PCR swab questions from former long distance patient

[longdistpatient]

Nurse Warren,

I am a former long distance patient of yours that you helped with doing some swabbing from home. It has been a couple years. I had a small blister on my hand come up that I think was just a result of my skins intolerance to bleach water, but I wanted to be sure. I actually swabbed it with leftovers from a PCR kit from a while back. The vial actually expired a month ago, but it was all I had… I wondered if it was worth sending in to be tested, and how long it can he kept in my freezer…

Thank you, as always Terri… youre the best!

[longdistpatient]

Terri,

I was also hoping you could help put my mind at ease about one other bump I chose not to get checked ou in my groin area. I chose not to because it struck me as a normal cyst/boil/folliculitus that I get sometimes in my inner thigh.
Could you describe some differences between boil/cyst lesions compared to herpes lesions? My understanding is that herpes does not feel like it is deep, welling up from inside the skin like a pimple but is more superficial like a water blister. Also that herpes isnt something that feels like it is ‘under pressure’ that you want to squeeze but more like a sore. Also that herpes lesions ‘burst’ but dont ‘pop’. As in herpes is more of a soft expelling of clear fuid like water escaping from a saturated kleenex that gave way, while a cyst will ‘shoot’ out stuff like squeezing a ketchup packet? Also herpes doesnt have serosanguineous, bloody fluid inside but straw or clear colored fluid?
The bump I had definitely felt like a pimple feels, with a desire to squeeze it to ease the pressure. It didn’t take much force to squeeze it when bloody fluid definitely shot out with force. (sorry for being so gross). I assumed that it didnt behave anything like a herpes lesion should, so I shouldnt obscess and just let it go… now I regret that. Sometimes it is hard to decide what is OCD and what is legit….
Anyway, my OCD had me looking at videos on youtube to ease my mind, and found this gross and kind of graphic video of something very similar to what I had. The fluid color and “squirt” (again sorry for being gross) was very similar to what I had. The only thing is, I didnt notice any white keratin cap/pus, which is the biggest worry since I know that is the real marker for a pimple. It is possible that I just didnt notice it though, no way to know.

You can watch the video if you like. it is disgusting, id say turn it off after a minute if you decide to look at it. I have no idea if it will be helpful or not. I feel weird posting all this stuff, dealing with herpes worries has definitely made me deal with embarrassment I never thought Id have to be put through…
http://youtu.be/1N2WpSMlrfw

[Terri Warren]

Stephen, is this you? Did you want to set up an appointment to talk with me?

Terri

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