unsuresam

Hello all, thanks for reading this. About a year ago I developed two,
very small, pimple-like "things" in my pubic region. I thought they
were pimples, but they didn't "pop" like a typical pimple would.
(sorry to sound gross) I had unprotected sex with a partner I did not
know well about 1 to 3 weeks before these "things" occured. They went
away. I put "Clearasil" or some acne cream on them which appeared to
make them go away. The two, small "pimple-like" things were kinda
close together, almost touching one another. They were not painful,
nor did they itch. About a year later, "hello", there's two small,
close "pimple-like" things again in my pubic hair. Never anything on
my penis, or near my scrodum or testicles. However, this time there
are three more "pimple-like" things spread out in my pubic hair area
-but they don't have a close neighbor, they just look like single
"zits". They are located mostly far apart, or spread out, aside for
two that are close together (the two new ones that are close together
are near where I had the first two occur about a year ago). So this
time I have 5 very small, "pimple-like" things that I'm unsure about.
The first time I had two "bumps". Sorry for so much detail, bear with
me as I am pretty freaked by all this.

I had mono about four to five years ago. Before the first "flare
up" (described above) about a year ago I had never had anything like
this "down there". Before the sexual contact w/ the partner described
above, I hadn't had sex in about 8 months prior (and it was safe, with
a long-time, monogamous partner.

I'm FREAKING out that I have herpes, or some STD. I have a MILLION
questions that I'm hoping someone could help me with?

Ok, first off, I know I have to go to a doctor. I haven't gone yet
because I wonder what the diagnosis policy is? Say I have an STD, is
there any way I can get it diagnosed anonymously and not go to my
family physician? I don't want to go on some master list or anything,
you know what I mean? Are there any tests I can do on my own? Or,
can I go to a doctor as a "Joe Smith", anonymous?

Because I had Mono, is there any chance I don't have Herpes?
Perhaps my past mono is manifesting itself in some strange way? I
don't itch or become sore from the "pimple-like" things. They don't
hurt, and are going away after about 3 weeks.

Say I do have herpes (I'm guessing that is the leading candidate),
is it likely I contracted the virus from the partner I was with about
one to three weeks before the first symptoms occurred? Or, would you
say it was dorminant? I'd think it was the partner shortly before
symptoms, but I'm no doctor. Again, there was about a year window
before I had sex with the partner just mentioned.

Well, thanks for anyone's time who read this. I'm scared,
confused, and feeling pretty worthless. I hesitate to see a doctor
b/c I feel like maybe I should just be celibate instead of a "marked"
one, or diagnosed. I've looked at tons of online pictures and my
"instances" don't look like any of the photos I've come across
(although I recognize most photos are of severe or, significant cases
of herpes or hpv). I'm hoping I don't have it, but level with me if
anyone cares to. Thanks again for any help or advice. If someone
responds to this I may follow it up with more questions. Thanks
again, and peace to you.

Sincerely,
Sam

m.l.s.

On 29 Jun 2004 23:07:28 -0700, unsuresam@hotmail.com (Unsure Sam)
posted:

Hiya Sam. Welcome to the group, and don't worry.


Your pimples don't sound like a whole lot to me. They could be just
pimples.

Usually, the pimples you get with a herpes outbreak are tiny, as in
smaller than the head of a pin, and they are usually very fragile
and break easily, and release a good amount of a clear liquid that
contains a lot of the viruses.

Herpes pimples usually occur in small clusters, too, and are
unlikely to show up as three or five pimples spread out in your
pubic area.

I'm not saying what you have can't be herpes, but it wouldn't be the
usual way it shows up. Like I say, it could be just pimples, or
some kind of reaction to something, or a matter of hygiene, or
something else.

Yes, you should probably see a doctor, especially while you're
having one of the pimples.


If you live in a city of any size, there should be a walk-in clinic
of some kind. We have a place called "QuickCare" here that I've
been to, more than once, I'm afraid. If you call around you might
even find a place that specializes in STDs. They are not an
insignificant health care problem these days. If you search real
hard you might even find a free health clinic, downtown somewhere.
You can also go to Planned Parenthood, even if you're a guy. I've
done it. You might meet some chicks, there.

