Question:
I've always had problems with my urinary tract system, so I'm a little confused if what Im experiencing is the same thing ive always had or herpes. A little over a week ago i started getting itchy in the genital area, and it was on the inside of my vagina so Im pretty sure it wasnt razor burn or anything. It wasnt that bad, ive had worse (Ive been to the doctors many times for itchyness down there and trouble urinating and they couldnt figure out what it was, they said it wasnt a yeast infection like they thought it could of been and I was tested for other stds too, which all came back negative) But then I had sex one night, and the next day it was a lot worse. The area became really red and started to swell up and burn, i think because i was touching and scratching it too much. The itching kind of died down the next day but it was still a little swollen and red. Then I noticed a tiny red dot in the corner of my mouth. It wasnt a bubble or anything, it didnt look like a blister at all.. it was flat and it just looked like a tiny patch of red dry skin. I scratched it cuz I though it was just dry skin that I could pick off (I know I shouldnt of) and then it started to bleed a little and turned into a cut. I get really dry chapped lips in the winter so I dont know if this could be just from the cold weather or if it's herpes. It's just a weird coincidence that I got it at the same time as the itching and redness in my vagina...thats what really made me worry. I havent gotten any blisters in my vagina and the itching has completely gone away but i still have the cut in the corner of my mouth that has now turned into a small scab. Ive also had pain in my stomache and a headache lately, but I'm supposed to be having that time of the month soon so I dont know if it's because of that or if these are symptoms coming from herpes. I'm supposed to be going to the doctors tomorrow to get it checked, but I want other opinions before I go. Do you think it's herpes? :[ I'm worried that I gave it to my boyfriend, I dont know what I would do with myself if that ever happened. :[[ Please help.

Answer:
I can totally relate to what you're saying.

Before I got diagnosed I became OBSESSED with any imperfection!

Signs that I wouldn't have even noticed before I thought I caught this virus.

I don't see how pain in your stomach can be related to herpes.

No-one on here can say whether you have the virus. Not even an educated guess really.

The signs and symptoms are so different for us all.

But we can all wish you luck for tomorrow.

Answer:
you should ask to be tested for herpes by a blood test. your boyfriend should also be tested even if he's never had any signs or symptoms of having it.

The tests would be the first step of finding out if you have it or not.

its hard to know where it came from unless you've specifically had a partner tell you they have herpes or you've had coldsores or fever blisters in the past which are caused by the herpes virus.

Sometimes one partner has a positive result and the other has a negative result. The test detects antibodies, which take time to develop, a positive result usually indicates you've been infected for a while. It is possible to have a false negative blood test result if you are newly infected. Antibodies are usually present at about 16 weeks after initial exposure.

Maybe this isn't herpes at all.

Answer:
Thanks. I'm definately going to get a blood test, and I'll let you know how it goes. It seems like I've had similar symptoms before and the doctors never know what it is either, so know so I dont know where else I can turn. This time could be different though, so I guess I'll find out.

It really has become an obsession. I'm constantly checking myself for blisters, and Ive been losing a lot of sleep because of this. It's constantly on my mind to the point where I cant even function or focus on anything else.

I've had sex with my boyfriend before when I felt the itching and burning, and I told him about it then because it hurt too much to keep having sex....so he knows about it. But like I said before I had been tested and they found nothing, so it was safe. What I feel now is kind of similar, except the itching/burning isnt really as bad and it comes off and on instead of constantly being there for a period of time. It still looks a little swollen down there and red. I'm thinking it could be an allergic reaction to something possibly? But these cuts on my lip came around the same time so thats whats really making me think I might have it.

I've been in a monogomous relationship for over 2 years, and never cheated on my boyfriend, so I dont know where I could of gotten it from. Can you get herpes from sharing drinks with people? At parties I sometimes drink out of other peoples cups without even realizing it, so Im thinking maybe I could of gotten it that way...

And I thought I read online that pain in the lower stomache is a sign of herpes...but I could be wrong.

I looked at some pictures online of herpes on the mouth and genitals and none of them really look like what I have. The thing on my mouth looks more like a cut than a blister to me. But everyone's different so it's really hard to say.

I've also had a pretty consistant headache for the past 3 days or so, but I dont know if it's from loss of sleep or worrying, or if it's a real symptom. I have a thing where once I get something in my head, I start imagining things and I make myself physically sick just thinking about it.

The only symptoms I'm having that match are itching/burning(very mild though), headache, and this cut(possibly a blister) in the corner of my mouth. And those seem like enough to definately say that theres a good chance I have it. My mom says I shouldnt worry about it and thinks I'm fine, but I think she's just in denial and would rather not know whether I have it or not. Ughh, sorry Im rambling...it just feels good to get this out because Ive been too embarrassed to ask anyone else what they think.

Answer:
We're here to listen, above all else, so ramble on. Let us know what the tests say, ok?

