No sores, constant irritation for 2 months

[hbubble1]

Get another test, Looks like you are at 6 months so the test should be as accurate as it's gonna get, I plan on taking the test one last time if it's negative I really want to put this herpes thing behind me. I have someone I'm interested in and currently hanging out with so I feel what your going through on that front and it just adds on to the stress.

[UTC2033]

Im sorta in the same boat, though some of my symptoms could easily be confused for jock itch (which I do have) and they tend to come and go. Just wanted to know did you get any clarity about this? I've been tested after 2 years + since any possible exposure (non type specific IGG negative), and did some WB's  (negative) but thinking about going in for one last battery of testing as I'm seeing someone now. 

[MarcT]

Node, 6 months later and no answer. Never had any sores, just pretty steady urethral irritation, groin sensitivity, and recurring strong leg/butt/lower back pain. It’s been awful.

 

as per your testing... you sound pretty in the clear to me for hsv 

[Young&confused]

On 1/8/2019 at 2:36 AM, blurneworder said:

I’m trying to believe it,  but the symptoms I have match herpes.

Itchy, red bumps in groin.

Brain fog, confusion,  headaches, hard time focusing and recalling information  (made worse by eating sugar)

Tingling in the nerves of my hands, legs, and feet

Lip constantly chapped and cut

Small cuts on penis shaft with occasional peeling skin

Constant itching in my anus

Loss of hearing and a fullness of the ear

Blisters on gums

Tingling in lips

Discoloration of penis glans

Constant fatigue

Eye pain and constant dry eyes.

Itchy skin on butt checks 

Red, sore skin on corners of lips.

Constant  zits breaking out on forehead with certain spots of throbbing pain

What about any of this does not scream herpes?

Wow okay this is all resonating with me a lot! I have many of these same symptoms as a female and have tested negative for herpes. Big emphasis on pain in Perineal area. I’m not sure either ... but it helps to know we’re not alone 

[blurneworder]

5 minutes ago, Young&confused said:

Wow okay this is all resonating with me a lot! I have many of these same symptoms as a female and have tested negative for herpes. Big emphasis on pain in Perineal area. I’m not sure either ... but it helps to know we’re not alone 

Which of these apply to you? 

Why do you think you have herpes?

[MarcT]

I’m right with you guys, tingling in hands and feet, red irritated urethra for months (slight discomfort after urination for months as well), recurring strong leg, back, perineum, and back pain that lasts for weeks, sensitive/burning groin skin, sometimes red patches on penis head (seems to respond to anti fungal), sometimes random shocks/pricks on legs and occasionally at other parts of my body.

i mostly think it’s herpes (even tho no pain when urinating and no sores) cuz this all started after unprotected sex, I’m paranoid, and no doctor has given me a better explanation... other than saying it’s not herpes and it’s in my mind. 

Tested negative by blood test at 4 weeks, doctors don’t take herpes as a serious enough option to agree to retesting 

[blurneworder]

25 minutes ago, MarcT said:

I’m right with you guys, tingling in hands and feet, red irritated urethra for months (slight discomfort after urination for months as well), recurring strong leg, back, perineum, and back pain that lasts for weeks, sensitive/burning groin skin, sometimes red patches on penis head (seems to respond to anti fungal), sometimes random shocks/pricks on legs and occasionally at other parts of my body.

i mostly think it’s herpes (even tho no pain when urinating and no sores) cuz this all started after unprotected sex, I’m paranoid, and no doctor has given me a better explanation... other than saying it’s not herpes and it’s in my mind. 

Tested negative by blood test at 4 weeks, doctors don’t take herpes as a serious enough option to agree to retesting 

I get the same run around. Some doctors tell me to go on living normally. I am almost to the point of seeing if I infect somebody else through sex.

[Young&confused]

29 minutes ago, blurneworder said:

Which of these apply to you? 

Why do you think you have herpes?