I don't think most places check IDs, so that part is up to you, but
if nobody recognizes you, they're not likely to talk about you
anyway. If you're going to give a fake name, practice it before you
go in, so you don't blow it. ;-) You'd be surprised, anyway, just
how many people walk through those doors with one STD or another. A
sizeable portion of the sexually active population catches something
or other sooner or later. You are either in good company or your
pimples might be absolutely nothing.

Anyway, what I do, is fill out the forms, or whatever, and when the
nice girl asks what you're there for, just say, "It's personal."
You don't have to tell them. You just have to tell the doctor, and
doctors are on their honor to respect your privacy.

The two diseases are part of the big happy herpes family, but they
don't have anything to do with each other. So, no, sorry.

It is highly unlikely it's the mono.


Where you got it from, if it is herpes, and that's a long shot, is
almost impossible to say. Yes, it's most likely you got it from the
person you last had sex with before the symptoms appeared, but
that's not always the case. Often the only way to find out is to
have all the parties tested, and even sometimes that doesn't tell
you. The important thing now is to find out what, if anything,
you've got.


I bet it's just pimples, but there's no shame in going to the doctor
to get checked out. If you've had unprotected sex with anyone,
there are other things you could have. In this day and age there
are a LOT of people who go in for routine screening whether they
think they have anything wrong with themselves or not. It's just
prudent behavior. So, take a load off your mind and go see the doc.
If you find out it's nothing, then you won't have to beat yourself
up anymore, and you can go buy some condoms and be happy.

Let us know how it goes.


Take care,

Mike

grant

I just want to add to MLS's excellent post that you should have yourself
tested for herpes through a blood test. Some doctors will tell you that no
such thing exists. But it does. The blood test will tell you if you have
herpes but not where it is located. So, you can test positive for type 1
herpes but not know if you have it genitally or orally (cold sores.)

Take care,
ar

meg3594

Dear Sam,

go to the Doctor when this is happening. I know its hard to forsee
when it will happen, and sometimes even harder to schedule an appt
asap, but thats the best advice I have for you.


I am "Newbie" too, so can i give you my story, just so that you dont
take shit from your doctor?

I dont know where u live but i live in a pretty urban place, but the
doctor was from the stone age. I am a girl, so when i noticed
something (mine did itch) i went to the OBGYN. They did their surface
culture test and it came back negitave. I went back probably 4 times
in the next 8 months, but by the time I noticed it, called the doc for
an appt, and showed up, all the tests came back negative because it
wasn't in it's most 'active(?)' starting state. They kept telling me
that if i had it, the test would say so. I was FREAKING OUT INSANELY,
and sure I was going crazy. The next time I noticed anything, I
called and YELLED at the girl to get an appointment THAT DAY. They
did their same test, and *volla* I was positive.

Then I went on the web and did some research.

Turns out they have a BLOOD TEST that I could have taken that would
have let me know 8 months earlier. My doctor wasted so much of my
time and gave me so much stress, and I had no information at my hands
to fight back with.

The doctor also accused my boyfriend of sleeping around behind my
back. But everyone KNOWS it can lay dormant for a long time, and
people can have it without even knowing they have it.

I dont want to scare you, I just dont want you to go through what i
went through.

The moral is, do your research, and dont take crap from the doctors.
You may have someting, you may not, but DEMAND that you get 1st class
treatment. Information is your best resource.

And try to go when the 'pimples' first appear.

unsuresam

Thanks for that thoughtful post Mike. Very cool of you to take your
time to respond to my concerns/questions posed. Karma points to you!
I don't think they are pimples b/c they don't just "pop" and go away.
They DO go away if I put something on them however. Who knows. I
really should see a Doc. So I can go to many "clinics",
Planned-Parenthoods, etc. and request my anonymity? There aren't any
laws that I have to give full name, s.s.#, insurance card, etc.?
Should I take cash? How do you pay? If I am diagnosed as positive
for an STD, am I automatically reported to some federal and/or state
database?

I did approach the person I think/thought gave me my "condition"
(bad idea). She claimed to be "STD free", and I am a monster for even
thinking otherwise (although I've since learned her track record isn't
the "cleanest", and my track record was pretty darn good). So she
isn't of any help, except maybe in getting the good'ole rumor mill
flowing (hopefully she thinks twice about that and doesn't). I
suppose I could just deny it, but IF she gave it to me I feel I should
be able to say, "yes, I have ____, and X gave it to me".

