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Are my symptoms indicative of an HSV 2 infection in the genitals?
I'm a straight man. I had unprotected sex with a woman 3 days ago (Friday). That night, I wiped my penis, scrotum, and thighs with benzalkonium chloride wipes. The next morning (Saturday), I used the wipes again. The next day (Sunday), I noticed that my scrotum and anus felt a little more itchy than usual. I prophylactically took 1000 mg of Azithromycin. A few hours later, I began to experience upset stomach, chills, loss of appetite, lower abdominal pain, and dull aches and pains in my legs, hips, knees, and lower back.
On Monday (today), I consulted with a doctor over the phone. He said it might be HSV 2 and prescribed me an anti-viral medication just to be on the safe side. I took the first of 20 pills a few hours ago.
When I lay down for a while, the aches and pains in my legs pretty much entirely goes away. My anus and scrotum don't feel much more itchy than normal anymore, however, I do still have loss of appetite, lower abdominal pain, and the occasional chill. My testicles also ache.
I would say I've been freaking out. I have somewhat of a history of anxiety, although nothing major (e.g. I've never taken medication for anxiety or received therapy for it). My emotional state in the past few days has almost certainly contributed to my feelings and symptoms, although I'm not sure to what extent.
I don't feel much tingling or itching in my genitals right now. For some reason, it feels like I'm past that point. I would be surprised if I developed lesions now. Then again, I don't have any personal experience with HSV 2.
Can one of the professionals let me know if he thinks it's likely I have HSV 2, based on the above?
On Monday (today), I consulted with a doctor over the phone. He said it might be HSV 2 and prescribed me an anti-viral medication just to be on the safe side. I took the first of 20 pills a few hours ago.
When I lay down for a while, the aches and pains in my legs pretty much entirely goes away. My anus and scrotum don't feel much more itchy than normal anymore, however, I do still have loss of appetite, lower abdominal pain, and the occasional chill. My testicles also ache.
I would say I've been freaking out. I have somewhat of a history of anxiety, although nothing major (e.g. I've never taken medication for anxiety or received therapy for it). My emotional state in the past few days has almost certainly contributed to my feelings and symptoms, although I'm not sure to what extent.
I don't feel much tingling or itching in my genitals right now. For some reason, it feels like I'm past that point. I would be surprised if I developed lesions now. Then again, I don't have any personal experience with HSV 2.
Can one of the professionals let me know if he thinks it's likely I have HSV 2, based on the above?
You have quite the colorful imagination. Firstly, you won't have prodromal symptoms if it's your first time being infected. Secondly, your partner was negative. You've had no OBs at 11 days, so you really need to move past this. Whatever symptoms you had could have easily been caused by anxiety and the meds you took.
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Thanks for your comment, but I wish I could delete it because you're spreading misinformation. People absolutely experience prodrome the first time they are infected. In fact, those symptoms tend to be the most severe they will ever be the first time.
I have already moved past it. I think anxiety was a big part of my symptoms. I think the medication probably contributed, as well. I also think there's a good chance I actually did become infected with a different strain of HSV-1 in my genitals, but I don't know to what extent that would even matter.
I have already moved past it. I think anxiety was a big part of my symptoms. I think the medication probably contributed, as well. I also think there's a good chance I actually did become infected with a different strain of HSV-1 in my genitals, but I don't know to what extent that would even matter.
That's incorrect.
https://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Prodromal-herpes/show/249462
https://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Prodromal-herpes/show/249462
Update: Today is Tuesday (11 days after sex). All of my symptoms are gone. As far as I know, I never had a single lesion or sore around my genitals or mouth.
This experience has been very confusing and emotionally traumatic for me.
This experience has been very confusing and emotionally traumatic for me.
Update: Today is Friday (1 week after unprotected sex). As far as I can tell, I haven't had any genital sores or lesions. My anus has been itching and I've had sciatica the last several days. I've also felt weak. I have no idea how much of my symptoms are the result of anxiety and/or the medications I've been taking recently. I stopped taking the anti-viral medication last night.
I just checked my dick for sores or lesions. I got freaked out when a little bit of swelling around my penis hole from jerking off the night before looked kind of like a shiny blister. I poked it with my fingernail and it wasn't painful at all. When you start trying to find something that looks like the beginnings of a sore on your dick, you end up seeing a million different little things that you would never think twice about otherwise.
I just checked my dick for sores or lesions. I got freaked out when a little bit of swelling around my penis hole from jerking off the night before looked kind of like a shiny blister. I poked it with my fingernail and it wasn't painful at all. When you start trying to find something that looks like the beginnings of a sore on your dick, you end up seeing a million different little things that you would never think twice about otherwise.
Update: It's Wednesday (5 days after having unprotected sex, 3 days after first noticing prodromal symptoms). I'm still experiencing prodrome - especially sciatica. And I still feel horrible. I'm not sure how much is just anxiety.
Upon my request, the woman I slept with got tested on Monday (two days ago). Her tests came back and she shared them with me today. She tested negative for HSV 2! As expected, she tested positive for HSV 1. She tested negative for all other STDs in the panel (chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, hep A, B, C, syphilis). We're still waiting for the result of the trichomoniasis test.
Dear reader, let me tell you right now that I care not one bit about HSV 1. I would willing scrap my genitals vigorously with sandpaper and then rub HSV 1 directly into the abrasions without a second thought. I would be so happy if my symptoms are the result of contracting HSV 1 in my genitals. Because, dear reader, I already have oral HSV 1. And I have been asymptomatic my entire life! Never a single cold sore!
And she says she hasn't had sex with anyone else in the last 6 weeks! What am I to make of this!? What!? What, I ask you!?
Yesterday, I started experiencing tingling in my face and lips. And I noticed the smallest, most inconsequential little cold sore like thing on my lip. It was slightly raised. I noticed it first because I felt it. It's still there, raised just ever so slightly above the surface of my lip, and I'm not worried about it at all. I love the little guy.
Could a new HSV 1 infection in my genitals be causing the HSV 1 in my face to get a little tingly?
Am I one of the rare cases of someone becoming re-infected with HSV 1 in the genitals? Please, please tell me I am. Tell me it's more common than I've read. Please.
Upon my request, the woman I slept with got tested on Monday (two days ago). Her tests came back and she shared them with me today. She tested negative for HSV 2! As expected, she tested positive for HSV 1. She tested negative for all other STDs in the panel (chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, hep A, B, C, syphilis). We're still waiting for the result of the trichomoniasis test.
Dear reader, let me tell you right now that I care not one bit about HSV 1. I would willing scrap my genitals vigorously with sandpaper and then rub HSV 1 directly into the abrasions without a second thought. I would be so happy if my symptoms are the result of contracting HSV 1 in my genitals. Because, dear reader, I already have oral HSV 1. And I have been asymptomatic my entire life! Never a single cold sore!
And she says she hasn't had sex with anyone else in the last 6 weeks! What am I to make of this!? What!? What, I ask you!?
Yesterday, I started experiencing tingling in my face and lips. And I noticed the smallest, most inconsequential little cold sore like thing on my lip. It was slightly raised. I noticed it first because I felt it. It's still there, raised just ever so slightly above the surface of my lip, and I'm not worried about it at all. I love the little guy.
Could a new HSV 1 infection in my genitals be causing the HSV 1 in my face to get a little tingly?
Am I one of the rare cases of someone becoming re-infected with HSV 1 in the genitals? Please, please tell me I am. Tell me it's more common than I've read. Please.
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
