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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Herpes / September 2003Need Help (Freaking Out)
Hi, Here's another 'freak out' message that I would greatly appreciate knowledgable feedback on. I am 28 yr male who has had a couple of "Herpes possible" encounters in the last year - most notably a couple of weeks ago - the one I am freaking-out about :-). I visited a couple of massage parlors and got a 'little something' added onto the end of the massage. I wouldn't have done it had I known the risks. It was a relatively clean place, but nevertheless the female attendant touched my genitals all-over several times... About 3 days after the last time I was there, I noticed a small sore on my penis shaft. It didn't really look like the classic herpes lesion (from the pictures I have seen); it looked more like an small wound (like I scraped it). There wasn't a bump, it wasn't painful, and it didn't 'weep'. It healed quickly, and 4 days later it was completely healed/gone. Just as I put that coincidence out of my head, another small bump appeared 2 days after the first one healed. It was in the proximity, but not close to the first one. This one was even smaller and looked like a tiny pimple. Again it was painless and it didn't ulcerate and went away even quicker. I had a doctor (at a sex clinic) look at it (after it was mostly healed) and she said 'definately not herpes'. No sooner am I feeling good about the situation when an area in my upper buttocks start burning/pain at. I didn't sleep at all - I thought for sure it must be gential herpes - too much coinicidence. It was a weird sensation, not overly painful, but a warm, burning, dull pain in a small area in my upper buttocks. I examined it myself and there was no irregular redness or bumps - just the 'crack' between by buttocks looked a little red and inflamed. I went to see a doctor (just a general practioner - so embarssing!). She looked at it and saw nothing unusual except for the bit of redness in a straight line down the crack (in my upper buttocks) and said "this isn't genital herpes". She said it could be a yeast/jock itch type infection and said to put some cortison cream on it. I find the doctors hear just look at me weird though when I mention gential herpes causes pain in the buttocks?? This all started after a workout at the gym, where I was on an exercise bike for sometime sweating it out. It has lasted for the last 5 days with no bumps or redness. It seems better today, but I don't have an explaination for it. Two doctors have told me that "it's not herpes" but after everything I've read, with the variety of symptoms and no other explaination, it seems to me like there is a good possibility that it is genital herpes. I am about to start a serious relationship and I've got to know. What do people think? (sorry for the length of this) BTW, I am confused about blood tests. I've been told (here in Canada) that there is NOT a blood test for HSV-2; just some tests being done by researches. Responses appreciated, Steve >Hi, Hi. Welcome! >Here's another 'freak out' message that I would greatly appreciate >knowledgable feedback on. I am 28 yr male who has had a couple of [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >relatively clean place, but nevertheless the female attendant touched >my genitals all-over several times... If she only touched you with her hands the chances are slim that she gave you herpes. >About 3 days after the last time I was there, I noticed a small sore >on my penis shaft. It didn't really look like the classic herpes >lesion (from the pictures I have seen); it looked more like an small >wound (like I scraped it). There wasn't a bump, it wasn't painful, and >it didn't 'weep'. It healed quickly, and 4 days later it was >completely healed/gone. If that were herpes, and your first outbreak, it would probably qualify as a record for shortest outbreak. I'm not saying it couldn't be HSV but it doesn't sound likely. >Just as I put that coincidence out of my head, another small bump >appeared 2 days after the first one healed. It was in the proximity, >but not close to the first one. This one was even smaller and looked >like a tiny pimple. Again it was painless and it didn't ulcerate and >went away even quicker. I had a doctor (at a sex clinic) look at it >(after it was mostly healed) and she said 'definately not herpes'. Doctors at sex clinics undoubtedly see a lot of herpes so I would tend to go with this one's assessment. >No sooner am I feeling good about the situation when an area in my >upper buttocks start burning/pain at. I didn't sleep at all - I [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >weird though when I mention gential herpes causes pain in the >buttocks?? >This all started after a workout at the gym, where I was on an >exercise bike for sometime sweating it out. It has lasted for the last >5 days with no bumps or redness. It seems better today, but I don't >have an explaination for it. >Two doctors have told me that "it's not herpes" but after everything >I've read, with