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Diagnosed With Genital Herpes. Feeling Itchy, Swelling As Blisters On Wrist And Leg. Looks Red. What Can This Be?
Question: Hello, I was diagnosed with genital herpes about three weeks ago. During the time of my first outbreak, I had two weird blisters appear on the inside of my left wrist and on the side of my leg. They were itchy and both swelled as a blister and took almost two weeks to go away. Now I noticed today that both of them are coming back and it looks like it made more, smaller blisters where there was only one before in each spot. Both are itchy and red. Is it possible that the herpes was spread to these areas and this is a form of a recurrent outbreak? There is no itching or sign of outbreak in the genital region, it is only on my wrist and leg as of now.
Brief Answer:
Might need to be reexamined by a physician
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
I do suggest that you get a clinical review. It might be necessary for you to treat this time with a topical cream ,antiviral creamlike Lovir cream, and associate it with a more intense oral therapy like Acyclovir 800mg, thri ce daily for twenty one days.
I suggest you get screened for common predisposing conditions to recurrent infections like HIV and diabetes.
Hope this helps as you get a proper clinical review from your primary care physician first with these suggestions in mind.
Kind regards as I wish you the best of health.
Bain LE, MD. feel free asking further questions if need be.
Might need to be reexamined by a physician
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
I do suggest that you get a clinical review. It might be necessary for you to treat this time with a topical cream ,antiviral creamlike Lovir cream, and associate it with a more intense oral therapy like Acyclovir 800mg, thri ce daily for twenty one days.
I suggest you get screened for common predisposing conditions to recurrent infections like HIV and diabetes.
Hope this helps as you get a proper clinical review from your primary care physician first with these suggestions in mind.
Kind regards as I wish you the best of health.
Bain LE, MD. feel free asking further questions if need be.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I was tested for HIV and other STDs when I was diagnosed with herpes and it came back negative. Is that normal that it would come back as an outbreak on my wrist and my leg and not the genital region? I thought it wasn't even possible to spread to other parts of your own body besides the mouth. Will the sores on my wrist spread to my face? And since it came back so quickly (I've only been off Valtrex two weeks) does that mean I'm going to be someone who breaks out all the time?
Brief Answer:
no worries
Detailed Answer:
hi and thanks for the query,
it is possible for the virus to spread many regions of the skin. It is not very absurd, so you need not be bothered in that regard. In can spread to other regions of the body, although this occurrence is of course rare.
It really in no way implies you will have breakouts all the time. I do suggest you another proper treatment. Well treated, possibilities of getting recurrence is low. You would have to avoid getting infected too. Getting proper evaluation of your intimate partner could also be useful.
kind regards.
Bain LE, MD
no worries
Detailed Answer:
hi and thanks for the query,
it is possible for the virus to spread many regions of the skin. It is not very absurd, so you need not be bothered in that regard. In can spread to other regions of the body, although this occurrence is of course rare.
It really in no way implies you will have breakouts all the time. I do suggest you another proper treatment. Well treated, possibilities of getting recurrence is low. You would have to avoid getting infected too. Getting proper evaluation of your intimate partner could also be useful.
kind regards.
Bain LE, MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello,
So I went to the gyno today who did a swab test on the sores and he told me it's most likely HSV2 that spread during primary outbreak but he is testing to make sure. He referred me to infectious disease doc because he does not know what the spreading process for herpes on your wrist or leg is and the ID doc isn't available until next week. I cannot wait that long for an answer. So does this mean that this virus will always live in those parts of my body, and have the potential to spread further? In the last day, the part on my leg spread significantly and made my calf swell. He prescribed me 500 mg of Valtrex for 21 days and also a permanent Valtrex prescription, but for now what if the blisters break and the fluid goes down my leg? Does that mean it will spread further down my leg in future outbreaks, and that essentially my entire arm and leg have the potential to shed the virus asymptomatically and spread to others? And what does this mean if I ever want to have a baby? Can I, given that my entire body now has the potential to shed the virus and babies are easily susceptible to HSV?
So I went to the gyno today who did a swab test on the sores and he told me it's most likely HSV2 that spread during primary outbreak but he is testing to make sure. He referred me to infectious disease doc because he does not know what the spreading process for herpes on your wrist or leg is and the ID doc isn't available until next week. I cannot wait that long for an answer. So does this mean that this virus will always live in those parts of my body, and have the potential to spread further? In the last day, the part on my leg spread significantly and made my calf swell. He prescribed me 500 mg of Valtrex for 21 days and also a permanent Valtrex prescription, but for now what if the blisters break and the fluid goes down my leg? Does that mean it will spread further down my leg in future outbreaks, and that essentially my entire arm and leg have the potential to shed the virus asymptomatically and spread to others? And what does this mean if I ever want to have a baby? Can I, given that my entire body now has the potential to shed the virus and babies are easily susceptible to HSV?
Brief Answer:
Be calm, no worries
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
You really need not to be that worried. It does not impair you from getting a baby. I think you would have much to do, with respect to being compliant to treatment.
My suggestion is you tell your infectious disease specialist to actually rescreen for predisposing factors for recurrent infections (Diabetes, HIV, Cancer etc) again.
You just have to take the drug as prescribed for the 21 days. I suggest you associate the topical cream of either lovir to the therapy. I think you need to ask to get serum antibody tests, to get the levels of immunoglobulins or anti bodies against the Herpes Virus. This shall permit follow up, to assess the efficacy of the treatment.
