Hi all! I'm new to this board but had a question for whoever can help me. It all started in November of 05 when I had my first sexual encounter with a woman who I only knew for a few months. I performed oral on her and we had regular sex with a condom and her on top. Well a few weeks after that I experienced some burning sensations in the groin area as well as some irritation/slight burning when I urinated so I went to the doctor and he checked me out and sent me to be tested for Chlam. Gon. and herpes 1/2. This was 4 weeks after the incident and all tests came back negative. Well over the next few months I had some frequent itching/burning/redness in my pubic area which i had just started shaving for the first time before I was with this girl. Also at this time there appeared some small bumps and a couple pimple-like things on the skin where my penis joins my body. One on the right side and then a few weeks later one on the left side. And periodically i would get small red irritated bumps that would kind of "sting" when anything brushed against the hair that was over it. With all of this i started getting some more burning during urination as well as some burning during ejaculation. So at 30 weeks post exposure I asked my doctor for another Herpeselect test and it came back negative once again. Well during the summer of 06 I had to deal with these irritating bumps in my pubic region and some burning during urination and ejaculation. I think most of it went away for about a month or so around october but has since returned and so I had another herpeselect test done at around 60 weeks(14 months). Those results too came back negative. I've never had a viral culture done, though I asked for one when I recently visited a dermatologist but he said it definitely wasn't herpes, especially with 3 negative blood tests. He said it was some form of dermatitis/folliculitis.

So I have had to deal with these recurrent symptoms(which you can now add itchy/painful rectum for over a month to that list) for well over a year with no definitive diagnosis. Basically I'm having trouble accepting that I do not have genital herpes with all of these recurring symptoms. Can anyone help me?? Any comments will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

3 negative blood tests makes it very unlikely that you have herpes - it's time to stop thinking it might be herpes. Continuing to follow up with the dermatologist is the best idea to try to get to the bottom of this all. Did any of them ask you to give a urine sample and look at it under the microscope? Have they given you any antibiotics at all? How about a fungal scraping? Also if you are still shaving your pubic hair - stop until you get to the bottom of things so you don't spread the infection around any further.

I hope you get answers and relief soon - this sounds very frustrating!!!

betsy

Thanks Betsy for your response.

Yes, I've been given several different antibiotics during this time period. For the most part I think they've helped but nothing has gotten rid of it obviously. Right now I am taking Keflex twice a day which my derm prescribed. He also prescribed me some ointment for what he thinks is dry skin or something on the penis as well as bactriban for the bumps in the pubic area. It's been about two weeks since he prescribed all of that and the initial bumps went away in a few days but a couple new ones came up in other places and went away and then a couple more came up and are going away right now. To answer your other questions, no one has taken a urethral swab nor did any kind of scrapings for fungus. But that is what I am going to ask the derm tomorrow at my next appt. I am also wondering if MRSA could be a possible cause? I always get pimple-like blisters inside my nose and just assumed it was simple acne. Iunno.

For the most part I definitely agree with you on forgetting about a possible Herpes cause but all of the symptoms just seem too coincidental at times to believe that it's not. But on the other hand what are the odds that I could have gotten herpes from just 5 minutes of protected sex especially since it was my first time. All that I know is if I did catch it on my first try then I am either the most unlucky person ever or God really has a problem with me and I need to re-evaluate my life. : )

Thanks for any responses! They're much appreciated.

Hi,
I got herpes from my first sexual experience. It was devastating but I've lived with it for 10 years now - I would go to another doctor and get another test - are the bumps popping, like little blisters or cold sores?

Nutty - just because it's in the genital area doesn' t mean it HAS to be herpes. As I said - 3 negative tests makes it very unlikely. In all my years on the herpes boards I can only think of 1 person who insisted they had to have genital herpes who actually after a long period of time had it confirmed - most others finally get diagnoses that aren't herpes though it can be time consuming and frustrating to figure out what is going on

yes you can have MRSA in the genital area - there's actually been quite a bit about it occuring there lately in the news. Also genital eczema is fairly common. if your doc is doing mostly looking and guessing - ask them to start doing more actual cultures and perhaps even a biopsy if need be.

Hopefully your follow up appointment leads to additional testing and you can finally get to the bottom of all this. keep us posted

betsy

Taxgirl: The "lesions" are usually just red bumps. Sometimes I will get a single "boil" as well but that's only happened 3 times over the past year. Also a few times I've had little pimples that have yellowish fluid in them on either side of the base of my penis where there is hair. These don't usually appear at the same time on either sid and they don't usually hurt and usually pop and go away within 3-5 days.

betsyb1967: Once again, thanks for your help. I don't know how likely it would be that I either a) have HSV2 which is causing all/most of my symptoms but have had 3 neg. blood tests or b) have 2-3 different diseases/conditions that are wreaking havoc in my genital region off and on for over a year. Of course I'm hoping for choice B but with possible cures or treatments for the conditions but I won't be convinced either way until some doctor tells me exactly what I have.

I plan on asking my Primary for a referral to see an Inectious Disease specialist and hopefully he/she will take the time to listen to me and perform the necessary tests. My recent appt. with my dermatologist didn't result in anything new. He gave me some anti-fungal cream for the rash on my butt and gave me Monodox for the UTI even after I told him I've already been on antibiotics for it from two different doctors. Well maybe he knows more then they do. Iunno.

Over the weekend I did develop something new, it was an irritation of my frenulum right under the opening of my penis. It started after I got erect and masturbated so i'm not sure if it was from the erection/masturbation or from the underlying condition? It didn't last too long so hopefully it wasn't anything that will stick around or come back.

Thanks again!

I'd put the herpes issue to rest. This really sounds more like a bacterial issue.

to be honest the ID doc isn't going to be very interested in skin issues. You would probably be better off chosing a different dermatologist. Is there a major medical center or a teaching hospital near you to try to find one there?

betsy

Betsy,

Yes there is a big hospital/university right near me. That is a good idea. I've never been there and am unsure if my insurance will cover a derm there. But I will look into it though and ask my Primary.

Another symptom just cropped up over the weekend that I forgot to mention. I had a couple painless but unusual red dots on my glans penis as well as a long red line that looked like a blood vessel under the skin. Both of these appeared to be under the skin and painless to the touch.

Also, when I first mentioned a blood test to my derm he said that it wouldn't be helpful anyways because it couldn't tell the difference between hsv1 and 2. I told him that they could and then showed him my 3 negative test results. He looked a little confused at first but read over them and said that it makes him even more positive that it is not herpes. I just feel that he never really took the time to get my whole history. He never really asked about past sexual partners or anything. I guess that's more of a reason to try to see someone at a big university/hospital.

Thanks again for all your help!

You know, there is also this interesting product called curcumin that has both antibacterial and anti-fungal qualities and is also non-toxic as it is also used as food colorant. If you want to, you can check it out.

I have seen sores develop as a result of dry masturbation. Be careful to be well lubricated when masturbating.

I agree with Betsy that a dermatologist is the best way to go. You also probably should have a urinalysis with a culture/sensitivity to see if there is anything in your urine causing the burning. A urethral swab or gynprobe would probably be a good idea too.

Did your derm diagnose the rectal rash as anything, or did s/he say it looks like the genital rash? It could have spread, of course, or it could be something new. Anal itching is fairly common and can be helped with cortisone cream or using moist towelettes such as Tucks, Preparation H wipes or baby wipes after defecating. However, if the rash is truly in your rectum, as opposed to on the outside of the anus, then it could be something else entirely. Has your primary looked at or treated that rash?