the variety of symptoms and no other explaination, it >seems to me like there is a good possibility that it is genital >herpes. I am about to start a serious relationship and I've got to >know. >What do people think? (sorry for the length of this) Well, I know the feeling when a doctor says things counter to what I already know or believe, but it very well may be that you don't have herpes. From what you've said here I'm inclined to vote with the docs, but really, the only way to know for sure is to get a blood test. >BTW, I am confused about blood tests. I've been told (here in Canada) >that there is NOT a blood test for HSV-2; just some tests being done >by researches. There are lots of tests that should be available in Canada, but the best one is the Western Blot. Either you or your doctor should call and arrange for a kit to be sent out to you. Contact info below. Take care and hope for best. Mike Viridae Clinical Sciences Inc. 1134 Burrard Street Vancouver BC Canada V6Z 1Y8 Tel: 604-689-9404 Fax: 604-689-5153 Email: viridae@viridae.com Hi Steve, Doctors are amazingly dull when it comes to herpes and blood tests. Wait 16 since your first set of symptoms and get a blood test done. They are very accurate and easily gotten if your doctor has a clue. Where are you in Canada? You can get the Herpes Specific Western Blot test in Canada and it is the very best blood test around. I believe the lab is in Vancouver. If you contact them - and we can help you with that - they may tell you how to get your blood serum sent to them directly. However, you will still need a doctor to follow the directions, etc. ar > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 55 lines] > Responses appreciated, > Steve > Hi Steve, > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > ar Thanks for the replies. Yes, I can't believe what two doctors have told me compared to what I have read on the Internet. I live in Ottawa, Ontario (the Nation's Capital). Wait 16? 16 weeks I take it? A question about the 'pain in the buttocks' symptom...does a rash and/or lesions usually come with it? One of the frustrating things about Gential Herpes I am finding is the huge variety and types of symptoms. I was also definately urinating more frequently during all this (no pain or problems though), but from what I read this is not a symptom of gential herpes - unless abdominal pressure causes this. What a pain in the a.s this has been :-) Steve Hi Steve, Definitely talk to the viridae people - but my spelling of their name is usually wrong. :) And yes, I meant 16 weeks. :) Sometimes all you will get is pain or itching and no actual blister. It's all different depending on how your body handles the virus. Take care, ar > > Hi Steve, > > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > What a pain in the a.s this has been :-) > Steve I think the suggested time for a blood test is three to four months, thus if you wait sixteen weeks, the answer you get will be definitive, while twelve will just be pretty accurate. As for the 'pain in the butt' symptom, I can only guess that you mean some kind of nerve pain on the butt? I've heard of neuralgia associated with herpes; I've not heard of the 'pain in the butt' symptom. It's typical to have regular pain and swelling in the lymph nodes that are at either crease between the upper thigh and the trunk/genital area. There can also be flu-like aches and pains that are pretty normal. And then there's the pain of the blisters and ulcers themselves. But other than that, the only pains I know of -- and I could be wrong -- are related to nerve pain having to do with the nerve making its home in the nerve bundle at the base of the spine. When the virus is active, it can cause strange sensations from the bottoms of your feet, through your legs, and in your butt and genitals. It is a peculiar sensation hard to describe without just keep calling it nerve pain. It is not deep muscle aches as caused by exercise. It can hurt on it's own, but if it's touched in the right way it can send a shooting pain. For me the differences between nerve pain and regular pain is that a very light touch can bring intense pain, which seems surprising. I can't really explain, but when I feel it, I kind of think, "It's almost as if the nerve itself is raw." Once you've felt it, it makes a bit more sense. The closest comparison I can come up with, and it's not quite the same at all, is sunburn, the way sunburn can be excruciating at the slightest touch. But it's not a warm pain, like sunburn. To me it seems more of a cold pain. It's kind of a mystery pain: there seem to be no other physical causes for it and it behaves bizarrely, making you wonder "what in the world kind of pain is this?" What you've described in previous posts (after my brief perusal) doesn't seem like the warm, burning dull ache you describe. Nerve pain may linger, but my experience is that wherever it is -- foot, thigh, labia -- it definitely usually has some shooting pain with it (like the whole nerve freaks out and isn't just reporting pain at the skin). Neuralgia (nerve pain) is