Exposed to Herpes, Please Help

[Kywildcat40601]

Hello,

5 days ago I had protected sex with someone, but the condom broke.  In a following conversation, she disclosed to me that she had genital herpes, but that she was not experiencing an outbreak.  It's my understanding that having a classic outbreak really isn't indicative of whether or not someone is shedding, so I'm not taking that to mean much.

Within 36 hours, I developed a red bump on the head of my penis, which doesn't hurt, has not changed in size, and has not--or at least does not appear--to have fluid inside it.  Moreover, I have felt fatigued the last few days, and worry that it may be my body reacting to the virus.  I don't have any other classic signs, yet, but I do understand that it is relatively early to expect them.

Any insight or advice would be helpful.  I can provide a picture if that would be useful.

Tags: exposed herpes penis head bump

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

That's great news.  And these results are consistent with my thinking that your presentation is not consistent with herpes infection.  With a negative test at 8 weeks post encounter, there is more than a 70% chance your results will stay that way - negative.  Add to that negative test, your symptoms really aren't sounding like herpes.  I think you are on your way to a negative again if you test later.

Terri

[Kywildcat40601]

Terri,

I wanted to give you an update on this.  Since my encounter, I've had IGG tests at 1 and 2 months.  In both instances, the IGG tests for HSV-1 and HSV-2 came back negative.  The IGG Values for HSV-2 are as follows:

1 Month:  IGG = .06
2 Month:  IGG = .04

Do you have any advise on how to best move forward?  Should I plan on testing at 3 and 4 months respectively?  What are the odds that I would test negative at 2 months, and test positive at 12 or 16?

Thank you.

[Kywildcat40601]

My igg work came back negative.

Thank you for your kind words.  Do you have any thoughts on the one bump, other than what you've already said,  again, I'm grateful for your insight, guidance, and understanding.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I know it is stressful and I also know that waiting is very painful and anxiety provoking.  I would actually suggest that you obtain a baseline antibody test now.  Let's see where you stand right now because if you wait to be tested and then your test is positive, you cannot know if you've been infected for years or it is new, right?  You can order this test yourself online if you would prefer to handle it in that way.  Be certain that you only test for IgG, not IgM if you decide to do this, regardless of what the website suggests.
Let me know how that goes, if you do it, OK?

Terri

[Kywildcat40601]

Tim,

Thank you for the advice.  It's incredibly stressful, as I'm sure you can imagine.  I'll try to relax and flood out the fear.

[Kywildcat40601]

Hello,

Terri, thank you for your thoughtful response.  When I went to the doctor for an exam, he administered a blood test (which I know means little for this chance encounter, and that I need to wait approximately 2-4 months, right?).

He didn't have much to say regarding the bump, just that it could be anything.

It's now completely healed.  If it were a herpe sore, would it have blistered (this did not) and ulcered (did not)?  Also, would it have formed and healed over the span of a few days, without pain or burning?

Do you have any thoughts?  Should I wait another few months to get tested if I show no more signs?

Thank you.

[TiminBoston]

If I were you, I'd try to personal message one of the moderators on the Herpes Community (Life360, Catinbarefeet, Fleetwood20 or GracefromHHP) and sweet talk one of them into looking at your pic.  They have years of knowledge and are all excellent resources.  The best, most credible free service you can find anywhere.

What Terri has to say about your situation based on looking at your picture and seeing several dozen cases of herpes per week, is valid and should help you feel better about the long wait to conclusive test results.  Ignore pjf84's comment.  People pay for Terri's feedback for a reason.

Good luck.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I did look at the picture and cannot tell from that what it might be.  Thirty six hours is very early for any herpes symptoms to show up with new infection.  Have you ever had this symptom in the past?  Have you ever been tested for herpes in the past?

Normally, we do not see herpes on the head of the penis only.  In my experience, the vast majority of outbreaks happen on the shaft of the penis, and if outbreaks do happen on the head of the penis, they are accompanied by lesions on the shaft as well.  

Having said all of that, I think it might be a good idea to be evaluated by a clinician.  And the sooner you go in to be evaluated, the more accurate the diagnosis will be.  And if they do a swab test, which I think they should, ask that it be PCR test rather than a culture.  It is collected in the same way as a culture and with the same medium, but instead of asking for a culture on the lab form they ask for a PCR.  A far more sensitive test.  

And yes, people can give off virus when they don't have an outbreak.

Terri

[pjf84]

I think you definitely need to go to the doctor and get it looked at. It looks a lot like what I have and I just got the bad dx. Good luck.

[Kywildcat40601]

Photo:  http://tinypic.com/r/5zk0om/5