak, you would have. Put your fears of HSV aside and please don't waste your time and money with further blood tests.
5. HIV. There has NEVER been a case of HIV documented to result from receipt of oral sex- I repeat NEVER. You are not going to be the first. In fact, we no longer urge persons whose only exposure has been oral sex to have test related to such exposures. I realize that the fact the I do not recommend it does not mean that you will follow my advice but, if you chose to test, when your tests are negative, as I am confident they will be, please believe the result. At this time, a standard HIV antibody test would detect over 90% of recent infections.
6. At this point what may have caused your penile redness is difficult to say. Possibilities include irritation form the cleanser, drug reactions for the antibiotics you have taken, irritation from repeated self examination or some other dermatological process. At this time, my advice is to watch it, to keep your hands off your penis except to go to the bathroom and see what happens. I suspect it will resolve on its own. If not, work with the doctor you have selected (see above) to address the problem.
I hope my comments provide some perspective and are helpful. EWH
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
HSV lesions do not come and go in the nature you describe. Further, as we have discussed, the timing is not good for this to be HSV acquired from your exposure back in December. As to what it might be, I cannot say. If your urologist doesn't have the answer, perhaps a dermatologist might be helpful.
Time for this thread to end. EWH
Time for this thread to end. EWH
Hi Dr. Hook,
Thank you again for your previous advice. Unfortunately, I am back with new developments/questions. I am currently working with my urologist but I wanted to get your opinion as well.
I know you mentioned that if I would have had an HSV outbreak, it would have happened by now, but currently I am experiencing various-sized, red, pimple-like bumps on my shaft. They began last week in a cluster of three, disappeared, then returning in different areas. I am also experiencing a "vibrating" sensation towards the tip of my penis, and occasionally I do feel a shock of pain in my urethra/perenium area.
I feel like it may be anxiety-related prostatis (since all I've done for the past two months is worry!), but I can't discount the pimples/rash. They do not act like what I've read about typical Herpes lesions - there is no blistering, no ulcers afterward, but I also know that many people can experience atypical symptoms with Herpes depending on their immune system. It has been 9 weeks since the possible exposure, which also leads me to believe it's not Herpes. What are these?? Is my stress causing all of this? I've had a negative blood test at 5 weeks for both HIV/Herpes, but I know that with Herpes it really can take 3 months to show antibodies in the blood.
I don't know what to do. I would really appreciate your thoughts on the matter. Thanks for reading and responding!
Thank you again for your previous advice. Unfortunately, I am back with new developments/questions. I am currently working with my urologist but I wanted to get your opinion as well.
I know you mentioned that if I would have had an HSV outbreak, it would have happened by now, but currently I am experiencing various-sized, red, pimple-like bumps on my shaft. They began last week in a cluster of three, disappeared, then returning in different areas. I am also experiencing a "vibrating" sensation towards the tip of my penis, and occasionally I do feel a shock of pain in my urethra/perenium area.
I feel like it may be anxiety-related prostatis (since all I've done for the past two months is worry!), but I can't discount the pimples/rash. They do not act like what I've read about typical Herpes lesions - there is no blistering, no ulcers afterward, but I also know that many people can experience atypical symptoms with Herpes depending on their immune system. It has been 9 weeks since the possible exposure, which also leads me to believe it's not Herpes. What are these?? Is my stress causing all of this? I've had a negative blood test at 5 weeks for both HIV/Herpes, but I know that with Herpes it really can take 3 months to show antibodies in the blood.
I don't know what to do. I would really appreciate your thoughts on the matter. Thanks for reading and responding!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
These sensations are not a sign of an STD, including HIV. They could well be related to anxiety. EWH
Thank you again for your response above, but I do have one last thing...
The tingling in my hands and feet does continue, on and off. It's not necessarily painful, but at times it kind of "zings", if you will. Do you think this is an indication of anything? Or perhaps my anxiety manifesting itself?
The tingling in my hands and feet does continue, on and off. It's not necessarily painful, but at times it kind of "zings", if you will. Do you think this is an indication of anything? Or perhaps my anxiety manifesting itself?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Glad I could help. EWH
Thank you so much. Yes, you are correct that my anxiety was getting the better of me. My hands and feet began to tingle recently and I began to stress again about the possibility of HIV/Herpes as that is an indicator of both of those. I wasn't able to post this to the original story since I ran out of room, but if that had not occurred and my redness had abated, I would not have posted here. I am a slightly neurotic-type that overreacts to most situations (as you can tell), so this whole thing has been quite the learning experience. Thank you again.
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