I need help, and would appreciate some advice from those with experience...

[mlee]

Hello,

 

I'm new to this forum, and I have some questions. I have not yet been diagnosed with herpes, but I fear I have it. Please take some time to read my story, and let me know your thoughts. I've tried other forums, and no one has taken the time to read my full story and respond. I hope that this forum is a little different. A little more supportive and helpful.

 

Okay. I was sleeping with someone I met when living abroad. We had unprotected sex one time. Roughly 6 weeks after the last time we slept together, I felt a bump on the inside of my outer labia. Naturally, I lost my shit. I don't remember it hurting, really... (this was a year and a half ago now). I think it hurt a little when it was pressed. But I went to the doctor anyway, after spending 5 days freaking out. So when I saw the doctor 5 days later, the bump was gone. I was worried about genital warts. She told me they wouldn't go away that quickly. She tested me for all the other common STDs (except herpes, obviously) and everything came back clear.

 

So... a year and a half later, and every now and then, I get a similar bump in a similar spot. I would describe it as being a pimple. I've had about 4 or 5 since the first one over a year and a half ago.

 

I've been doing a lot of research, and I realize that self diagnosing on the internet is just TERRIBLE. But I feel like I might have herpes. I've read a lot about how some people have really mild symptoms and don't even know they are infected. In fact, I've read others describe it as thinking they had a pimple down there... like I JUST described it...

 

I got another one on September 4th. And again, it was gone in about a week. It hurt when I touched it, but that's it. Never opened up and crusted over or anything, just simply disappeared. No pain during urination, either. Perhaps what scares me the most is the fact that I had a cut on my finger during that same time. I completely shredded it on a mussel in the ocean. A few days later, while I had the bump on my labia, a bump appeared on my finger where the cut was. I've been reading a lot about herpetic whitlow now... did I just re-infect myself and give myself genital herpes on my fucking finger?? The bump on my finger is still here, and it's now November 27th. It never opened like a blister, never crusted over, and it only caused pain when I put pressure on it. Right now it is very small, but it is still here. Still mildly hurts when I push on it with my nail. The only comfort I've gotten from the internet is hearing that whitlow typically disappears a lot faster than this. So herpetic whitlow, or just a weird result of cutting my finger open on a mussel in the ocean??

 

I did go to the doctor. I told her my whole story and she told me that it does not sound like herpes. She swabbed my finger, and it came back negative; however, it had been a couple weeks, so a swab test would not have been quite accurate from what I've been reading. I also got another bump in the same place on my labia at the beginning of October. I jumped on that opportunity to go to an STD clinic and get tested ASAP. Since it was my first time there, I spoke with an RN for about 30 minutes. Again, she told me that from what I described, it doesn't sound like herpes. The doctor also looked at the bump, which by this point was almost non-existent after just a few days. The doctor swabbed the bump and said they would call me if it was positive. Well, they never called.

 

So I feel like no doctor has ever really taken the time to help me understand what I DO have, if not herpes. So I'm hoping someone on here, with a little more personal experience, can lend me some insight. Does it sound like it could be herpes?? Or do you think it could be something else, and if so, do you have any idea WHAT?? I think I might even have another bump on my labia right now, but that could just be the anxiety...

 

Thank you for reading :)

 

 

 

[Sil88]

A blister caused by whitlow wouldn't stay for 2 months, and the fact it's a single bump rather than a few blisters makes me a little dubious that it's herpes. Even a visual diagnosis isn't very accurate though, so one based on a description of a bump is worth very little. Have you got any photos of the one on your finger? When they swabbed your finger, did they open the bump at all? If it's been over 3 months, you could get a blood test done. Just dont freak out if it's positive for type 1.. that's the case for most people without genital herpes.

[2Legit2Quit]

Why not go and have a blood test done then to determine if you have H, as enough time has passed to show in your blood.

[WCSDancer2010]

I agree - just go to Planned Parenthood and get blood tested for Herpes. At this point if you have had it this long, you should have a conclusive result. IF it's Herpes, it sounds like your body is doing a great job of controlling it and you seem to have a pattern so you can monitor it easily enough. I've had H 35 yrs.... I promise you, it's really not something to get too worked up over .... we just need to be cautious and sensible and the disclosure talk creates a great foundation of honesty with new partners.

 

As for the finger, cuts from oysters and mussels can be nasty ... and then if you got bacteria or yeast from your nether regions in the area, that could account for all your symptoms. Sometimes we just have to accept that we may not get every answer and this one isn't worth over-thinking about unless you get another OB there.

