Very consfused

[Justlookingforanswers]

Hello Terri. I’ve heard a lot about you and have been reading through your forum. I am hoping you could shed some light on what’s been going on with me. I will be as detailed as possible so essay incoming.
December 1 2018 – I had a very VERY brief sexual encounter with a friend who I know is GHSV1 positive. She has been for I believe four or five years now, and while it was a shock to her at first, she has returned to a healthy sexual life and management of self.
The encounter itself was no more than a few minutes. We were both very intoxicated and it was unprotected. I feel like something in me was concerned because I kept leaving the room to head to the bathroom (apologies for any insensitivity) and kept washing my penis. At most, we had intercourse for a total time of maybe 3 to 5 minutes, with me being inside of her only three different times for at most 30 seconds. I kept leaving to do what I mentioned above.
I left and woke up the next morning realizing what happened. We talked about it and while she’s sure everything is fine I was a little freaked out. I began consulting Dr Google and saw that whatever happens will usually happen within 1 – 10days. I was on high alert until then. I went and got tested Dec 2 (I know way too early) and it came out negative for both HSV 1 and 2.
I noticed that the urethra in my penis, specially the head seemed – not irritated – but I was consciously aware of it. I don’t know how to make that make sense, but it felt cold. The fact that I noticed it at all was strange, but it happened the very next day – in the morning. I told my doctor and I was told I might have irritated it slightly with all the washing and potentially gotten some soap into the head as none it sounded herpetic and something like that would not happen hours after with no pain. It went away in about a week. I made a point to pee frequently and drink cranberry juice just in case. Doc told me to calm down. – Part 2

[Justlookingforanswers]

Dec 7th, 2018 – I began a new job. The new job moved me from primarily sedentary to mostly mobile (walking). I went from moving at most 1 to 2 miles a day, to 4 to 5. This is important. The job also required me to gather a series of vaccines, chicken pox and the flu vaccine being among them, although I never had any headaches or flu like symptoms. The uniform provided was…slightly tighter than what I am used to, and I am not a small person, especially when it comes to my thighs. I am annoyingly thicker in that area.
December 19, 2018 – Jan 2019 – I began noticing that my inner thighs were irritating me, akin to a minor burn. I’ve never had a sun burn or anything of that nature, so I wasn’t sure. I threw it to possible chafing, as I have had that before and it felt as if my boxers were pulling into my thighs ( I gained weight). This went on for a little over five weeks. I had a single pus-filled bump appear under my thigh, right where my boxers where tight on my thigh and my doctor believed that was due to the increase in walking – a result from chafing. It went away like a traditional pimple. I made sure to wash my clothes more thoroughly from that point (not that I hadn’t but just to be sure) and I haven’t had that problem since.
Note: The nerves or skin in the inner thigh have been sensitive since, and I switched to a different material of boxers that have helped tremendously, which is why I believed it was chafing. The only problem is I’m not seeing any irritation on my actual skin. And I’ve always had big thighs, so I’m wondering why it I’m just now having this burn like feeling. Occasionally I will feel a jolt of pin, something like a heavy needle in various parts of my legs, and this too has been going on consistently.
May 2019 – As of this month the burn has reappeared or strengthened rather from the low burn feeling that has been going on. Same exact feeling as before and is ongoing as I type this. This is I believe week three.

[Justlookingforanswers]

Mind you this was never an intense pain, and honestly not painful at all – just annoying. And the only time its “irritated” is when my thighs rub together. If I lie down, no pain. If I essentially don’t do anything to touch my inner thighs, there is no problem. But the moment they feel pressure (think rubber band pulling into thigh), there is irritation. The new boxer material has helped, I don’t really feel anything when walking any longer, but I’m concerned that something may be going on.
Ultimately, I’ve read too many things via Dr. Google to know what is true and what isn’t. I don’t know what to be concerned about anymore. It’s almost as if you breathe a certain way it pops up as a possible herpes symptom. I hear people with prodrome symptoms, then I read it doesn’t go on this long. I plan on being tested again, its been six months, but I’m concerned about what I could potentially hear. I’ve never had any bumps or irritation around my groins or genitals themselves. Not even remotely. Do you have any idea what is going on?
Additional Detail –
I have had back problems in the past, specially in the lower back:
– Severe sciatica ongoing (on and off) for 12 years
– Threw my lower back out specifically in Jan 2018 in a weight room. Was unable to walk for nearly a week and heavy medication.
– Small pressure in my lower back now, May 2019 reminiscent of the previous point’s pain to a lower grade

That’s everything I’ve got. Any insight?

[Justlookingforanswers]

Just an update… out of curiosity I grabbed some jock itch spray to see what would happen after reading online, and all irritation went away in about five minutes. Extreme relief.

[Terri Warren]

The risk of contracting HSV 1 through intercourse is incredibly small. I think you might be over estimating how common it is, by a lot. And if the only time irritation happens is when you rub thighs together, that is not consistent with herpes either. If you have ever in your life have had a cold sore, you are extremely unlikely to acquire HSV 1 in a new location on your body.

I suspect your back pain is related to back issues, but I seriously doubt it has anything to do with HSV 1 genital infection

Terri

[Justlookingforanswers]

Thank you for taking the time to respond to me, I know you must be very busy.

I think you’re right. I’ll get tested again if this irritation ever returns (and after I see a chiropractor), but would thigh pain such as I described ever even last that long and consistently?

[Justlookingforanswers]

Also just to clarify – her partner had hsv1 which he passed to her. She now has (not sure if I’m saying this right) ghsv1 which is hsv2 I think. I tested negative

[Terri Warren]

No, HSV 1 doesn’t turn into HSV 2 just because it is in the genital area. It remains type 1, in the genital area.
Thigh pain could be so many things, herpes definitely does not rise to the top of my list at all.
The IgG test for HSV 1 misses 30% of HSV 1 infections so if you want to know for sure if you have HSV 1 get the western blot from the University of Washington

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

Terri

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