I have the typical”sores” or as you said, itchy red bumps on genitals ... also from what you mentioned I’m having brain fog/ hard time focusing, cut/chapped lips, small cuts with peeling skin on genitals, constant itching in anus, discoloration on genitals, constant fatigue, strange things going on with my eyes, itchy skin on butt cheeks. All started with intense pain and itching on perineal area. Herpes test was negative 

[blurneworder]

2 hours ago, Young&confused said:

I have the typical”sores” or as you said, itchy red bumps on genitals ... also from what you mentioned I’m having brain fog/ hard time focusing, cut/chapped lips, small cuts with peeling skin on genitals, constant itching in anus, discoloration on genitals, constant fatigue, strange things going on with my eyes, itchy skin on butt cheeks. All started with intense pain and itching on perineal area. Herpes test was negative 

Do your sores swab negative? I don't get the typical sores on the genitals, but I get sore-like acne on my face and back.

 

 

[BassMaster99]

@MarcT I think you and I may be in the same boat.  

Where are you on this issue as of late?

[laffysaffymi]

Okay I'm not a doctor but I am someone who's grown up with a LOT of allergy/inflammation and skin related issues and crappy doctors. 

All your symptoms are valid and real, you aren't creating them, that said if repeated blood tests come back negative the chances of you having herpes simplex is low. You can get the WB test and be absolutely sure. 

BUT this doesn't mean you don't have herpes altogether, Shingles and Chicken pox are also a strain of herpes virus, and in those who are older/have lower immunity, herpes zoster is also a thing, with similar symptoms. And the herpes test you get is for HSV aka herpes simplex. 

A lot of doctors suck because people's conditions don't fall into neat little boxes they learn in school. My doctor often sees my sore and peeling and inflamed lips and tell me I'm fine when I'm clearly in pain and just says, "you're too stressed". 

The sad thing is, they're not wrong. Here's the thing stress leads to lower immunity which causes flare ups for herpes AND a whole slew of other stuff with THE SAME SYMPTOMS. I know this because I have recurring exfoliative cheilitis and eczema and HSV-1 AND HSV-2 and oral+lip yeast infection, and it sucks because I never know WHICH it is and what medicine to use or if it's all of them. But they basically have the same prodromes and are all caused by stress and anxiety lowering your immunity.

• Itchy, red bumps in groin.-> Allergic reaction and or dermatitis due to stress reducing immunity
• Brain fog, confusion,  headaches, hard time focusing and recalling information  (made worse by eating sugar)-> can be caused by depression and anxiety, BUT also if you have candida/yeast infection, especially in your GI tract (since sugar totally triggers candida in the GI tract) 
• Tingling in the nerves of my hands, legs, and feet-> Herpes tingling  travels around nerves where the virus is located in, so either your thighs and pelvic region or neck and face. If it's in the hands and legs it's more likely paresthesia. When I had an incredibly stressful episode, it felt like people were constantly dunking my hands and legs inside buckets of ice water. not nice. 
• Lip constantly chapped and cut-> Cheilitis and fissured lips, a lot of it has no cure, doctors have no answers for it beyond moisturize. Can also be a result of candida infection/oral thrush (at this point maybe you notice how fucking annoying yeast actually is and that good immunity actually should also include healthy gut and overall body flora), which is once again linked to stress, lack of sleep, not drinking enough water, sun exposure, eating of spicy foods, drinking coffee or alcohol
• Small cuts on penis shaft with occasional peeling skin->Sounds like  Genital Psoriasis, basically a kind of genital eczema. Also, dry skin leads to small cuts and flaking of skin. ALSO will spread to groin area
• Constant itching in my anus-> Can be hemorrhoids, especially if there are no blisters. If you have a delicate anus and your poop is too 'rough', it could lead to it too, because of micro-healing 'cuts' that itch. I got them a lot growing up and I only tested positive last year, my HSV test two years ago was negative and I've been getting itching in the anus since i was a child. 
• Loss of hearing and a fullness of the ear -> tinnitus can be caused by stress. Can also be inflammation of your inner ear, hence the fullness. 
• Blisters on gums -> COULD be herpes, but also gum disease, canker sores, and a number of other oral hypersensitivity reaction
• Tingling in lips-> Guess what, Cheilitis and lip eczema AND allergies ALL cause tingling in lips. And if your lips are constantly chapped and inflammed then it's more likely that than a no-blister outbreak of herpes. 
• Discoloration of penis glans -> Once again, please refer to Genital Psoriasis (https://www.healthline.com/health/genital-psoriasis#appearance ) but can also be thrush/yeast infection
• Constant fatigue -> If all these symptoms are happening to me and I don't know why and I'm stressed, I'd be constantly fatigued too. I can't imagine the emotional stress this all causes + fun fact, fighting off constant infections and inflammations is tiring AND poor diet and candida can also lead to constant fatigue
• Eye pain and constant dry eyes. -> Guess what else stress causes? Dry eyes. BUT it can also be caused by other diseases such as like Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and collagen vascular diseases. Or just regular old red-eye infection. Can also be a side-effect of eating anti-histamines, which if you're getting rashes you might be on. 
• Itchy skin on butt checks -> Can just be eczema, skin there is thinner and more fine as well, so when it's try they're more likely to itch or rash. 
• Red, sore skin on corners of lips. -> Inflammation of lips, common when your lips are often chapped, they are more exposed and prone to irritation. 

