Symptoms question

[upsidedown]

It has been 9 full days since I had a sexual encounter that concerns me.
The encounter – received protected anal and performed unprotected oral on a male who I didn’t know. He also performed unprotected oral on me, but it was only for a second before I stopped it.

About 12 hours after the encounter I noticed a tender and sore feeling on my penis head that has persisted for more than 9 days now. I feel it mainly when clothing rubs against it when I stand up or walk a certain way. I thought it would have gone away in a few days. I examine this area multiple times a day and it greatly concerns me – I imagine patterns developing, but it could just be that I never focused on it so much before. I’ve looked on my shaft as well and so far, I do not see blisters or lesions, just the soreness on the head.

About 30 hours after the encounter, I was very sick – woke up that morning and was throwing up and sleeping all day. Slight fever part of the day. It only lasted a day and then I felt fine. Seemingly came out of nowhere.

In the last few days I’ve had tingling down there but don’t know if it’s in my head.

I have not gotten tested at all since this encounter 9 days ago, but 7 years ago I did test Igg positive for HSV1 twice in the span of a few months – the levels were around 16 both times, so I assume that’s not a false positive. I don’t recall ever having an outbreak in my life and I’m in my early 40s.

My questions:

Could the persistent tenderness on the head of my penis actually be an actual outbreak? Again it started very quickly – within 12 hours or so – but it has now been more than 9 days, with no visible sores or blisters that I’m aware of. Or could it be a symptom of a pending outbreak?

Could the sick day I had be due to HSV exposure, or does that seem unrelated? Again this occurred just 30 hours after the encounter.

Does my HSV1 offer any insulation from getting GHSV1 or HSV2?

Thank you.

[Terri Warren]

Could the persistent tenderness on the head of my penis actually be an actual outbreak? Again it started very quickly – within 12 hours or so – but it has now been more than 9 days, with no visible sores or blisters that I’m aware of. Or could it be a symptom of a pending outbreak?
That sounds nothing like an outbreak and the symptoms cam on too soon to be related to HSV infection.

Could the sick day I had be due to HSV exposure, or does that seem unrelated? Again this occurred just 30 hours after the encounter.
It seems unrelated to me.

Does my HSV1 offer any insulation from getting GHSV1 or HSV2?
Yes, your oral HSV 1 offers very good protection against HSV 1 genital infection but not HSV 2 genital infection. The protected anal sex presents very close to zero risk of transmission – good job with the condom use.

Nothing you’ve told me here concerns me for HSV acquisition. The only risk at all might be giving unprotected oral sex

Terri

[upsidedown]

Thank you Terri. I’m on day 19 now and wanted to give you an update and ask for further clarification on my situation to see if it changes your view.

Last week, I got a full test panel done to get a baseline, snd there was a surprise on the HSV1 result. I mentioned above that 7 years ago I had two separate tests within a span of a few months where HSV1 came back with IGG at 15.90 and 16.90. I’ve never had an outbreak I can recall, but those results felt pretty conclusive to me that I have the antibodies and they wouldn’t both be false positives.

The test I just took last week came back with HSV1 at just 0.764, which really surprised me. The old tests were done by Quest, and the new one is Clinical Pathology Associates. (HSV2 was negative 7 years ago and this time came back at 0.08, but I know it’s too soon for a positive result to show up).

So on day 19 the tenderness on my penis head has not subsided – it has been fairly constant for 2.5 weeks now. Today it seems like I can even see splotchy colors or faint shiny lines near the opening to my urethra. Still no actual blisters or sores that I can tell, but it worries me greatly as it seems like patterns are forming. I really felt like I was out of the woods for HSV, but the new HSV1 test result along with the continued feeling in my penis has me very concerned I’m more susceptible to GHSV1 than I thought previously, or may actually have gotten HSV2.

So I wanted to ask:
1. Is it possible the recent HSV1 test is correct, and the two old tests are not?

And re-ask:
2. Is it possible the tenderness and soreness I have felt on the head of my penis for 2.5 weeks has been an actual outbreak?

3. With HSV would it be unusual to feel this tenderness for so long with no other visible symptoms?

4. Would it be unusual for blisters or sores to appear starting on day 19 or 20, or would you normally have expected visible symptoms to show up sooner?

Thank you again.

[Terri Warren]

So I wanted to ask:
1. Is it possible the recent HSV1 test is correct, and the two old tests are not?
Oh dear, those damn IgG tests. That’s a huge difference in index values and I honestly don’t know what to make of that. A western blot would clarify.

And re-ask:
2. Is it possible the tenderness and soreness I have felt on the head of my penis for 2.5 weeks has been an actual outbreak?
No, I don’t believe that it is.

3. With HSV would it be unusual to feel this tenderness for so long with no other visible symptoms?
Yes that would be very unusual

4. Would it be unusual for blisters or sores to appear starting on day 19 or 20, or would you normally have expected visible symptoms to show up sooner?
I would expect to see any visible symptoms way sooner than 19 days out from the experience, yes.

Terri

[upsidedown]

Thank you Terri. I am going to get another blood test scheduled to see if I get a different IgG result and go from there.

It’s day 22 now, and no change in feeling of this tender spot on my penis head, although I am still convinced at times that I see flat circular patterns or areas of lines or discoloration emerging in the most sensitive area to the touch, but not sure. I will say that the sensitive area is a very small area on the head. The rest of my penis head seems fine if maybe a little discolored at times?

I do feel like this is connected to the sexual encounter, since it started the day after.

My question – Without knowing more than what I have described here, if it doesn’t sound like HSV, do you have any idea what it could be? Could it be a different STI that hasn’t shown physical symptoms yet, or is just lingering below the surface? Or maybe a skin infection of some kind? I just don’t understand what would cause this kind of sensitivity in such a small area for so long. Appreciate any thoughts you may have. Thank you.

[Terri Warren]

The changes on the head of your penis sound nothing like HSV to me. I can’t think of an STI that would suggest the changes that you are describing. So sorry that I can’t be more helpful about this.

Terri

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