Question:
So i went to the gynocologist yesterday, and was going through the regular routine. And he goes "what's this rash?" I had not noticed any rash whatsoever before. then I felt him scraping it a little (it was on my upper thigh). He asked me if I had had chicken pox ever. So I get home and I'm thinking about it and I remember a couple weeks ago that i had itched right in that very spot and that it had been like a pimple. But I have always gotten pimples on my butt since I was very young so I didn't think anything of it. But now that there is a small patch of red skin on my butt i'm worried. I'm pissed my doctor didn't say anything to me about what it could be or anything...I can't focus on getting any of my school work done either. I realize it's entirely possible for the symptoms to go completely unnoticed but I thought that was the exception and not the rule. I suppose i"m very uneducated about this. I'm also very worried and scared. I don't want to have herpes. Are most cases this mild? Becuase if that's the case, then I honestly don't understand the huge stigma because i think a lot of people may have it and not even know. I don't really understand the stigma to begin iwth. I think if there weren't a stigma people could communicate more freely and stop the spread. Anyway, I'm rambling, but my question is, does this sound like herpes? I haven't had anything on my genitals, and no pain at all. thanks all for the time.

-R

Answer:
This does not sound like herpes to me. It sounds like you are veryconscientious about your body and health and have jumped to the worst-case conclusion. Did your doctor discuss herpes with you? Did s/he test you? Doctors can be very weird about STDs - you have to be assertive and persistent with questions. You have slipped into panic mode and need to try to relax. Regardless of whether or not you have H, you are going to be fine. I don't think you have it, but if you do you simply need to educate yourself and learn to manage it. Since you haven't had an outbreak you could be one of the lucky ones who never will. More likely, though, you do not have it and can use this as a lesson. It's very easy to contract H and now you know what it feels like to think you have it. This is an opportunity to be proactive and take care of yourself in the future.

And get your focus back to that schoolwork! Worrying is not going to change anything. My gynecologist once told me to NEVER surf the internet trying to diagnose myself - it only causes me to panic over diseases I don't have. The only way to calm your mind is with facts you get from doctors.

Answer:
Thanks, observer34...that's comforting and you're probably right, but I do jump to worst case scenarios. Just have to tell myself that here and now, there's nothing I can do to change it--best just to wait til I go back to the doc for a cloposcopy--yeah the other STD everyone has (HPV)...then I will grill that Dr. About what he thought the rash could be! But I appreciate your response and advice about wasting time when I can't know for sure anyway...and it is a good lesson...i have always felt that the scare tactics used to try to dissaude people from having unprotected sex jsut furthers the stigma and leads to people lying. It is good to understand how it feels (not good, but educational)...I guess I just get furious when you see everyone walking aroudn with their yellow livestrong bands--where are the bands sold to raise money to find a cure for H? or HPV??? Seems like proportionately more people suffer from those...i dunno...I guess it goes back to the issue of "sexual morality" Now i'm rambling, but I want to say, even if I don't have H, i do want to keep comming here to this site, and I hope that i'd be welcome as one who wants to dispell the myths and stigmas in order to encourage open and honest communication as opposed to lies genearted from fear and stigma. Aiight, well I'm goign to get busy with homework--hope all is well...

Answer:
I hope you do not have herpes, if you do it is hell, sorry to be negative but it is. I just got it like this last week, worst week of my life. If you dont have it please be REALLLY carefull and thank your lucky stars.

Answer:
So the pap came back normal--guess the hPV is gone--one piece of good news. No news on the scrape from the "rash." I really don't know what it is. Now there is another rash on my arm. I went to a different doc to look at both rashes thinking they were related, but she thought they were different. thought the one on my arm might be scabies (wonderful!) EWWW!!!!! and the one on my butt she had no idea about so she prescribed me an anti-fungal cream. it cost $30 to fill with insurace, again, wonderful. Anyway, I asked her if she thought it was herpes, and she didn't think it was. A *small* relief. The bottom line is that I still have a rash on my butt and now my arm that I am unsure what they are, and are not showing signs of going away. I am still not convinced that it is not herpes. After the blisters pop or weep, is there scarring that could look like a rash? i'm so confused...I also tried to see a dermatologist and the dr's office said they could not get me in until mid august and that I should see a general practitioner. Meanwhile the general practitioner is saying that anything dermatology related is pure guesswork for her and I have somethign ungodly growing on my butt and arm. I just wish I knew what it was and if it was transferrable--especially teh arm thing, i'm afraid to hug anyone or anything....So i'm still not sure if it's herpes or not. I guess I will just have to assume for now that whatever it is, it's contagious and to be careful with contact with others, and see if the creams help in any way. Hoping, but doubting... :?

Answer:
Well I finally got into a dermatologist...I'm not sure if I mentioned in my last post about my arm having a rash on it too...well anyway, he looked at my rash areas for liek 30 seconds and blurted out "lichens Planus." so i do not have herpes--according to the skin specialist. But the skin disease I do have is no walk in teh park. It can affect em anywhere on my body. Also, it does sound a lot like herpes symptoms. It can--and did with me--cause open sores inside my mouth, as well as pimple/blisters on my arm, and butt cheek that turned into a rash. It can be intensely itchy although not wtih me. It can affect anywher eon my body including my genitals and the palms of my hands and soles of my feet. There is no cure for it, and no one knows what causes it, but it is not contagious. However, the Dr. described it as stubborn and said to get used to having it around for a several months. Anyway, sorry to go on and on about my disease. I'm not really thrilled about it...the only relief I have is that it's not transferrable. I guess I am still writing on this board because I have a very unpleasant disease to live with that is going to be with me for hte rest of my life, and you all understand how it feels to be dianosed with that. I also wanetd to say thanks for teh support, and understanding, etc. I guess I should have known it wasn't herpes when my rash was there goin gon three months, but i drove myself mad trying to diagnosis myself on the internet. every time I put different search terms in google, herpes kept comming up--not once did lichens planus come up, but anyway, i really hope that in the future, there will be a cure for us all--for all our diseases....