Home Stretch: Herpes answer soon

[broadspectrum]

About 11 weeks ago, I slept with a new partner. We had protected intercourse and both gave/received unprotected oral sex. I am male, sleeping with a female. I know nothing of her history, except that she thinks she has nothing.

At 7 days post encounter, I developed a very slight intermittent tingling and pin prick pain on the side of my penis shaft. Whether it was from anxiety or reality, I also developed fatigue.

The tingling was lingering at about 2 weeks with no other symptoms, so I scheduled an appointment with my primary care doctor. He tested for HerpeSelect ELISA Type Specific for both HSV 1 and 2, HIV, and a urine culture. All tests were negative. He told me if the tingling persisted I should see a urologist and/or a dermatologist.

7.5 weeks later, the tingling/pain/itch persisted, so I scheduled an appointment with a urologist. He saw nothing and said he could offer me no guidance except an HSV test and a recommendation to see a dermatologist. He tested HerpeSelect for HSV 1 and 2, both of which came back negative.

At 10.5 weeks I make it to my dermatologist. He takes a look at the tingling area and says that there is indeed some irritation, but he was quite certain I did not have herpes. He gave me a sample of Cordran SP to reduce the irritation, which he thinks is irritant dermatitis.

2 days into using the Cordran, I developed small red raised painful bumps at the base of my penis, not far from the area of irritation. Doing some research on Cordran, I saw some of the side effects include irritated itchy skin, red skin and inflamed hair follicles.

My dermatologist recommended stopping the cream, and to return if the bumps and irritation to not dissipate.

At this point, I'm so close to 12 weeks that I'm going to get ONE more HSV1/2 test this week and call it for good. I'm really so over worrying about this.

Any thoughts or recommendations?

[broadspectrum]

Well I still have the bumps, so when I go in this week to get the test I'll ask them to swab them.

I'm fairly confident that the extremely atypical presentation and negative test results are a very good sign, but there is so much misinformation out there. The answer is always maybe.

From people questioning the efficacy of tests, asymptomatic carriers, atypical symptoms, studies showing seroreversion back and forth from positive to negative...

I'd like to see a truly comprehensive and authoritative resource to clear the way through all the confusion. These community forums can be helpful, but sometimes they just seem like a book of horror stories.

[Mayflowers444]

I think your two negative tests are good signs that you don't have it. My doctors said the only way to definitively diagnose is through a positive culture of a sore, so next time you have sore-like symptoms go visit your doctor and ask for a culture test. Hopefully this helps!