i haven't been diagnosed with herpes yet. however i'm sore down there all the time...no redness, just soreness all the time. doctors think its nerve pain, can this be from herpes? i know that it lives in the nerves. anyhow i had a small sore the other day so i decided to go get a herpes culture. i've had them before but they're always so small and are gone by the next day that i havent been able to get a culture before. the doctor looked at it and said its a scratch and that i shouldnt waste my money on a culture. but i insisted. wouldn't do the blood test, wants me to go to a gyn for that. i dont seem to have the tingling feeling ever. just soreness that seems constant and friction irritates it more. other symptoms that are constant (never ending for a year now, no apparent cause, tests dont show anything. been tested for every infection/std possible except herpes) - low back pain, pelvic tenderness, "swollen" feeling on either side of the vaginal opening....as though i was bruised there or something. anyhow i guess mainly i'm asking if all these symptoms could be from herpes and if its this constant/all the time with anyone else?

First, I am really sorry for all the pain you have been enduring over the last year. I hope I can help in some way or another with this posting.

By what I have read and personally experienced, the virus affects each person differently. Me, for example, I only get a small OB (outbreaks) in the same region each time. It consist of 3 to 4 sores. It usually last 5 days. Others have more severe OB which may last up to 3 weeks.

With that said, I have read some of the symptoms, in which you are describing, are experience by people that have genital HSV. However, before jumping to conclusion, I would recommend going to your local Planned Parenthood and have them doing a HSV testing. It's inexpensive and it seems they are more knowledgeable with STDs then a family doctor or a Gyn might be.

Good luck to you and take care!!

~M~