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Help Our Community Answer Your Questions Better By Including In Your Post: Gender, Have You Been Tested For An STD Yet?
Type Of STD Tests and Results? Any Medications To Control Your STD?
Help Our Community Answer Your Questions Better By Including In Your Post: Gender, Have You Been Tested For An STD Yet?
Type Of STD Tests and Results? Any Medications To Control Your STD?
Do I or don't I have herpes?
goodie70 posted:
In January of 2012, I tested positive for genital herpes by visual exam of doctor and classic flu-like symptoms and painful blisters. A swab was not done, but a blood test was, and it came back negative. The doctor said it was because the virus hadn't been in my body long enough to show positive. I decided to go on generic Valtrex and have been taking it for a year, and haven't had another attack. In January of 2013, exactly a year later, I decided to take another blood test, and it still came back negative. My gynocologist said this means I do not have herpes, but my PCP who originally diagnosed it said the Valtrex suppressed the virus enough to show negative. However, I had wondered that myself, so I had already asked my gyno that question, and he said no, that wouldn't happen. Now I'm really confused. My PCP said the only way to know for sure is to go off the Valtrex and see if I have another attack, but I don't want to do that because if I really do have herpes, I don't want to pass it to my boyfriend. He knows I have it (or at least I thought I did), and he accepted it and said if he gets it, he just gets it, that's all. Still, if it's the Valtrex that's protecting him, I hate to test it. But even the generic is expensive, so it's tempting to go off it and see what happens. Does anyone know which doctor is right?
14 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?In January of 2012, I tested positive for genital herpes by visual exam of doctor and classic flu-like symptoms and painful blisters. A swab was not done, but a blood test was, and it came back negative. The doctor said it was because the virus hadn't been in my body long enough to show positive. I decided to go on generic Valtrex and have been taking it for a year, and haven't had another attack. In January of 2013, exactly a year later, I decided to take another blood test, and it still came back negative. My gynocologist said this means I do not have herpes, but my PCP who originally diagnosed it said the Valtrex suppressed the virus enough to show negative. However, I had wondered that myself, so I had already asked my gyno that question, and he said no, that wouldn't happen. Now I'm really confused. My PCP said the only way to know for sure is to go off the Valtrex and see if I have another attack, but I don't want to do that because if I really do have herpes, I don't want to pass it to my boyfriend. He knows I have it (or at least I thought I did), and he accepted it and said if he gets it, he just gets it, that's all. Still, if it's the Valtrex that's protecting him, I hate to test it. But even the generic is expensive, so it's tempting to go off it and see what happens. Does anyone know which doctor is right?
abe648 responded:
Your PCP is correct in that you should not be on an suppressive therapy when you test. I do not know how long you have to be off it but you should be off it to get a proper test. If you do a type specfic igg blood test for HSV 1 & 2 and it comes back negative then get a Western Blot if you really want to be sure what your status is. Or
Read the items in my signature line to learn more.
Read the items in my signature line to learn more.
Abe ... Read more in the Herpes Handbook. Watch the Herpes Video and Terri Warren's book The Good News about the Bad News. All located under the heading Herpes at http://www.westoverheights.com/
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?Your PCP is correct in that you should not be on an suppressive therapy when you test. I do not know how long you have to be off it but you should be off it to get a proper test. If you do a type specfic igg blood test for HSV 1 & 2 and it comes back negative then get a Western Blot if you really want to be sure what your status is. Or <br /> <br />Read the items in my signature line to learn more.
goodie70 responded:
Thank you, Abe. That's not what I wanted to hear, but the truth is the truth and I'm glad to get an honest answer. I will check out the website you mentioned, and thanks for the info about the Western Blot.
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?Thank you, Abe. That's not what I wanted to hear, but the truth is the truth and I'm glad to get an honest answer. I will check out the website you mentioned, and thanks for the info about the Western Blot.
If you want the best answer then go for the Westerm Blot as it will give the correct answer with only one test if you hav health coverages to pay for it.
