Question:
I had unprotected sex on 9/12/03. On 10/10/03 I noticed a small blister on my pubic area. I went to the doctor and he said it was not herpes. He did a culture and blood test and both came back negative. Within the next week I got 2 more blisters on other side of pubic area. After reading about the symptoms for herpes, I became very paranoid I think beacuse I was itchy and tingling all over my body not only down there. I was seen by 3 docotrs and all of them said the blisters were caused by ingrown hairs. The first blister showed up almost a month after I had last shaved (9/13/03). The other two blisters did have a hair but they both looked like the first blister that didn't have a hair. I noticed that my inner thigh and my pubic area was very hot during the time the blisters were forming. I didn't have fever, swollen glands, burning or pain were the blisters showed up. The first blister, I popped it and clear fluid came out. I had a tiny scab and the skin went back to normal. The other two had hair so once the hair came out, the skin was ok. I had another blood test on 10/23/03 and it was also negative. Does it sound like herpes, does your body tingle all over or just in the infected area? Do the blisters or sores always hurt? How long do sores last for. Do you feel tigling without an outbreak? Faith and all other girls with herpes please respond Thank you. I'm going crazy and I need to know my symptoms are herpes.

Answer:
Hi,

If you take blood test too soon, you can get false negative result. Because it takes time that your body make antibodies and develop. You should wait 3 months (from the day you are exposed to the virus) to get accurate result.
Like your doctors said, it might be caused by ingrown hairs. But if you are not convinced at all, maybe you should make sure by getting another blood test.

My first test came out false negative (I'm 99.999..% sure that was false negative) although I had typical herpes symptom (I even had a blister) and I saw 4 doctors then and none of them figured out what it was, since the test result was negative.
Since then, I don't really trust doctors... :o <half joking>

You know your body the most after all.

If you still suspect that it may be herpes, wait full 3 months and take blood test again.

Don't worry too much. It can make you sick too, you know? <smile>

Please rake care...

Faith

Answer:
I agree with Faith that I don't really trust doctor's either. Anyway, you should definately get tested again in a few months. Sounds like a good chance it's just ingrown hairs, especially if you shave in those areas.

One sure sign to me that I'm having an outbreak is ITCHING!

Good luck! :?
Layla

Answer:
I want to think its just a bad case of ingrown hairs but I really doubt it because I've had ingrown hairs and they sure don't look like the blisters I have. these blisters don't hurt and ingrown hairs hurt at least to me they do. In the last two weeks, i've gotten 3 more blisters but they are smaller than the ones I first got and there is no hair in any of them. I got the first blister almost 3 wks ago and it is just getting bigger but it doesn't pop. I have not shaved in almost 3 months so these blisters can't be caused by shaving. I'm going to get another blood test at the end of this month but I don't know if it will be accurate. I just wish I knew what the hell is wrong with me. i've given up hope because i'm getting blisters for the second time. I don't itch or burn and the blisters are in the pubic area not anywhere else. I have tingling all over my body. I read somewhere that in the initial stage of the infection, you can feel tingling not only on the affected area but all over the body and THAT is freaking me out becasue that's exactly what's happening to me. I'd like to know if anyone can share their story regarding their blood tests. if ur hsv-2 positive how long after exposure did it take for the test to come out positive. My first test was 0.26 and the second one was 0.08 (>1.10 is positve). They were done almost 3 wks apart. The last one 1.5 months after exposure. Please somebody share your story. Thank you everybody.

Answer:
Hello girls....

I went to the doctor while I was PREGNANT and was told that I was worried about a pimple - even though it was reoccurring.....hello.....!

So luckily for me I ended up having a section.... two years later finding out it was HSV2 all along...

That aside, I get ingrowns too, and I still get concerned. I pay attention to my body and hate to admit I have a mirror in the bathroom which I use constantly...but you figure out after a while what things are for your own body. I had three outbreaks checked by a doctor, not the same doctor as before - I let the office know how pissed I was about that.

So as the story goes - wait a while, get tested again later, practice safe sex, and don't kill yourself worrying - your mind can be creating the tingling just because of your nerves.

Alot of good people have this, right Faith?! I know that isn't so comforting now, but please know you are not any less of a person if you do end up with this.

Good luck!

Answer:
Yup.. Lasmom is right.
Even if you have HSV, it never make you less. You are still you.

Don't worry so much now...
You will be ok, no matter what. Just believe me/us, girl. <smile>

Best wishes.

Faith

Answer:
Thanks for the comfort girls. Thanks to my mother, this forum and you guys I feel better. This is very hard to accept especially when the guy who gave it to me knew he had something (he was not surprised or worried when I told him I had herpes, he laughed about it, the diagnosis hasn't been confirmed but I had to tell him I have it to see if he would confess he had something)It makes me crazy not knowing. I hope to God I don't have herpes and I pray for all of you who do know for sure beacuse I know your emotional pain. I have anxiety attacks just thinking I might have it. I've learned my lesson, not that I sleep around but I got carried away and had unprotected sex with two guys within one month. I'm SO AFRAID to have sex again with anyone. I realize that some people are extremely selfish and don't care about infecting other people. Regardless if I have herpes or not, i won't be having sex for a LONG LONG time. My mom said I should splash some ice water (downstairs) next time I get hot and bothered :lol: I will get my 3rd blood test at the end of this month. I will let you guys know.

Answer:
You wrote "...the diagnosis hasn't been confirmed but I had to tell him I have it to see if he would confess he had something"

Now that makes a lot of sense. Why don't you just wait for your test results? Then have them done again if you are still uncertain...even at another clinic. Lying to your boyfriend/husband/f***buddy isn't going to give you a reliable answer to your concerns. Besides, how does he/you know you weren't the one who gave it to him? Get tested...wait for the results and some counseling. Grow up and act like an intelligent adult...especially when you are sexually active.

Answer:
Hey "justaguy" - give her a break, she's obviously young and scared. Let's try to help each other out.

We've all been there, I look at this forum as a place to help and "guide" if you will... I can understand she may have sounded rash in "accusing", but if he did have it, and admitted it, it at least was an answer. One step in mental healing those "answers".

Tha scariest part for me was the "not knowing".

p.s. - he laughed at her. Nice guy. Proof again how "young" they are.