HSV 1 genital to oral self transmit

[AbbyJ]

Hi, I know this will sound weird but I believe I transmitted HSV 1 that I have in my genital area to my throat/mouth. I was officially diagnosed in 3/2021. But I have had it since I was a preteen. IgG HSV 1 was 2.89. HSV 2 <0.91. I was masturbating using a toy. I don’t get frequent outbreaks as I once did. I normally know better but I placed the toy on my top lip briefly. I normally quickly wipe it off or grab a disinfecting wipe. I didn’t this time. I believe I licked my lip. Within a few hours I felt lips tingling and burning. This progressed and I started to get ear pain like an ear infection. I started taking amoxicillin and I believe developed oral thrush. White substance that I could wipe away and was red underneath on my gum line. I have seen urgent care doctors, telehealth, two trips to the emergency room as I started to feel tingling/numbness on both sides of my body(the feelings switched sides daily. Arms/legs). I thought I was having a stroke. I also had severe high blood pressure. I was diagnosed with paresthesia, dehydration, recommended to see a neurologist & primary care. I did mention the possibility of transmission but my symptoms have been so odd. I’ve seen a NP about all of this. Because I don’t have lesions around or in my mouth (gums/lips, roof of mouth) it’s brushed off. I completed a HIIT workout earlier this week & in the evening I started to feel tingling my mouth. Everyone says allergies, stress or mucus build up. I saw another urgent care provider today after discovering some white stuff behind my uvula/ lesion like tissue down near my tonsils. at this point I just want to narrow this down & move on.

Is it possible to self transmit from genitals to mouth? I placed the toy briefly on my top lip. I have not experienced outbreaks on the outside of my mouth where it touched. I did notice some scratch like marks but I’m known to scratch myself in my sleep.

Since I already have been diagnosed with GHSV 1. Is there other tests for oral HSV?

[Terri Warren]

The one thing that struck me is that you got HSV 1 genital infection as a pre-teen? Were you molested?
this is quite alarming, honestly.
The only test for oral herpes is a swab test of a lesion.
Also, if you did indeed acquire HSV 1 genitally as a pre-teen, it would be extremely unlikely that you would get this in a new location.

Terri

[AbbyJ]

Hi Terri, sorry for the delayed response. Forgot my password I put but finally got it figured out. I made dumb decisions as a kid. I wasn’t fully aware. It’s a story that’s hard for me to share at times. Because I have had this for so long I just dealt it in silence/embarrassment. The odd thing about these symptoms are no real “lesions” or at least what I think. Googling has not been my friend. I do have video and pictures. I get redness on my hard palate and persistent ear annoyance. See attached pictures – no pain, more annoyance. I’m getting a physical exam completed & requesting a swab of my throat tomorrow. My throat has been annoying since July. I was prescribed Nystatin to help with throat issues as I believed I had oral thrush in July. I could swallow but it felt constricted at the time & I was clearing my throat from extra mucus often. Still no sores presented, just felt something raking the back of my throat. I had a question about confirmatory testing. My IGG results were high, 2.89 in 2021. I’m not as aware of range where I should request confirmatory testing. At my original testing – I did not present or mention sores on my genitals. The doctor just swabbed my vaginal canal and a blood draw. I know current testing of HSV is not as accurate as the Western Blot.
Would you suggest I ask for confirmatory testing to be done? Could the redness be intraoral herpes? The redness lasts maybe a day or two if that. Then goes away – no pain when I touch or run my tongue on it. https://imgur.com/a/K0XKATF The first picture is from 9/3/22. I saw a minute clinic provider the same day but he did not swab it. He did not believe it was herpetic. Second picture I noticed on 9/12 I had this on my gums – it was healed by 9/14. Again no pain on touch. Dentist said I needed a cleaning. These have been the only “sores” I have had since this started in July. The third picture is this Sunday going into Monday. Fourth picture is by the afternoon of Monday. Last picture is today.

[Terri Warren]

We don’t do pictures here sorry. Anything that is a sore inside your mouth on the hard palate should have been swab tested using PCR. Without that, we can’t know what that was.

If you did indeed acquire HSV 1 genitally as a pre-teen then it would be extremely unlikely that you would now get it in a new location that you didn’t have it in previously.