occasionally associated with herpes, but I guess is one of it's less common symptoms (and one I suspect develops over time instead of right away). But a pain in the butt, per se, isn't an out and out symptom of the herp. Especially that whole sore butt crack thing. It sounds to me more likely to be caused by allergies or even lots of sweat and friction. I think I got something similar when I was riding my bike a lot one really hot summer. I agree with the doc (but what do I know): definitely not herpes. Anyway, I could be all wrong. Maybe other people would like to weigh in on the pain in the butt. I will put money that it's at very least not a common symptom of new infections. I think you may, indeed, be freaking out a bit much. Chill. If this is the worst your symptoms are, it doesn't even sound close to bad. Wait your three to four months. Get your blood test. Know for sure. If in the meantime you get some sores down below that are obviously very wrong, get into a doc as soon as possible and get them cultured. They'll need to be a bit oozy to get a good culture, I think. If they're too old and dried out, there may not be enough there go get on a culture and get a good read. If that's not happening, then try to relax. And maybe in the future consider wearing a condom if being serviced by a stranger is going to make you freak out. Oh, and I don't think more frequent urination is a symptom of herpes. Maybe of drinking more water, more caffeine, or just being nervous and stressed. I think you are thinking about it too much. best of luck, mishaisacat > > Hi Steve, > > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > What a pain in the a.s this has been :-) > Steve > I think the suggested time for a blood test is three to four months, thus if > you wait sixteen weeks, the answer you get will be definitive, while twelve [quoted text clipped - 60 lines] > best of luck, > mishaisacat Thanks for the reply - it's good to get feedback from other people. I will get a blood test in 4 months and regardless of the outcome I'll post my results here. Hopefully that might will help someone recognize what is, or is not, symtpoms of gential herpes. The pain is difficult to describe. It is not, and hasn't ever been, intense or shooting. It's more like a 'chafed-skin' pain (but a little more deep and a tad more painful at times). The pain was more noticeable when I shift certain ways in my chair. Also, just lying in bed, or on my side on the couch, the pain would be more noticable after being in one position for a period of time (I can't figure that one out). And if I am not going crazy, it is a bit worse at night (10 - 11pm). It has been 1 week since the pain was noticable and it is decreasing. I only noticed it a couple of times today. For the last 5 days I have put some cream (the equivalent of diaper rash cream and cortisone cream) on the inflamed red 'line' and the redness is almost gone. I don't know if that is just a coinicidence: the pain decreasing and the redness. The obvious answer is 'of course it is' but the pain in the butt I felt included areas surrounding the red-line and touching sensitive areas with the redness was a different type of tenderness. I have never developed a rash or blisters around the area that was tender/painful (other that the red line). I have never felt the pain through my legs or down to my feet. My lymph nodes have never seemed swollen. Although my scrotum did seem a bit puffy/swollen over the course of a couple of days - I don't think that is a symptom though. Correct me if I am wrong. I usually don't "freak" too much in these situations, it's just the coincidences have me really concerned: three unexplained 'bumps' on my penis and the pain in my buttocks. Based on what the doctor saw and said, I am confident that the 2nd and 3rd bumps were not related to herpes (just really small pimples), and the 3rd one came and went in 4 days?? Also, and maybe I am just imaginging things, but during that time by scrotum/penis were a little more itchy than usual. Nothing constant, but more frequently I would just get an itch out of the blue. A quick scratch and it was gone....is that the usual 'itchness'? The best thing to do is chil and get a blood test. I just have a bad feeling about this...life goes on either way I guess. Steve >Thanks for the reply - it's good to get feedback from other people. I >will get a blood test in 4 months and regardless of the outcome I'll >post my results here. Hopefully that might will help someone recognize >what is, or is not, symtpoms of gential herpes. More info is always good. I look forward to reading your results and hope that they come back "negative". >The pain is difficult to describe. It is not, and hasn't ever been, >intense or shooting. It's more like a 'chafed-skin' pain (but a >little more deep and a tad more painful at times). That does sound like the nueralgia, as I know it, that can be part of the herpes experience. I don't think I ever experienced it until just recently when the skin on my thighs had that same feeling, and for no reason that I could think of other than the