Looking likely I have herpes

[scaredsummertime]

Hi all

Rhisnis my first time on the site. I won’t lie, I’m scared shitless. I’m 21, in a relationship, and feel so much stress.

i woke up Tuesday morning feeling itchy down there. I scratched, went to the bathroom, felt fine, noticed blood on my panties and thought oh shit I scratched myself too hard (still hoping for this.)

Went to the doctor later that day believing I had a yeast infection: the itching and coupled with discharge, felt like it. Took a urine test, saw a nurse practitioner, and was told I had a UTI (no exam done down there) but a full STD panel was done because I figured I should get checked up anyway.

Come Wednesday, I wake up and everything is swollen down there. Peeing burned but it was bearable. The pain from the swelling was too much and I called my doctor and asked for diflucan because I was sure I had a yeast infection coupled with the UTI.

Wednesday night, I feel aches and chills. Worry that I might have a kidney infection. Go to ER, and they say they’re not sure. Continue with the medication. By this point, peeing burns so bad. I cry every other time.

Thursday, it hurts to walk. I remember my freshman year of college having a yeast infection and rash from some period problems and was suggested to use vitamin e ointment. I used petroleum jelly to moisturize myself down there and it actually worked better as far as stinging goes, still hated to walk or move.

Today is Friday. I went to an actual gynecologist an hour away because I live on a reservation and neither of the clinics I went to gave me any help regarding the pain.

I finally got the exam I wanted. I was told I had sores down there, could be from the chlamydia that I just got diagnosed with or could be herpes. I’m honestly scared shitless. I don’t know how to handle this. My boyfriend was with me when I got the news and exam done, and he comforted me after the fact and has said he’s not leaving so I have him as support. I got prescribed the blue pills. My fear is that neither the medication for herpes or chlamydia will work, leaving me with this pain. Or, the medication will work and I’ll be stuck with a herpes diagnosis. Neither one is fun. Of course, here I am, looking up symptoms and I see that aches and chills can be signs of it. I can’t even go to the bathroom with running a shower head on myself down there because it burns so much. I’ve been crying all evening, both from the pain and the fear.

what advice does anyone have? I won’t have results until Monday so I know this weekend will be the longest weekend ever. I just don’t know what to do besides lay in bed, cuddle with my bf, and cry.

[scaredsummertime]

Update: is it normal to have an extremely swollen labia?

It feels like my symptoms switched now. Before the medication, I could hardly urinate without screaming in pain. Laying down was fine if I found the right way to lay down and wouldn’t feel any pain. Now, I can urinate with a little bit of a pain squeal, but laying down seems nearly impossible. I feel stinging going on and it makes me twitch and cry because it’s just nonstop.

i don’t really know if anyone is even paying attention. I’m writing this because it makes me feel better to write it out. I told my mom, and she’s coming to see me ASAP tomorrow. My bf has still been as supportive as possible, but I don’t blame him for starting to get a little frustrated/upset with all of my crying and nonstop sadness. I don’t know what to do with any of it, I’m trying so hard to just think “it’s treatable, more people have a type of herpes than don’t, it’s just the stigma.” But a huge part of me just hates this. Hates that it happened to me, hates that I’m only 21 and it’s going to be with me for the rest of my life. Waiting for the test results has been the longest wait of my life but I can’t help but think it’ll give me some peace of mind finally knowing for sure.

[Girlneedinghelp]

I’m in a similar situation, I don’t really have much practical advice because I feel exactly the same as you and it is devastating.. other then a tv box set might distract you for a short time? That is what I am doing, I’m watching mortal instruments on Netflix.. it is helping a little, and I called a helpline which helped too as she had it as well  

[Gina99]

Hey I’m so sorry this is happening. I’m on a similar boat right now but my lab test won’t be ready for weeks so I’m in the unknown following a herpes treatment when it might not even be that.

im just wondering, how did you get this? Did your boyfriend have it and it was dormant ? Have you got any hypothesis? 

[scaredsummertime]

@Gina99 I’ve come to terms with this, but awhile ago I was sexually assaulted. My boyfriend was clear of STDs in May, so I can only assume I got it from the perpetrator. It’s awful. The one time, and I get all of this and my life just feels ruined..

[Gina99]

omg ... that is awful. I am sooo sorry to hear. this is seriously the worst thing that could happen. but you seem like a strong person, you can do this and its so awesome your boyfriend is so supportive. 

hang in there, and try to be as positive as possible. im trying to be thankful for the rest of the things in my life because all in all, this is a virus, that sucks, but we are still alive and we're not terribly suffering. i know it'll be hard to deal with long term, but since the firs OB is the worst, it can literally only get better ❤️ 

[newchapter]

I'm so sorry to hear you're going through this. Unfortunately I'm in a similar situation as you, except for this happened from a one night stand last weekend. I keep telling myself I wish I had the support of a boyfriend, but no situation is any better when dealing with the symptoms of this. I've been in agonizing pain and feel so alone, so I totally sympathize with you. I'm 24 and thinking of my future with this is terrifying. It started out with itching and I saw a few cuts a few days after sex (I thought it was just from rough sex) but anytime I went pee I was in so much pain and the cuts soon turned into blisters. I was given valtrex from my gyno and I've been waiting for my results to come back from my herpes culture (longest 5 days of my life). I am 99.9% positive I contracted it from this guy after I asked him if he had been testes recently. He told me after that fact that he does carry the hsv1 virus, but he didn't think he had a coldsore at the time. (It makes so mad since we had the STD talk and he never mentioned hsv1 since people don't see coldsores as STD's) 