I'm not saying that you definitely DON'T have herpes, but it sounds like it could be a lot of other immunity related inflammation that unfortunately all fall under the category of "stress-induced" by modern day medicine. I'm not saying western medicine is flawed, if I get a bacterial infection I'm bloody getting antibiotics but all this...you might find naturopaths have better answers for you. Or maybe a nutritionist, a lot of this can also be food sensitivities (NOT allergies, food sensitivities present themselves in bizzare ways, from hair fall to itching). Either way, even if they can't fix your problems, they'll help you have a healthier lifestyle and better immunity which should help you with your problems. What a lot of medicine (not all) does really is weaken viruses or strengthen our body to fight them OR to reduce symptoms. Much of actual healing is done by our own body. So keeping a healthy mind and body is important. 

Thing about our body and allergic responses is that we know NOTHING. You can live your life allergy-free for 40 years then one day have pollen allergy. The body resets itself every 7 years. And there's a lot of environmental stressors we don't even realize, like noise pollution in cities which we THINK don't affect us but scientists have proven, yes they do even when we don't realize it. 

Finally, just a quote. If exercise was a pill, we'd all think it's snake oil. Because exercise actually is PROVEN to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, better sleep, better immunity, prevent diabetes, helps you lose weight, helps body detox etc. So maybe it sounds like platitudes to say: drink more water, meditate, eat healthy and sleep more. but sometimes, that really IS it. Sounds easy but a lot of us don't do that. We want medicines and creams with immediate effect.

But okay, say I'm wrong, say all the tests are wrong and even if what you DO have is Herpes, well...at the end of the day, it's all these things that keeps your immunity up that suppresses the virus and outbreaks. 

You shouldn't have to suffer so much and I can't imagine the stress and frustration this is causing you. Doctors should be better.  it sucks, you're absolutely right. And here's a hug. *hugs* Maybe you won't find a cure, but you WILL find something that works for you to ease all these annoying irritations, from the perfect moisturizer to lip balm to eye drop. 

[Stunnedbythis]

On 12/24/2018 at 6:15 PM, blurneworder said:

I’ve had the same problems and continue to have them and more.

Any and all tests come back negative for me.

Me as well ..daily for 30 months 

[blurneworder]

On 11/7/2019 at 8:15 AM, laffysaffymi said:

Okay I'm not a doctor but I am someone who's grown up with a LOT of allergy/inflammation and skin related issues and crappy doctors. 

All your symptoms are valid and real, you aren't creating them, that said if repeated blood tests come back negative the chances of you having herpes simplex is low. You can get the WB test and be absolutely sure. 

