:confused: Hi,

I just wanted to tell my story and ask for responses about my situation as I am very new, but afriad am am very old to this also.

Where to start, First I am a 26 year old male from minnesota. I am 90% sure I have herpes. Last saturday I did a stupid thing, for the second time in my life I had a one night stand. On sunday my back started hurting very very bad, and I started to itch on my inner thigh. Although I had had very rough sex with the individual that I had gone home with, Two of these at the same time,and a new partner made me wonder What I Had?? I put some anti fungal creme on the itching and that helped. I then developed small "paper cut like cracks" onmy left inner thigh where the itching was on friday. Itching went away and my back pain has gotten significantly better. Cuts are still there, but do not and have not ever hurt. All of this in the last seven days.

So at this point I am 90% sure I have had an ob of herpes. After reading the info on the net and from members on this board I have come to this conclusion about my case. I believe I have had herpes for a significant amount of years, at least 6. I think this for a few reasons. First, I have had times of itching in that specific spot over the years, I just always thought it was jock itch or some thing like that. I do also remember having small cuts at one point after having a night of wild sex with my now X-girlfriend, approxiatey 3 years ago. I have not had the symptoms of back pain before, but have had sore backs before, from what I thought was sork related. I have been under an extreme amount of stress through work and with the breaking up of my girlfriend of the last 6 years (monogomous relationship) which may describe why I had back pain this time, not to mention way to mutch alcohol, and not enough sleep from the partying and work. These are the reasons I believe I have had this for 6 long years without knowing that I have had it. In fact, had I not just slept with the a new partner last week I would have probaby just shrugged this off to a back pain and itching from either a reaction to my x-girlfriend, or jock itch, and or rough sex. I have only had sex with three women in my life, a one night stand in high school, 1997, a monogomous relationship with my x-girlfriend, and a very stupid one night stand on new years night. My one night stand on new years was unprotected sex, first and only time in my life, and I am getting tested for everything, but I know that even a condom does not protect against herpes. I have been in sexual situations with other females before I was in my long term relationship (college), but did not partake in intercourse with them.

Now comes some queastions.
I will go this week and get tested. I believe if I get a blood test I will show antibodies, if my situation is as I believe I should show antibodies, correct? If I do not show antibodies, this could be a new case of herpes where my body hasn't built immunity and antibodies yet, correct? or I may just have a rash and back pain and cuts/tears after rough sex, unlikely but possible, correct?? If the doctor can do a culture sample of the cuts and they are positive and the blood test is negative I have a new case of herpes, correct?? After getting the results back, I am going to contact my x-gilfriend and have her get tested, the only fair thing to do for her sake, She'll probably want to kill me, but in reality I may have gotten it from her originally with out her knowing that she has it or I may have given it to her without myslef or her knowing, correct? Also I have a question as to female pap smears, as I am not female I do not know, but if she has had herpes all these years, would they or would they not show up on annual pap smears.... or does a pap smear not even relate to this?? Considering I have not had any sexual contact with any woman other than these two in the last 6 years, I am asssuming that I could have been or not have been having "prodone" and/or outbreaks for many years and have never had symptoms strong enough and/or a reason to think I have herpes, correct??

Where I am at....
I have come to terms in the last few days realizing I may and probably do have herpes, I also realize that I probably have had this for quite a few years and realize I may be blessed with very mild syptoms of prodone and outbreaks, or I'm just getting started. I work in a physically demanding field out side and may have had enough excersize for oxygen and probably passed any prodone or ob on as just by products of a very physically demanding career field. I do realize that this will indeed change my life a little, but since I believe I have had it for a long time, It shouldn't effect me much more than it already has physically and that it will be a bit more demanding emotionally as far as relationships go. I also know I have to talk to my x girfriend about this and make her aware of the situation and have her get tested for her own sake. Am I missing anything obvious, or did I cover my bases, any and all responses will be greatly appreciated.

Bummed but not Out......

P.S. My motto before and after this entered my life....

Prior desicions in ones life dictate who they are,
future decisions decide who they will become.

You could well have herpes, although the symptoms you are describing could feasibly result from irritation, some kind of fungal infection etc. instead. Talking to your ex-girlfriend definitely does sound the thing to do even though it might be difficult. See how your results come back.

Get a type-specific blood test. Most people will test positive for herpes, because anything up to 80% of adults have HSV1, the virus which causes cold sores on the mouth and more unusually, cases of genital herpes. If you test positive for HSV2, you can be pretty sure you have genital herpes because HSV2 is rarely found elsewhere than in the genital area (by which I mean any part of the lower body which could be covered by a pair of boxer shorts).

You could get the cuts swabbed, although swabbing needs to be done very soon after symptoms appear and it is more difficult to get an accurate result where the symptoms are not the "classic" sores, but instead cuts such as you have. A blood test might make things clearer for you.

Pap smears are nothing to do with herpes - women have them to be tested to see if there are changes in the cells of their cervix which would indicate that cervical cancer is present or might possibly develop. Cervical cancer is usually found in women who have some form of HPV - the virus that can often cause genital warts, but which in most cases does not cause any symptoms, hence the necessity for testing.

Good luck to you and good luck with the results - I hope they come back negative for you and there is some other explanation for your symptoms.

where are you from in minnesota? im a 24 yr old from minneapolis.

if you're in the city...head to cedar riverside peoples center. They offer the Western Blot test.