question for males with genital herpes (hsv1) regarding prodrome tingling

[Bslydell]

I recently found out that I was positive for HSV1. I was having a weird feeling in my penis, i went to get tested. This was 3 weeks after unprotected sex. At that time I was put on a steroid for ears ringing and seemed like all hell broke loose after that. Started having tingling on my lips and tip of tongue and in my scrotum and back of legs. This went on for 2 weeks before the doctor prescribed me Valtrex. Never had any visible sores in that 2 week period and the feelings were starting to go away before I even started taking the valtrex. I recently had sex again and the next day my scrotum burned and was all red and i am still having a slight burning feeling two weeks later. I thought I had a sore on my shaft, but couldn't tell. It was really tender. My main question is does herpes show up at the area of tingling/burning? My entire scrotum burned, but never had any sores there. Also, does the tingling/burning last for 2 weeks plus? Also, do the sores hurt? And if so do they hurt all the time or just when you touch them or your underwear rubs on them? Thank you for all your input. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated.

[fitgirl]

@Bslydell I don't have a shaft or a scrotum but..... I can tell you this, the tingling and burning can be generalized. the sores don't always appear exactly where you think they might based on the tingling. Since the nerves branch out, it's hard to tell where or if the actual sore will erupt. The tingling means you are shedding the virus but you may never have the sore actually come out. The soreness and tingling can travel through the nerves so you may feel it in the back of your buttocks or legs but the actual outbreak is on your genitals. The valtrex often prevents the sores altogether but that doesn't mean you aren't contagious. . And for me... yes, the sores hurt! Sometimes they hurt all the time, sometimes just when rubbed against or touched. Everyone is different. That said, I know men who have had them on their shaft and they didn't feel them at all unless the foreskin was pulled (if you have foreskin of course)

 

Guys.... male input here?

[Ihaveittoo1975]

My only occasional tingling (which has recently seemed to have further subsided) is in my lower abdomen/above the crotch area, while my obs are on the shaft. Some of my lesions are ever so sore to the touch, but I have to visually inspect things to know whether or not I have an ob, no pain, including my initial ob. During my initial ob I had nerve pains in my left leg and buttock for about three weeks or so, before it went away. Now I can feel a slight sensation in my left leg every now and then, but it only lasts for a brief moment.

[Bslydell]

How long does the tingling last? I had and currently still have tingling in my scrotum. It has been like 15 days. Also, for ihaveittoo. Have you ever encountered a kick in the balls feeling due to prodrome or an outbreak? Once I started having the tingling for the first time my testicles were so sensitive it felt like I had been kicked in the balls. They still feel that way and this has been since around the 20th of December 2014. I can't sit right half the time because I put pressure on them and much makes the kick in the balls feeling much worse. Also, if I squeeze one testicle it does the same thing and when I mean squeeze, I mean barely put any pressure on them. Has anyone encountered this as well?

[Getbetter111]

Yes I am having all the same things going on they seem to come and go its a living hell right now with no end in sight?

[Bslydell]

Getbetter is this the tingling/burning or the testicle pain? If testicle pain, when did you experience it? Soon after your first prodrome or long into your knowledge you were positive? How long have you had the pain?

[WCSDancer2010]

@Bslydell

 

Hello and Welcome!

 

The tingling and whatnot have the same answer whether you are a guy or a gal ... it's a sign that the virus is *trying* to activate and given that you likely are recently exposed, your body is in the middle of trying to come up with antibodies to fight it off. The steroid knocked your immune system down and gave the virus a chance to really try to come out ... and the best thing you can do now is to support your body's immune system to get back in balance. L-Lysine (100mg/day) helps some people a LOT. .... others don't seem to derive benefit... but it's cheap and worth a try. There's a ton of differing opinions on other things that are meant to support immune function ... I'm not going to pass comment on what you might want to use .... I personally use a mushroom-based product that does the trick most of the time for me (for everything from colds to H outbreaks) .... others will chime in with what works for them ... but the main thing is to eat healthy, get your sleep, control things like alcohol consumption (at least until you figure out your personal triggers), and the biggie: reduce STRESS. Herpes LOVES stress and it can be a good indicator to you over time that you need to relax and chill out :)

 

As for how long it will last? Can't tell you what will happen for you. For some its a few days. For others, months. 80% of the population doens't even know they have herpes.... so for some they never get it. However, It WILL get better over time. As your body learns to fight it (and you find what things help you to control it) these symptoms/prodromes will settle down. And you will learn how to notice the things that tell you you ar about to have an OB so you can attack it sooner ;)

 

(((HUGS))

[Getbetter111]

It has been going on for some time all of the above not sure how to go on living normal when I'm not feeling that way.i had only one ob but have had the other symptoms going on 4 months.they say that H1 doesn't like down south but I have not felt right below the belt line seems to me like I will feel like this forever?my back has been real sore also.

[Bslydell]

Thanks you two for your comments. Trying to determine if this is all related to HSV1 or some else going on. Another question, if I encounter an outbreak. How long do they herpes take to heal without antivirals? I currently have like red tender skin on my shaft that's been there for two weeks now. Does it normally go away on its own or do you need antivirals to get it to go away?

