› Forums › Herpes Questions › Herpes or trauma from sex.
- This topic has 1 reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by Terri Warren.
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October 28, 2014 at 5:20 pm #1601ChachaqueenParticipant
A few weeks ago I had sex quite a few times with a stranger and there were occasions I was dry and the sex was frequent. I was extremely sore. I also developed a bacterial infection and when I checked the next day I noticed the base of my vagina was swollen and my discharge smelled bad. I went to the dr. And they diagnosed me with a bacterial UTI. When I went home this was perhaps a day or two after the sex and I noticed a cut not on my perineum but a little above it, on the edge of the vaginal entrance. It looked like a little cut/gash. I was kind of worried because I checked the area the day after sex and it wasn’t there or I hadnt noticed it then, so I freaked out and immediately thought herpes as it showed up later. It didn’t hurt and simply looked like a tiny gash. I am concerned because I usually get shallow perineum cuts after sex that heal in about 2 days. This however took about 4-5 days to heal and was closer to the softer tissue on the edge of the entrance. It didn’t hurt only when I went to the restroom and urine got on it. I’m not sure if bacterial vaginosis combined with the trauma from sex contributed to the cut/gash. I finished my antibiotics and both the chunky smelly discharge and cut dissapeared.
It was a clean cut where you could sort of see the white flesh underneath. I checked my groin nodes and they were not swollen during the presence of this cut.
I know some people get herpes in the form of papercuts instead of classical blisters. Does this sound consistent with a first time outbreak of herpes? The papercut variety?
I’ve gotten tested for all other stds except herpes from this encounter and was cleared.
How common is the presentation of genital herpes as papercuts?
- This topic was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Chachaqueen.
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October 28, 2014 at 6:26 pm #1603Terri WarrenKeymaster
That’s a good question. I would say that most first infections do not present looking like paper cuts, more like rounded sores or blisters, though women most often don’t see the blisters because they break and become ulcers before they can be seen. Have you ever been tested in the past for herpes? If yes, what were the results by antibody test? I ask because you mention that you’ve had cuts on the labia in the past. When the cuts were there, did anyone see them or do any testing?
This is concerning, yes, but I don’t think we can make any clear decisions without lab testing as to whether this might be herpes or not. If you have never had any lab testing for herpes, I think you should get a baseline antibody test now so you can compare that with results down the road.
Terri
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October 28, 2014 at 7:13 pm #1604ChachaqueenParticipant
I have been tested for it. I always ask for it since it’s not included in routine tests. They have always been negative. Once I took the abtibiotics it seemed the cut healed in 3-4 days. I know I would have to get a test to be completely sure but given the description would you say this was a first outbreak? Under my current economic circumstances cannot see a dr for a test.
I’ve kind of researched your work and am impressed by your knowledge of the virus. A lot of online boards/posters say that herpes can show up as papercuts as well. I wonder if they’re simply not carefully looking at their outbreaks and misidentifying the sores and I guess for lack of better terms call them papercuts. Have you come across the papercut presentation of genital herpes in your patients? And if you have has it ever been one single cut?
Also could a first outbreak heal in less than week without any antiviral treatment?
Thank you!!
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October 28, 2014 at 7:22 pm #1605Terri WarrenKeymaster
Do you know your HSV 1 status? That will impact my answers.
Terri -
October 28, 2014 at 7:47 pm #1606ChachaqueenParticipant
I have type 1. And break out 1-2 a year. Those never present differently as cuts…blister..ulcer..crust.
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October 28, 2014 at 8:00 pm #1607Terri WarrenKeymaster
A person who has HSV 1 if much less likely to notice symptoms if they acquire HSV 2 or keep the symptoms minor. That’s why I ask. So I still think this is unlikely a first infection, since it was a one time encounter and statistically, the odds are lower of contracting HSV 2 at a single encounter but I think when you get the money together you might want to test anyway ,just to be sure. You can do the testing online and do not have to pay a clinic visit. You want HSV 2 only IgG, no Igm or anything else. If you have more unusual symptoms before you do the antibody test, like sores I would arise that you get the swab tested.