Thanks again,
Sam

unsuresam

Thanks for your response Grant. Since I have had mono, won't a blood
test show up automatically as positive for herpes? I've also had
chicken pox. What are the best, most definitive tests to have? These
damn viruses! I'll tell you what, as ALL of you would probably agree,
if we only knew or know what we feel/know now. You'd better believe
we would be as safe as possible EVERYTIME. What an eyeopener.

Thanks Grant,
Sam

grant

There are a whole lot of people out there that have no idea that the cold
sores that they get orally can become someone else's genital herpes through
oral sex. So, assuming there was oral sex in your relationship, the
question could have been: have you ever had a cold sore?

ar

grant

Hi Sam,

The blood tests are specifically for herpes simplex (types 1 and 2). Many
doctors will tell you that if you've had chickenpox then you will mess up
the test. This is incorrect. (Those darn docs...they can't be trusted).
The blood tests test for antibodies to the virus - not the virus itself.
There are quite a few kinds around. The best of the best is the Herpes
Specific Western Blot test. If you're in the USA, then you can only get it
through one lab in Seattle. And if you are in Canada, then you can only get
it through one lab in Vancouver - I think. We can help you with that
information. There are a bunch of others - some more reliable than others.
Talk to your doctor about a blood test and then let us know which one he
recommends and we can tell you if it is a good one or a bad one.

Oh, be careful not to use the word "clean" when talking to people with
herpes. It has a very negative connotation and, quite frankly, makes us
feel rather...dirty. The biggest problem we face is the social stigma.
Words like that just promote the negative.

Take care,
ar


news:<uL6dnWBCUIaDGn_dRVn-sw@adelphia.com>...

m.l.s.

On 30 Jun 2004 10:23:02 -0700, unsuresam@hotmail.com (Unsure Sam)
posted:


De nada. I like to help. I'm thinking of moving to India and
getting a job with a tech support help desk for one of the new
computer controlled toasters. Very challenging work. ;-)


I don't really know about that for sure. You could call a couple
places and ask what information they require to treat you.


You should NEVER have to give your Social Security number, except to
an employer, but I know a lot of places will try to get that from
you anyway. If you object to it, and can't get around it, walk out
of the place.

Your insurance card is another matter if you want your insurance to
pay.

I've paid in cash, check, or credit card, depending on the STD.
Herpes is definitely a cash and carry disease. Just kidding.

If you want to keep as anonymous as possible, cash is the answer.
Call ahead for possible fees, and take double the amount they tell
you.

It depends in which state you live, and the disease with which you
are diagnosed. If you are found to have HIV then you will probably
be subject to all kinds of improprieties. If you are in Michigan
and are found to have HSV2, the state may try to compel you to
reveal the names of your past partners, or at least that's what I
was told by an email correspondent some years ago. Again, a call to
your local health care office will get you such information.

What state are you in? It may be possible to find relevant
information on the web.


Well, in the long run it doesn't really matter, though if you are
diagnosed with something, you could still go back to her and say,
"Look, this is what I've got and you should know that even if you
think you don't have it, you've been exposed one way or another",
and then walk away knowing you've done your duty and it's up to her
to deal ethically with it as she sees fit.


Hope it helps. Feel free to ask more questions. It's what we do
here.

Mike

m.l.s.

On 30 Jun 2004 10:29:21 -0700, unsuresam@hotmail.com (Unsure Sam)
posted:

Neither a history of chicken pox or mono will affect the HSV tests.
Though they are all in the herpes family, they each cause the body
to produce completely different antibodies, and it is the antibodies
that the tests look for.

The best test is the Herpes Specific Western Blot, and has to be
specifically ordered by the person drawing the blood, shipped off to
Washington state, and results waited for.

Other, less administratively intensive tests, almost as good as the
WB, are the new Type Specific Elisa tests.

If you have the Acrobat PDF reader a good link of info is:

http://www.mindspring.com/~stevenjs/stdCD/PDFS/HSVTESTS.PDF

Yeah. I cried my little eyeballs out the minute I got back from the
clinic. A few minutes later I found this newsgroup, and by that
evening I felt a little better.


Take care,

Mike