[WCSDancer2010]

Well, Herpes has been around for thousands of years... anti-virals only since the mid-80's ... and people lived without them until pretty recently ... so you *can* live without them... (and BTW, I've had H since the late 70's and was never offered them til I had a BF about 8 yrs ago who was concerned about the shedding... I've only used them for OB's since then ;) )

 

How long does it take to go away? Varies from person to person. Some people it's a week ... some people it's months. And anti-virals help some but not others ... same with L Lysine ... you just have to try things and see what works for you I'm afraid :(

 

In the end it WILL go away on it's own ... so a lot will have to do with your situation, pain tolerance, etc as to whether you try the meds or not :/

[fitgirl]

@Bslydell I have had the virus for 15+ years. Had outbreaks every 2 to 3 months for nearly all of those years despite an extremely healthy lifestyle. They would take 4 to 14 days to heal seemingly regardless of what I did. I have started taking valtrex (1yr ago to protect a new partner) and SHIT!!!! I wish I would have tried it sooner. I worried it wasn't healthy so I tried absolutely every single natural remedy on the planet. None of them worked for me.... the valtex has been amazing. one outbreak in a year and it lasted less than 2 days. Not to mention it keeps my man safe :)

 

That is just my story, everyone is different as dancer said. You have to try things and figure out what is right for you. All I know, is that without the frequent outbreaks I feel like I am in my groove without disruption and I LOVE that feeling.

[Bslydell]

Sorry for asking so many questions. So far all I have really experienced is the burning scrotum and like a red rash on the underside of my member. The burning is staying in my taint area. I can touch that area and feel no pain, so no rash or sores exist there. The red skin rash on my member just seems to hang around too. I don't really want to use meds right now. I want to see if it goes away on its own and how long it takes. I did ordered some multi vitamins and lysine. I'm going to try that route first. Im pretty sure what I am experiencing is herpes related, but I don't know for sure. I went in for an std test and tested positive for HSV1. I had tingling going on downstairs and my lips (after prescribed a steroid) and my doctors said it was herpes. Can they swap the skin if it is only a rash? It is more red skin rash, like I said and not a cluster of red dots type of rash. Also, if any of you had a rash experience, did your skin seem to peel when you had an outbreak?

[Getbetter111]

Yes we are having all of the same issues I might be a little further along than you I found out this past late November.my red skin seems to come and go at his point?i had the peeling to only thing I can think it is viral shedding like crazy?Also had the burning in taint that's when I really new something was wrong was on car ride and could feel the heat / burning. That also comes in goes at this point.it has gave me a lot other irritation and problems with UT . Hope you don't have to deal with that! It sucks

[Beachdude1984]

Bslydell, I would advise you to see a dermatologist as soon as possible. The symptoms you are describing sound more like a bacterial or fungal infection than HSV.

[Bslydell]

I am currently trying some lotramin to see if that provides any relief. I could only hope it wasn't HSV, but other people are having some of the same symptoms as I. I would just like to know for sure if this is herpes related or not. My luck it is, but still a little uncertain. I have some lysine coming in the mail tomorrow. Going to start taking that and see if there is any improvement.

[whitedaisies]

You could also order pcr swabs from westover heights clinic and swab yourself at home. Don't have to worry about getting an appt and u can swab whatever u want.

 

I just ordered mine $75 to process each swab but for me certainty and clarity is worth it.

 

Good luck to you

[Bslydell]

Thanks daisy. Can you swap just skin? I don't have any sores that I could swab, just sore red skin.

[fitgirl]

The swab need to be from an active "sore" to get a reliable result.

[whitedaisies]

Nope you don't need an active sore to swab and get a positive result.

 

They use pcr swabs to detect shedding in the genital area. So you can swab skin u suspect aggressively to determine if it's related to h. Pcr swabs use a method to detect the genetic components of h vs a viral culture. They are more reliable.

 

Let me know if you have further questions

[Beachdude1984]

Whitedaisies is correct. PCR swab is the same method used during clinical trials for potential HSV therapies to determine the effect of the medication on viral shedding rates.

 

I still maintain that what you are experiencing is most likely not related to HSV. I had the exact symptoms you are describing once- red, itchy rash on scrotum and underside of penis, and white flaking skin in the area. It lasted for weeks and I went to a doctor. Turned out to be yeast. Go to a dermatologist.

[Bslydell]

How did you get rid of it if it was yeast?

[Bslydell]

White daisy. I went to that website, but never saw where I could order a swab test. I did read a few posts about people swabbing 4 times a month and never got a positive result when he/she was sure he had herpes. Can you repost once you swab and get your results?

[Bslydell]

Sorry to repost again @Beachdude1984. My redness has never itche'd or really caused any pain. I notice it if I touch the spot on my penis I can tell if it is sensitive. If I scratch at it, then it hurts. I thought I may have been something else at the time because things just didn't make sense. Had unprotected sex and 2 weeks later my penis head kept getting cold. Went to the doctor, he did an std test and my igg for hsv1 was positive and igm was negative (3 weeks after sexual encounter). He explained that this means I have had herpes for some time now. Never experienced any tingling or cold sores ever in my life. He was certain all the tingling and burning was herpes related even though I never had any sores. Just seems strange that after the sexual encounter I started experiencing these things. Was with my previous gf for 2.5 years prior with never having tingling or burning. I'm still dumbfounded that my doctor said I didn't get herpes from this last girl. Too me it just doesn't add up.

[Beachdude1984]

The only OTC treatment that brought me any relief was gold bond powder. Diflucan is doctor prescribed, and will knock it out quickly if it is yeast. I can not diagnosed you, which is why you need to see a MD. Your doctor was correct in stating that a positive IgG result indicates an established infection. Your symptoms do not sound at all like HSV, and it is unlikely you contracted HSV-1 from your most recent encounter. You could have contracted something else from her, though. Or it could be eczema. Or contact dermatitis. Or yeast. Or something else. So once again, if I were you, my next appointment would be to see a dermatologist. If that is unhelpful, my next step would be a different dermatologist or and infectious disease specialist. Good luck.

[Getbetter111]

Let me know if you find out it something else seeing were are having same symptoms I went to a specialist that was a joke. but have not seen a dermatologist. Thanks