Tingling but no outbreak??

[Joe1866]

Hey Terri,
Recently I’ve been going through a herpes scare and don’t know what to make of it.

May 28th I had protected intercourse with a CSW and I’ve been worried sick ever since

A week later I started to feel tingling in my entire pubic area and eventually I felt tingling on my butt and upper legs. I’ve been feeling this tingling on and off for 3 and a half to four weeks now with no outbreaks of any sort. I also had chills and I had a headache that lasted for a couple weeks but no flu like symptoms otherwise which I attributed to stress and anxiety but I’m not sure.

I tested negative for hsv 2 via quest around 4.5 weeks after exposure.

I’ve also seen you say that genital discomfort/tingling is a sign of a new herpes infection.

Does this sound like a herpes infection to you?

Should I take the igg test at 10 weeks and move on if negative, or the western blot at 12 weeks

I’ve read that herpes infection after one protected exposure is low but it is still possible. Based on my symptoms is this something I should be worried about.

I really don’t know what else this symptoms could be attributed to as I am 19 and healthy, I feel as if this one exposure could’ve given me herpes.

Realistically I don’t know what else would cause tingling especially at the time it happened

[Terri Warren]

Lots and lots of people tell them they are worried that they contracted herpes because they have tingling. But almost all of those people test negative for HSV 2. You are correct that your risk of infection is very low. If you cannot relax about this, you could do the western blot but I think infection in your case if very unlikely

Terri

[Joe1866]

Thank you Terri,

Just a few more questions

1. Are you concerned that the tingling occurred in the period when herpes symptoms are supposed to occur

2. Online I saw herpes symptoms such as tingling wouldn’t last an daily for an entire month. Is this further proof that I’m not infected

3. On Reddit and online I see a lot of people saying they got herpes off a one night stand, how come it happens to a lot of people if one exposure is truly low risk

4. I forgot to include that I felt itching in the areas between my testicle and thigh on both sides. This also happened within the week after exposure. The itching only lasted a few minutes until I relieved it but got irritated after. The skin was irritated but not inflamed and it went away after a day or two. Could this be herpetic?

5. If I test negative via igg after 10 weeks would you recommend I move on

6. I also shaved my pubic area a few days before which may have led to me getting razor burns. Could herpes enter through my pubic area due to this

7. Do you think my symptoms could represent a primary herpes infection, one that’s possibly minor to the point most people wouldn’t notice it

Thank you Terri,
Your comments have calmed me down a good amount

[Terri Warren]

1. Are you concerned that the tingling occurred in the period when herpes symptoms are supposed to occur
I am not!
2. Online I saw herpes symptoms such as tingling wouldn’t last an daily for an entire month. Is this further proof that I’m not infected
It is indeed

3. On Reddit and online I see a lot of people saying they got herpes off a one night stand, how come it happens to a lot of people if one exposure is truly low risk
It is low risk but not zero risk. It happens, but sometimes, people think they got it from a one night stand but they really had it previously but just recognized a first outbreak.

4. I forgot to include that I felt itching in the areas between my testicle and thigh on both sides. This also happened within the week after exposure. The itching only lasted a few minutes until I relieved it but got irritated after. The skin was irritated but not inflamed and it went away after a day or two. Could this be herpetic?
Very unlikely with no skin lesions

5. If I test negative via igg after 10 weeks would you recommend I move on
I would. We know that the IgG test picks up 92% of infections at that point compared to western blot

6. I also shaved my pubic area a few days before which may have led to me getting razor burns. Could herpes enter through my pubic area due to this
Yes, there is greater risk of acquiring HSV is shaving has just occurred as that opens the hair follicle a bit.

7. Do you think my symptoms could represent a primary herpes infection, one that’s possibly minor to the point most people wouldn’t notice it
I really doubt that.

Terri

[Joe1866]

Hey Terri I have some new concerns that may indicate potential herpes infection.

Around the 8 week mark now and I contracted strep. During this time however I’ve spent a lot of time at home and have been mastervating a lot. After one particular session when I ejaculated I felt a pain. I then went to pee and it was painful. That alarmed me as urethritis could be a possibility. Later that day I peed again and this time it hurt and the beginning and went away as I kept peeing. The next day, I peed again and this time it was fine in the beginning and started to hurt around the end.

Another concern I saw was a bump in my pubic area. It was painless and through further inspection I saw two hairs sprouting out the edge of the bump from the same follicle which may have caused it. I wasn’t able to swab it, but I popped it and it bled a bit before drying up.

However my main concern with all of this is herpes as it happened at the same time which may indicated urethritis.. It’s not excruciating but there was pain for the entire duration once. It only lasted 1 day or 1.5 days after the first time it happened the pain never lasted the entire duration.

Question:

1. Could I have sores in my urethra if I wore a condom as it covers it. If not would the painful urination not be related to herpes.

2. I also saw in another post that if one had painful urination it would have occurred much earlier within the first 2-10 days so does my painful urination concern you as it was 8 weeks out

3. Does the bump concern you.

4. Do you think I should still move on with an igg after 10 weeks or should I take a western blot

5. With all of this additional information are you concerned about a herpes infection in this encounter

6. Could the painful ejaculation (once) and the urination (three times) be caused by masterbating too much and squeezing my penis?

I’ll keep you updated on my igg results and it seemed like I will be doing a western blot

[Joe1866]

Forgot to add, I still feel the tingles daily in my legs and but but more on and off, should I be concerned.

[Terri Warren]

1. Could I have sores in my urethra if I wore a condom as it covers it. If not would the painful urination not be related to herpes.
That would be extremely unlikely

2. I also saw in another post that if one had painful urination it would have occurred much earlier within the first 2-10 days so does my painful urination concern you as it was 8 weeks out
Yes, most all herpetic urethritis that comes from a new infection would present at 2-10 days

3. Does the bump concern you.
It doe snot

4. Do you think I should still move on with an igg after 10 weeks or should I take a western blot
it depends upon how much you are worrying. If the blot would provide you more peace of mind, you should do it.

5. With all of this additional information are you concerned about a herpes infection in this encounter
Not particularly but the risk is not zero

6. Could the painful ejaculation (once) and the urination (three times) be caused by masterbating too much and squeezing my penis?
I doubt that honestly

Terri

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