herpes. Of course, neuralgia can come from different sources, even different sources within the herpes family. As I'm sure someone else has mentioned, the childhood disease Chicken Pox is actually one of the several herpes diseases that never leaves us once it's taken a fancy to us, and can occasionly come back to taunt us as Shingles, which is apparently a severe case of neuralgia (or perhaps a milder one, too.) > The pain was more >noticeable when I shift certain ways in my chair. Also, just lying in >bed, or on my side on the couch, the pain would be more noticable >after being in one position for a period of time (I can't figure that >one out). And if I am not going crazy, it is a bit worse at night (10 >- 11pm). >It has been 1 week since the pain was noticable and it is decreasing. >I only noticed it a couple of times today. For the last 5 days I have [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >butt I felt included areas surrounding the red-line and touching >sensitive areas with the redness was a different type of tenderness. >I have never developed a rash or blisters around the area that was >tender/painful (other that the red line). I have never felt the pain >through my legs or down to my feet. My lymph nodes have never seemed >swollen. Although my scrotum did seem a bit puffy/swollen over the >course of a couple of days - I don't think that is a symptom though. >Correct me if I am wrong. Herpes is highly variable in the way it expresses itself. You definitely don't have the classic symptoms, but then most people with it don't. I'm still slightly skeptical, even though the neuralgia you describe seems somewhat significant. >I usually don't "freak" too much in these situations, it's just the >coincidences have me really concerned: three unexplained 'bumps' on my [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >constant, but more frequently I would just get an itch out of the >blue. A quick scratch and it was gone....is that the usual 'itchness'? Maybe, maybe not. I've never had much of an itch, but other people have and do. There's a wide gamut of experieces with our little friend. If you do have it, and I still don't think it's a sure thing, you sound like you're right on the borderline between having overt symptoms and not. >The best thing to do is chil and get a blood test. I just have a bad >feeling about this...life goes on either way I guess. I hope you don't have it, but be assured that if you do it's not the end of the world, in any way shape or form. There are an awful lot of people with the same thing. For me, I had some real soul searching about the way I went about establishing relationships, and I still screwed up there, but seem to have come out on the other side much better off than I went into it. You sound like a smart guy so I'm sure that you will, too. It's just a matter of knowing what it is you want and being considerate enough of the other person to give them the choice of accepting you as you are, which most will do, or thanking you for being so kind and declining. It turns out that it's better to be declined early than later, if you can imagine that. Take care. Let us know how it goes. Keep asking questions. Mike >That does sound like the nueralgia, as I know it, that can be part of >the herpes experience. I don't think I ever experienced it until just [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >to us, and can occasionly come back to taunt us as Shingles, which is >apparently a severe case of neuralgia (or perhaps a milder one, too.) Mine comes on whenever I wear jeans and sit in the office chair doing 6 hours of coding non-stop. The sensation experienced while walking to the pantry can be described as peculiar in the beginning and then gets rather annoying. It's not exactly the butt for me. Much more like the thigh area that is in-line with the butt when I'm sitting down. Still no blisters. I guess I need to be thankful about that. ;) - pat Are you sure the pain isn't a sciatic nerve problem? ar > >That does sound like the nueralgia, as I know it, that can be part of > >the herpes experience. I don't think I ever experienced it until just [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > - pat We may need Tim to weigh in on this one, but technically isn't herpes-induced neuralgia a sciatic nerve problem? The absolutely nuts thing is that my neuralgia and my dad's screwed up back disk and sciatic nerve DO have similiar symptoms sometimes. It took me a little while to realize my symptoms had their own cause. For me, I think irritating the sciatic nerve by driving 13 hours with little or no break does irritate my herpes. It was after many such drives in the space of a month that I passed the virus on. And I never had neuralgia before I made these crazy drives, but have since with much less reason. best, mishaisacat > Are you sure the pain isn't a sciatic nerve problem? > [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > > > - pat > We may need Tim to weigh in on this one, but technically isn't > herpes-induced neuralgia a sciatic nerve problem? The absolutely