How folliculitis became full blown Herpes

[StrengthOfWolves]

For the past hour and a half, I have stared at this blank box just wondering where to start. I’ve repeatedly deleted, retyped, and edited every detail of this post to get the right story out. 

 

I am a 23 year old girl still in college and working full time at a trailer store. Nothing exciting really happened in my life. I had started a new relationship almost a year ago (it will be one year October 13th). My puppy just shedded his first coat from summer since he turned 1 in May (he is a husky by the way so it was a lot!). Everything seemed to be perfectly normal and exciting. Until my first breakout, which went a little like this:

It was the first week of September when I found out that I had herpes simplex 1 and 2. The news of it crushed me completely. I was angry for all the right reasons and also for all the wrong ones. One Sunday morning I woke up with a terrible itch in my groin area. When I went to the bathroom to see what was going on, I found multiple blisters forming all over. I had slight pain and tenderness during urination nothing to serious. Unfortunately, it was the Sunday before Labor Day and every where was closed other than the hospitals (which I did not want that expensive bill!). 

 

I had had to wait until the closest Med Express Urgent Care was open which was the next day. That Sunday wasn’t terribly bad. We had a Labor Day BBQ at my oldest brothers girlfriends house. Everything that day seemed normal like nothing happened. Until I had to go to the bathroom and the stinging hurt so bad I decided to hold it instead. Trying to get comfortable enough to sleep was even worse.

The next day was Labor Day, thankfully I had no work. Instead, I was going to Med Express because shockingly they were open and they were only 65$ (thank goodness). I waited in the waiting room for about 10 minutes before being called back for the first initial exam of Heart, fever, etc. Finally I was waiting in the exam room.

 

Keep in mind, my first initial though due to itching and redness was that I had poison Ivy, which I had had once as a kid. So the doctor and his assistant came in, giggly and with smiles on their faces. Then the male doctor asked “so what are you in for today?” As the girl tried her best not to laugh. I then went about explaining everything that was going on. 

 

Thankfully (but not thankfully), some of the blisters had migrated to the inside of my right thigh. Thankfully, I didn’t have to take my clothes off (or so I thought). Not thankfully, the doctor didn’t really get a good look at what was goi on before he made his assumption. 

 

“You have folliculitis.” He said “its very common mostly caused by a dull razor. It should clear up in a few days.” Which I promptly responded “I don’t think that’s what it is, it’s spread to a very delicate area and it hurts to pee. How does a Staph infection (for people who don’t know folliculitis is caused by staph) make it hurt when I pee?” He didn’t have much to say about that but I insisted he look at everything before making a final decision. 

 

With a sigh, the nurse gave me a gown and I took everything off from the waist down and waited for them to come back in. When he came back in, he did not examine me the way a gynecologist would have or he would have seen what was going on. I awkwardly pulled the sheet away from my stomach so he could see. He took one quick look and said “Definitely folliculitis, take these pills and use this cream and it will clear right up.” 

 

Not knowing any better, I took my medication and was on my way still kind of uneasy about the whole experience and annoyed with the unprofessionalism of the whole visit. As prescribed, I took two pills a day one at morning and one at night and I used the relief ointment that the doctor gave me. Two days later, I decided to go to the hospital because the pain was now worse and I couldn’t even shower without breaking down in full out hysteria from the agony. 

 

So so here I am, bladder basically full because I have barely peed in four days, hair soaking wet from the shower, eyes puffy from crying, and on my way to the hospital with my boyfriend. I did all the initial exams they normally do before taking you back to see the doctor. Of course, the part I was dreading, I needed to give a urine sample. I managed to get enough out for the sample and could not stop the rest no matter how much it hurt (let me tell you it felt like someone was sticking a hot rod up there).

 

Finally, I am back seeing the doctor who I went over the whole story again including the terrible experience at Med Express and the incompetence that doctor showed because he didn’t want to work a holiday shift. She got extremely quite after she saw everything and her face looked like she didn’t want to say what she had to say. At that moment my heart sunk. I could almost feel the tears stinging the back of my eyes waiting to come out.

”Who is this?” She asked, pointing to Ian. “My boyfriend” “Would you like him to stay for this?” “ Yes, it’s fine.” “Are you positive?” “Absolutely.” I chocked out knowing it was not good.

Then she finally said the words. “It looks like herpes.” My world felt like it had fallen apart. She kept talking a little more going over what was about to happen and how I could have conducted it and how it can stay dormant for years. All I could do was just nod my head and fight the waterworks that we’re waiting to come out. Even recalling it now I can still remember the feeling. I felt gross, dirty, I felt like a whore. I kept recalling everyone I had slept with (which was not a lot, I could count them on one hand). 

 

After they left left to get the supplies for the swan test, I could hear Ian behind me “Babe? Are you okay?” For a moment, while she was telling me, I had forgotten he was there. As soon as I heard his voice, the emotions exploded from me. All I could feel was him come and embrace me. He kept telling me, “this is nothing, we can get through this. It’s no big deal, it’ll be like nothing happened nothing is going to change between us.” 