HSV infection jeopardizes delivery, especially concerning side effects concerning the child. Active infections with vulval lesions compel the delivery to be caesarian.
You need not be worried at this point in time. While waiting to see your doctor, I think you need a topical and oral drugs as you are taking already, ask to be screened for predisposing factors, anti body titre levels for follow up. You are not condemned and you need not really bother this much.
Thanks again and kind regards.
Bain LE, MD
Be calm, no worries
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
You really need not to be that worried. It does not impair you from getting a baby. I think you would have much to do, with respect to being compliant to treatment.
My suggestion is you tell your infectious disease specialist to actually rescreen for predisposing factors for recurrent infections (Diabetes, HIV, Cancer etc) again.
You just have to take the drug as prescribed for the 21 days. I suggest you associate the topical cream of either lovir to the therapy. I think you need to ask to get serum antibody tests, to get the levels of immunoglobulins or anti bodies against the Herpes Virus. This shall permit follow up, to assess the efficacy of the treatment.
HSV infection jeopardizes delivery, especially concerning side effects concerning the child. Active infections with vulval lesions compel the delivery to be caesarian.
You need not be worried at this point in time. While waiting to see your doctor, I think you need a topical and oral drugs as you are taking already, ask to be screened for predisposing factors, anti body titre levels for follow up. You are not condemned and you need not really bother this much.
Thanks again and kind regards.
Bain LE, MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi,
Thank you for your answer. But what about the spot on my arm and leg? Since that is an area of the outbreak, won't I always shed the virus from those spots even when there are no visible sores? So anytime someone touches my wrist or leg they are at risk for getting it unless I keep it permanently covered? And with respect to having a baby, I know they can take precautions during delivery but I'm talking about after. If I have the potential to shed the virus through my wrist does that mean I can never hold a baby?
Thank you for your answer. But what about the spot on my arm and leg? Since that is an area of the outbreak, won't I always shed the virus from those spots even when there are no visible sores? So anytime someone touches my wrist or leg they are at risk for getting it unless I keep it permanently covered? And with respect to having a baby, I know they can take precautions during delivery but I'm talking about after. If I have the potential to shed the virus through my wrist does that mean I can never hold a baby?
Brief Answer:
You can still a baby. NO worries
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
You are right by being worried about the open active lesions on the arm and leg. It is advisable to actually avoid touching some other person/contact especially in these areas for the risk of spread is for sure greater. However, keeping them permanently covered is not advisable. Take your drugs as prescribed and rub the topical anti viral cream on it, and let it in dry air as usual. You need be afraid, it does not mean in anyway, because your writs has been affected, that you shall never hold a baby. far from that. What s most important and urgent at this point in time is to get evaluated by the infectious disease specialist, and get your a good clinical review and get your treatment and respect the follow up calendar that shall eventually be proposed to you.
You need not bother that much.
Thanks and hope this helps as I wish you the best of health. Kind regards.
Bain LE, MD.
You can still a baby. NO worries
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
You are right by being worried about the open active lesions on the arm and leg. It is advisable to actually avoid touching some other person/contact especially in these areas for the risk of spread is for sure greater. However, keeping them permanently covered is not advisable. Take your drugs as prescribed and rub the topical anti viral cream on it, and let it in dry air as usual. You need be afraid, it does not mean in anyway, because your writs has been affected, that you shall never hold a baby. far from that. What s most important and urgent at this point in time is to get evaluated by the infectious disease specialist, and get your a good clinical review and get your treatment and respect the follow up calendar that shall eventually be proposed to you.
You need not bother that much.
Thanks and hope this helps as I wish you the best of health. Kind regards.
Bain LE, MD.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you. I know I need to see a doctor but he cannot see me until next week at the earliest, at which point the outbreak may even be gone by then. In the meantime, I need to know how contagious I am to others. I work in a public space. I have a bandaid over the lesions on my wrist right now so they are covered, but how infectious is my arm in general? Can it only spread by touching the sores directly? Or if someone brushes up against my arm can they get it? Today my colleague grabbed my wrist quickly over the bandaid and I pulled away as quick as I could because I wasn't expecting her to do that but I'm terrified that I could have spread it to her now.
Brief Answer:
Do not worry so much please.
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
I do understand your worries are for sure justified. Maybe I forget to mention that, its not every body who gets the fluid or is exposed to the virus that eventually gets or develops a disease state. However, with regards to your worry now.
- Your hand is mainly infectious when some one actually comes in contact with the fluid. And its not every body that gets the fluid that eventually develops the infection.
- From what you describe , the chances or her eventually developing an infection are really very very slim and do not deserve any great worry. I suggest you just stay calm, follow your treatment as you await the evaluation and opinion of the infectious disease specialist.
Kind regards,
Bain LE, MD
Do not worry so much please.
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
I do understand your worries are for sure justified. Maybe I forget to mention that, its not every body who gets the fluid or is exposed to the virus that eventually gets or develops a disease state. However, with regards to your worry now.
- Your hand is mainly infectious when some one actually comes in contact with the fluid. And its not every body that gets the fluid that eventually develops the infection.
- From what you describe , the chances or her eventually developing an infection are really very very slim and do not deserve any great worry. I suggest you just stay calm, follow your treatment as you await the evaluation and opinion of the infectious disease specialist.
Kind regards,
Bain LE, MD
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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