CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE GENITAL HERPES SURVEY

Herpes Information, Resources, & Consultation | Westover Heights

  • Home
  • Herpes Forum
    • Get Herpes Help
    • Getting a Herpes Western Blot – Video Consult
    • The Good News About The Bad News
  • Free Resources
    • Herpes Handbook
    • Living with Herpes Video
  • Contact
  • Login
  • About Terri
  • Home
  • Herpes Forum
    • Get Herpes Help
    • Getting a Herpes Western Blot – Video Consult
    • The Good News About The Bad News
  • Free Resources
    • Herpes Handbook
    • Living with Herpes Video
  • Contact
  • Login
  • About Terri

What to do next…

› Forums › Herpes Questions › What to do next…

  • This topic has 3 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 2 months ago by Terri Warren.
Log In Register Lost Password
Viewing 3 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • January 31, 2015 at 9:20 pm #3381
      somecanadianguy
      Participant

      Hello Terri. About 5 weeks ago I had condom protected sex twice in one night with a woman who told me she had herpes. She told me she contracted it ten years prior from someone who performed oral sex on her, which makes me think she has HSV 1 genitally. I’m pretty sure I’ve had cold sores in the past. She said she was not experiencing symptoms at the time we had sex, and only had outbreaks maybe once a year. She also said she experienced outbreaks on the “outside”, and during her first outbreak thought it was razor burn. Don’t know if my skin would have been in contact with that area if I was wearing a condom. A few days later I noticed a small discolouration or lesion on the right-side-tip of my penis which was PCR swab tested negative at my local STI clinic, however this was about 5 days after I noticed the discolouration. It wasn’t painful and didn’t weep or have any redness or anything like what I’ve read are “classic” herpes sores. Clinician felt that it was not herpes when he first looked at it. I tested negative for all other STI’s as well. My current concern is the intermittent but almost daily soreness, heaviness in testicles, tingling and warm and cool sensations I’ve been getting in my groin and around my right thigh and right testicle starting about 5 days after the sexual encounter. Seems to migrate around the general groin area. A dull ache that is not excruciating or anything, but just lets me know it’s there. Most days it’s pretty mild, but some days it gets stronger. I want to say it feels like nerves because of the heat that sometimes radiates there and the general oddness of it. One day it’s in the testicle, next day it’s in the right thigh, next day it’s kind of all over, etc. I’m a pretty physically active guy and feel like this is not related to any kind of physical trauma or injury. I still do my gym workouts and runs no problem. My doctor ordered a urine test which I went for last week. Haven’t heard back from him yet. Usually if I don’t, it means there was nothing found. I went to a walk-in clinic last week after an evening of more intense soreness and the doctor there checked my testicles, found nothing, and didn’t feel like any further tests like an ultrasound were needed. She said my lymph nodes in my groin were a little swollen and followed that with saying swollen lymph nodes are very “non-specific” so I suppose that means they could swell for many reasons. I haven’t had any other symptoms typical of herpes. No flu, only a small cold which I attribute to the time of year and my sleeping with the window open. No blisters, nothing else hurts. I just can’t get over the timing of my “risky” behavior and the way my groin feels as being somehow connected. Since I’ve visited 3 different medical professionals who’ve all told me that I could wait and do a blood antibody test, I’m not sure what else to do other than wait three more months to test and hope the pain just goes away. However just waiting around is a hard thing to do especially when you’re in pain, and I don’t want to have any regrets for not taking more action. Needless to say, my January has not been the most fun. Anyway, my questions are:

      1) Is it a pretty safe bet that she has genital HSV 1 because of having contracted it from oral sex being performed on her? I’m not really in contact with her anymore, and I’m trying to avoid an awkward call asking what type of strain she has after not having spoken in 5 weeks. If necessary I would do that though.

      2) Does this type of groin soreness sound like herpes to you? Do you see this type of groin soreness in the absence of “classic” herpes symptoms such as sores and blisters, resulting in a herpes diagnosis often?

      3) Does this sound like a prodrome symptom to you? Can prodrome symptoms go on for weeks or months before an outbreak of blisters occurs, or is it less likely to be herpes the longer the pain/so-called-prodrome lasts?

      4) What is the ratio of people with herpes who are asymptomatic to those who have symptoms? Do most people who know they have herpes exhibit no symptoms?

    • January 31, 2015 at 10:10 pm #3382
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      1) Is it a pretty safe bet that she has genital HSV 1 because of having contracted it from oral sex being performed on her? I’m not really in contact with her anymore, and I’m trying to avoid an awkward call asking what type of strain she has after not having spoken in 5 weeks. If necessary I would do that though.

      Yes, I would say it is quite a sure bet that if she contracted herpes from receiving oral sex that it is HSV 1. I don’t think you need to ask her.

      2) Does this type of groin soreness sound like herpes to you? Do you see this type of groin soreness in the absence of “classic” herpes symptoms such as sores and blisters, resulting in a herpes diagnosis often?

      No, we really don’t see the kind of symptoms that you are describing as a first infection with herpes in the absence of sores.

      3) Does this sound like a prodrome symptom to you? Can prodrome symptoms go on for weeks or months before an outbreak of blisters occurs, or is it less likely to be herpes the longer the pain/so-called-prodrome lasts?

