Anxiety – Want to get realistic truth

[question95]

Hi Terri,

Thank you for all that you do regarding genital herpes, I found your content very interesting. I had a question regarding an encounter that I had two nights ago. As a note, I am a very anxious person and can think irrationally at times. Here are the details:

I’m 23 and went on a date with a girl whom I previously had not known. After the date, we went back to my apartment and she performed oral sex on me for 2-5 mins. We also engaged in genital contact/foreplay for 5-7 mins (my penis was around her genital area/vagina but never went in her vagina and we never had intercourse).

I had asked her if she had any STD’s and she confirmed that she did not, but she did seem to be somewhat promiscuous, again that can be my anxiety speaking. When I looked down at her genital area, I noticed 1 very small red mark that clearly looked like a pimple/hair follicle thing to me and not a sign of a wart or genital herpes but would like to mention that as well. She did not have any visible mouth sores or anything like that.

I woke up the next day very nervous and had felt that my genital area was itchy all over. I also noticed that a very small part right next to the tip of my penis looked red and was a bit irritated. The irritation could have been that there was a lot of skin to skin contact and she also had given me a rougher handjob throughout the course of the night. Again, not sure if that’s my anxiety speaking or if it is a clear sign of herpes.

I had a similar experience to the one above 6-8 months ago and tested negative and was reassured by a doctor that I did not have genital herpes. This is my first sexual encounter since then.

So my questions to you Terri are:

1) How likely am I contract herpes from this one time encounter as described? Would you label the chances as high or rather low? (if you had to put a percent on it or a guess, that would be very helpful)

2) Do you have any advice on how to deal with anxiety in a situation like this?

[Terri Warren]

1) How likely am I contract herpes from this one time encounter as described? Would you label the chances as high or rather low? (if you had to put a percent on it or a guess, that would be very helpful)

The chances of you acquiring HSV 2 are extremely low from that experience. You don’t mention HSV 1 – do you already have HSV 1? That is the main risk from receiving unprotected oral sex, not HSV 2 with the minimal genital contact that you had.

2) Do you have any advice on how to deal with anxiety in a situation like this?

I would just continue to view this as extremely unlikely. The little irritated place is not how herpes would present. I am not clear whether testing would reassure you but I honestly think it is not necessary in your case. Do you see someone about your anxiety? If yes, they might give you some good ideas about thinking differently to reduce our anxiety.

Terri

[question95]

Hi Terri,

I do not have HSV-1 as of the tests the last time i went thougth testing before this sexual encounter.

I do seem someone for my anxiety on this but not often. That could help.

In terms of the encounter, do you think the itching all over the genital area the day after is something to be concerned of? Or would you still label the chances of contacting genital herpes from this very low?

I’ve heard that symptoms the day after are not an indication of contracting genital herpes, is that correct?

Also, do you have any statistics or anything that may help? Would you rate the likely of contracting genital herpes from this encounter as like less than 20%?

[Terri Warren]

I really don’t think that itching all over in the genital area is something to be concerned about, at least in terms of herpes. With herpes, lesions itch but it is not generalized.
And you are correct I have not seen someone with symptoms the day after the encounter, too soon.
Oh yes, way less than 20%!

Terri

[question95]

Hi Terri,

Hope all is well. Over the past 5 days, I have been very focused/anxious on me acquiring genital herpes from this incident. At times, I feel as if I notice itching or tingling or burning over the genital area, but I am not sure if that is just me making up symptoms since I am anxious.

Recently, in the past 2 ish days, I have noticed some mild back pain. Sometimes it has appeared on the spine, others on the left and right sides of the buttocks. It tends to hurt slightly more when I am walking or bending down but i sometimes notice it when sitting down. No lesions or anything, just slight back/buttocks feeling.

1) is this back/buttocks issue something to very concerned of and a typical indication of genital herpes?

2) do you still rank my chances as extremely low from the situation? (One time unprotected genital contact/oral sex for 5-7 minutes, no intercourse)

3) I heard that the chances of accuiring from one encounter are pretty rare? Something like 4% a year if you avoid outbreaks and don’t use protection? Does that mean my chances are very slim (<4%)?

[Terri Warren]

I don’t think the buttocks/back issue is anything to be concerned about in the absence of more usual herpes symptoms, no. I’m guessing you have had pain back at some point in the past and without a sexual exposure that concerns you, it had no meaning, right?
Yes, I still rate your risk as really low. The only part that is concerning at all to me is the oral sex. Have you ever in your life had a cold sore on your lip? If yes, then you are not vulnerable to acquiring HSV 1 genitally from the oral sex. I am not concerned about the very minimal genital to genital contact that you describe, no.