PS your partner should get a type specific igg blood test for HSV 1 & 2 so they know their status,
PS your partner should get a type specific igg blood test for HSV 1 & 2 so they know their status,
Abe ... Read more in the Herpes Handbook. Watch the Herpes Video and Terri Warren's book The Good News about the Bad News. All located under the heading Herpes at http://www.westoverheights.com/
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?If you want the best answer then go for the Westerm Blot as it will give the correct answer with only one test if you hav health coverages to pay for it. <br /> <br />PS your partner should get a type specific igg blood test for HSV 1 & 2 so they know their status,
audiegirl responded:
I had a very similar experience. The man that I was dating had oral sex on me, and apparently he was at the tail end of a herpes sore on his lip. Around 3 days later I developed the painful blisters.
I went to see my doc, and he said it looked like herpes. We didn't do a blood test at the time as I had no insurance. Several months later (9 or so) I went and had the full battery of STD testing, certain that my type-specific herpes would come back positive (as my doc explained, it would have been type I because that is what his was, however, all tests came back negative. I did not have antibodies for either type I or II. I have not taken a single supressive medication and have never had another outbreak. It has been over 3 years now.
My doctor thinks it is very likely that what I had was a shingles outbreak in a very unfortunate location. It is in fact not common but does indeed happen.
Keep your head up. Chances are you do NOT have it. Get off the meds and get retested.
I went to see my doc, and he said it looked like herpes. We didn't do a blood test at the time as I had no insurance. Several months later (9 or so) I went and had the full battery of STD testing, certain that my type-specific herpes would come back positive (as my doc explained, it would have been type I because that is what his was, however, all tests came back negative. I did not have antibodies for either type I or II. I have not taken a single supressive medication and have never had another outbreak. It has been over 3 years now.
My doctor thinks it is very likely that what I had was a shingles outbreak in a very unfortunate location. It is in fact not common but does indeed happen.
Keep your head up. Chances are you do NOT have it. Get off the meds and get retested.
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?I had a very similar experience. The man that I was dating had oral sex on me, and apparently he was at the tail end of a herpes sore on his lip. Around 3 days later I developed the painful blisters. <br />I went to see my doc, and he said it looked like herpes. We didn't do a blood test at the time as I had no insurance. Several months later (9 or so) I went and had the full battery of STD testing, certain that my type-specific herpes would come back positive (as my doc explained, it would have been type I because that is what his was, however, all tests came back negative. I did not have antibodies for either type I or II. I have not taken a single supressive medication and have never had another outbreak. It has been over 3 years now. <br />My doctor thinks it is very likely that what I had was a shingles outbreak in a very unfortunate location. It is in fact not common but does indeed happen. <br />Keep your head up. Chances are you do NOT have it. Get off the meds and get retested.
Let us know whatr the end ressult is by replying in this post. Click on the Tiger and see what the rate of Transmission is for Female to Male. It is not really high. If you have partner than the parttner should get a type specific igg blood test to see what thier status is. Get them to ask for a copy of the numeric test results and post them here as well so someone can confirm for you what their status is.
Abe ... Read more in the Herpes Handbook. Watch the Herpes Video and Terri Warren's book The Good News about the Bad News. All located under the heading Herpes at http://www.westoverheights.com/
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?Let us know whatr the end ressult is by replying in this post. Click on the Tiger and see what the rate of Transmission is for Female to Male. It is not really high. If you have partner than the parttner should get a type specific igg blood test to see what thier status is. Get them to ask for a copy of the numeric test results and post them here as well so someone can confirm for you what their status is.
Kmilla responded:
It is very possible that the outbreak your pcp saw was not herpes but something is the same family, like varicella. They often test positve for herpes when cultured but that is because the species are,very closely related. Your gyno is correct. If you were negative for type 1&2 and had bot and IgG and IgM done then you do not have herpes, whether you were on suppressives or not. Ask to be tested for the Western blot to verify. Youn an also speak to your gyno about being tested for VZV.
