HSV1 Aniexty

[Calypso1]

Hi Terri,
I have never tested positive for HSV1 or 2 in my life. I have consequently also never had a cold sore. In the past 3 or 4 months, I have had consistent discomfort around my mouth. This includes burning lips, shooting pain in different spots, sometimes tingling all around the lips. This pain lasts all throughout the day, worsening after I’ve woken up and brushed my teeth or eaten. It’s been months since I’ve had sexual contact with anyone, 4 to be exact. I went and got tested a couple times, most recently last week, to see if this was herpes. I wanted to wait a few months to see if I developed antibodies. IGG and IGM came back negative for herpes 1 and 2 both times I was tested. The PA I saw says he thinks my lips are dry and possibly agitated due to bacteria. He swabbed my lips and mouth in their most irritated spots and the swabs came back negative for anything as well. Although, there were no true sores or ulcers in the first place. I was given an anti bacterial cream and told to coat my lips in Vaseline every night. Well, The pain subsided for about a week but is back again. I wake up everyday expecting to see some visibile sign of something as this sounds like prodrome to me. Nothing ever happens. No clusters, no sore, no redness, and no relief except for random fleeting moments of no pain.
Does this sound like HSV1? Can herpes cause consistent pain every day for weeks on end while also not showing visibly? I’ve worked myself into a tizzy, googling every day, trying to understand. I get tested every 6 months even when not having partners, I always ask for herpes tests, and I’ve never gotten a positive result. I’m so stressed and confused. I know HSV1 isn’t the end of the world, but I worry it will affect my self esteem and sex life. People keep telling me not to think about it, but my face hurts everyday! Hard to ignore.
Thank you for all you do.

[Terri Warren]

If you are worried it will impact your self esteem, I am curious about why you continue to test? Could you handle a positive test result? I will tell you that the IgG test misses 30% of HSV 1 infections compared to the gold standard western blot so if you really want to know for certain if this is the cause of your mouth sensations, you could obtain the western blot. But if it would bother you that much, do you really want to know?

Honestly, I think it is extremely unlikely that this long duration pain has anything to do with herpes. Herpes is an intermittent problem, not a continual one.

Terri

[Calypso1]

I suppose I would want to know purely so I can be informed and not infect other people. Especially genitally because I engage in oral sex when I have a partner. Diagnosing the mouth pain is important to me so I can seek treatment more than anything. My mouth has been hurting for closer to 6 weeks now, even longer than I realized and it’s driving me crazy, so I’ll be going back to my PCP to see if they can help.
I honestly don’t know how I would handle an HSV1 diagnosis. I would have to accept it, but I won’t pretend I wouldn’t cry a lot. I’m prone to panic attacks as well. I’ve battled with this matter for as long as I’ve been sexually active (only about 5 years). On the one hand, a majority of people have HSV1, so it’s not something to be embarrassed about. Not dating people who are positive would limit my dating pool astronomically. Logically, I know many of my friends who have herpes are still amazing, dynamic people, who are worthy of deep loving relationships. The other side of my brain tells me I would be disgusting, no one would want me, blah blah blah.
I’ve decided to seek therapy (for depression that is unrelated) and I’m going to talk about this sexual anxiety I have. I love sex, but I feel a lot of fear around STI’s, to the point where I’m voluntarily celibate for as long as I can stand it.
I will probably step away from google, and my worries this is herpes, as signs don’t necessarily point towards herpes. I will let more time pass, I’m sure down the road I’ll get tested again (I do for every new partner and ask them to do the same), and I’ll keep the western blot in mind. Thank you for helping us all!

[Terri Warren]

You are most welcome. I think another option is to speak with your dentist about this – he might have some good ideas

terri

[Calypso1]

Hi Terri – I’m back. :/
I went to my dentist and we can’t seem to diagnose this mouth and lip pain. He suggested seeing a neurologist. It’s now June and the pain continues. I’m not looking for a solution to that, but some other questions have come up.
The burning and tingling happens all over my mouth but most often on my entire upper right lip. My anxiety causes me to watch out for blisters, etc. most of the time there is nothing, but occasionally I’ll get a little red spot there. there is no raised skin, no ulcer, no crust, and it’s usually gone within a couple days. I’ve had acne my whole life and I would write it off as a clogged pore but there’s no white head. I’ve had the area swabbed and the PA told me there’s actually nothing to swab and no moisture to pick up whether it’s HSV1. He gave me an anti bacterial ointment that I’ve been using off and on for months.

Can cold sores be VERY tiny? Too small to see with the eye or not go through the typical 14 day tingling, blistering, crusting, healing cycle? I read cold sores are typically flesh colored bumps but can they present as red flat areas of skin?
I would write this off as acne, but the tingling and burning for the past 5 months throws me off. My concern is infecting other people. I have a lot of children in my life, I want to be careful with sexual partners, and because no one in my family has cold sores, we share food, forks, straws, and drinks out of habit.
Thank you

[Terri Warren]

People can have HSV one infection without any symptoms so it’s hard for me to answer whether this burning could be herpes because of course it could. Again, if you want to really know if you have HSV one infection you should do a herpes Western blot

This is your final post on this subscription. If you have more questions, feel free to renew

Terri

[Author]

Posts