 

It it was what I needed to hear, because I didn’t and don’t ever want to lose him. Someone who would stick by my side after all that and still plan a life together. At that moment I didn’t know I could love someone so much. 

 

When the doctor returned, she gave me a prescription for valacyclovir (generic valtrex) and one pill to take before bed to ease the pain. She said she was sorry and then left the room, and left me paralyzed as well. The ride home, all I could do was stare out the window, and silently let tears roll down my cheeks. Ian offered to get my ice cream or any kind of snack I wanted (I can snack when I’m emotional surprisingly I am not too out of shape!) but tonight I just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep. I was so happen when I got home and had to pee, dreading the pain until I realized it didn’t hurt at all. 

 

The next few few weeks were hard. The 1000mg medication they prescribed made me very nauseous and sleepy. I had no appetite and lost more weight than I had thought I could. It’s kind of been a blur since then. Ian and I are waiting for a move in date for our first apartment, which is good. Although it seems more and more were arguing about me being sad and out of it. I understand his frustration, sometimes I just wish he understood what I meant when I tell him things are different, because even thought they’re not, they are.

 

So my advise from this, if you feel something deep in your gut, go for it. Even if it’s just you thinking that doctors appointment didn’t feel right. Because I wish I could tell that doctor he made me worse before I could finally get better (and to sleep him with my hospital bill because I sure as hell didn’t want to pay that!). 

I’m sorry for such a long explanation!!!

[Redfaith417]

Thank you for sharing 

[Anonymous88]

I had follocilitus or however you spell it before christmas and it was awful persistant itching that I could of itched myself raw.

I thought it was another outbreak as it was all over my genitals,went to the clinic and she said she couldn't see any herpes sores but never thought to point out what the sores were. So I booked into see my doctor and by the time I got an appt it had spread down the tops of my legs. I was prescribed anti biotics to clear it and thankfully it worked. I must of got it from using a blunt razor 

It is so easy and confusing to mistake something like this also with a herpes outbreak even though for you it was the other way round. Any itch down there just makes me fe extremely paranoid at times as you just automatically assume its down to herpes. Glad for you that you got it sorted in the end even though being diagnosed with this isn't what we want to hear.

[MarsAttack]

Same story. Every dermatologist looking at pics and glans never said "yes it's H" but of course I knew very well I never experienced  something like that and I knew what I did in the previous week so... went to test and resulted positive (with mixed/low results in the middle thought).

I add to your advice: yes, if you feel that something happened (and had "risky" intercourses a week or more before), ask for a test. Also I feel like there's still not enough knowledge on hsv2 from doctors since is "rare".

[blurneworder]

17 hours ago, MarsAttack said:

Same story. Every dermatologist looking at pics and glans never said "yes it's H" but of course I knew very well I never experienced  something like that and I knew what I did in the previous week so... went to test and resulted positive (with mixed/low results in the middle thought).

I add to your advice: yes, if you feel that something happened (and had "risky" intercourses a week or more before), ask for a test. Also I feel like there's still not enough knowledge on hsv2 from doctors since is "rare".

What exactly is "mixed/low results"?

[MarsAttack]

On 5/21/2019 at 6:15 AM, blurneworder said:

What exactly is "mixed/low results"?

took different tests since I first discovered to have something "wrong" down there., here is a recap:

About ten days after exposure
First symptoms: two sores below left thigh, widespread tiny dots on glans (they lasted about a week/10 days), no tingling, no itch. Sort of “discomfort” feeling on left side groin.

One month and half after exposure
Blood test seeking HSV2 IGG, result: 0.50 (still negative).

14 weeks after exposure
Blood test HSV2 IGG, result: value 1 (equivocal).

6 months after exposure
Third blood test seeking HSV2 IGG, result: positive (different clinic test from previous test where no value was given).

9 months after exposure
Fourth blood test seeking HSV2 IGG, result: 0.90 (that is the “highest” number in negative range, weird ’cause it seems lower than previous tests).

One year after exposure
A fifth (and last test for now) at the same hospital of third test confirmed the positive HSV2 IGG status.

 

Guess the difference is in the test they use. As you can see what is important is the rise of the IGG value, doesn't matter much how high the number but the fact it went from 0.50 to 1.

 

[GettingThroughIt]

Your diagnosis sounds exactly like mine. I manscaped my genital area before going to the beach on a Saturday in the summer.  That was Friday night. Had a great day.  Next thing you know two days later I have what looked like two tiny cuts with a burning feeling on the base of my shaft.  I thought it was nothing and two weeks later it got worse so I went to the dermatologist and he said it was folliculitis and gave me an antibiotic to take and cream to put on.  Then it got even worse and I was back in the office 5 days later where I was prescribed two antibiotics to take , one every 6 hours. 4 x a day. Things got even worse and I mean worse!! To the point where I was going to go to the emergency room.  Never ever in my life did I have anything like it.  Well I'm back in his office and now he prescribes valacyclovir  and things started improving.