BUT this doesn't mean you don't have herpes altogether, Shingles and Chicken pox are also a strain of herpes virus, and in those who are older/have lower immunity, herpes zoster is also a thing, with similar symptoms. And the herpes test you get is for HSV aka herpes simplex. 

A lot of doctors suck because people's conditions don't fall into neat little boxes they learn in school. My doctor often sees my sore and peeling and inflamed lips and tell me I'm fine when I'm clearly in pain and just says, "you're too stressed". 

The sad thing is, they're not wrong. Here's the thing stress leads to lower immunity which causes flare ups for herpes AND a whole slew of other stuff with THE SAME SYMPTOMS. I know this because I have recurring exfoliative cheilitis and eczema and HSV-1 AND HSV-2 and oral+lip yeast infection, and it sucks because I never know WHICH it is and what medicine to use or if it's all of them. But they basically have the same prodromes and are all caused by stress and anxiety lowering your immunity.

• Itchy, red bumps in groin.-> Allergic reaction and or dermatitis due to stress reducing immunity
• Brain fog, confusion,  headaches, hard time focusing and recalling information  (made worse by eating sugar)-> can be caused by depression and anxiety, BUT also if you have candida/yeast infection, especially in your GI tract (since sugar totally triggers candida in the GI tract) 
• Tingling in the nerves of my hands, legs, and feet-> Herpes tingling  travels around nerves where the virus is located in, so either your thighs and pelvic region or neck and face. If it's in the hands and legs it's more likely paresthesia. When I had an incredibly stressful episode, it felt like people were constantly dunking my hands and legs inside buckets of ice water. not nice. 
• Lip constantly chapped and cut-> Cheilitis and fissured lips, a lot of it has no cure, doctors have no answers for it beyond moisturize. Can also be a result of candida infection/oral thrush (at this point maybe you notice how fucking annoying yeast actually is and that good immunity actually should also include healthy gut and overall body flora), which is once again linked to stress, lack of sleep, not drinking enough water, sun exposure, eating of spicy foods, drinking coffee or alcohol
• Small cuts on penis shaft with occasional peeling skin->Sounds like  Genital Psoriasis, basically a kind of genital eczema. Also, dry skin leads to small cuts and flaking of skin. ALSO will spread to groin area
• Constant itching in my anus-> Can be hemorrhoids, especially if there are no blisters. If you have a delicate anus and your poop is too 'rough', it could lead to it too, because of micro-healing 'cuts' that itch. I got them a lot growing up and I only tested positive last year, my HSV test two years ago was negative and I've been getting itching in the anus since i was a child. 
• Loss of hearing and a fullness of the ear -> tinnitus can be caused by stress. Can also be inflammation of your inner ear, hence the fullness. 
• Blisters on gums -> COULD be herpes, but also gum disease, canker sores, and a number of other oral hypersensitivity reaction
• Tingling in lips-> Guess what, Cheilitis and lip eczema AND allergies ALL cause tingling in lips. And if your lips are constantly chapped and inflammed then it's more likely that than a no-blister outbreak of herpes. 
• Discoloration of penis glans -> Once again, please refer to Genital Psoriasis (https://www.healthline.com/health/genital-psoriasis#appearance ) but can also be thrush/yeast infection
• Constant fatigue -> If all these symptoms are happening to me and I don't know why and I'm stressed, I'd be constantly fatigued too. I can't imagine the emotional stress this all causes + fun fact, fighting off constant infections and inflammations is tiring AND poor diet and candida can also lead to constant fatigue
• Eye pain and constant dry eyes. -> Guess what else stress causes? Dry eyes. BUT it can also be caused by other diseases such as like Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and collagen vascular diseases. Or just regular old red-eye infection. Can also be a side-effect of eating anti-histamines, which if you're getting rashes you might be on. 
• Itchy skin on butt checks -> Can just be eczema, skin there is thinner and more fine as well, so when it's try they're more likely to itch or rash. 
• Red, sore skin on corners of lips. -> Inflammation of lips, common when your lips are often chapped, they are more exposed and prone to irritation. 

