help

[samantha]

i think my ex boyfriend gave me herpes but he wont admit it. he was cheating so he might not know that he has herpes but he said he used condoms. he might be lying. Anyways, for about three weeks now i have had ongoing symptoms starting with leg pain and pain in my but and thighs. the pain in my but and thighs lasted about a week. it was like a shooting pain. my lymph nodes in groin have been swollen for about three weeks and the side of one of my leg has a tighting pain. i just noticed today some small bumps around the opening of my vagina. they are red and feel hard. i went to planned parenthood two and a half weeks ago and she said it did not sound like herpes but i did not have the bumps when i went. they just appeared today. they haven't blistered or anything and i have not had a fever or any other flu symptoms. does it sound like i have herpes. i don't want to go back to planned parenthood and look like a nuerotic lunatic. am i just paranoid or does it sound like a possible herpes case.

[Palomita]

Hi, Samantha

How are you feeling today?

I wish I'd seen this sooner - it's important for you to get the bumps looked at as soon as possible if you want to know for sure. They can do a swab test and actually see if there's virus present now. If you don't get a swab test you can go back and get a blood test, but that won't be conclusive for 8-12 weeks. It takes that long for the antibodies to show up.

Don't worry about what they think of you at the clinic - this is your health! And if you have symptoms you think might be HSV you kind of are obligated ethically in my opinion to find out. By your description I can't say I have an opinion whether it is or isn't, but I can tell you that even if your bf used a condom he still may have contracted it (condoms don't cover everything) and he should be tested too. So many men spread it that way - they get it, don't have symptoms, pass it to the next girl who suffers.