I also have the swollen labia and it hurts to touch touch anywhere near there. I tried a lidocaine cream but I can't tell if it makes a difference. I've been going through a whirlwind of emotions, one second I'm feeling like my life is over and the next I'm trying to stay positive and tell myself this isn't a life sentence and I will have a bright future. Life throws us curveballs and unfortunatnely this is one we have to deal with... its the social stigma that makes this worse than it needs to be... yes viruses are bad but its no different than any other virus like the chicken pox, except for the stigma associated with it and the possibility of reoccurrence. Stay strong, I'm right there with you ❤️ 

[LJ1209]

I am so sorry to hear what you are going through as well.

I was diagnosed almost a month ago. I just started dating this great guy - everything seemed perfect. About 2 weeks in, I felt sore sitting and walking. It also hurt to pee, like it was touching a wound. I thought it was from too much sex and I was raw. Because the symptoms didn’t go away within a couple of days, I got an appointment with my gyno. She looked at me for a minute and said she wanted to culture. I had 2 areas that got cultured and I couldn’t stop crying.

My culture came back positive, my blood work is negative.

That night I checked myself out and found an internal ulcer looking thing and my labia was super red and swollen, just on the right side. That night I got a bump w/ a Whitehead. 2 days later another couple showed up. I ended up getting only one blister.

I remember feeling so frustrated that the Valtrex didn’t seem to be working and that it was just getting worse. But then I remembered, it’s a virus and it has to go through a cycle. The day I could pee without pain was amazing.

It does and will get better. You have excellent support and company here. I hope you start feeling some relief soon!

[scaredsummertime]

Hi all, so I tested positive for hsv 1. I’m confused on how it passed to me though; did the perpetrator have it genitally, and then did it pass to me that way as well? Or is it always oral to genital that causes it.

soooo many questions. Is HSV 1 more prone to breakouts that if I had HSV 2?

At least I have my answer now.

[alllgood]

Hi,

I'm 21 and in college going through a very similar situation. I was diagnosed around 3 months ago but I'm still having trouble coming to terms with it. In regards to your latest question, it is possible he has HSV1 genitally and passed it through shedding the virus, or he could've given it to you if you had oral sex. HSV1 from what I believe I have read, tends to have less outbreaks genitally, but I'm not sure if it's the strain of the virus or just how each persons' body reacts to the virus. Were you tested via swab culture or blood test to get this diagnosis? 

[Catlady5000]

Well the question is have you had unprotected oral sex? (This is how I got it) Because then I would it say it is most likely that is how you got it, but it is possible for it to go the other way as well. 

This website was really helpful for me   https://westoverheights.com/forum/ 

[scaredsummertime]

Day 3 on medication, I can still urinate with only a little bit of pain (read as minimum screaming, mostly heavy breathing and squealing.) When will it get better? I’ve stared bathing in Epsom salt baths which I’m sad I didn’t try sooner. It’s the only thing that’s making me feel normal again, until I get out and I realize it’s still hard to walk due to swelling and stinging.

Geez. I’m a college student. I’m supposed to be on campus 3.5 hours from where I’m at rn packing up my apartment, getting ready to move, getting ready for a summer field session that’s mandatory for my major. And I can barely move. I’m praying this is cleared up by the end of the week, I so so need it to be 😔

[scaredsummertime]

Also, when should I expect the medication to start working? I’m taking 1 GM tablets 2x a day which seems to be more than I’ve seen others have. I’m not sure if that’s cause I have a particularly bad outbreak that the gynecologist noticed or what. Day 3 (and a half I guess if I count Friday night) and I was hoping more than just urinating would be better. 

I keep having this weird dysphoria type thing when I reach down to put petroleum jelly on. It just doesn’t feel like me (as graphic as that sounds.) Logically, I know I’ll clear up and get back to “normal,” but another part of my brain still questions “You’re never going to be normal down there again.” And it’s making me so self conscious and ugly. Ugh. For the most part I think I’m handling it, now that the pain is gone, and I’m focusing on solutions to keep outbreaks away but these thoughts definitely nag at me.

[scaredsummertime]

Hopefully me journaling this helps someone else out!

So, after officially taking 4 days of meds (8 pills) I can finally walk! I feel a little shaky, things still kinda rub, but I took an epsom salt bath, soaked for a long time, got up, rinsed off with warm water, patted dry (no blow dryer) took some aspirin, put LOTS of petroleum jelly on, and attempted to take a few steps. Nothing hurt! Just the usual sting at first but I think the jelly definitely help take most of that away. I feel some weird tingle going on yet near my butt, closer to my spine, and a little bit of a tingle down there, and walking is shaky. But I’m up and walking finally!

[scaredsummertime]

Okay, sorry for the graphicness, but is yellow discharge normal? People are saying that it’s discharge from internal lesions or fighting off the virus, but could it simply be from the blisters popping?

I woke up this morning to a lot of yellow discharge. Worried, I washed myself, then went to the bathroom, and it still stung like heck. What is the discharge from though and is this another sign I’m gettin better?