Answer:
Thanks. I'm definately going to get a blood test, and I'll let you know how it goes. It seems like I've had similar symptoms before and the doctors never know what it is either, so know so I dont know where else I can turn. This time could be different though, so I guess I'll find out.

It really has become an obsession. I'm constantly checking myself for blisters, and Ive been losing a lot of sleep because of this. It's constantly on my mind to the point where I cant even function or focus on anything else.

I've had sex with my boyfriend before when I felt the itching and burning, and I told him about it then because it hurt too much to keep having sex....so he knows about it. But like I said before I had been tested and they found nothing, so it was safe. What I feel now is kind of similar, except the itching/burning isnt really as bad and it comes off and on instead of constantly being there for a period of time. It still looks a little swollen down there and red. I'm thinking it could be an allergic reaction to something possibly? But these cuts on my lip came around the same time so thats whats really making me think I might have it.

I've been in a monogomous relationship for over 2 years, and never cheated on my boyfriend, so I dont know where I could of gotten it from. Can you get herpes from sharing drinks with people? At parties I sometimes drink out of other peoples cups without even realizing it, so Im thinking maybe I could of gotten it that way...

And I thought I read online that pain in the lower stomache is a sign of herpes...but I could be wrong.

I looked at some pictures online of herpes on the mouth and genitals and none of them really look like what I have. The thing on my mouth looks more like a cut than a blister to me. But everyone's different so it's really hard to say.

I've also had a pretty consistant headache for the past 3 days or so, but I dont know if it's from loss of sleep or worrying, or if it's a real symptom. I have a thing where once I get something in my head, I start imagining things and I make myself physically sick just thinking about it.

The only symptoms I'm having that match are itching/burning(very mild though), headache, and this cut(possibly a blister) in the corner of my mouth. And those seem like enough to definately say that theres a good chance I have it. My mom says I shouldnt worry about it and thinks I'm fine, but I think she's just in denial and would rather not know whether I have it or not. Ughh, sorry Im rambling...it just feels good to get this out because Ive been too embarrassed to ask anyone else what they think. +

just about everything you've written here I am thinking oh my gosh this is me. In march of 06 I had persistent burning and itching and redness really bad so I went to my doctor. She examined me didn't really see anything and said it was up to me if i wanted a blood test so I got one. I had a positive and negative result, i think neg for 2 and positive for 1. She indicated that meant I had come in contact with the herpes virus but it could've just been a cold sore from the past so i had to wait and come back in 3 months. The research I've been doing advises type 1 can cause genital herpes and also some places advise waiting 16 wks, my doc only waited a little past 12.So im in agony everyday wondering if i have this feeling horrible and angry with myself and who could've given it to me. unfortunately the last guy i had been with the month before the test was a total jerk and I made a huge mistake with him but needless to say I can't go back.anyway any little thing i popped i got scared of too i had things near the corner of my mouth or around it and would pick at it but i don't recall it scabbing up. when i went back to the doc's she didn't think anything on mouth was anything but she did say she found two tiny lesions and was positive by 90% i had herpes and did the second blood test. a week later it comes back negative. i was persistent in asking if she was sure and she said you don't have it if i did it would've shown up in my blood. well i've been doing my research and that' not true it doesn't detect the virus only the antibodies and another nurse told me i could've been incubent at the time of the second test. nice huh? to make things worse, like you, i've been with my bf for almost 14 mths and told him how they thought i had herpes before but said i didn't so we have had unprotected sex since we got together. now i'm having to tell him that i think i do have herpes as i started having symptoms amost 2 weeks ago like i did back in 06.i tried yeast infection medicines and that isn't helping much so the nurse at my doctor's office told me i could come back for testing but i don't want to go back i'm pist at her she's not actually a doctor anyway she's a nurse practioner but i don't really have a say in who they put me with it's a clinic that accepts patients with no health ins and bases payments on a sliding scale.i'm very angry because she seemed so sure i didn't have it and didn't suggest further testing she was dumbfounded as to how i didn't ha ve it that's what bothered me because she seemed like she didn't have a clue but i trusted her and the test results and now i'm beating myself up again. like you, a few days ago i started itching near my bottom left corner lip and it seems to be dry skin but now i'm scared as this didn't appear until after the symptoms down below appeared. this isn't right that doctor's can't figure this virus out when there's pretty accurate tests out there! my doctor never told me what type of blood test she was doing just that i needed to give it time to build antibodies to the virus and had to come back in 12 wks and never suggested a swab test which i'm being told on here is what i need or a Western Blot and herpes select. I guess i'm going to try and call my local health dept tommorrow and see what they say and if they can give me these tests. If it comes out negative and i still don't feel better i don't know what the hell to do. one guy one here whom i also wrote actually two seems to be going through the same issues and keeps getting negative results but have the symptoms.