nuts thing Found this old one Hinthorn et al, JAMA 1976, vol236, pp587-8 Recurrent conjugal neuralgia caused by herpesvirus hominis 2 Describes leg neuralgia associated with outbreaks of HSV2. Tim -- When playing rugby, its not the winning that counts, but the taking apart ICQ: 5178568 >>That does sound like the nueralgia, as I know it, that can be part of >>the herpes experience. I don't think I ever experienced it until just >>recently when the skin on my thighs had that same feeling, and for no >>reason that I could think of other than the herpes. >>Of course, neuralgia can come from different sources, even different >>sources within the herpes family. As I'm sure someone else has >>mentioned, the childhood disease Chicken Pox is actually one of the >>several herpes diseases that never leaves us once it's taken a fancy >>to us, and can occasionly come back to taunt us as Shingles, which is >>apparently a severe case of neuralgia (or perhaps a milder one, too.) >Mine comes on whenever I wear jeans and sit in the office chair doing >6 hours of coding non-stop. The sensation experienced while walking to >the pantry can be described as peculiar in the beginning and then gets >rather annoying. >It's not exactly the butt for me. Much more like the thigh area that >is in-line with the butt when I'm sitting down. Still no blisters. I >guess I need to be thankful about that. ;) The neuralgia I got a month or so ago was on the tops of my thighs, and I wear shorts all the time, so there was little to no coverage with my clothes. Strange. Take care, Mike > Mine comes on whenever I wear jeans and sit in the office chair doing > 6 hours of coding non-stop. The sensation experienced while walking to > the pantry can be described as peculiar in the beginning and then gets > rather annoying. Do you know whether yours is caused by gential herpes? That's a good way to describe it...it starts off as peculiar and then gets 'annoying'. When I experienced it last night it, the annoying pain was the type you have after sitting in a hard chair for a long time (like an hour). I was reading about Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHS). It fits the bill if my questionable bumps were indeed an outbreak. What doesn't fit the bill with PHS though? The pain can be constant, intermittent, shooting, not-shooting, tingling, burning and possibly sensitive to touch ?! It can last for 1 days, 2 days, 1 week, several weeks or months ?! Has anyone had any experience with PHS? Prodomes, a huge variety in the types of lesions, PHS !! I am going nuts - I wonder now what's in my head and what's not. If what I went through was an outbreak, would gential herpes be detectable in my blood, or do I still have to wait the 16 weeks? Thanks again, Steve >> Mine comes on whenever I wear jeans and sit in the office chair doing >> 6 hours of coding non-stop. The sensation experienced while walking to >> the pantry can be described as peculiar in the beginning and then gets >> rather annoying. >Do you know whether yours is caused by gential herpes? That's a good >way to describe it...it starts off as peculiar and then gets >'annoying'. When I experienced it last night it, the annoying pain >was the type you have after sitting in a hard chair for a long time >(like an hour). Mine felt like a light sunburn with a wind blowing on it. >I was reading about Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHS). It fits the bill >if my questionable bumps were indeed an outbreak. What doesn't fit >the bill with PHS though? The pain can be constant, intermittent, >shooting, not-shooting, tingling, burning and possibly sensitive to >touch ?! It can last for 1 days, 2 days, 1 week, several weeks or >months ?! Has anyone had any experience with PHS? >Prodomes, a huge variety in the types of lesions, PHS !! I am going >nuts - I wonder now what's in my head and what's not. I think we all imagine stuff when this is new to us. Every little tingle or itch or bump becomes part of it. >If what I went through was an outbreak, would genital herpes be >detectable in my blood, or do I still have to wait the 16 weeks? You still have to wait. The blood tests don't test for the actual virus, they test for the antibodies to the virus, and the antibodies can take several weeks to develop. One thing you could talk to your doctor about: There are two types of antibodies that form to fight herpes, an early form, IgM, and the more permanent for, IgG. There are blood tests that can detect both, so if the test shows IgM antibodies and not IgG you have a good indication that the infection is new. Conversely, if the test shows IgG and not IgM then it's likely that you've carried HSV for more than a few months. Take care, Mike > One thing you could talk to your doctor about: There are two types of > antibodies that form to fight herpes, an early form, IgM, and the more > permanent for, IgG. Technical point - IgM is always there. Its the 'baseline' of that part of the immune system. You might get more of it getting pumped out at the point of infection but it doesnt change and it doesnt have memory. The