Terri
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October 28, 2014 at 8:10 pm #1608ChachaqueenParticipant
Thank you Terri!
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October 29, 2014 at 2:11 am #1610Terri WarrenKeymaster
You’re most welcome
Terri -
January 2, 2015 at 9:22 pm #2586ChachaqueenParticipant
Hi again Terri,
I’ve paid for follow up questions. I’ve gotten a blood test today and absolutely terrified now as I wait for the results and seeking additional reassurance.
You said that you still think this is unlikely to be a first infection. Could you list the reasons you think so? To add to my previous description of the cut:
The cut was on my posterior fourchette, an area I’ve never seen a cut before, they usually present on the perineum but then again the sex was unusually rough and extremely dry. It presented with no further redness or cuts, just the cut itself. I told myself that if it got worse I would absolutely get it swabbed. This exposure happened on July 26, 2014 a Saturday and all symptoms resolved by Aug 1st, a friday. The cut simply got tinier and tinier from the day I had noticed it, never got worse. I noticed the cut Monday, July 28th (I concede it most likely was there all along after the sex happened but now I had to consider the possibility that this met the herpes incubation timeline of symptoms showing up 2-5 days after exposure). I checked my groin nodes and they never swelled during the presence of this cut.
When you’ve had patients come in that already have a type 1 herpes infection…how have their symptoms presented when they have aquired type 2? Do they appear differently or atypical?
Dr. HHH and Edward Hook seem to suggest that a first time infection would not resolve in under 10 days. Would you agree?
How common is the presentation of fissures in genital herpes?
Do these fissures follow a different course of healing than say blisters and sores outbreaks.
Was my cut maybe just a herpes fissure?Could an outbreak be simply one tiny fissure with no other symptoms?
I hope any of this is making sense. I’m so nervous and pretty much nearing a nervous breakdown since this exposure and just my general fear of herpes.
Thank you so much.
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January 2, 2015 at 9:28 pm #2587ChachaqueenParticipant
I forgot to add. This happend about 5 months ago. Does the fact that nothing similar had reoccurred reinforce that it wasn’t hsv-2?
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January 3, 2015 at 12:34 am #2604Terri WarrenKeymaster
I do see people with herpes that present as papercuts, yes, but not usually with a first infection.
In my opinion, a first time hsv infection with type 2 in the face of having type 1 might resolve in under 10 days. Fissures follow the same healing process as blisters and ulcers – they either crust or simply fill in with new tissue.
Remember that people who acquire HSV 2 in the face of having HSV 1 usually have a milder outbreak by definition. However, having said all of that, the odds of getting herpes at a single encounter are not great statistically.Let’s just wait and see what the test results say. Distract yourself with visits with friends, volunteering, watching a movie, exercising. Remember, it is what it is already. You are just finding out now.
Terri
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January 7, 2015 at 11:52 pm #2738ChachaqueenParticipant
My hsv test for 2 came back negative. The encounter happened 5 months and index value was on a scale to 5 and mine was a 0.28. Is that number likely to change?
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January 8, 2015 at 12:11 am #2739Terri WarrenKeymaster
No, that number is not likely to change. If you were my clinic patient, I would say that you can consider yourself uninfected with HSV 2, with 97% certainty.
Terri
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January 21, 2015 at 6:53 pm #3146ChachaqueenParticipant
I’m back and purchased new questions. My last igg test was negative but since then I had something disconcerting happen.
I had resumed sex with my partner On 1/6/2014.
I don’t know his status and he says he’s fine but that’s not something I can confirm.
