Freaking out, am I crazy
What were your inital symptoms, when, and where?
I am male had sex about 72 hrs ago with a woman.
We used a condom but it didn't cover all the way down my penis.
She was on top and was very rough in grinding herself on me, her groin to mine.
I don't know that she had herpes but she is promiscuous and I'm worried.
20 minutes after sex I showered and doused my groin with methylated spirit.
The next morning I had my second dose of the Gardasil 9 vaccine (I had the first dose some time ago and needed to go back, so thought now is as good a time as any). I think I got some side effects from the vaccine last night - a very slight fever, joint aches, and a swollen lymph node under the arm that I got the vaccine in. I know Gardasil 9 is for hpv, not hsv a totally different thing, btw. Just mentioning the vaccine for context.
From the next day I had irritation/tingling/burning around the uncovered areas.
Today, three days later, I'm still feeling discomfort but now it feels more random. Little tingles on my scrotum, in random spots on my penis, occasionally in other parts of my body. I feel some slight itchiness or random tingles/burning, even in areas where there would not have rubbing, like where my leg meets my pubic area and the middle and lower part of my scrotum.
In my head I am very fearful of herpes and I'm freaking out based on reading about initial symptoms of burning/tingling before the sores.
Can someone describe the sensations for me please so I know if to ready myself or if I'm freaking out over nothing?
It's 3 days so I thought the irritation from friction should be gone. I don't know what I'm feeling.
Help please.
Posted Sep 25, 2026, 10:57 PM UTC