Question:
I keep thinking that I have herpes.. I have the symptoms but I don't see how I could've gotten it... like ok, I have now had some sexual experience(have GIVEN oral sex but never received, etc..) in the past year for the first time.. but all the symptoms and problems started BEFORE I ever did anything. The person I did stuff with got tested for everything anyway before and was negative. About a year ago, I went to my doctor to get checked because I was having irritation down there before.. but at the time I went, I wasn't having any problems/irritation. I got a pap smear, and I THINK she did some kind of culture test too, and when I got the results, they were pretty much normal, but they did say I had a minor bacterial thing and i remember her saying something like "it's not contagious or can't be sexually transmitted" or sumthing and asked if I wanted to just let it go away on it's own or take meds.. n i said to jsut let it go. After some time, I started getting irritations down there again (itching, redness, discharge.. ) and it would last like a week and go away.. but they keep recurring and it's usually right before, during, or after my period. Once or twice before, I even got "cuts" like.. maybe 3mm long n very thin.. almost like paper cuts.. and in this "outbreak" right now i guess u could call it, i have like 3 tiny red bumps near the vagina.
Also, I have sore throats a lot, but like 2 weeks ago, I had a reaaally bad sore throat accompanied by fever.. I went to the doc n she said it was a viral throat infection n gave me antibiotics... I don't know if that has anything to do with it.. and also (you guys are prolly laughin at me already =oP) i get canker sores in/on my mouth/tongue.. i dont believe they're cold sores because, they occur INSIDE the mouth, n theyre like whitish crater like things.

Sorry I wrote so much guys... I just don't know, I guess im just one sickly kid.. but im extremely terrified that i may have herpes or something !! And im scared to go to the doctor.. I get like anxiety attacks just thinking about it..

Answer:
wow - you sound exactly like me! i cannot even tell you how similar! I had a bacterial infection that i chose not to take meds for it seemed to go away, that was over a year ago. Then, months after i noticed a "cut" but no bumps and it didnt really worry me until it took about 2 months to heal. Now the last couple of times ive gotten my period i get very irratated, swollen and red. I went back to the gyno and they said yeast (which may very well be whats going on with you.) but after taking the meds i am not better. Ive been back and for to the doctor always irratated, but no bumps or sores. I even began seeing a pyschiatrist to get some anti-anxiety pills because i was basically having panick attacks becasue they just could not tell be what the problem was. I had std testing w/ cultures and bloodwork - but not for herpes because the only way they will test for it is if they culture an open sore. (Unless you demand a blood test, but sometimes that is not as accurate) All of that was neg. So i go back today at the end of my period and finally she cultured some areas that looked red, mostly to put my mind and ease she said, it didnt look like anything but you never know. If you have not recieved oral sex, or any sex, then you have abosolutly nothing to worry about as far as genital herpes, it would be impossible. The bumps on your vagina are always there, sometimes appearing more noticable because of where you are in your cycle or the fact that that area changes as you get older. These are things that many docs have told me - i am not a doctor but i would say its probably yeast or the bacterial infection again. Go to a gyno that is very nice and tell her your fears - dont have anxiety about it - you are a virgin so you are fine as far as stds - but go to the doc and find out what the irrataion is from. hope this helps - oh yeah - one more thing, for the future when someone says theyve been tested for everything and are clean - ask what they mean by that - i had full std testing - for gonnorhea, chlamydia (SP?) and other bacterias and yeast - i had bloodwork done for hiv, syphilis and hepatitis - thats all and there are a few others that they dont test for unless they see a sore or something. Just always use protection and you wont have to ever worry. Sorry - it just drives me crazy that people say theyve been and there clean, because that doesnt mean anything.

Answer:
Hey.. thanks for your reply.. it really calmed my nerves a lot. Yea, I will make an appt. to get checked out again.. should I go to a gyno or a regular doc? Cuz i've never been to a gyno. So.. they only test herpes if you have an open sore? That's kinda dumb, cuz what about people that just don't show any symptoms? Yea I get what you mean about how even if people say they've been tested and they're clean, it doesn't mean anything. The only person I ever did stuff with, I have been with for 2 years now, and I believe this is the "one" im going to marry! Well, in the future (at least until i graduate college haha). So yea, I know everything about and trust this person completely :)
So hopefully, I just have some bacterial thing.. I was doing research on the net and like nothing except herpes had those "cut" symptoms so that's why I was freaked out. Well thanks again for your thoughts!.. take care. Happy Easter

Answer:
oh yes, and good luck with your results.. let me know how it goes

Answer:
Hi

I just wanted to clear up for you that yes, the only way to tell whether an active lesion is herpes or not is through a swab test, and this test will also tell you which type it is. But you can order blood work that will tell you whether your system carries the antibodies for (and therefore the virus) HSV-1 and HSV-2. The blood test will not tell you what part of your body the virus resides in (above or below the waist / either can reside either place but HSV-1 "prefers" the upper and HSV-2 "prefers" the upper half).

I, for example, know I have HSV-1 through a blood test. I am extremely interested in what you two are describing because I too have redness, burning, irritation, discharge, but no "obvious" herpes lesions. Occasionally I'll get a red bump or two but nothing resembling a blister, and it could easily be attributable to razor burn.

I too went in to be tested for yeast, bacteria, syphillis, gonorrhea. The only thing that came back positive was a high "clue cell" count which indicated bacterial vaginosis, for which they gave me a run of flagyl. No difference. Still burning, irritated, bummed out.

I hope we can continue to share our stories so we can learn from each other. I am frustrated in particular because, since I know I carry HSV-1 antibodies in my blood, I really want to be able to identify an outbreak if I have one. I am in an intimate relationship and need to watch out for my bf.

Take care and please share what happens next. - Palomita

Answer:
When I had the bacterial infection - 1st she said it would clear up on its own (Jan 03) Then by April (03) I still was not the same, went back to the same doc and she said it was not fully gone and she gave me an anti-bacterial cream. She said if i used it for 5 days 2x a day it would clear it up. Didn't make a noticable difference. I went to a holistic nutritionist and she gave me some supplements including A.D.P. which is basically an oregano extract - also i began taking extra vitamin C, Echinacea, goldenseal - and a great multi vitamin - all which stregthen your immune system and although this takes longer to build in your system, it made a huge difference. Bacterial infections like the ones your talking about are an overgrowth of bacterial flora -your body is off balance - Eat healthy and if you want see a nutritionist, naturopath, holistic practitioner - whichever - but get healthy and that will make everything better. Even if it is herpes - GET HEALTHY, mentally and physically - Try all options before giving up - vitamins may not cure you, but they will make you stronger and wont ever make things worse. I am no doctor, but have seen enough of them to be somewhat knowledgeable - hope this helps anyone. Thanks.