TErri

[question95]

Hi Terri,

I wanted to update you on symptoms and get your thoughts.

I continue to have a buttocks pain(been a week now) and it hurts to touch, not much at other times. I also continue to have slight irritation at tip of my penis like I have had for past two weeks, could potentially be that I am touching it and focusing on it due to anxiety.

I also noticed a pain in my leg and foot two days ago(could have been from the gym or being on a plane) but it still continues. It is more of an achey time pain that hurts more when I walk.

What scares me the most is that I woke up this morning feeling sick. I felt as if I had to throw up, headache, Naseau, etc……

My questions are:

1)are these new symptoms something to be very concerned with? Sickness/slight foot ache/penis irritation for two weeks?

2) it’s been 15 days since the encounter. I’ve read that if you are to show symptoms, they would appear 2-10 days or 2-14 days after usually. Any idea on the truth to that? How likely is it you’d get symptoms 15 days after for 1st outbreak?

3)would you still rate my chances as really low to show symptoms given the one exposure and the fact that it has been 15 days?

[Terri Warren]

1)are these new symptoms something to be very concerned with? Sickness/slight foot ache/penis irritation for two weeks?

Herpes does not cause nausea, no, and the foot pain could be something completely unrelated. Penis irritation for two weeks is unlikely to be caused by herpes without any skin changes.

2) it’s been 15 days since the encounter. I’ve read that if you are to show symptoms, they would appear 2-10 days or 2-14 days after usually. Any idea on the truth to that? How likely is it you’d get symptoms 15 days after for 1st outbreak?

That is correct. I don’t recall seeing anyone with new infection get symptoms after about 20 days.

3)would you still rate my chances as really low to show symptoms given the one exposure and the fact that it has been 15 days?

I would yes!

Terri

• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by Terri Warren.

[question95]

Thanks Terri for your reply. A few follow ups:

1) I continue to have the headache, tired feeling. It started about 36 hours ago. I am concerned since I have heard that this could be a prodromal symptom. I know you mentioned herpes does not cause nausea, but what about the headache symptom?

2) I know we keep saying that is it really low risk from the one time encounter 16 days ago, but any idea on what percent range that is? 1%? 5%? 10%? 20%?

[Terri Warren]

Yes headache can be associated with new headache but it can also be caused by a bizillion other things! Things that are far less likely for you.

5%, and if you did get herpes, it would most likely be HSV 1 from the oral sex, but I don’t think you did.

Terri

[question95]

Hi Terri,

I have developed a couple of symptoms that are worrysome to me. It is now day 22 after the incident and I have not had any sexual encounters since.

I developed a similiar pain to last week where there is an ache in my left leg starting yesterday. I then developed a bad headache today (no fever) which is concerning to me that this may be herpes outbreak. I do not have any legions though.

1) how likely is it that I would show symptoms from a first outbreak 21/22 days after exposure?

2) should I be concerned with these symptoms? It feels like a pretty bad headache, not a common one.

[Terri Warren]

I think this is very unlikely to be related to herpes, honestly.
No, a headache alone without lesions is not a big concern for me.

Terri

[question95]

Hi Terri,

I have a new symptom and am very very anxious and nervous about it.

Here’s what happened: I went to the gym early today, and about two hours later I noticed a red bump/pimple/sore like thing right above the crease on inner thigh/groin area . I had a long workout and sweat. The bump caused very mild pain, only noticed slight slight pain when walking or slight slight pain when touching it. There is a pus like substance in it, I popped a little of it and saw liquid similiar to a pimple. How nervous or likely is this that it is related to herpes? Here’s the facts about my case so far

1)had 1 encounter of oral sex performed on my penis for 1-2 mins and genital contact, penis touching vagina area for 2-4 mins
2) girl claimed she did not have any STDs or herpes
3) this bump/pimple/sore showed up 26.5 days after the encounter
4) there is only one sore where pus came out
5)there is very mild pain when only touching or walking and it rubs against clothes
6) I have had folliculitis in that area and molloscum so I have had small white bumps on both sides, sometimes red. This looks like a much larger, infected like one of those.

I am wondering if you think this is just caused by sweat irritating a hair follicle or creating a pimple or something more serious like genital herpes.

If this is not a concern, please provide some words of advice to help me get through these nerves.

[Terri Warren]

This sounds very much like a simple pimple to me. Herpes lesions generally don’t have pus in them. However, if you are concerned about herpes, you should go in to a clinician and have this evaluated and swab tested if they think it looks like herpes. it is a very long incubation period for a first herpes infection, if it is that. I haven ever seen a first infection happen 26 days out.

Terri

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