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?It is very possible that the outbreak your pcp saw was not herpes but something is the same family, like varicella. They often test positve for herpes when cultured but that is because the species are,very closely related. Your gyno is correct. If you were negative for type 1&2 and had bot and IgG and IgM done then you do not have herpes, whether you were on suppressives or not. Ask to be tested for the Western blot to verify. Youn an also speak to your gyno about being tested for VZV.
Thank you, Kmilla, Audiegirl and Abe. I am going to take your advice and get the Western Blot done. My boyfriend will be leaving the first of April to go back to his home state, and I will be going up there in June or July for a few months. So I will have 2 or 3 months to be off the anti-viral and see what happens, and also to get the Western Blot done. I have thought about only using Valtrex on an as-needed basis (if it's ever needed) instead of continually because I've heard that I can build up a resistance to it, and when that happens I can have a full-blown awful attack, assuming I do have herpes. Or maybe nothing at all will happen, hopefully. I will look into the varicella also. The tests I had done exactly one year apart were for Type 1 and 2, both negative, and testing was IgG specific Ab. A urine culture was also done on the first test, which was Routine; HSV, IgM I/II. I don't understand the actual readings, but I can post them if anybody else does.
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?Thank you, Kmilla, Audiegirl and Abe. I am going to take your advice and get the Western Blot done. My boyfriend will be leaving the first of April to go back to his home state, and I will be going up there in June or July for a few months. So I will have 2 or 3 months to be off the anti-viral and see what happens, and also to get the Western Blot done. I have thought about only using Valtrex on an as-needed basis (if it's ever needed) instead of continually because I've heard that I can build up a resistance to it, and when that happens I can have a full-blown awful attack, assuming I do have herpes. Or maybe nothing at all will happen, hopefully. I will look into the varicella also. The tests I had done exactly one year apart were for Type 1 and 2, both negative, and testing was IgG specific Ab. A urine culture was also done on the first test, which was Routine; HSV, IgM I/II. I don't understand the actual readings, but I can post them if anybody else does.
IgM Testng is not an accurate test to tell you if you have HSV 1 & 2. As noted please get a "type specfic igg blood est for HSV 1 & 2 or get the Western Blot test to know your status.
Abe ... Read more in the Herpes Handbook. Watch the Herpes Video and Terri Warren's book The Good News about the Bad News. All located under the heading Herpes at http://www.westoverheights.com/
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?IgM Testng is not an accurate test to tell you if you have HSV 1 & 2. As noted please get a "type specfic igg blood est for HSV 1 & 2 or get the Western Blot test to know your status.
Abe, the blood tests one year apart were the IgG specific. It's the urine test that was different, and I don't even know why that was tested. This is what the two blood tests of 1/24/12 showed (HSV-1 and 2). The 1/24/13 test was for HSV-2 only, and was identical to the 1/24/12 test. I can't make the "less than" and "greater than" symbols in this format.
HSV 1 IgG, Type Spec - Result: less than 0.91
Negative: If less than 0.91
Equivical: If 0.91 - 1.09 (could be early infection)
Positive: If greater than 1.09
My result of less than 0.91 means I tested negative.
The HSV 2 reading was also less than 0.91, both years.
HSV 1 IgG, Type Spec - Result: less than 0.91
Negative: If less than 0.91
Equivical: If 0.91 - 1.09 (could be early infection)
Positive: If greater than 1.09
My result of less than 0.91 means I tested negative.
The HSV 2 reading was also less than 0.91, both years.
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?Abe, the blood tests one year apart were the IgG specific. It's the urine test that was different, and I don't even know why that was tested. This is what the two blood tests of 1/24/12 showed (HSV-1 and 2). The 1/24/13 test was for HSV-2 only, and was identical to the 1/24/12 test. I can't make the "less than" and "greater than" symbols in this format.<br /> <br />HSV 1 IgG, Type Spec - Result: less than 0.91<br />Negative: If less than 0.91<br />Equivical: If 0.91 - 1.09 (could be early infection)<br />Positive: If greater than 1.09<br /> <br />My result of less than 0.91 means I tested negative. <br /> <br />The HSV 2 reading was also less than 0.91, both years.