About 11 days later I have weird symptoms develop!I went to visit family and had been using summer’s eve feminine wipes a lot as we were out of regular toilet paper. I remember my vagina also being particularly damp that weekend and there was some white pasty discharge that was sticking to my vaginal entrance but do not recall an external itch. That night I went to bed and masturbated twice and felt lightly irritated. I went to sleep and woke up in the morning to take a shower and lathered on summers eve delicate skin wash and then felt some irritated skin that I may have further irritated by rubbing and lightly scratching in the shower. It was the jagged edge of the flaps. I have gotten irritations before in that exact spot. When I got out of the shower and took a look I saw irritated papercut like scratches that were bleeding a little (2 little Knicks). The area continued to sting as I urinated and create tiny little specks on toilet paper. I have attached a picture of them.
This started Sunday morning in the shower when I believe I rubbed or scratched the irritated tissue. It also coincided with my period and I notice the texture and sensitivity of my skin changes down there during certain parts of my cycle either smoother or more grainy. All of monday it stayed irritated (kept touching) and Tuesday was making improvements and by this morning it no longer hurts and new skin is developing and it’s pretty much healed. No swollen lympnodes or other symptoms.
The first picture is from Tuesday (this all started Sunday)
And the second picture from today (Wednesday)My question:
Does this look/sound like herpes?
Was this is an outbreak from my encounter on 1/6/2014, which would make it 11 days post exposure? -
January 21, 2015 at 6:54 pm #3148ChachaqueenParticipant
Second photo from today.
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January 21, 2015 at 6:56 pm #3150ChachaqueenParticipant
The irritation was only on the right labia minora flap. For some reason the right flap gets easily irritated and not the left side.
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January 21, 2015 at 7:00 pm #3151Terri WarrenKeymaster
I really can’t tell much from the pictures, quite honestly. If you have repeated irritation of this area, I strongly suggest that you see a clinician as soon as possible after the irritation starts to get it evaluated, especially if it is truly abnormal for you. It is also possible that you are sensitive to or allergic to something in the Summer’s Eve washes or wipes – I’ve certainly heard of other people who are sensitive to these products.
Terri
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January 21, 2015 at 7:07 pm #3152ChachaqueenParticipant
Ok. ill get whatever is left swabbed. Can a herpes outbreak resolve in 3 days?
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January 22, 2015 at 3:56 pm #3157Terri WarrenKeymaster
It could resolve in three days but you have so much evidence that says you don’t have HSV 2. I think it would be good if you could believe the antibody test unless you have concrete evidence, like a positive swab test, to the contrary.
Terri
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January 23, 2015 at 6:22 pm #3191ChachaqueenParticipant
The dr. Said there was nothing left to swab. I don’t know what to do now. I cannot get another herpes blood test for a while or would have to wait for whatever it was to reoccurr to get it swabbed. I know you can’t tell much from the photos but there are clearly tiny scratches, do you see that? I get I have type 1 and would have have a milder first outbreak but it seems your research and answers on this forum suggest that herpes can even just be redness, mild irritation, miniscul fissures, and can be of any duration, even unusually short like 2-3 days without even taking any kind of antivirals. That’s so disheartening. Is atypical herpes really the norm? Then the medical literature should get rid of the wording “blisters, open sores, that crust over etc because that clearly doesn’t seem to be the norm. I’m sad because I have to wait and deal with this anxiety till the time to retest. Perhaps it’s my own fault and own anxiety and excessive need for reassurance but it’s all fueled by the idea that it could present in any kind of way.
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January 23, 2015 at 6:24 pm #3193Terri WarrenKeymaster
I would advise you to accept the test results you obtained after waiting 5 months to be tested. There is no point in testing again at this point. If you tested negative at 5 months, I believe you will stay negative by ELISA.
Terri
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January 23, 2015 at 8:33 pm #3194ChachaqueenParticipant
I will try. Should I assume the above mentioned irritation was not herpes related? I will try to ask my current partner to get tested.
I just want to put intense this fear behind me. 🙁 -
January 23, 2015 at 8:42 pm #3197Terri WarrenKeymaster
I understand. I don’t think the above was herpes related, no. And yes, it would be good to get your partner tested.
We are now out of questions for this subscription.
Terri
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