Terri

[AbbyJ]

Hi Terri, I spoke with my provider – she didn’t want to run an STD panel but I begged her to. I guess I’m going crazy because I don’t have sores in my mouth but a persistent annoyance/uncomfortableness and ear pressure/moisture in ear issue. Has me thinking I need to investigate further. I have never had a swab done on my sores. None were present at the time of my original testing & the NP I am seeing now has not done a physical exam outside of looking at my throat & seeing nothing abnormal besides a polyp. Which I mentioned to her because I thought it was an OB. I briefly mentioned confirmatory testing but she shut that down quickly when I mentioned my original IgG results. Basically a positive result is what it is & confirmatory testing won’t change the facts. Unfortunately the redness on my hard palate always disappears within 2 days so I’m not sure about intraoral herpes or throat herpes. My guess is I’m partially asymptomatic in the mouth. Google is a gift& a curse at this point. I’m at a crossroads& left more confused. I finally stopped washing my hands constantly at the thought of touching my face/my saliva or a using a utensil.

Would you suggest I do a Western Blot based on my results? Is there any research on why numbers fluctuate like this? Or it’s higher & then lowers? Lower than higher?
I have never taken antivirals for HSV 1 so I don’t think it can be different unless nystatin, allergy medicine & blood pressure meds have an affect on results?

3/20/2021: HSV 1 IgG, Type Spec 2.89
HSV 2 IgG, Type Spec <0.91
I had started to feel sick after having sex with someone on 3/18. I thought I was going to pass out because of how sick I was. Ear infection at that time too. The person I was involved with didn’t not have A1 hygiene at that time so figured it was something bacterial. Once I finished medication I was good orally. No issues until July when I believe I transferred to myself from G to O.

No sex since
10/14/22: HSV 1 IgG, 1.32
HSV 2 IgG, 1.30

[Terri Warren]

Absolutely you need a western blot. The CDC says so and so do I! And shame, shame, shame on your provider for not insisting that you get one. OMG, there is so much wrong with the care you’ve received.

Terri

• This reply was modified 5 months ago by Terri Warren.

[AbbyJ]

Hi Terri,
Thank you! I am looking to the Western Blot and finally figure this out – good or bad results. I was checking eVisit and I don’t see any upcoming dates besides October 31st(today) and November 7th. I have all my information from my previous results (the last two tests) but do you know if there will be more dates for November or December opening? I wanted order the Western Blot through you and the clinic but wanted to check your availability. While I am available on November 7th – I will have family in town and may not be easily accessible. If this the last date you have for the year – I will make it work. If so, do you suggest I contact UW this week for the WB and let them know I’m working with you? The OHSV2 “symptoms” I have been experiencing are not the typical ones described online/Reddit or other places so right now it’s about ruling out what is and what isn’t going on with me. Once I have my results do you suggest I provide this to my local healthcare provider? I know HSV testing is not standard for STI testing panel but in case this comes up in the future I would trust the WB more.

Thanks again!

[Terri Warren]

You’ve probably seen that I have several openings in November now.

Terri

[AbbyJ]

Hi Terri,
I have seen you have an opening soon. I’ve tried to work with NP where I’m at but she refuses to offer any medication because I don’t “present” traditional symptoms. Im going to try to work with a Dr. I had many years ago. But I had some follow up questions because I’m losing my mind & now swear every part of me is infected. Could OHSV 2 show up & appear in weird ways? my symptoms are just troubling. I have had a white tissue on the side on my tongue & under it. I could move/wipe some of it around but it stayed there. It was attached. But gone by the next day. I get these reddish marks or “ob” as I think they are on the roof of my mouth only on the right side. It last maybe a day. By the next day it’s healing over/no longer red. It doesn’t hurt. It’s flat enough that it’s not a blister/blister filled. I had a single, raised sore but it was painless. Gone fast too. Ear pressure – I constantly feel like I have to pop my ear. Dry roof of mouth/tongue. How contagious is my salvia if I don’t present anything orally? I licked my finger to wipe my eye. I immediately recognized I was wrong and washed out with cool water but the next day I had some eye pain/a white head looking bump. I’ve been flushing it with warm water/salt since. Burning sensation in my mouth that comes & goes. Bleeding tongue – happened one time. No sores. Opaque looking extra tissue on the inside of my lip. Again it’s painless, flat& not white or red. I am constantly checking my mouth in the mirror or my camera. My lips were in the direct sun recently for like 5 mins& the next day or so I felt a burning sensation when drinking like a OB was coming. I saw a small little knick/missing skin. Nothing formed like a blister. I put on Abreeva& it was gone shortly after. I’ve stopped using chapstick. I’m fearful of touching any part of my body now. It’s crazy. I’ve had GHSV 1 for years & since July my upper part of my body has gone haywire since I believe I transferred to my mouth

[Terri Warren]

None of this sounds herpetic to me. I think you’ve really gone a bit over the top about this and I’m not quite sure why. It is possible that you acquired HSV orally and genitally at the same time but that seems unlikely after all this time. I can only recommend the blot and hope that you will pursue it. I’m afraid I don’t have other ideas for you to clarify your situation

Terri

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