Aa
Are shingles related to herpes outbreaks?
I just recently got tested for all STD's and the Herpes 1 &2 came back positive from the Herpes Select IGG test. Herpes 1 was 3.93 and Herpes 2 was 2.03. Could the Herpes 2 be a false positive if below 3, I have never had a outbreak from either 1 or 2? How ever, I have had shingles on my lower back, right below my spinal cord, a small rash and my doctor prescribed Valtrex for 7 days. I had a shingles outbreak right before my antibodies testing. I was negative for all other STD's....Im just very unclear if the shingles can give me that postive for the herpes-2 or not.
Shingles and Herpes can be very similar to look at I too had Shingles prior to my HSV2 + diagnosis,like yourself I got a little rash on my lower back and thought it was a recurrance of the Shingles,when I went to the Doctor he simply looked at it said it was nothing to worry about and wrote a Prescription for Valtrex,which resulted in me not knowing for 2 years that I was HSV2+ ..... eventually I had a lesion cultured at the Hospital where I work because it kept re-appearing it was only then that it came to light that I had been HSV2+ since I first visited my Doctor ..... I was very angry ......
I find it quite disturbing that Doctors use visual diagnosis on rashes in areas that could potentially be Herpes and almost never do blood work or cultures to check for Herpes,they simply write a Prescription for Valtrex and leave it at that.
My advice to anyone worried by a rash in an area they think may be Genital Herpes is to go to a STD/GUM Clinic and have it checked out.
Clinics are very Professional and Confidential and they will be perfectly happy to discuss anything that may be causing worry
Daisy
I find it quite disturbing that Doctors use visual diagnosis on rashes in areas that could potentially be Herpes and almost never do blood work or cultures to check for Herpes,they simply write a Prescription for Valtrex and leave it at that.
My advice to anyone worried by a rash in an area they think may be Genital Herpes is to go to a STD/GUM Clinic and have it checked out.
Clinics are very Professional and Confidential and they will be perfectly happy to discuss anything that may be causing worry
Daisy
Thank you for the quick response. He visually looked at it and right away he said it was shingles and that was before my blood test. I am probably going to go back and talk with him and have a culture done. i have only had this on my back and that is it, never a cold sore nor on the genital area. My boyfriend of 3 years just received a letter from a unknown female that he had sex with in the last 5 years that she had HSV-1 and that he could possibly have both. He has never had any symptom or at least as far as I know and we live together.
Actually I'd be suspicious that what they called a shingles ob wasn't hsv2 to be honest. That's an area where genital herpes can occur in. Did they culture it or just give you a visual diagnosis of shingles?
If you doubt your hsv2 score, get a herpes western blot sent off. http://depts.washington.edu/rspvirus/herpes.htm has the info you and your provider need to know for sending it.
No - having a history of shingles, if you really did have shingles, wouldn't cause the false positive on the blood test.
grace
If you doubt your hsv2 score, get a herpes western blot sent off. http://depts.washington.edu/rspvirus/herpes.htm has the info you and your provider need to know for sending it.
No - having a history of shingles, if you really did have shingles, wouldn't cause the false positive on the blood test.
grace
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
