Do you think it is herpes ? please help, lots of anxiety

[thenewguy91]

Last sunday night around 10pm I drank from a water bottle that I thought was mine. Turns out it was not. Nobody was actively drinking from it, it was probably there at least an hour or two before I drank from it. Three days later a huge painful bump showed up on my lower lip line. To me it looked like a cystic pimple which I am very prone to, I am 24 with bad acne. Since then it has shrank in size, and never changed in appearance, except it had a little tiny head on it which disappeared after applying warm compress. It never turned to a blister and never scabbed or anything like that. Yesterday (Sunday, one week after drinking from bottle) I went to my dermatologist which was about 4 days after the bump came up. She at first seemed unsure as to what it was but then said it is probaly just cystic acne. She did not seemed worried at all, and reassured me I had nothing to worry about. Then I went to a walk-in clinic and showed it to a Doctor there and he just laughed and said it was a pimple and that if it were a cold sore it would be easy to tell and again said don't worry about it. So long story made longer do you guys think it is anything to worry about, could it be herpes ?? I have been with the same girl for four years and neither of us have ever had a cold sore and ive been tested before and nothing has ever said i was positive nor her. I am a person with a lot of anxiety so I might be over thinking it. Do I have anything to worry about ? I was romantically with my Girl friend with this bump on my lip. dumb move so that has me even more scared. Any thoughts would be SO APPREDCIATED. Thanks !!

[mr_hopp]

Hey man,

 

Few things:

 

1. If you're worried about getting herpes from an unattended water bottle, there's absolutely no way that can happen. You can't get herpes from sharing towels or drinks or toilet seats ... The virus dies very shortly after leaving the environment of the warm mucous membrane. It's skin-to-skin contact that passes herpes. By the sounds of it (not being fluid filled or scabbing over), it doesn't seem to be herpes.

 

2. Even if you did have oral herpes, welcome to 80% of humanity. ;)

 

There's nothing to worry about. Take a deep breath and don't let the stigma take hold.

 

Also, look a little deeper here, too. Look for ways in general in your life where you can lessen anxiety. Super important! I imagine what you're feeling now is a mixture of the unfortunate stigma around this simple virus called herpes and your anxiety in general. So even though this is most likely not herpes, use this as an opportunity to start shifting how anxiety is impacting your life in general! The Anxiety Opportunity. ;)

[thenewguy91]

Adrial,

 

Thank You for the quick response and the kind words. Yes anxiety plays a big part in my life, mostly with health related things. Over the past few years I have become obsessed with my health. I've spent hours on WebMD and other sites researching any possible scratch or pain I've had. It is tough to deal with at times. I am great at giving others advice but not that good when it comes to myself. There could be a million things or people or doctors telling me I'm fine but I'll still obsess on that .0001 chance I am dying. This now applies to my most recent obsession which is this bump.

 

It gives me great comfort knowing people like you are out there willing to help others and preach the good word. You've put my mind at ease over something silly. Thanks on the tips for general anxiety as well. It can be very consuming at times.

 

All the best !!

[WCSDancer2010]

@thenewguy91

 

I agree - sounds like the acne.... especially given that the compress made it go away. Herpes wouldn't act like that.

 

That said, 80% of people have oral herpes. 60% of young people have it by the time they are young adults. 80% never know it. This is one virus you are surrounded by, that won't kill you and that, if you haven't got it by now orally, odds are very low that you will get it. AND, if you do, I PROMISE it's not the end of the world. Take it from someone who has had it since she was a young toddler. :)

 

I hope you are getting help for your anxiety. A GOOD therapist will help you to learn how to recognize when you are letting your brain run the show. In the meantime, do what we tell EVERYONE on here: STAY OFF DR GOOGLE! LOL. There's a lot of great info out there but when you are in a state of high anxiety, you are in no fit state to self-diagnose. Once you have a feeling that "something isn't right", get to a professional. Now, I suggest that for *you*, if this happens again, ask them to do a swab to put your mind to rest. That will help your brain to have feedback that you are overthinking things when it comes back negative.

 

Hope that helps.... and like Adrial said, use this as your Anxiety Opportunity to learn to grow and learn from :)

[thenewguy91]

@WCSDancer2010

 

Thank you for all the help and kind words. It hasn't gone away fully yet but it is nearly gone. Just a small bump now that has dried from acne cream. It never changed appearance only size. It was huge and painful to the touch now it is very small and does not hurt anymore. It has been about 6 days since it came up. It did have a tiny white head on it but it went away in the shower with a warm compress. Everyone I've spoken to has said its not herpes. But the anxiety keeps it in my mind. Something I'm trying to work on.