Do i have herpes?

Hello Doctor

I am a regular reader of you forum. Now what brings me to write you my query is that i am in deep  trauma of wether i have herpes or not . Around 6 months back i developed a sore like thing on  the inside of my lower lip. i immediatley saw a doctor at an emergency care, by just  seeing me  for less than 2 minutes , he told me i had  herpes.

I dnt know if that doctor was a STD specialist  or  skin specialist. But that mere 2 minutes have changed my life for ever  now. I waited another 1 month and got my  test done for HSV1 and HSV2 , which came out to be negative.

I showed that report to  over 5 docotrs which said i did not had  it . I again did test after 3 month . Result-NEGATIVE
I again conculted docotrs and they said. I dnt have herpes anywhere.

I returned US and this thing  kept bothering me. I again tested for cold sore  and the result was negative again. I havent seen that sore again till now. All the time  i had gone for blood test , u call them IGG and IGM.

So please enlighten  me so that i can live through the horror.

1 .  Do i have herpes( cold sores)

2. If yes why  hasent it showed even after 5 months  in my last  test result?

3. Some people say that blood test are not good even after 5 months of possible exposure ?

4.Is the antibody test enough to deal wiht my case , as i  have  no  lessions on my lips?

Thank you
Your opinion would really help my future.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

First of all, it would hardly be a "horror" even if you had a herpes cold sore on your lip.  But more important, it doesn't appear that you have it at all.  A positive herpes blood test for herpes Type 1 (the kind that causes lie cold sores) doesn't mean much, but a negative test means a lot--it means that you don't have herpes.  Period.  Besides which, herpes appears at the outside border of the lip.  Sores on the inside of the lip are usually canker sores, which aren't herpes.  You really need to get hold of yourself.  Please confirm what I'm suggesting with a skin doctor seen in person.

Thank you.

Dr. Rockoff

[willy851]

If you tested negative then you are most likely negative.
Did you know that over 80% of the population has the virus that causes cold sores. The vast majority don't even know it.
You're obsessing over nothing. Even if you had it, which you don't, It's no big deal. The sores will go away in a few days and after a few months you might never see them again in your life.
By thinking about it you're possibly causing irregular manifestations of your skin. Stress and anxiety can cause all kinds of problems.

[worried2428]

Hello Willy

Thanks for your kind advice. Actualy the  horror  just came  out within me  as to what i am gonna do if i had  herpes... I mean how  i am gonna tell my  Would be wife  ..

But i am now relived that may be  i have had acne all my  life , some  may  appear near lip or otherwise my reports  confirm  that i  do not  have this  virus.

But thanks  man,  i  am really pacified by your  and Dr rockoff opinion.

[worried2428]

Hello Willy

Thanks for your kind advice. Actualy the  horror  just came  out within me  as to what i am gonna do if i had  herpes... I mean how  i am gonna tell my  Would be wife  ..

But i am now relived that may be  i have had acne all my  life , some  may  appear near lip or otherwise my reports  confirm  that i  do not  have this  virus.

But thanks  man,  i  am really pacified by your  and Dr rockoff opinion.