I'm not saying that you definitely DON'T have herpes, but it sounds like it could be a lot of other immunity related inflammation that unfortunately all fall under the category of "stress-induced" by modern day medicine. I'm not saying western medicine is flawed, if I get a bacterial infection I'm bloody getting antibiotics but all this...you might find naturopaths have better answers for you. Or maybe a nutritionist, a lot of this can also be food sensitivities (NOT allergies, food sensitivities present themselves in bizzare ways, from hair fall to itching). Either way, even if they can't fix your problems, they'll help you have a healthier lifestyle and better immunity which should help you with your problems. What a lot of medicine (not all) does really is weaken viruses or strengthen our body to fight them OR to reduce symptoms. Much of actual healing is done by our own body. So keeping a healthy mind and body is important. 

Thing about our body and allergic responses is that we know NOTHING. You can live your life allergy-free for 40 years then one day have pollen allergy. The body resets itself every 7 years. And there's a lot of environmental stressors we don't even realize, like noise pollution in cities which we THINK don't affect us but scientists have proven, yes they do even when we don't realize it. 

Finally, just a quote. If exercise was a pill, we'd all think it's snake oil. Because exercise actually is PROVEN to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, better sleep, better immunity, prevent diabetes, helps you lose weight, helps body detox etc. So maybe it sounds like platitudes to say: drink more water, meditate, eat healthy and sleep more. but sometimes, that really IS it. Sounds easy but a lot of us don't do that. We want medicines and creams with immediate effect.

But okay, say I'm wrong, say all the tests are wrong and even if what you DO have is Herpes, well...at the end of the day, it's all these things that keeps your immunity up that suppresses the virus and outbreaks. 

You shouldn't have to suffer so much and I can't imagine the stress and frustration this is causing you. Doctors should be better.  it sucks, you're absolutely right. And here's a hug. *hugs* Maybe you won't find a cure, but you WILL find something that works for you to ease all these annoying irritations, from the perfect moisturizer to lip balm to eye drop. 

I appreciate the response, but I don't believe all of these things would come on coincidentally after I had sex. Since the last time I posted, I learned I infected a previous partner with HSV. I started seeing a different girl who already had oral HSV and we had unrprotected oral and vaginal sex multiple times. With each time we had sex, the redness of the head of my penis got worse and the skin became extremely sensitive. I then started getting a burning in my urethra and my bladder never feels empty. It's been like this for almost 3 months. 

I don't have a bladder infection, either...

I tested positive twice in one month for HSV1, but then started testing negative again, and my Western Blot was negative. None of my doctors can explain that.

I can assure you, stress is NOT doing any of this to me. Stress never made my body react this way for decades. 

[TreeHugger44]

On 1/8/2019 at 2:36 AM, blurneworder said:

I’m trying to believe it,  but the symptoms I have match herpes.

Itchy, red bumps in groin.

Brain fog, confusion,  headaches, hard time focusing and recalling information  (made worse by eating sugar)

Tingling in the nerves of my hands, legs, and feet

Lip constantly chapped and cut

Small cuts on penis shaft with occasional peeling skin

Constant itching in my anus

Loss of hearing and a fullness of the ear

Blisters on gums

Tingling in lips

Discoloration of penis glans

Constant fatigue

Eye pain and constant dry eyes.

Itchy skin on butt checks 

Red, sore skin on corners of lips.

Constant  zits breaking out on forehead with certain spots of throbbing pain

What about any of this does not scream herpes?

BlurneWorder, I don't think your symptoms are from stress or in your head as I have almost the EXACT same thing.  For 2 years.  HSV IgG 1 and 2 negative, and pretty low of a negative at 2 years (0.23 and 0.19).  When you say you once tested positive for HSV1, was that an IgM test?

