Question:
Hi, I'm terrified and looking for answers. About two weeks ago, I was making out with this new guy I've been seeing. He's got genital herpes, and is on a daily regimen of acyclovir to suppress it. He's also had it since 2000. Anyway, I made the really stupid move of allowing my "area" (namely, outer labia) to come into contact (for about 10 seconds) with his scrotum. Basically, I was sitting on his lap - no friction or anything, and he swears he was nowhere near an outbreak (and he apparently gets awful prodomes).

Last Sunday (appx 1 week later), I found what seemed to be a small zit on my outer labia (in the fuzzy region). I popped it - it was sensitive, but not reall painful - and a bit of semisolid pus came out. Of course, at that point, I panicked and started annihilating it with my fingernails, so most of Monday it was oozy, and then on Tuesday (thanks to some antibiotic cream and cornstarch powder), it was crusted over.

What has me mostly terrified is the back pain. On Monday at noon, I slept a little in my car at lunch, and when I woke up, I had tenderness and swelling on a small area on my right back. This ended up moving onto a symmetrical small area on my left side (of the back) and eventually (by Wednesday) causing my lower spine to be very tender. By Thursday evening, I had two little reddish dots (which have since faded to a bruised color) right above the tender areas on either side of my spine.

Is this a sign of genital herpes? I'm scared to death. How likely is it that I could catch herpes from someone by brief skin-to-skin contact with no friction (and who was on suppressive meds)?

Answer:
Did you have any other symptoms other than back pain and one red bump? If you had headaches, flu like symptoms, groin pain, tingling or extreme itchiness in the genital area, I'd get tested. You could still get tested just to ease your mind, as well. Insist on it from your regular doctor or ob/gyn. Just my two cents.

Answer:
Well, I did have what seemed to be some weakness in my upper legs, some nausea and fatigue (but I get sick whenever I'm scared, and my hypothyroidism makes me sleepy a lot), and what looks like it *could* be a little second sore developing (it's been about a week now since the last developed - I've been monitoring my area like a madwoman, though, and scrutinizing every single follicle, etc). No groin pain, though (i.e., swollen nodes or burning), and no headaches or itchiness. I do have type 1 on my mouth, so I'm wondering if that could lessen my symptoms.

I'm just wondering what the chances are of this happening. I wont be able to get to the doctor for a few more days at least. Thanks for replying, though.

Answer:
Hmm, well from my experience you could have hsv, since the legs, groin, spine and whole system are involved with this disease. I doubt having type 1 would change or lessen symptoms, but it could be that instead of type2. Since your boyfriend has it you should get tested just to be safe and ease your paranoia. Make sure the test is for type 2 genital herpes, not type 1. Take care.