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In Limbo About Herpes

Doctor,
I'm a male, 25. Since October I've been fearful I've acquired HSV1.  Not because of new sexual encounters. Maybe from sharing smoking pipes or food or some other non-tradition/unlikely way.  My bottom lip (near the inside of the mouth) would turn yellow and become chapped (across the entire lip lengthwise). This yellow chapping never hurts, and doesn't turn into to a proper hard scab, but his yellowness nonetheless comes and goes frequently. Further, I have periodically experienced redness. Sometimes broad in scope, that would usually go away in a couple hours on my lips. Finally I've had this yellowness come off to reveal slightly redder skin that usually heals in a few days. But still gives the appearance of an open sore-like thing.
I tested negative for 1 and 2 in August and then again negative in December, but now my fingertips have recurrently spawned papercuts.  I have been using a lot of hand sanitizers, and the fingers are never painful or red, but I think it must be from constantly applying Abreva to my lips which might have given me Herpetic Whitlow on my fingers.  While I haven't had the big, traditional outbreak, I have been taking lots of lysine and vitamin C and recently supplements of garlic,iron, and selenium.   I know I need to get another blood test again, maybe at the beginning of March to be at least 4 months from symptoms so my body will have developed antibodies.  Also I've been putting tea bags on my lips when I see or feel something abnormal.   (I have experienced burning/tingling on the left side of my bottom lip and there seems to be a small, purple dot, but it's never turned into anything else, over multiple weeks.)
So I guess it seems like I have HSV 1 despite my negative tests and just curious what your thoughts are and if "papercuts" on multiple fingers (that recur) could be anything but Herpetic Whitlow.

Thanks.
3 Responses
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55646 tn?1263660809
I thought perhaps you were overusing hand sanitizers because you were fixated on this issue  It is an unhealthy obsession, I agree, and I would strongly recommend professional help with this issue.  It can get more and more painful, please try to nip it in the bud soon
Terri
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I've been using sanitizers because I've been fearful that I might have contracted HSV 1 and have become compulsive about it.  I appreciate the advice and I'll figure out which test my provider used.  It's becoming an unhealthy obsession as more people think I'm crazy, yet I'm still convinced.
Helpful - 0
55646 tn?1263660809
None of your symptoms sound like HSV 1 to me, not the oral symptoms and not the hand symptoms.  Herpes around the mouth just doesn't act like this.  It most usually presents with water blisters that break open, ulcerate, crust and heal completely.  This process takes anywhere from 3-14 days.  Some people with oral herpes don't experience any symptoms.  But in your situation, you've tested negative by antibody test and your symptoms don't sound herpetic, so I think you are uninfected.  The western blot antibody test is more sensitive for HSV1 then the traditional HSV 1 antibody test by ELISA, so you might want to consider asking your health care provider to order that test for you, the quest lab code is 34534.  

Why are you using lots of hand sanitizers?

Terri
Helpful - 0

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