what does this sound like

[bunnyboo]

After taking antibiotics for a few days i began to notice symptoms of a yeast infection. i woke up the following morning and my entire vagina was swollen, both sides. there were little red bumps up and down the labia majora. I felt burning and itching. the next day the bumps were pretty much gone. but the right side of my labia is still extremely red and swollen, from the very top to the very bottom. I have been cultured for herpes once before for a cut inside my vagina. that came back negative but icant shake the idea of herpes from my head. This is my 3 yeast infection this year. This is the only one that hasnt been looked at by my doctor. Is it safe to say it is yeast and not herpes? I ask this because i have read many of your forums on herpes and it seems that i would not have had red bumps on both sides (because this would have been a recurrent out break which i have read occur on one side of the body. i say recurrent because i have not been with anyone besides my boyfriend since the first suspicion of herpes and he was a virgin before me and i know he is faithful. Also does it sound less like herpes becaue there are no open sores or cuts? And i have never had sex with anyone other thanmy boyfriend. just breif genital rubbing with someone with no symptoms. is this yeast causing me this discomfort and can i move on?

[sparkeler]

3 months after EXPOSURE is plenty of time.  Forget about it, your symptoms are not herpes.

[BadDay1972]

Quick question for ya doc...

In terms of hsv2 blood testing timeline. Are you supposed to test 3-4 months after possible exposure or 3-4 months after symptoms begin...The reason I ask is because most of my symptoms started about 5 months after exposure and I tested 5 1/2 and 6 months post exposure not post symptoms - I tested around the time most of the symptoms were there which was only about 2 weeks after most of the symptoms developed...should I have waited 3-4 months after the symptoms began which would be November? or was I ok with test 6 months after the actual sexual relationship happened that was hsv2 negative??? would the antibodies started to develop right after exposure or would they only start to develop after the 5th month when the main symptoms developed? I'm very confused about this and whether or not I need to retest again. Pleas help.

Thanks

[sparkeler]

Go see a doctor for proper diagnosis.  You may be suffering from reoccuring yeast infections.  I doubt it's herpes, but the only way to know for sure that herpes is not causing your symptoms is to have a blood test or have a doctor diagnose yeast.  Good luck!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Sounds like classical yeast infection.  If the symptoms are pretty much identical to your prior yeast infections, and with your negative test for HSV, yeast is the only rational explanation.  Ideally, you should see your health care provider for a firm diagnosis.  Or you could try an over-the-counter yeast medication to see if that clears it up, and see your provider if it doesn't.

Your user name is familiar; I think we have been here before.  This really isn't the right place for proper diagnosis, and I cannot help further.  If in doubt about what might be going on, your doc is the one sort things out.

Good luck--   HHH, MD