      No, this sounds nothing like prodrome to me. This is lasting very long for prodrome. Normally, we see prodrome for a couple of days, rarely much longer.

      4) What is the ratio of people with herpes who are asymptomatic to those who have symptoms? Do most people who know they have herpes exhibit no symptoms?

      For HSV 2, of those infected, 80% are unaware and That they are infected so it is very common to have herpes but be unaware of having symptoms associated with that disease.

      I think it is important for you to know that the likelihood of contracting HSV 1 when you already have a history of cold sores is very very small. The immune response that you have developed on your own will protect you from getting infected at the new location. In all my years of practice I have only seen one instance where a patient with a known history of cold sores acquiring HSV one genitally and even in that instance I think the history of cold sores was questionable. If indeed this person you had sex with has HSV 1 genitally then I think you do not need to worry about contracting that infection your self genitally.

      Please feel free to ask me more questions about your situation as you feel the need.

      Terri

    • July 31, 2015 at 10:47 pm #8609
      somecanadianguy
      Participant

      Hi Terri,

      It’s been six months since my last post. The toughest six months of my life unfortunately, primarily because the groin pain I mentioned in my original post hasn’t gone away. I’ve been to my GP numerous times and he’s run numerous blood and urine tests which didn’t reveal anything to explain my discomfort. I went to a urologist twice to get a scrotal ultrasound. Came back negative. I’ve had three STI tests including two swab tests on penis lesions which were negative across the board EXCEPT for a non type-specific herpes antibody test. It came back reactive but said “this assay does not distinguish between antibody to HSV 1 or 2. The test said IGG which I thought meant type-specific but apparently not. As mentioned in the previous post, I’ve gotten what I believe are cold sores in the past. I don’t know if you can help my pain go away but you might be able to further help me rule out herpes.

      1. If I never get a herpes lesion on my genitals yet test positive for herpes antibody (1 or 2), how can I ever know if I have genital herpes? I feel like I need to get a herpes sore to know for sure because the girl I slept with 6 months ago said she got genital herpes from oral sex, so presumably HSV 1. And if I never get a sore, I could still have it without knowing.

      2. Does herpes medicine help simply with getting rid of blisters or is there any pain or prodrone killing quality? Like if I took some and my pain went away, would that probably mean I had genital herpes all along?

      3. Do you have any experience with chronic orchitis or orchialgia and how to deal with them? These were briefly mentioned as possible reasons for my pain.

      4. Do you know of any other types of tests that might help determine the source of my pain other than ultrasound? Or any type of medicine that might be beneficial other than Tylenol or advil?

      My doctors have basically told me to move on and try acupuncture, naturopathy, massage, etc. I will since I’m willing to explore almost any avenue at this point.

      Thank you.

    • August 1, 2015 at 11:22 am #8623
      Terri Warren
      Keymaster

      1. If I never get a herpes lesion on my genitals yet test positive for herpes antibody (1 or 2), how can I ever know if I have genital herpes? I feel like I need to get a herpes sore to know for sure because the girl I slept with 6 months ago said she got genital herpes from oral sex, so presumably HSV 1. And if I never get a sore, I could still have it without knowing.

      You can only know if you have HSV 2 if you have either a type specific antibody test OR a lesion that swabs test positive for HSV 2. If you already have ever in your life had a cold sore you are not susceptible to her HSV 1 infection.

      2. Does herpes medicine help simply with getting rid of blisters or is there any pain or prodrone killing quality? Like if I took some and my pain went away, would that probably mean I had genital herpes all along?

      No, I don’t think that is a reasonable assumption. That could be coincidence. I do not advise that.

      3. Do you have any experience with chronic orchitis or orchialgia and how to deal with them? These were briefly mentioned as possible reasons for my pain.

      I don’t have experience with chronic testicular pain, no. My only experience is with acute testicular pian

      4. Do you know of any other types of tests that might help determine the source of my pain other than ultrasound? Or any type of medicine that might be beneficial other than Tylenol or advil?

      You are truly out of my scope of practice here. I’m assuming you’ve had at least one ultrasound – did they consider any other type of imaging?

      Terri

  • Author
    Posts
Log In Register Lost Password
Viewing 3 reply threads

You must register to ask your own question or be logged in to reply to this question.

Welcome to the Forum!

About Our Herpes Forum

Terri Warren is here to respond to concerns and questions you have about genital herpes and your own personal situation.

For the past 30 years, genital herpes has been her special area of interest and she has conducted many, many research studies on various aspects of genital herpes.

Each interaction is a question with two follow up questions for $25.00.

Learn More About Our Herpes Forum

Get Personalized Help

Terri Warren is here to help you with your herpes concerns. Learn more about Terri

Westover Herpes Info

  • Do I have Herpes?
  • Living with Herpes Video
  • Getting a Herpes Western Blot
    & Video Consultation
  • Herpes Forum
    Terri Warren, ANP

Search Forums

Copyright © 2023 · Westover Heights Clinic · All Rights Reserved

Privacy Policy

7410 SW Oleson Road PO BOX 427 Portland, OR 97223

Phone: Fax:

Website by 0101 Design