Hi, I'm Philip. I'm new here, been watching for a few weeks.

First I'd like to say "thanks" that this group exists, as I've already
learned a lot. It seems I know more about herpes than my doctor. It's
really great to see folks lending support and providing information the
way you guys do here.

Anyway, here's my brief story --  and a plea for help. About 13 weeks
ago I think I was exposed to oral herpes. Ten days later my lower lip
became really swollen, sensitive, red -- but no obvious lesions. I had
the typical tingling, itching, etc. with a mild headache, and a slight
feverish feeling (though my temp never measured over 98.5).

By the way, I waited till 12 weeks were up and was tested last week
(IgG, ELISA); results shoud be in this week.

This all cleared up in about a week. Because of the lack of lesions, I
cannot really say I have had another outbreak. Sometimes my bottom lip
tingles and I put on some melissa oil and it goes away; no sores -- but
sometimes I get a tiny red spot, like a pin-prick, which also goes away
in a day or less. Could that tiny red spot be a herpes sore?

Two weeks go by and things are great -- then it hits me. I start having
headaches again, worse this time, my eyes are overly sensitive to
sunlight, feeling feverish a bit (but still, I check my temp throughout
the day and nothing over 98.5). Also, some "weakness" in my left leg
that comes and goes; and some pain around my left kidney area, but only
when I press on it.

The worst part is the rash. It started on the center of my chest and on
the insides of both elbows -- all at the same time. It's reddish and
inflamed a bit; the skin appears to thicken. There are a lot of tiny
bumps, a FEW seem to have "blister"-like tops like they could hold
water. They are very tiny, never hurt, seem to almost go away without
ever going through the typical herpes cycle. They itch like mad.

But they never bunch together in groups like I've read herpes blisters
do. They are rather spread out. Here's my BIG QUESTION -- I know that
during my primary outbreak (as mild as it was), I could have infected
myself somewhere else, before my immunity had built up. But I have been
VERY VERY careful about touching my lips and washing my hands, etc. What
are the odds I could have spread this to BOTH arms and my chest?

I know a little about the ganglia. Type 1 herpes likes the trigeminal
ganglia and type 2 likes the sacral. And I know that once the herpes
virus settles into the ganglia it can re-emerge anywhere that that
ganglia is connected to, like the boxer-shorts area for type 2.

QUESTION: What ganglia would herpes on the arm and chest be hiding in?
Does the same ganglia serve BOTH the chest and the arms? If so, that
might explain why this rash comes and goes on both arms and my chest.
I'm having the second outbreak on the inside of my elbows and my upper
chest right now -- so, whatever it is, is reoccurs.

I'm sorry for the length of this post -- I still have several questions.
But, for now, does anybody please have any insight into this problem?

My doc's a bit skeptical about it all, seems to not have much experience
with herpes, and thinks it's some kind of allergenic eczema on my arms
and chest -- and not enough of a lesion to get a swab to test.

This rash is very troublesome. This second time around it's worse --
covering almost all my upper chest and more of my forearms. It started
to clear on its own after a week, but has come back worse in the last
two days. (The first rash cleared up completely after 2 weeks and I had
2 weeks of total clear skin befor this second round began.)

Can anybody help, please? Thanks so much!!!

Philip