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FOLLICULITIS or Herpes
So I went to the doctor on 1/21/2019 and had a lesion on my upper leg next to my groin. Doc said he was sure that it was 99.9% sure it was FOLLICULITIS and that the blood tests would confirm this. Must also note he didn’t swab it but we had blood work done (per my request) (igg, Igh, PCR DNA)
All came back negative!
Fast forward to April 6th and I notice that there is an ingrown hair in the middle of my pubic area (inch above my penis). I pull it. A day or two later the area becomes super itchy and raised. I cannot fully tell but it looked like little bumps formed and the became red and scabbed over. It healed within about 7 days with newsprint but then the area fairly close to it had a couple of harder bumps rise occurring around 13th of April after the initial lesion healed. These did not look water filled but one did open when squeezed. They have healed as of 4/21 but still look like they are there.
Also the right side of my penis looked like it had an ulcer but I couldn’t tell.....I master baited and not that area is red and swollen and is sensitive to the touch....
The questions I have are....
1. Should I be freaking out that I actually was misdiagnosed and have herpes?
2. Does herpes have multiple breakouts in one intial or reoccurrence? Or should the breakout come at all at once?
3. How reliable was the initial diagnosis of FOLLICULITIS and negative blood tests for HSV? (I know it was soon after potential exposure - early January). Nurse said if there was an active infection the blood tests would have found it!
4. I have high blood sugar, could this be bacterial related?
Very confused.....any help is much appreciated!
All came back negative!
Fast forward to April 6th and I notice that there is an ingrown hair in the middle of my pubic area (inch above my penis). I pull it. A day or two later the area becomes super itchy and raised. I cannot fully tell but it looked like little bumps formed and the became red and scabbed over. It healed within about 7 days with newsprint but then the area fairly close to it had a couple of harder bumps rise occurring around 13th of April after the initial lesion healed. These did not look water filled but one did open when squeezed. They have healed as of 4/21 but still look like they are there.
Also the right side of my penis looked like it had an ulcer but I couldn’t tell.....I master baited and not that area is red and swollen and is sensitive to the touch....
The questions I have are....
1. Should I be freaking out that I actually was misdiagnosed and have herpes?
2. Does herpes have multiple breakouts in one intial or reoccurrence? Or should the breakout come at all at once?
3. How reliable was the initial diagnosis of FOLLICULITIS and negative blood tests for HSV? (I know it was soon after potential exposure - early January). Nurse said if there was an active infection the blood tests would have found it!
4. I have high blood sugar, could this be bacterial related?
Very confused.....any help is much appreciated!
COMMUNITY LEADER
Yeah, that's not exactly true (about the active part). Some doctors think that if you have an outbreak, you'll have antibodies. While most develop them by 6 weeks, some take longer. Also, a lot of doctors do an IgM test, which in theory, is supposed to look for new infections. Those tests are reliable for lots of other conditions, but for herpes, it's not at all reliable.
So trust that your doctor knows what folliculitis looks like - it doesn't look like herpes - but if you feel you need to test again to put your mind at ease, your test now will be conclusive.
So trust that your doctor knows what folliculitis looks like - it doesn't look like herpes - but if you feel you need to test again to put your mind at ease, your test now will be conclusive.
2 Comments
Also, some think that the test is to look for the virus, not antibodies. If it looked for the virus itself, then yes, if you had an outbreak, you'd likely test positive. That doesn't quite work on an antibody test.
Exactly........I know they are looking for the antibodies from the research I’ve done. Also I was given a blood DNA test which I’ve heard proves nothing either:/
What I’m terrified of is that they told me I am ok and that test results prove I am ok and it’s ok to continue in the same unprotected sexual relationship I’ve had with my current partner of three months. I’m am afraid that if I am actually infected I have put her at risk (maybe having a lesion or two I didn’t see before we last had sex on April the 5th). If she were to be infected she would have shown symptoms by now right?
I feel good knowing she didn’t infect me because she got an STD screening full panel in Feb and was clear.....
What I’m terrified of is that they told me I am ok and that test results prove I am ok and it’s ok to continue in the same unprotected sexual relationship I’ve had with my current partner of three months. I’m am afraid that if I am actually infected I have put her at risk (maybe having a lesion or two I didn’t see before we last had sex on April the 5th). If she were to be infected she would have shown symptoms by now right?