change is what then goes on to produce the IgG and the memory response. (Doesnt change what you said about what the levels of subtypes means) Tim -- When playing rugby, its not the winning that counts, but the taking apart ICQ: 5178568 Hi Steve, I have pretty terrible neuralgia. It starts at the bottom of my foot and works its way up the leg to the groin area. The skin will become so incredibly sensitive that even the bedsheets brushing up against my leg will cause severe pain. Over the counter pain killers really help with this. ar > > Mine comes on whenever I wear jeans and sit in the office chair doing > > 6 hours of coding non-stop. The sensation experienced while walking to [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > Thanks again, > Steve > > Mine comes on whenever I wear jeans and sit in the office chair doing > > 6 hours of coding non-stop. The sensation experienced while walking to [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > way to describe it...it starts off as peculiar and then gets > 'annoying'. When I experienced it last night it, the annoying pain > was the type you have after sitting in a hard chair for a long time > (like an hour). That part sounds right. I have experienced numbness, tingling, complete deadness, pain, severe pain, all sorts of shooting pains like being stuck with a pin everywhere there is a nerve. Mine started in the arms and hands twenty years ago. Now it is starting in my legs. When it starts for me it's like I'm having these dull muscle pains here and there all up and down my legs every so often. Then there is a general numbness and coldness to the legs now when I sit on the couch. I've lived with this for years in my arms because I figured there was no cure, but now that it's in my legs, I'M freaking out. See new post for PHS. I think this deserves a new post to concentrate soley on Neuralgia/Neuropathy. BUT-YOU need to stop freaking out until you have the test. I had to have two tests, the first came out negative, so you may want to wait and have a second to make sure. But stop assuming it's all these symptoms until you know for sure. I don't see how the neuralgia could start this soon. Also, like was mentioned, Neuropathy (I may be interchanging the words incorrectly, I'm no expert) can be caused by many things. Diabetes is the most common, drugs, alcohol, breathing pesticides or toxins, lots of stuff can cause this. Take it easy. > I was reading about Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHS). It fits the bill > if my questionable bumps were indeed an outbreak. What doesn't fit [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Thanks again, > Steve Sorry Steve, I wish I could give you good news. Unfortunley from what you have said it looks like you definatley do have a herpes. Brad. >Sorry Steve, I wish I could give you good news. >Unfortunley from what you have said it looks like you definatley do >have a herpes. > >Brad. No, Brad, neither you nor anyone else can diagnose someone over the Internet, and your bald assertion falls necessarily flat. Folks, it looks like we now have a troll who thinks it's okay to screw with people's health. Newbies and lurkers should be aware that there are many low lifes on Usenet who get enjoyment from taking advantage of the misfortunes of others. Rest assured, having Herpes is far less of a burden than the stupidity people like "Brad" have to bear every day of their lives. At least herpes is dormant most of the time. Mike Mike, I appericate where you are coming from but please dont be too fast to "jump the gun" here. You are correct in that you can not be daignoised other the internet and Brad was probably wrong to say its *definatley* herpes. BUT the symptons that Steve describe do point to a VERY likely case of herpes. Having said that, he should still go to a doctor to make sure 100% that is indeed herpes. Next time though try and think about the post a bit more before opening your mouth and inserting your foot. Hello M.L.S. <msoja9@newsguy.com>, on Fri, 05 Sep 2003 09:34:02 -0400 you typed the following: >>Sorry Steve, I wish I could give you good news. >>Unfortunley from what you have said it looks like you definatley do [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > >Mike >Mike, >I appericate where you are coming from but please dont be too fast to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >Next time though try and think about the post a bit more before >opening your mouth and inserting your foot. Thanks for your input, "Pete", but since you are likely "Brad", too, I think it would be in everyone's best interest to consider anything you offer as part of the long term troll disruption of this group. The people on this group have a real world medical condition, and while it isn't life threatening, it can often be quite painful and emotionally traumatic, and your games (or whatever it is you think you're doing) will only add to their discomfort and stress. I won't get into an argument with you about it, but neither will I hesitate to point out shoddy advice when you give it. Mike Soja >Hello