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Unusual abrasion - no prodrome

Hello
Thank you for taking the time to read this and any advice would be great.
I intend to get checked tomorrow but I need some kind of advice as I am experiencing huge levels of anxiety about this.

May of this year I had unprotected vaginal sex with a partner who I knew had multiple partners before me.
He assured me that he had been tested and was 'clean'. I still went and had myself checked on 3 occasions whilst with him (blood samples also) and everything seemed fine.

We stopped seeing each other and I recently had unprotected sex again with someone I know much less about. I was tested the next day and results seem to be fine with the exception of BV and UTI which has cleared up now and may have been completely unrelated. That was 1 and a half months ago.

This week I noticed some dry hard skin on my inner right buttock. I didn't see this so do not know how it looked - rather I felt it and proceeded to pick at the skin thinking it was just a graze (I do a lot of running so thought perhaps it was chafing). It did not hurt, it did not itch and there was no build up to it. It was simply just there.

The following day I began to experience some pain whilst sitting. Any pressure on the sore caused a lot of pain and I had to alter the way in which I sat a lot. I decided to take a look at it and took several pictures as it was hard to see in a mirror. It seemed to look like a tear in my skin which was covered with a scab and was very dry and hard. The day after the scab fell away but it had not properly healed and I could see a yellow fleshy colour running along the centre of the wound. It didn't hurt unless touched or sat on.

It is still there and is taking its sweet time to heal.
In short I have an abrasion on my buttock that I cannot explain other than it being a STD. However it gave no warning, did not/does not tingle, itch or hurt unless sat upon/touched. The physical appearance seems to show some similarity to the scabbing stage of HSV-2 but otherwise no other related symptoms.

Thank you for your time - any insight would be great.
7 Responses
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101028 tn?1419603004
you can only get lesion cultures of active symptoms for herpes done at the gum clinics. You'll need to seek out herpes igg blood testing privately and pay out of pocket for it at the proper time.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi Grace
Just an update from today
I went back and they did the typical tests - HIV Syphillis Gonnorhea and then took a swab for Chlamydia.
They checked out my lesion and I showed them a picture of the lesion (which I grossly took on the weekend as I knew it was due to scab over).

I had two people look at it and they both said they didn't think it looked particularly like herpes but they couldn't be sure. I mentioned that there was no prodrome/tingling'/itching. They felt that it was an unusual shape but still - everyone is different so its hard to say.

I have to say, I was still not 100% assured and asked if I could have a test done. They said that wasn't possible and they do not tend to request for these bloods as most people will have some indication of exposure from it.

I'm not still hugely anxious as I feel I'll never know. They said to go back should I get another lesion, but in the meantime I'm just waiting for something which may never come. What's worse, I'm just anticipating it as well and because of the individual differences in herpes presentation, I may not get another outbreak but still carry the virus. I feel sick with worry that I could infect someone else, or worse suddenly come down with an OB. This anticipation is tormenting me and I know it will continue to do so until I have more clarity.

What should I do? I don't know if there's any other option at this point but to hope for the best. But it's Christmas soon and all I've done is spend the day crying, dreading being around my family whilst being sick with worry about what might be going on but I'll never get confirmation unless the worst happens and I get another OB. It's a lose lose situation.

/ramble over.

Please help!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
just another question !
I am going to go in for a test tomorrow at my local STI clinic (UK).
Do these sorts of clinics have herpes testing on request as I am almost certain that my friend has been told they do not do them...?

I am freaking out at the prospect of not finding out now. Levels of anxiety are sky high and I can't seem to concentrate on any of my revision due for an assessment this week. I know this is all my fault but I just can't bare the thought of having to spend christmas not knowing!

I also want to ensure I don't spread anything to anyone I meet. It would be great to know of any tips (bacterial creams etc) to use until I know for sure.

Thank you again
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I haven't no :-( I was offered it at school but I became rather ill the week leading up to it and then never got the jab. I've been so negligent and I'm quite honestly ashamed of the lack of conscientiousness on my part. If I could undo it all I would but I will have to aim to be more cautious in the future.

Will the blood testing test for herpes? I thought they do not test for herpes in your standard tests and it was just syphillis and HIV? I will request for a test and will show the scab on my buttock. It may be worth mentioning that I noticed the 'graze-like' wound last Tuesday. Picked at it that night and it then proceeded to hurt when sat upon Wednesday to Thursday. It's still scabbing at present but they look like they are about to fall off now. So all in all from noticing it to today it has been under a week - also atypical of herpes.

I think I'm trying to calm my nerves about this. I just feel the remorse and guilt for being so stupid and with two partners now. Both whilst drunk. So very regretful!!

But thank you so much for your posts. I can't put into words how well received your comments are.

Helpful - 0
101028 tn?1419603004
I've had many herpes ob's on my buttocks. I usually describe them as a mosquito bite gone wild. That's how they look and how they itch and then hurt when you itch them.  Your symptoms don't sound at all like this.

have you had your gardasil shots for hpv too?

you've had no real symptoms at this point of std's. follow up with the proper testing so that you can be sure your future fertility is protected more than anything from the bacterial std's.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
You're an angel thanks so much for your reply.
I completely agree and I could kick myself again and again over this.
I will be going back tomorrow for my test again - I was told that I would need to do this anyway.

The only issue with the buttock lesion is that by the time I'd noticed it, it had already scabbed over. There was no itchiness but it did cause pain after I picked at it that night I happened to feel it.

I do feel increasingly scared by what I have done and fear that I will most probably encounter problems in the future even if I manage to have escaped any immediately identifiable issues. I know that there is no way for you to diagnose me over the internet but I suppose it would be nice to know whether HSV1/2 have any characteristics that are mandatory for diagnosis. I.e. because everyone has such different experiences, are there any things that all cases would be expected to have?
Helpful - 0
101028 tn?1419603004
your std testing was all done too early after your latest partner. you can't test for std's the next day!!!

at this point, repeat your std testing at the proper times. you can repeat your gonorrhea, chlamydia, trich and syphilis testing now. wait another 6 weeks to repeat your herpes igg blood testing, hepatitis and hiv testing.

protect yourself and always have protected sexual contact with partners!! It's naive to trust someone you've only known a few hours /days/weeks and your health is important!! Even though condoms aren't the greatest protection against herpes, syphilis and hpv, they do help as well as are a back up pregnancy prevention too!  

your buttock lesion could be anything. too late now at this point in its healing to get any real answers. should it occur again, be seen promptly for an exam. it doesn't really sound like it's due to herpes though.

grace
Helpful - 0
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