Herpes or Just Paranoid?

[crazywithworry]

Okay, I'm going to give you the full history. Nothing left out. About 2 months ago I slept with this guy. He had been complaining about razor rash bumps. I didn't really think anything of it. While we were having sex, the condom broke. Neither of us noticed until we were finished and he pulled out. I made sure to clean myself out really well, but I an on the Depo Provera shot, so I wasn't really that concerned. Again, I wasn't even thinking about STDs. This was a few months ago. End of June, I would say. Well, this guy turned out to be pretty immature and annoying, so I ended out short lived relationship. Then about 2 weeks ago, I ended up sleeping with this guy while I was drunk. I was actually pretty upset with my choices afterwards, but that's besides the point. We were safe, used a condom, and it didn't break. But while he was giving me oral, his stubble was irritating the skin just above my vulva, where I normally shave my pubic hair. It was irritating it so much that I asked him to stop. Three or four days later I noticed a bump in that same spot, just above my vulva in my pubic hair. It didn't really hurt. Just kind of felt like an ingrown hair, which I normally get sometimes. I didn't think anything of it. About a day after that, I noticed that the bump looked different from the way my normal ingrown hairs look, and it was a little itchy. Not intolerable, but noticable. When I touched it, it broke very easily and clear fluid a blood came out. It didn't really hurt much, it was just tender to the touch. Because it was now an open sore (still single), I lightly shaved the area around it and put a dab of neosporin and a small square bandaid on it. The next morning I took the bandaid off (very easily, no pain). I found that I had 4 more little bumps like the first one had started out as. And the first bump was now larger and mis-shaped, no longer circular. It looked a little like a crater with yellowish gunk in it. When I touched the new bumps, they broke easily and the same thing happened, a little clear fluid and blood came out. At this point I started to worry. It has been four days since then and the sores are still there. The first one is larger (about a 1/4 inch) and the other four are still smaller (about 1/8 inch). I was looking at pictures of herpes online and all the ones I have seen don't really look the same as what I see on myself. And the images show the lesions from the labia to the anus. Mine are located above my vulva in my pubic hair, in the same place where my irritation was during oral sex 2 weeks ago. Over the past few days I've tried baby powder and sleeping without underwear. It seemed to dry them up a little, but when I took a shower, they started to ooze again. I've also tried neosporin and a panty liner. They are slightly ichy every now and then and they only hurt when I touch them. And even that pain isn't too bad. It feels like they are tender, not like the razor blade pain that is described with herpes sores.

So, my questions are: Could this be herpes? I know I need to visit a doctor to get a confirmed diagnosis, but I am one of the millions of Americans who can't afford health insurance. If it's possible it could be some other disease/infection, what could it be? Are there any databases of multiple images that I could compare my lesions to, in order to get a better idea of what I could have?

Also, I am staying absinent until I can confirm what these lesions are the result of. And when I do confirm, I will tell my partners. I just don't want to do that without being sure. And I don't want to visit a doctor unless I absolutely must.

Thanks for your time.
CrazyWithWorry

[crazywithworry]

I have an update. My lesions are almost gone, they just itch a little from time to time. But now, I've noticed the left lymph node in my groin is swollen and slightly tender. Please tell me this is also a symptom of follicilitus.... I have to wait another couple of months before I can get the blood test.

[slacker101]

HSV 1 and 2 are the same in symptoms but the frequency of HSV1 is FAR less than 2.

[daisy315]

First of all do not trawl the Internet trying to find photos of Herpes as they alawys use the worst cases scenarios in those pics,,I am not swinging towards Herpes either because you mention "gunk" oozing out,Herpes lesions do not have gunk they are for what it's worth pretty clean looking small fluid filled lblister that are usually in a cluster either in one single area or several,blood would not be present either unless you squeezed it to cause it to bleed.
I would definately advise being tested though just to err on the side of caution,you seem a very responsible person and I feel a definate diagnosis is what you would prefer.

Good Luck  
Daisy

[crazywithworry]

Thanks for the info. I've been going back and forth myself. You say that herpes is VERY variable. Does that mean that someone with sores can experience severe pain and itch, while another person with sores can experience very little to no pain and itch? Also, do you know if there is a difference in symptoms between HVS 1 & HVS 2 in the genital area? Sorry I have so many questions, I just can't seem to find a site that gives a decent answer. Which I guess is due to the variability of the virus... : /

[slacker101]

Hmmm, very interesting. I am leaning toward it isn't herpes because of the blood mixture with the fluid. That isn't typical of herpes unless you jabbed it with a pin or something to induce the blood from below. It sounds like it could be a staph infection. On the other hands herpes is a VERY highly variable disease and some of what you say COULD be herpes so with all of your information, you need to go see a Dr ASAP before the lesions go away! If they do go away, forget the Dr. and wait a few months and spend the money for an IGG herpes Select Test. I know I didn't give you a definite answer but it swings one way then the other but my opinion, it isn't herpes. Herpes would itch all the time also and not once in a while so that further points away from herpes..