Confusing or Confused Doctor?

Here's some history on my situation: My ex and I dated exclusively for 10 months. 5 months after we broke up (and I was never with anyone after that, not even kissing) I got tested for herpes just to be safe. My IgM test came back positive but my IgG came back negative for HSV 1 and HSV 2.

I got back together with my ex and we stayed together for another 10 months (we did not have any other partners while we were broken up). 6 weeks ago we broke up and it happened to be time for my physical. So last Friday I asked to be tested for STDs just to be on the safe side again, but my ex and I never had any symptoms for herpes. My doctor calls me yesterday morning and tells me that I have been recently exposed and am positive for both Herpes type 1 and 2 and that I will need to get retested in 6 months to see if my body fights the infection (I didn't know that was possible for herpes....). I was devastated.
So today I get a call from my doctor again and she starts telling me my results again...apparently she had forgotten she had talked to me the day before, but this time what she said was different! She told me I tested positive for recent exposure to herpes type 1 (for sure) and that she didn't know if I have type 2 yet because it is an IGM test and she can't tell. I am starting to think this doctor is unreliable...do you think there is a chance that this is a false positive since I have gotten one before? Since it has been 6 weeks since I have been with my ex should I get an IgG specific test somewhere else? I am afraid to have hope only to be crushed later...

[martikadragoon]

Do you get cold sores?   if so then you do have type 2. it's something that most ppl don't attribute to "herpes" but that's what cold sores (fever blisters) are.

Since you were exposed to HSV1 you need to keep an eye out for any outbreaks. I also didn't realize that the body can "fight" the infection. Herpes isn't something there is a cure for, only treatments. The doctor shouldve done a check to make sure you've got no outbreaks.

[sunnyone22]

Yeah this doctor sounds unreliable.  As far as I know, once you have herpes you have it, your body doesn't fight it off...I mean it fights it but you still have it in your body.  

I would definitely go to another doctor for a second opinion and get another blood test done by her.  Make sure they can do typing...because maybe the test could be testing positive for herpes causing cold sores?

Also, why not get him tested if you can?

[eatingmypsyche]

Definitely confused doctor!!

what she said is wrong on alot of places. See a new doctor, IgM is unreliable and maybe you dont have this!

Good luck.

[ill_at_ease]

No I have never had cold sores either.

[gracefromHHP]

unfortunately your provider isn't as well versed on the herpes blood tests as they need to be.

Your recent exposure blood tests are the igm blood tests. they are highly inaccurate and also not type specific.  http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Confusiion-over-other-IgM-Herpes-posts/show/248394  is a terrific former post by HHH on why the herpes igm tests are greatly flawed and shouldn't be used on adults to diagnose newly acquired herpes infections.

The igg blood test is the test result to pay attention to. Hsv1 is incredibly common and even though your 1st blood test was negative for hsv1, not real easy to figure out if you recently contracted hsv1 since then or not. most adults do test + for hsv1 and most who have it don't get obvious cold sores to know it.

At this point your best option is to talk to your ex bf about this. Let him know about your testing issues and ask him if he could get tested and share his results with you so that you can determine if you need additional follow up testing done or not for hsv2.  If you parted on terms that make the likelihood of his cooperating ( or would make discussing this a danger to you ), then just scrap that part and repeat your own igg blood testing 3 or 4 months after the last time you had sex with him.

grace

[ill_at_ease]

Thanks you I will definitely follow your advice. I am able to cope somewhat better. Either way I'll just have to accept what happens.

[ill_at_ease]

I got a copy of my test results from my physical and noticed that she had indeed done an Igg test:

HSV IGM ANTIBODIES = DETECTED
HSV 1 IGG 3.23
HSV 2 IGG 0.16

Since I tested negative to HSV 1 last year and it has been 6 weeks after any possible exposure since I took this test, can I say that it is likely the HSV 1 antibodies that are making the IGM "detected"? I will get retested in another 6 weeks to be sure but do you think that this negative HSV 2 should ease my mind a bit? Is it likely that my HSV IGG test will remain negative since I got tested 6 weeks after possible exposure?

[gracefromHHP]

odds are in your favor that you really don't have hsv2.