Question:
I am 30 years old and I have never noticed any oral or genital herpes symptoms like I'm seeing in pictures on various websites.

My wife was a virgin when I met her 10 years ago and never fooled around with anyone before she met me. She has never noticed any oral or genital herpes symptoms, either. I have a pretty extensive sexual history, and anything she has would be from me. I've been fully screened (although I didn't know HSV wasn't part of the standard tests 5 years ago when I had my last tests completed) numerous times--the most recent last thursday (results: ) .

About 2 weeks ago, she went to a general practictioner because we noticed a smell indicative of bacteria vaginosis. She took two courses of whatever the doctor perscribed, but the smell persisted so she went to an OB/Gyn.

That doctor diagnosed her with a yeast infection, bacteria vaginosis, and Beta Strep. She perscribed two oral medications and told her to buy an OTC anti-fungal lotion for my penis in the event that I was reinfecting her.

2 weekends ago, after shaving, I noticed what appeared to be two mosqitoe bite sized, possibly blister-like sores, near the base of my shaft--about half an inch away from each other. Unfortunately, I accidentally shaved the top off them so I couldn't go in to have them cultured. I've never seen anything like that on my penis and certainly not in that area. The immediate area slightly itched. There really wasn't much for me to do other than apply bandages and wait for the sores to heal, which they did a few days later. In the meantime, I started to research various STD sites to see if I could identify what was going on. We didn't think of correlating her diagnoses with my symptoms because she wasn't experiencing any itching or burning.

Last weekend I noticed a slight itch where the hair was growing back over my pubic area and pelvic bone (between my penis and my belly button). Over the last two days, more mosquito-bite sized (not quite pimples, perhaps best described as ingrown hairs) itchy bumps started to appear in my pubic region. Nothing has show up on my penis head or shaft, my scrotum, or my inner thighs. They have only shown up in the triangle between my belly button, thighs meet pubic region, and where the shaft of my penis meets the hairy patch where I usually shave.

So basically I have like two itchy bumps by the base of my penis shaft, and approx. 7-10 scattered around that triangle area. No two are clustered together--they appear to be independent rather than in a patch.

I couldn't get my doctor to take a culture (none of the bumps have broken open or crusted over). She explained that my bumps didn't look anything like any STD she had ever seen. She suggested they looked like a follicle infection and perscribed me some oral antibiotics. I don't have any flu-like symptoms and I definately do not remember symptoms as severe as these (in terms of periodic itching and extent of bumps) so even if I have had genital herpes all this time, this would be the most severe OB and perhaps primary.

Now into my 3rd week of symptoms, aside from a small patch below my belly button, the bumps mainly only itch when I scratch them. And they feel really good to scratch, even mildly, no pain at all. Some disappear and reoccur in new areas. But none have opened. The closest thing that appeared herpe-like was that I was finally able to squeeze white-heads out of three of them--but they could very well have been ingrown hairs. It's hard to tell at this point. But the itchy "bites" are moving around. They are mostly concentrated around the base of my penis (still not on the shaft) and are no longer just under my belly button.

I'm at a loss as to what is going on at this point. And when I can safely have sex with my wife again!

Answer:
Those are alot of questions....*sigh*...alot to be concerned about I guess.I'll try and answer as best I can here.Of course only the doc will know for sure.

Yeast infections can be spread from the male to female during sex.They can itch and burn and be anoying,but don't cause any sores.I've learned that many women are mis-diagnosed with a yeast infection (believe it or not) when they actually have herpes.

When I get an OB I have sores,but always in the same exact area each time.They do sometimes appear as clusters for other people though.Herpes doesn't always appear right on the genitals,but sometimes on the thighs or tummy area or even the tri-angle area.

You could just have some in grown hairs and the itch could be from the yeast infection or from the hair growing back in.Could be the folicle infection your doc said you had.I'm guessing it may even be an allergic reaction to soap or body wash?!

What you can do is take what the doc is giving you,drink plenty of water,wash with warm water and keep the area dry.Avoid any soap or bodywash and see what happens.

Sex with your wife...well she'll have to let you know about that one :wink:

Answer:
Thanks for the reply cherry,

I should have been more clear about my question regarding sex with the wife: how long after an outbreak (assuming I'm experiencing a herpes OB) can I safely have sex again?

If people don't even often know they have herpes, how long do people wait before resuming sexual activity if they aren't sure their symptoms (and infectious period) are over?