M.L.S. <msoja9@newsguy.com>, on Fri, 05 Sep 2003 09:34:02 -0400 >you typed the following: [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >> >>Mike "Definately" is not accurate given the facts, but if this guy is sincere (I don't think he is), I would get more out of an explaination of why he thinks it's definate. I must have some faith in our medical system here, and no-less than 3 doctors have told me that what I have is "definately not herpes". However, - no doctor saw the first abrasion on my penis (although I think I described it well). - I get a distinct impression that all of them are, to some degree, ignorant of the atypical symptoms of herpes. Either way, I have painfully come to peace with the fact that I might have it, and life will go on if I am positive. This whole thing has caused me to take a hard look at my behavior and what I want out of life. The uncomfortable feeling in my buttocks has been gone for about the last 2 days; that alone has made me feel a bit better. To summarize, these are the symptoms I have had: 1) Three Bumps on my Penis - the first was small but out of the three, it looked most like an sore/ulcer. It was never painful and never 'oozed' and completely went away in 4 days. - the other two were even smaller and looked more like really small pimples. They were came after the first one, and they never did ulcerate and disappeared within 2 days. 2) Pain in the Buttocks - first noticed after the last bump disappeared - intermittent, sometimes more noticable at certain times throughout the day - not particularly sensitive to touch although the dull ache became more annoying when I was sitting down - it sometimes felt like a chafed skin type pain also - there was never a rash or lesion/blister in the area - there was a small inflamed line in the centre of my buttocks; the doctor is confident it is a yeast type infection - lasted about 1.5 weeks - the last doctor said he doubted that it was post herpetic neuralgia because it was very aspecific in the location (i.e. it felt like it was generally in my buttocks, not in a specific place or places) 3) Possible Genital Itching - on and off throughout the duration of my symptoms and intermittent throughout the day; very short itches - I don't know how much of this was attributable to my change of behaviour and focusing on it so much Looking at the stages of herpes, the explaination of the buttock 'pain' would be post herpetic neuralgia but most information on PHS seems to be after an episode of Shinges. I can't locate whether PHS usually follows a herpes outbreak or not...it doesn't seem to be the norm. All said, I may or may not have it. I'll find out in just over 3 months. My doctor said he'll help me with the getting a blood test at that clinic in Vancouver. Thanks for the info and support, Steve Steve, I'm glad to see that your doctor is going to help you out with a blood test. About PHN: Many of us have neuralgia PRIOR to our herpes outbreaks as a prodrome. I do not know of too many that have them after their outbreaks. Take care, ar > "Definately" is not accurate given the facts, but if this guy is > sincere (I don't think he is), I would get more out of an explaination [quoted text clipped - 57 lines] > Thanks for the info and support, > Steve > "Definately" is not accurate given the facts, but if this guy is > sincere (I don't think he is), I would get more out of an explaination > of why he thinks it's definate. > > I must have some faith in our medical system here, and no-less than 3 > doctors have told me that what I have is "definately not herpes". Two doctors told me I did not have herpes as well. I had large under the skin boils in the later years and Docs do not recognize that as herpes if it does not have the characteristic look of blisters. Second Doc did a test which came back negative. Third time the correct test was done I guess. > However, > - no doctor saw the first abrasion on my penis (although I think I [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > because it was very aspecific in the location (i.e. it felt like it > was generally in my buttocks, not in a specific place or places) I've had herpes for over 20 years and never had pain in the buttocks except for fissures. It sounds like that chafing and yeast infection were caused by the exercise bike. > 3) Possible Genital Itching > - on and off throughout the duration of my symptoms and intermittent [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > usually follows a herpes outbreak or not...it doesn't seem to be the > norm. Right, my neurosurgeon says that PHS after genital herpes is not likely, something about attacking a different area of the nerves; that it comes after chicken pox with shingles. I'm still waiting to see the neurologist for his opinion, so I'll post it when I hear. > All said, I may or may not have it. I'll find out in just over 3 > months. My doctor said he'll help me with the getting a blood test at > that clinic in Vancouver. > > Thanks for the info and support, > Steve Good luck, Godisus |
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