[mlee]

Okay, thank you so much for your responses, everyone! I did mention a blood test to my doctor, and she told me that it wouldn't be accurate since I've had chicken pox and shingles. But since you all are saying it would work, and since I did read before that it would, I'll go somewhere else and ask about it. It sounds like the only option that would give me some peace of mind.

 

When they swabbed my finger, they didn't break it open or anything, which I thought was kind of strange, but my doctor said just a swab on top would be good enough. Maybe she's not much of an expert on this, though, considering she told me a blood test was also not an option.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to read everything. Your advice is appreciated, and if I find anything out, I will post again.

[2Legit2Quit]

Omg. It's so annoying tohearhow many idiot doctors are out there. First off, time to find another doctor. She doesn't know wtf she's talking about. Second you need to request a type specific Elisa IgG test, which you will not ha e to worry about that cross reaction. She clearly isbonnky aware. If the combined test.. Smh. Go to PP... They know which tests to give.

[esdbec0713]

From your story and the words used you sound like you're in my age range so I'll talk to you straight up like I would a close friend.

 

I had not one but two doctors tell me that doesn't look nor act like herpes in regards to the bump on the inside of my labia majora. Well I'm here, on this website site so that means that THEY WERE DEAD FUCKING WRONG. My boyfriend, who was my ex for a few months, slept with someone else who when she received her herpes test told her that having chickenpox as a child would throw off the test. That's bullshit, here's why... mono, chickenpox, hsv1 and 2 are all part of the same wonderful little family of viruses, however, they all have different dna that's what makes them different viruses. With that a test can detect the right virus. Herpes isn't on the basic STD radar because it won't kill you, leave you infertile or anything else. It's a nerve disease that is a giant pain in the ass with a huge stigma.

 

So the chick my man slept with is out there right now unknowingly giving the virus to people because her doctor is an asshole.

 

Great isn't it?

 

Your doctor might not want to test you because at this point what's the use outside of your own knowing? Your outbreaks aren't that bad and well if herpes isn't apart of a routine STD test to begin with then this virus doesn't have their attention.

 

However, push for a blood test. If not the best this to do is once you have a bump go to Planned Parenthood. Their great! I sent my boyfriend there and they are the only doctors that knew it was herpes. However, if the bump is there a few days before you can get an appointment the virus might not be there by the time they culture it.

 

Honestly, it sounds like you have a minor case of herpes. And the bump on your finger could just be a wart (gotta love those viruses). Either way don't fret. If it is herpes you've had it for years now and you are fine. You're alive and healthy. And for the bump on the finger sounds like your run of the mill wart... Once again don't worry get it frozen off. Just be happy you didn't have a wart on your knee as big as a nipple when you were a kid....

[WCSDancer2010]

@mlee

 

Was your Dr a GP? If so, they are often CLUELESS about Herpes testing. Yes, in an ASYMPTOMATIC person, there is a 40% chance that any result under a 3.5 is a false positive because there *can* be cross-reactivity ... in which case you should be advised to to the Western Blot which is much, MUCH more sensitive.....

 

In your case, you have potential symptoms so it makes sense to do the standard IgG test and go from there.... and any Dr that advises against it needs to become your EX-Dr ...

[mlee]

Thanks for your honesty, esdbec! You never REALLY want someone to agree with you when you think you might have herpes, but it looks like all advice is pointing to a blood test, for sure. If I do have it, I know who gave it to me. He told me he was clean, but in his defense, maybe he didn't even know... but if he just didn't tell me, that totally wouldn't surprise me, either.

 

The finger thing, though, I don't think it's a wart. I've had warts before and this doesn't look anything like them. And if I do end up having HSV 1 or 2, it would make sense that I could have spread it to my finger since I had such a huge open cut there. It was so bad that I probably should have gotten stitches. I was hoping maybe it was just scar tissue, but I don't think scar tissue hurts like this did / still sort of does.

 

You're all right, though. If I do have it, it's been close to two years and I am fine. If I do have it, I should be thankful that my outbreaks aren't that bad. This is definitely something I know that I can deal with, I just hope future partners will be understanding.

 

And yes, WCSDancer, the doctor was my family doctor. When I brought up the symptoms she also said that "if you had herpes, you wouldn't be sitting on the computer googling about herpes. You would be in my office right away because it would be that painful." But I know that I've read stories of other people who had it so mild, they didn't even know until they were properly tested. So yeah. I suppose GPs don't know everything.