I feel good knowing she didn’t infect me because she got an STD screening full panel in Feb and was clear.....
Im actually going in tomm to blood test again
1 Comments
And show them the new area............I’m just confused cause I feel like if this is a reoccurrence from the first outbreak, this one is longer and worse the initial small spot they diagnosed as And it’s in a new area...
Someone please help!:/
6 Comments
So your exposure was early January, and you tested in early April? Is that correct? Did you get a type specific IgG blood test?
If you did, and 4 months had passed, you can trust those results.
I can't tell you if it was folliculitis - your doctor would know that better than we would, but have you shown the most recent thing to your doctor? It is never, ever a good idea to try to squeeze any sore that you have. You can introduce bacteria into it, causing an infection, and it makes testing really difficult.
What was your exposure in January?
If you did, and 4 months had passed, you can trust those results.
I can't tell you if it was folliculitis - your doctor would know that better than we would, but have you shown the most recent thing to your doctor? It is never, ever a good idea to try to squeeze any sore that you have. You can introduce bacteria into it, causing an infection, and it makes testing really difficult.
What was your exposure in January?
Thank you so much for your response;)
Yes my exposure was early January.....and the 21 was when I was seen. That’s when the doc told me it did not look like herpes and all my tests came back negative a week later (igg, igh, dna blood sample).....
I called this week and ask the nurse tech if the results could have been a mistake and she said “if you had an active infection at that time, the blood work would have found it”.
I’m not so sure it’s true with the antibodies needing time to accumulate properly but I almost feel crazy for not believing two medical professionals either:/
Yes my exposure was early January.....and the 21 was when I was seen. That’s when the doc told me it did not look like herpes and all my tests came back negative a week later (igg, igh, dna blood sample).....
I called this week and ask the nurse tech if the results could have been a mistake and she said “if you had an active infection at that time, the blood work would have found it”.
I’m not so sure it’s true with the antibodies needing time to accumulate properly but I almost feel crazy for not believing two medical professionals either:/
Exposure was protected sex with a person of unknown sexual past..........
If you had protected sex, it's not likely you got herpes. Yes, it's possible, but a condom reduces the chances of transmission by about 90%.
Get another test now, and put this to rest. :)
If you need to, show your doctor this:
https://westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/ - go to the part about IgG testing
http://www.ashasexualhealth.org/stdsstis/herpes/herpes-testing/ - you'll have to scroll almost to the bottom of the page
https://www.focusdx.com/pdfs/pi/US/EL0920G-5.pdf - from the test itself - p4: As with other serological tests, negative results do not rule out the diagnosis of herpes simplex disease. The time required to seroconvert following primary infection varies with the individual, the specimen may have been drawn prior to the appearance of detectable antibodies.15 ... When appropriate, e.g., in suspected early herpes simplex disease, the test should be repeated or tested with a different assay.2,14 If on re- testing, the result remains negative, then a second sample should be drawn 4 to 12 weeks later and testing repeated.14,15"
Hope this helps. Again, though - I'd suspect you don't have it.
Get another test now, and put this to rest. :)
If you need to, show your doctor this:
https://westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/ - go to the part about IgG testing
http://www.ashasexualhealth.org/stdsstis/herpes/herpes-testing/ - you'll have to scroll almost to the bottom of the page
https://www.focusdx.com/pdfs/pi/US/EL0920G-5.pdf - from the test itself - p4: As with other serological tests, negative results do not rule out the diagnosis of herpes simplex disease. The time required to seroconvert following primary infection varies with the individual, the specimen may have been drawn prior to the appearance of detectable antibodies.15 ... When appropriate, e.g., in suspected early herpes simplex disease, the test should be repeated or tested with a different assay.2,14 If on re- testing, the result remains negative, then a second sample should be drawn 4 to 12 weeks later and testing repeated.14,15"
Hope this helps. Again, though - I'd suspect you don't have it.
Thank you so much for your time in this manner:). I greatly appreciate your guidance and help!
You're welcome! I hope it helps :)
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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.
