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What Is The Reason For Painful Itchy Rashes Near My Vulva?
Question: About 3 weeks ago I started to get a rash and sores on my inner thigh/vulva, not on the actual genitals, but very very close, and back towards the anal. The rash was itchy and painful. I went to the doctor and she said it was jock itch and gave me antifungal cream. After a few more days it did not get better and painful blisters started to appear. It just got more and more painfull so a few days later I went to another doctor. This doctor immediately said it was Herpes. They took a blood test and sent it in for all STD's including Herpes. All tests came back Negative including the IGG test for Herpes. He said the the IGM test would take a few days longer, and when it came back it came back postive. The doctor explained that the IGG was for previous exposure and the IGM was for recent exposure.
Here is what I don't understand: I have only slept with my boyfriend for the past 4 months before the rash appeared, and he does not have Herpes (100 percent sure, he got tested and it was negative). I tried to explain this to the doctor, but he reacted like he didn't believe me and concluded with that I have Herpes. How can I have herpes when the IGG was negative? Can I have been infected 4 months ago without it showing on the IGG? Someone suggested it to be shingles, and that the herpes zoster virus could turn out positive on a IGM test, is this correct? What could the rash have been??
The rash lasted for about 2 weeks from beginning to end, the blisters lasted for about 5 days and appeared about 4 days after the rash initially started. It was only on my right side. It was very painful to go to the bathroom, not to pee in itself, but when the pee hit the soar it was very painful. The rash and blisters were very painful in general. Tea Tree Oil seemed to make it better. I can also mention this was a very stressfull time in my life. I also seem to have a weak immune system since I do get sick a lot (colds, flues etc).
Thank you
Here is what I don't understand: I have only slept with my boyfriend for the past 4 months before the rash appeared, and he does not have Herpes (100 percent sure, he got tested and it was negative). I tried to explain this to the doctor, but he reacted like he didn't believe me and concluded with that I have Herpes. How can I have herpes when the IGG was negative? Can I have been infected 4 months ago without it showing on the IGG? Someone suggested it to be shingles, and that the herpes zoster virus could turn out positive on a IGM test, is this correct? What could the rash have been??
The rash lasted for about 2 weeks from beginning to end, the blisters lasted for about 5 days and appeared about 4 days after the rash initially started. It was only on my right side. It was very painful to go to the bathroom, not to pee in itself, but when the pee hit the soar it was very painful. The rash and blisters were very painful in general. Tea Tree Oil seemed to make it better. I can also mention this was a very stressfull time in my life. I also seem to have a weak immune system since I do get sick a lot (colds, flues etc).
Thank you
Hello Solomartine,
Thanks for the query.
The description that you give is consistent with Herpetic lesions. Now the question is whether it was Herpes simplex or Herpes zoster (shingles).
In my opinion it is Herpes Zoster, as the blisters were very painful, occured only on the right side and were not present on the genitals and that your boyfriend does not have genital herpes. IgG and IgM antibodies are very non-specific and do not hold any value in the diagnosis.
Do you remember getting Chicken pox when you were young?
If yes, the chances of Herpes Zoster are high.
Just relax now. The episode is over. Herpes Zoster does not recur. The pain may last a little longer but gradually comes down.
All the best and wish you good health.
Thanks for the query.
The description that you give is consistent with Herpetic lesions. Now the question is whether it was Herpes simplex or Herpes zoster (shingles).
In my opinion it is Herpes Zoster, as the blisters were very painful, occured only on the right side and were not present on the genitals and that your boyfriend does not have genital herpes. IgG and IgM antibodies are very non-specific and do not hold any value in the diagnosis.
Do you remember getting Chicken pox when you were young?
If yes, the chances of Herpes Zoster are high.
Just relax now. The episode is over. Herpes Zoster does not recur. The pain may last a little longer but gradually comes down.
All the best and wish you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you so much Dr. XXXXXXX
Yes, I did have Chicken pox when I was 3 years old.
I suggested Herpes zoster (shingles) to my doctor (since the genital herpes diagnosis doesn't really add up to me concidering my boyfriend does not have herpes and the doctor explained the IgM was a test for recent exposure) but he "didn't want to listen", and just said that it was a very uncommon for shingles to occur in that area were my rash was and just concluded again that it was Herpes.
So, it is not possible that I got infected with genital herpes from before (more than 4 months before the outbreak) and then for the IgG to turn out negative, right?
Thank you!
Yes, I did have Chicken pox when I was 3 years old.
I suggested Herpes zoster (shingles) to my doctor (since the genital herpes diagnosis doesn't really add up to me concidering my boyfriend does not have herpes and the doctor explained the IgM was a test for recent exposure) but he "didn't want to listen", and just said that it was a very uncommon for shingles to occur in that area were my rash was and just concluded again that it was Herpes.
So, it is not possible that I got infected with genital herpes from before (more than 4 months before the outbreak) and then for the IgG to turn out negative, right?
Thank you!
Hi and thanks again,
Yes, the possibility of acquiring herpes 4 months back is highly unlikely as its gestation period is not that long.
Secondly, the site you mentioned is not for herpes simplex, you see the name is GENITAL herpes.
IgG and IgM tests are very unreliable.
So no reason to worry.
Cheers!
Yes, the possibility of acquiring herpes 4 months back is highly unlikely as its gestation period is not that long.
Secondly, the site you mentioned is not for herpes simplex, you see the name is GENITAL herpes.
IgG and IgM tests are very unreliable.
So no reason to worry.
Cheers!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Ok, thank you!
What do you mean by : "Secondly, the site you mentioned is not for herpes simplex, you see the name is GENITAL herpes."
What site are you talking about? I didn't understand..
What do you mean by : "Secondly, the site you mentioned is not for herpes simplex, you see the name is GENITAL herpes."
What site are you talking about? I didn't understand..
I mean, when you did not have the rash on your genitals, how can you have genital herpes. So it must have been herpes zoster (shingles) only
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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