here are my symtpoms:
1. pressure / throbbing senstion in genital area very soon after exposure. wouldn't call it painful - just a wierd sensation. (2 days after exposure)
2. lower back pain (4-5 days after exposure)
3. tingling in feet, hands, and occasionally in genital area (not specific to a particular location) (6-7 days after exposure)
4. appearance of small bumps just below tip of penis (the area that becomes covered by skin when not erect. (5-7 days after exposure). note: the bumps have not gotten bigger and don't appear to be red or on top of red/irritated skin. i can touch these and there is no pain or discomfort. this symtptom confuses me quite a bit. i've heard they should be painful.
5. strange red line / discoloration on penis running from the area where the bumps are to the base of the penis. this is extremely wierd as i haven't come across this on any websites as a symptom for any type of STD. it honestly looks like something like a virus has traveled from the point of entry down the penis toward my body. wierd huh? (4-6 days after exposure).

please provide any insight into these symptoms. i'm pretty worried about herpes but have a slight feeling i might have something else because my bumbs are not sore and aren't really red. also, because of the wierd red line i was talking about. what usually happens after you see bumps? do they burst soon and hurt? how does this thing play out?

thanks in advance.

I'd call your doctor before the day ends and get in to see him or her right away while you are experiencing these visible symptoms. I have never heard of the red-line thing either but all of it warrants medical attention/inspection/diagnosis.

Hi SG,

I'm sorry to hear you may have joined our ranks. I understand you're scared but I want to assure you that your life isn't over if you do turn out to have it. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

I agree with 20%er that you should get in to see your doc ASAP while the symptoms are still relatively fresh. The longer you wait, the greater the chances that test results may be inaccurate (falsely negative). The bumps sound suspicious and I wonder if the line might be a scratch of some kind. I would be sure to wash your hands well after touching these areas before touching anywhere else, just to be on the safe side, at least until it's ruled out.

I don't know about the tingling in hands and feet; that could be a bunch of things but if it's directly related to herpes it would be unusual. The back pain might be related to herpes, assuming you have it.

I'd suggest getting a type-specific blood test now, if you can afford it or if your health insurance covers it (if it's available where you are; your doctor will know). It might not show up positive for HSV-2 this early, in which case you'll have a baseline against which to compare later. If you do test negative for HSV-2 you should repeat the test again up to 12-16 weeks after the exposure.

Please keep us posted what you find out and how you're doing.

TheOneInFour

I may know what that red line is. I had it a couple times with OBs and once the line shot out in two directions from the OB. My doctor put me on antibiotics right away because he said it was a bacterial infection, something must have gotten in through the blisters to cause it. He said he's seen it before and it can be very dangerous if not treated right away. Something about the bacteria traveling along that nerve. Get it checked out just in case. Hopefully that's not what it is for you.