Please help.

[Cassssanova]

Terri, I spoke with u on the ASHA site but had some few last questions. Please bare with me & my severe health anxiety, which Im seeing a therapist for.

Recap: On April 6th, i was having protected sex with my partner when the condom broke. After about a minute, we realized it broke and change the condom out for a new one. I did not get any genital symptoms after the exposure. I was worried that if i did contract hsv 2, it could possibly be on my vaginal walls but i never got any itchiness or pain from my vagina. I expect it would have felt like a YI if i did get an hsv 2 outbreak on my vaginal walls, but i didnt feel any of that.

However, i recall something that is bothersome. My partner & i did have sex prior to this exposure but we used a condom & it DIDNT break. I did shave after the first sexual event and recall getting one single bump on the outside of my labia majora where the vagina meets the thigh- the bump was right in the fold. I recall scratching off the Whitehead & it going away. I didnt ever look at the bump bcuz it wasnt itchy nor burned. It was a hard bump. About four weeks after the condom broke, i got another single/hard bump in the same place and it was sore just like the first time, but did not itch or burn. I used a hot cloth to bring it to the surface and the next day, i saw a Whitehead and popped it & it went away within a day or two. However, i can still feel the bump under the skin if i press on it & move it around. It’s not on the surface, but under the skin. I’m worried it could be hsv 2.

The last time i was tested for hsv 2 was last year, 6-7 weeks after i had protected sex with a partner and everything came back negative. May i add, I ALWAYS USE CONDOMS- never had unprotected sex.

Questions:
1. Does this reoccurring bump sound like herpes?
2. Should i be worried that its hsv 2?
3. What is the likelihood of me testing negative for hsv 2 after consistently/always using condoms since last year?
4. Does the 1st bump sound like hsv 2?

[Terri Warren]

1. It does not – not at all
2. I don’t believe so no
3. Very very low
4. No

Has your partner been tested?

Terri

[Cassssanova]

I understand you are not a psychologist, but I’m going crazy with my anxiety. I wish I could normal. My therapist hasn’t helped that much, probably because this herpes/STD fear hasn’t been the first time. I use to have severe anxiety & OCD over this fear about 3 years ago. I had completely healed the previous two years, but the fear returned as soon as the condom broke with the last guy i dated. I’m just so anxious and nervous that I’ve contracted hsv 2 from the previous 4 partners i had protected sex with, since the last time I got tested. I try to convince myself that it isn’t likely to have contracted hsv 2 bcuz I used condoms consistently, until it broke for 30 seconds- 1 minute.

I don’t recall getting any genital symptoms and I’M EXTREMELY HYPER-VIGILANT. The only symptom i thought i had was the bumps i mentioned, but you said in your reply that it doesn’t sound like herpes. This sounds terrible, but i went to the doctor after 3 of them bcuz i was anxious about getting hsv symptoms, and the worst thing i ever had was a yeast infection, confirmed by swab and thorough exam.

Any little itch, burn or sting I automatically think it’s hsv 2 and I’m waiting till a few more weeks to get tested. I’m in agony until then, and I’m even more anxious about the test results. Like right now i think I’m having a symptom, and i haven’t been intimate with anyone in a month & half, almost 2. My inner labia minor seems to have a spot that’s raised more than before or developing a bump. I didn’t notice it until i started touching. I think it’s starting to burn now bcuz I’ve rubbed it raw. I do not know the status of my last 4 partners.

1. Do you have any advice for me?
2. Should i be worried that ive contracted hsv 2 from protected sex with the previous 4 guys? Even
though one exposure did have a condom break for up to 1 minute?
3. Every little symptom i get/notice i think is hsv symptoms. How do i reason with myself?

[Terri Warren]

1. I would suggest that you see a cognitive behavioral therapist only – they specialize in this kind of problem – and consider adding medication
2.No!
3. I would recommend that you test and when negative (and it likely will be) when the fear come into your head, keep reminding yourself about your test results and perhaps post them on a mirror in your bathroom.

Terri

[Cassssanova]

Thank you so much, Terri! You have really helped me throughout this time. My therapist is currently on leave and won’t be back until July.

With that being said, I’ve been worried that the lump i described to you on my inner labia minora is something like an HPV wart. I didn’t really check or examine my vagina until after this exposure. The lump I describe on my inner labia minora looks like tearing or rippling. I know that I have always had some rippling there because I use to examine myself a few years ago when I had this same anxiety/fear. Also, a gyno examined me 4 days after this incident and said she saw no lesions or warts. However, i just feel like this lump is getting bigger and i don’t know if it’s just all in my head. It doesn’t hurt, burn or itch when i touch it. The rippling/tearing is flesh colored and while examining it, nothing looks abnormal- it just FEELS like the lump is getting bigger. But like i said, this could be a part of my normal anatomy because my gyno has told me that there are all sorts of bumps and textures on the vagina that are normal. This lump does not bother me through my daily routine- i wouldn’t notice it if i didn’t examine or touch.

I’m also anxious because I’m planning on getting a Pap smear soon and in the past I’ve had abnormal results. I tested 3 times from June 2015- July 2016, every 6 months. I tested negative for HPV every single time, but had a result of ASCUS every time as well. My gyno said she wasn’t concerned and to test again in 2-3 years. Since then, i have NOT had unprotected sex (except for the condom breaking). I’m worried that maybe my pap results and this lump may be correlated & that maybe this is an HPV wart. I did have the gardisil shot once (maybe twice) when i was 13. I’m now 24.

1. What are the chances i contracted HPV/HPV Warts from the condom breaking for 1 minute?
2. Do you have any insight or advice as far as my pap results go?
3. Does this bump/lump sound like an HPV wart?

[Terri Warren]

The chances that you contracted HPV from a broken condom for one minute are extremely low. It turns out that now it is recommended that you only need two vaccinations of Gardisil and not three see you are probably protected from HPV anyway. I agree with your physician doesn’t abnormal Pap without HPV is of little concern but it sounds like they are following you closely anyway which is a good idea. The bump does not sound like HPV to me.

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

Terri

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Terri Warren.

[Cassssanova]

Terri, thank you for all of your help!

Last weekend (6/10), I noticed a tender red bump on my labia minora- just 1 bump. I freaked out! It didn’t itch or burn, but it was tender like a pimple. I ended up popping it and white stuff came out. I went to the doctor the next morning and she said it didn’t look like herpes to her, but she swabbed it for hsv 2 just to be sure. She squeezed it so hard she said a little bit of blood came out. I also got blood work done for herpes. I got my results back and the hsv 2 blood test was negative & the culture came back negative as well. I’ve been positive for hsv 1 for years.

1. How accurate is a negative hsv 2 blood test at 9 weeks?
2. Can i finally put this fear to rest?

[Terri Warren]

1. Quite accurate – probably 90%
2. Yes, I believe that you can, though we like 12 weeks for the best results

Terri

[Author]

Posts