I also get itchy bumps in groin/on buttocks, which doctors always call folliculitis.  But it comes with a terrible itchy prodrome and always comes back. And never pus filled, always fluid, but no "typical" HSV looking. Last time was negative for bacterial culture. I also have constantly tingling/chapped lips, irritated and red corners of mouth, sore throat, itchy face, itchy butt check, small ulcerations in mouth occasionally, itchy butt, weird itchy zits (but not zits, tiny but clear fluid not pus), itchy eyelashes, dry eyes.  Occasional brain fog, once at work I couldn't remember the name a doctor I had worked with for years.  Also like you mine is more constant than cyclical.  Always one thing or the other although the itchy actual bumps downtown have finally become less constant.  

So...many people here with negative HSV tests and similar symptoms.  

Has anyone had a lesion swabbed for HSV PCR or Varicella?

Has anyone had the blood PCR test for "disemminated" HSV?

Does Acyclovir or Valtrex help anyone?  I feel like it helps a little but once they had me try the protocol for active shingles of 1000mg Valtrex 3x a day and it did not help clear up my butt. Took it for 6 months with no relief, then switched to acyclovir which maybe helped?

What are the odds that lots of people can be negative for HSV IgG but have tons of symptoms?  What are the odds all of them are also Acyclovir resistant?  Or maybe this just IS the symptoms of one particular resistant strain?  What else can it be?

Help I am desperate! But wanted to let you know you're not alone. Also I am so tired of itching all night.  

 

[Hello32]

On 1/8/2020 at 8:37 PM, TreeHugger44 said:

BlurneWorder, I don't think your symptoms are from stress or in your head as I have almost the EXACT same thing.  For 2 years.  HSV IgG 1 and 2 negative, and pretty low of a negative at 2 years (0.23 and 0.19).  When you say you once tested positive for HSV1, was that an IgM test?

I also get itchy bumps in groin/on buttocks, which doctors always call folliculitis.  But it comes with a terrible itchy prodrome and always comes back. And never pus filled, always fluid, but no "typical" HSV looking. Last time was negative for bacterial culture. I also have constantly tingling/chapped lips, irritated and red corners of mouth, sore throat, itchy face, itchy butt check, small ulcerations in mouth occasionally, itchy butt, weird itchy zits (but not zits, tiny but clear fluid not pus), itchy eyelashes, dry eyes.  Occasional brain fog, once at work I couldn't remember the name a doctor I had worked with for years.  Also like you mine is more constant than cyclical.  Always one thing or the other although the itchy actual bumps downtown have finally become less constant.  

So...many people here with negative HSV tests and similar symptoms.  

Has anyone had a lesion swabbed for HSV PCR or Varicella?

Has anyone had the blood PCR test for "disemminated" HSV?

Does Acyclovir or Valtrex help anyone?  I feel like it helps a little but once they had me try the protocol for active shingles of 1000mg Valtrex 3x a day and it did not help clear up my butt. Took it for 6 months with no relief, then switched to acyclovir which maybe helped?

What are the odds that lots of people can be negative for HSV IgG but have tons of symptoms?  What are the odds all of them are also Acyclovir resistant?  Or maybe this just IS the symptoms of one particular resistant strain?  What else can it be?

Help I am desperate! But wanted to let you know you're not alone. Also I am so tired of itching all night.  

 

Hello,

I had unprotected sex and oral sex 3.5 months ago with a girl who later found out she has hsv2. Ever since then, I’ve had discomfort urinating and discharge from my penis (on antibiotics for it it now), red/tenderness on the tip, fordyce spots on the base, facial acne, white spots show up on my lips, now tingling and white heads showing up on my upper lip (not on the actual lip, but in between the lip and my nose. My dermatologist said it looks like a pimple. I got one swabbed a week ago and praying that it comes back negative. All my blood work has come back negative. I did IGM, igg, and PCR. All of my doctors (primary care, urologist, urgent care dr, and derm) thinks I don’t have it. I am really scared, and I’m running out of excuses and lies to avoid seeing friends or going into work.