HERPES

Western Blot

Dear Dr. Rob:

I have had what looks like and has all the symptoms of genital herpes since the eighties. I have never been diagnosed as having it. My urologist wanted me to come back at the onset of another outbreak, and I never did. My recurrent outbreaks were almost nonexistent but in later years I would have one a year or so. Recently I have had 3 outbreaks one after the other, but I haven’t experienced the typical lesions or blisters. Instead, the entire shaft, starting at the base, will turn red and become swollen over a period of about a week. The skin starts to flake off and the skin will start cracking or breaking open. I have the terrible flu symptoms like before, but this seems to be something new. Can the virus mutate? I really need to get the blood test called the Western Blot I suppose.
 

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Dr. Rob’s Response:

Dear Poster Who has Not Been Diagnosed:

Your recent symptoms do not sound like Herpes Type 2. but as it can be present in many different ways, I cannot state this with certainty. I would strongly suggest that you have the Herpes Select Test done. You may have had the Western Blot, but the Herpes Select Test will tell you if it is Type 1 or 2 or both and at the same time I would have an STD workup done to assure that there is not another lesion occurring. 

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