sniperchick62

@thisisgoingtobeokay yes, the burning, raw feeling definitely is unpleasant, but after having read the input and support from you and those others that have offered there support here, it feels a little less painful. this is why sites like this are great because it helps to know that we aren't alone, even though our medical providers may make us feel we are.

@ WCSdancer2010 excellent point regarding the doctor's being out of date. Epsom Salts sound like a good idea and i felt the virtual hugs! thanks for the input and i will report my findings :)

@thisisgoingtobeokay thank you for your input regarding the Vulvodynia. i will be honest in stating that i have endometriosis and have been living with it for roughly 16 years, finally being diagnosed as having it in 2003. i can relate to the the pain factor on an internal basis for sure. i have had 3 laparoscopic surgeries to remove / cauterize the cysts that develop, but it's only a temporary fix and the pain comes back. this external burning is all new to me and that's why i put this "bat signal" up to see if anyone else was experiencing such physical sensations. i know it isn't something that is necessarily easy to diagnose, but after reading your input, it certainly gives me some information to present to the new doctor i hope to see. i truly appreciate your input as this helps to make me feel less alone :)

Herry, again, thank you for making me laugh!!! well played sir! the bit about the "Gooooogle....goooooo gul....googul, googul, googul dunanah" killed me! well how about this then... how do i go about telling someone that i have the HSV-1 virus? a potential new partner enters my life and then when i have "the talk" with them do i tell them that i have it orally or genitally? this is my double edged sword as i get the critical importance of telling new partners as they have a right to know.

hi Orngpeelmafia thank you for adding your input! it feels some days as though the doctors don't seem too worried about "H" because it isn't life threatening. i get that, but it is definitely life ALTERING. agreed that it's beneficial to find a doctor that understands and that's what i'm hoping to do with this new OB/Gyn. my family doctor is a great man, but he'll be retiring soon. it's great that you were able to have some research done and she backed you on it. i truly envy you in that regard. i went back to the walk in clinic Dr to get my final blood work results and he told me that i was thinking far too much, and that i was looking at this from an academic point of view. he then told me that i was acting out of line by asking the question that i was. ummm, wow. i have been reading up on this stuff since shortly after the blisters appeared as i'm the kind of person that is interested in "figuring it out and getting on with it"... so to speak. so when i asked him if i should be on the anti-viral meds to see if that would help to relieve some of this lower region burning he came back with telling me i was trying to be some sort of medical professional. i don't think i will be seeing him again anytime soon. :( so much for being pro active!! lol

hi Herry! first, thanks for the plumbing reference. humor is good! :) here is the background in more detail: August 14 i had what appeared to be BV and got prescription for it. went back again as symptoms hadn't gone away after first round of meds. fast forward to Sept 9 and i was in pain in my lower region. two small bumps in the crease between my right thigh and outer vaginal region. went to Dr office, got SWAB done on same day. the cotton tip from the SWAB burst one of the blisters so i had hoped that this would be a good catch to be sent off to be assessed. prescription for Valtrex given both pill and ointment form. Sept 10 more pain in same region. no pain during urination. no swollen lymph nodes in groin or neck, no flu like symptoms like so many other people talk about. Sept 26 i went back and the Dr called the CDC and was told that the swab presented as negative for anything. i understand that these findings can happen quite often so it didn't surprise me that it listed as negative. i have been given two brand new, still in package swabs that are at the ready, should any new bumps reappear. both parents and sister have cold sores now and again. i have never had one in my life, but i also understand that one can have the virus without ever showing any symptoms. my ex fiance had cold sores... we split in Sept of 2012 this is where i also feel like i can't move forward because of the negative swab results. i could clearly have HSV-1 ORALLY and it may have been there for years and years without any symptoms, but when i presented with the bumps, turned blisters in the genital region, i cannot help but believe that the HSV-1 strain is indeed GHSV-1. i have a referral in the works for a new OB/Gyn and hoping to get word of when i can get in to see her. ever feel like your life is on hold....? ;)

hello "H" friends! back in October i had posted about being new to the whole "H" scene. i had one type of blood test done by my family Dr and that blood test was basically a flop. the results on that test read : "Evidence of past infection with HSV. This assay does not distinguish between antibody to HSV 1 or 2". see the thing is, here in Canada, they don't have the same type of IgG testing available as they do in the States. on November 1st, i requested to have an ANTIBODY specific blood test done and when i finally got the results back 20 days later, the results read as follows: "HERPES TYPE 1 / 2 SEROLOGICAL TYPING Positive for antibody to HSV-1. Negative for antibody to HSV-2. Evidence of infection with HSV-1. Seroconversion to HSV-2 may take several weeks. Suggest repeat testing in 4-6 weeks if early infection is suspected". so, keeping the seroconversion in mind, i waited until December 30th, which would mark 16 weeks since last sexual exposure and i had the blood test repeated. results were the exact same again: "HERPES TYPE 1 / 2 SEROLOGICAL TYPING Positive for antibody to HSV-1. Negative for antibody to HSV-2. Evidence of infection with HSV-1. Seroconversion to HSV-2 may take several weeks. Suggest repeat testing in 4-6 weeks if early infection is suspected". i did have itching sensations in my armpits and chest, those have calmed down on their own, but the issue that i am trying to deal with now is a burning sensation in my genital region that just won't go away. i don't know if it is nerve damage due to herpes or not, but it is also accompanied by a feeling of raw, exposed skin. i guess the idea of sandpaper aggressively rubbed on skin would be a good comparison. when i do the ol' nether region mirror check to see if there is something there, sure enough there is nothing to see. i GET that some of this stuff can be stress related, and some of it will subside, but i can't help but feel that this is caused by "H". and because none of this existed for me before my bout of BV in AUG and my initial OB in September what else could it be tied to? i have HSV-1 running through my body, i get that, but is this normal to be having this kind of "stuff" ongoing for this long?? i have been tested for Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Trich, HIV, and retested for BV. ALL NEGATIVE. as per Dr advice, i have used Boric Acid capsules to try to get rid of the chronic yeast infection that i seem to now have and although the Boric Acid helped for a short period of time, the discharge is back. woot woot! i have asked my family Dr about it and i got the proverbial "you'll be fine" speech. two other walk in clinic Dr's have looked at me like i had a second head when i tried to talk to them about it and i'm sick of people (Dr's) telling me that it's all in my head. ummm, no, it's all in my crotch! lol any insight out there? i just want to feel as close to normal as i can again. i wish i could reclaim the little bit of me that was extinguished the day those blisters appeared, but i know that won't happen. i have read a bit about "Vulvodynia" and wondered if anyone else has A) had any similar symptoms with either GHSV-1 or GHSV-2 or B) any input on anything to alleviate what i have described as a burning sensation. for the record ** i'm not taking any anti-viral meds ** thank you all!!