If both your HsV 1 & 2 results were less than 0.91 then you would be negative for both and you do not have herpes.
Abe ... Read more in the Herpes Handbook. Watch the Herpes Video and Terri Warren's book The Good News about the Bad News. All located under the heading Herpes at http://www.westoverheights.com/
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?If both your HsV 1 & 2 results were less than 0.91 then you would be negative for both and you do not have herpes.
That would be great news, Abe - and you don't think Valtrex could have suppressed the virus enough to make it test negative the second time?
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?That would be great news, Abe - and you don't think Valtrex could have suppressed the virus enough to make it test negative the second time?
If you are gpomg tp get a Westerm B;pt test tjem flow what ever they tell you. I do not know the answer for sure. If they tell you to go off of Valtrex then that is what you will have to do.
Abe ... Read more in the Herpes Handbook. Watch the Herpes Video and Terri Warren's book The Good News about the Bad News. All located under the heading Herpes at http://www.westoverheights.com/
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?If you are gpomg tp get a Westerm B;pt test tjem flow what ever they tell you. I do not know the answer for sure. If they tell you to go off of Valtrex then that is what you will have to do.
My first line in the last post should have read
If you are going to get a Western Blot test then follow what ever they tell you.
I looked at your initial post and you said that the Doc did a visual assesment that you had herpes. A visual assessment is wrong about 50% of the time.
I do not think you have herpes but I would get the Western Blot done to have piece of mind.
Let us know what the WB test results are if you get it done so if you are negative then we can all be happy for you.
God bless you and your guy.
Abe
If you are going to get a Western Blot test then follow what ever they tell you.
I looked at your initial post and you said that the Doc did a visual assesment that you had herpes. A visual assessment is wrong about 50% of the time.
I do not think you have herpes but I would get the Western Blot done to have piece of mind.
Let us know what the WB test results are if you get it done so if you are negative then we can all be happy for you.
God bless you and your guy.
Abe
Abe ... Read more in the Herpes Handbook. Watch the Herpes Video and Terri Warren's book The Good News about the Bad News. All located under the heading Herpes at http://www.westoverheights.com/
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?My first line in the last post should have read<br /> <br />If you are going to get a Western Blot test then follow what ever they tell you. <br /> <br /> I looked at your initial post and you said that the Doc did a visual assesment that you had herpes. A visual assessment is wrong about 50% of the time. <br /> <br />I do not think you have herpes but I would get the Western Blot done to have piece of mind. <br /> <br />Let us know what the WB test results are if you get it done so if you are negative then we can all be happy for you.<br />God bless you and your guy.<br />Abe
Thank you, Abe, and to all who gave me advice. It's so nice to know there are people who care enough to do that. I have a doctor appt. April 15th, and I'm going to ask if a Western Blot can be done at that time. I better find out if my insurance covers it first. In fact, maybe I'll try to schedule an appt. sooner for just that alone. In any case, I'll post the results here. I wonder if I'm eligible to go to the health dept. or whatever department does these tests, just in case my doctor or insurance won't authorize it. I'm on an HMO, so the PCP has a lot of say in what can be done. But I'm going to do my best to get the WB. Thanks again to everyone.
Report This| Share this:Do I or don't I have herpes?Thank you, Abe, and to all who gave me advice. It's so nice to know there are people who care enough to do that. I have a doctor appt. April 15th, and I'm going to ask if a Western Blot can be done at that time. I better find out if my insurance covers it first. In fact, maybe I'll try to schedule an appt. sooner for just that alone. In any case, I'll post the results here. I wonder if I'm eligible to go to the health dept. or whatever department does these tests, just in case my doctor or insurance won't authorize it. I'm on an HMO, so the PCP has a lot of say in what can be done. But I'm going to do my best to get the WB. Thanks again to everyone.
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