Is it possible I have herpes?

[Charlie1986]

I am overseas in an austere environment and when I got here my left buttock and hamstring were sore and extremely tight, similar to sciatica. About a few days later my left kidney area was numb and tingly with a warm sensation. I continued my everyday routine with out any issues to include running and working out. Soon after a red mark appeared on my belt line on my back side/upper butt and a small rash on my lower middle spine, one dot on my left kidney are, and three on the left side of my pubic bone. I saw the doc and he started me on hydrocortisone and after a about 5 days nothing changed. After some pustules formed on the red area. Only the one on my back and rear hip produced pustules from what the doc said and I could see the others they were just slightly red.

I saw the Doc and and he asked if I had shingles before, I had not. I informed him I did have unprotected sex both oral and penetration a few weeks prior with a new partner but have had zero sypmtoms associated with any type of STD nor was any of this in my gential region or anus. The rash area did not itch in any way nor was it painful, more uncomfortable cause my belt rested on that area to keep my trousers up. I was given a shot of Rocephrin (antibiotic) and a few days later it started to dry up. They got red and seemed like blood was in the pustules but went away and left a scar.

I am back on full duty no issues at all just the scar but now I have a sore throat its red and seems like one sore in the back of my throat. Could these be related or am I having a bout of plain old bad luck.I am concerned because it resembles HSV in every way in the beginning but i have had zero symptoms or so I think. As soon as I return home I plan to have a blood test but as you all know anxiety and worse case scenario is filling my head.

[Terri Warren]

I would agree that this is concerning for a herpes infection. Especially since he asked you if you had had shingles before. Was any swab testing done of this rash?
I don’t want you to feel alarmed if you are far away and have work to do. This could certainly be a distraction. If it is herpes, it may not be from this encounter. Or it may not be herpes.
When are you coming home?
If you get these symptoms in a new place or they return, please have a herpes swab test done to rule this out.

Terri

[Charlie1986]

Thanks for the prompt reply. I must also inform you when I say “Doc” I am not referring to a medical doctor but a Navy Corpsman who has about 4 yrs in field medicine. No swab was done because there is no support for that sort of thing in this environment. Everything will have to wait until I am stateside. I should be home in a few weeks.

Were all my symptoms correlating to a Herpes infection in your opinion. I was really concerned about my kidney area but no rash developed in that area at all except one small dot which was red but no pustule and no itch. If it never returns which test can I do? Is there a specific test to get to decipher if it was HSV or shingles with out having an outbreak. Or is there anything else I am missing that cold be the culprit. Thank you for your help.

[Terri Warren]

The best test for you at this point, I believe, is a herpes IgG antibody test. No IgM. And if no lesion, no swab testing.
At this point, I’m not clear that there is anything that you can do about this while you are away from home.
I’m so sorry that you have to deal with this problem while you are likely focused on other things and so far from home.
Sorry for the delay, I took the weekend off to camp with my family and there was no internet service.

Terri

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