@ Orngpeelmafia well written and i thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. it is true that we can all be our own worst enemy at times, but we have to also remember to be our own best friend as well. thank you to all for the virtual hugs that i have received thus far and i look forward to becoming more educated and learning more from those that post here!

thank you HBetty! this part that you wrote meant a lot to me! "No one asks for this or deserves the stigma or the emotional ramifications of this. I'm going to send you a cyber hug, and an everything will be alright." i appreciate you taking the time to say hello!

@ Iamme34 thank you for your words and thoughts. each person that shares their experience reminds me more and more that i am NOT alone!

thank you for your reply Saliha! the mere fact that you replied to my post makes me feel less alone in dealing with all that has gone on in the last little while and to you i am truly grateful!

on the evening of Aug14th i became aware of a foul smelling vaginal discharge and believed it to be Bacterial Vaginosis. i had had BV 7 years ago and Metronidazole kicked it for me at that time. i went to the clinic on Aug15th to get a prescription for Metronidazole and thought that it would all be done within a week or so, but no such luck. Sept 8th, i experienced the discomfort of my skin between the crease of my right inner thigh and the Labium majus. it really just felt like a point of friction from the in-seam from the crotch of my favorite jeans and not horrible like some people have described. afternoon of Sept 9th i recognized what appeared to be two small blisters in the same said region noted on the day prior. Sept 9th i went to the clinic and talked with my Dr. i requested more Metronidazole and after showing him the two small blisters, he agreed to me having a swab done. the one blister literally disappeared as it popped when he touched it with the swab and i felt that it was a good "catch" of fluid to be sent off for evaluation. my Dr gave me a prescription for the antiviral cream Zovirax and Valtrex pills as well after the swab was taken. i patiently waited until Sept 26th only to hear that the swab came back negative for the presence of HSV and i was honestly shocked to hear that this was the result. after hearing the about the negative swab result, i requested to have the Ab igG blood test done. i got the phone call Oct 4 from the clinic, went in to see the Dr and a copy of the results were given to me. the results listed as follows: "Evidence of past infection with HSV. this assay does not distinguish between antibody to HSV 1 or 2". in all honesty, i don't know what i am supposed to do now and i feel really stuck. i feel aggravated because i don't know what strain i have, i feel like i have an ongoing yeast infection that presents differently than a "regular" yeast infection (there is no BV-like foul smell anymore, but rather constant opaque / whitish, non-cottage cheese like discharge that makes everything itchy in the area), i didn't have any pain while urinating during my "outbreak", no blisters appeared on any of my labia or inner region of my female parts, i did get 4 more blisters in the same area as the first two, but this is the part that is killing me....i can't figure out why my armpits, chest, neck and fingers are itchy when i am going to sleep at night. my patience is wearing out and i really have no one to talk to about all of this. this whole experience is doing nothing short of exhausting my thoughts and i was told that i can't get a final diagnosis until i have another "outbreak"!!!! i was sent home on Oct 4th with two sterile swabs, in the event that another "outbreak" occurs, and believe me, the stress that i am dealing with may very well bring on another "outbreak". my main concern is in that i don't know when i am supposed to feel as close to normal as i did before all of this began in Aug. when will all of this "stuff" cease and i will feel less disgusting, less on edge, less like dousing my body in bleach and less like i'm dirty? i now have two different razors for in the shower, two different towels that i use when drying off after a shower, i am constantly washing my hands and it's as though i have become paranoid about transferring the type that is down there to up top, if it were to be HSV 1. it's bad enough that i can't "be" the way that i used to be and i know just how crappy it feels to be aware of the fact that a little piece of me has died. i used to feel sexy, fun and alive. now i have become anti-social and i just work too much. i'm 39, never married (only engaged once), never wanted kids, but i have always wanted a lifelong fella to share things with. this unfortunately is NOT what i had in mind with regard to sharing :( i guess it's me and the gym from here on out! that's positive right? thoughts....? any advice on how to get some solid answers and any ideas as to WHY I CAN'T STOP SCRATCHING MY ARMPITS, CHEST, NECK AND FINGERS AT NIGHT? i get if i am a little itchy where the blisters had been, but c'mon!!!!