Is this a second herpes outbreak?

[Tucknroll]

I'm new here and this is my first post. First a little history:

 

I was diagnosed about a year ago. It started off feeling irritated after I shaved "down there" so I thought I had nicked myself or something. Then the itching started. Then a day or two later I noticed a bump, and it got worse and turned into a lesion. Then I saw more and more of them and it was probably one of he worst feelings I've ever had in my life. I went to my PCP and the diagnosis came back as herpes (HSV2 if I remember correctly) AS WELL AS bacterial vaginosis. About 12 days of antibiotics and Valtrex later, I was feeling almost 100% normal again.

 

I think I'm fortunate because I was already married when I got my diagnosis. I still felt ashamed and dirty and tainted, but my husband was so supportive and practically dismissed it out-of-hand as just one of things we'll deal with. He's been wonderful.

 

About a week ago, I started feeling like I was getting chafing down there. I noticed it while at the gym or running, it felt like my undies weren't sitting right. I also had some minor itching, which I've periodically had for years and years now, so I didn't think much of it, just used my steroid cream I keep on hand for this kind of thing. When it didn't seem to go away, I took out the mirror and there it was: a little, red bump. It didn't look like a lesion, but I was concerned. The next day I noticed a second one and called my PCP. When I went in, she said one bump looked like and ingrown hair(??!!?) and the other looked like it could be the beginning of a lesion and to go ahead and start a round of Valtrex. (After my first Outbreak she gave me a second RX to keep on hand so I could just start it if I had another one.)

 

My question is, is this really an outbreak? It is so mild and not bothering me that I feel like there's no way it could be HSV rearing it's head. I only started Valtrex 3 days ago and I think both bumps are already done. Has anyone ever felt this sensation or experienced this? I know the primary outbreak is the worst and the usually get milder, and I've read people talk about a tingling sensation before and outbreak. Could that chafing feeling be what everyone is talking about?

 

Another reason I'm anxious is that we are trying to have children, so sex is obviously crucial to me right now. To be frank, I'm not worried about passing it on to DH. I think I probably got it from him. I was a virgin, he wasn't; he told me he once had a scare with HSV; he's gotten "cold sores" on his mouth before; and let's face it, he said "I do" so he's stuck with me :) I won't have sex when I have lesions, and I'm careful to use different towels after showering and things like that, but other than that no worries.

 

I'd appreciate any insight anyone can offer!

[WCSDancer2010]

@Tucknroll

 

Hello and Welcome!

 

Well, to be honest, we can't diagnose on here so you will have to go with what your Dr said. Odds are you carried this for years and that nick was enough to cause that first OB. You may have even had one in the past that was so mild you wrote it off as being an ingrown hair.

 

One thing - steroid cream is the LAST thing to use on Herpes because it knocks the immune response down ... which keeps the body from being able to fight the virus off. So the fact that the lesion progressed after you put on the cream makes me think it *might* be an OB.

 

Best thing to do is that if you think you have an OB coming on, pop a valtrex for a day or two. It won't hurt anything and I find if you can hit it as soon as it starts to come up, you can usually get it under control pretty fast.

 

You may want to know for sure if it's H1 or 2 - if your hubby has cold sores, then he likely passed it to you through oral sex. And what is a Herpes scare? Do you know if he was ever tested? Not that it matters at this point although if he DOES have HSV2 and you do too, then you don't have to worry about passing "more' of it back to him and you don't have to worry about protection.

 

I've had 2 babies with H ... the only thing is your OBGYN needs to know your status as they will want to monitor you as you approach your due date and may put you on Valtrex for the last month (it's ok for the baby). So don't fret about that ;)

 

((HUGS)))

[Tucknroll]

Thanks for the response. She didn't actually do a swab, just eyeballed it for lack of a better word. I'm actually more curious to see if anyone else has ever had a second outbreak that feels like chafing. I'm pretty sure now that it was an OB, it was just so mild it seemed impossible. I consider myself VERY lucky to have had such minimal discomfort this time around; the first one was absolutely horrible. And to have another infection (which I think was what kicked off the primary HSV outbreak) on top of that...I don't wish that on anyone!

After we'd been dating awhile, my husband mentioned offhand that one of his exes told him she had herpes. He told me he got tested and was negative. Of course, now he says that he never said that (this is a common theme with things he's said; his memory is Swiss cheese). The next time I go in to the doctor I'm going to verify which one I have. you'd think I'd remember, right?

[WCSDancer2010]

Well first - you CAN'T diagnose Herpes by looking at it - she should have done a swab. You CERTAINLY cannot tell if it's HSV1 or 2 by eyeballing it :/

 

If/when you have another spot come up, I'd get it swabbed.... I suggest you go to an OBGYN anyway for any "female" issue ... PCP's are often notoriously out of date about lady issues and especially STD's :( You may also want to just go and get everything down there to check it out, and ask for a blood test. If you've had it awhile, it will show up. If you just got HSV1 from your hubby via oral sex, it may not show up for 4-6 months. Certainly if it's HSV1, you have fewer worries about having sex as your hubby will at least have *some* antibodies to it which will help to protect him :)