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Confusion over Herpes test and Dr. prognosis
by UberConfused09, May 13, 2009 02:53PM
I've been reading the posts on this board for a few weeks, and want to say thank you to everyone who participates, its been an invaluable tool during this period in my life. You're posts and replies have been amazing!
So now my story: I've had oral herpes (HSV-1, most likely) since I was very young (back in grade school) and over time the frequency of outbreaks has diminished to down to one maybe every other year or so. My last outbreak was around the start of April of this year and was relatively minor, lasting about 5 days, and was discovered when I accidentally cut it open while shaving.
Towards the end of April around the 23rd, I had unprotected sex with a new partner who had an STD screen about two weeks prior from her Gyn. and was given a clean bill of health (she says, I did not see the results firsthand). Prior to her and I being together, I shaved my genitals and may have used the same razor cartridge as the one that cut open the oral herpes sore. While shaving, I nicked myself in two spots on opposite sides of the shaft of my penis, relatively minor but enough to draw blood.
On or around April 28th or 29th, I noticed two small bumps which I thought were ingrown hairs exactly where I had previously shaved. So I poked around in them gently, tweezed the hair out, and went on with my life. By May 1st, those bumps had turned into small ulcers that caused minor pain and itching. Finally on May 6th, after days searching around the internet, I took myself to a walk-in clinic to get examined. I explained the symptoms to Dr. M, who looked at me and said, "It looks like Herpes Simplex Virus" and proceeded to do two culture swabs as well as sent me for a blood test the same day for a full STD test, but did not prescribe any medication pending the lab results. The herpes test was IgM and IgG (more on this later) and a culture swab. My partner also made an appointment to get another full STD test, including Herpes.
So after a week of waiting anxiously, I went back to the clinic today to get the test results. A different doctor at the clinic (not Dr. M. who thought it looked like herpes) read the results to me and said, "Well I have good news, you came back negative for Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and HIV, and your test just shows you've once been exposed in the past to herpes. As long as you're not having any symptoms now, you're fine and have nothing to worry about." I mentioned I did have current symptoms, but he said "You'll be fine." I breathed a sigh of relief, and felt like the weight of the world had been taken off my shoulders. But, being armed with the knowledge I learned from this board, I made sure to get a copy of the test results for my own piece of mind and medical records.
Once I get home, I looked over the test and my short-lived piece of mind turned a hard left into outright confusion. I was negative on all the other STD tests, but here's the part that shocked and confused me:
Herpes I&II: IgG (a) 1.56
Herpes I&II: IgM (a) 1.53
According to the test results BOTH of those scores are well above the 1.10 IV that results in a positive (I am somewhat familiar with the unreliability of the IgM test from reading this board).
The final marker came when I looked at the culture swab: Culture POSITIVE for HERPES SIMPLEX Virus.
Needless to say, my questions quadrupled in a matter of seconds. By reading those test results, from what I've learned through here, would without fail indicate herpes. Correct?
So, I am absolutely confused right about now, and plan to first go try to talk to the first walk-in doctor (Dr. M) and have him review the results and give me his diagnosis, as well as seeking out a 2nd opinion from a different clinic by showing them the first test results. I find it hard to believe that BOTH tests AND the culture swab came back positive and I'm clean.
And now my questions: How can I tell if its HSV-1 or HSV-2 down there? From the tests? Should I demand a Herpes Select test? Should I ask for an antiviral medication from the Dr. based on the test results? Could I have auto-inoculated myself through the razor or could I have gotten it from my partner? Any additional advice on how to proceed would be very, very, VERY appreciated!
So now my story: I've had oral herpes (HSV-1, most likely) since I was very young (back in grade school) and over time the frequency of outbreaks has diminished to down to one maybe every other year or so. My last outbreak was around the start of April of this year and was relatively minor, lasting about 5 days, and was discovered when I accidentally cut it open while shaving.
Towards the end of April around the 23rd, I had unprotected sex with a new partner who had an STD screen about two weeks prior from her Gyn. and was given a clean bill of health (she says, I did not see the results firsthand). Prior to her and I being together, I shaved my genitals and may have used the same razor cartridge as the one that cut open the oral herpes sore. While shaving, I nicked myself in two spots on opposite sides of the shaft of my penis, relatively minor but enough to draw blood.
On or around April 28th or 29th, I noticed two small bumps which I thought were ingrown hairs exactly where I had previously shaved. So I poked around in them gently, tweezed the hair out, and went on with my life. By May 1st, those bumps had turned into small ulcers that caused minor pain and itching. Finally on May 6th, after days searching around the internet, I took myself to a walk-in clinic to get examined. I explained the symptoms to Dr. M, who looked at me and said, "It looks like Herpes Simplex Virus" and proceeded to do two culture swabs as well as sent me for a blood test the same day for a full STD test, but did not prescribe any medication pending the lab results. The herpes test was IgM and IgG (more on this later) and a culture swab. My partner also made an appointment to get another full STD test, including Herpes.
So after a week of waiting anxiously, I went back to the clinic today to get the test results. A different doctor at the clinic (not Dr. M. who thought it looked like herpes) read the results to me and said, "Well I have good news, you came back negative for Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and HIV, and your test just shows you've once been exposed in the past to herpes. As long as you're not having any symptoms now, you're fine and have nothing to worry about." I mentioned I did have current symptoms, but he said "You'll be fine." I breathed a sigh of relief, and felt like the weight of the world had been taken off my shoulders. But, being armed with the knowledge I learned from this board, I made sure to get a copy of the test results for my own piece of mind and medical records.
Once I get home, I looked over the test and my short-lived piece of mind turned a hard left into outright confusion. I was negative on all the other STD tests, but here's the part that shocked and confused me:
Herpes I&II: IgG (a) 1.56
Herpes I&II: IgM (a) 1.53
According to the test results BOTH of those scores are well above the 1.10 IV that results in a positive (I am somewhat familiar with the unreliability of the IgM test from reading this board).
The final marker came when I looked at the culture swab: Culture POSITIVE for HERPES SIMPLEX Virus.
Needless to say, my questions quadrupled in a matter of seconds. By reading those test results, from what I've learned through here, would without fail indicate herpes. Correct?
So, I am absolutely confused right about now, and plan to first go try to talk to the first walk-in doctor (Dr. M) and have him review the results and give me his diagnosis, as well as seeking out a 2nd opinion from a different clinic by showing them the first test results. I find it hard to believe that BOTH tests AND the culture swab came back positive and I'm clean.
And now my questions: How can I tell if its HSV-1 or HSV-2 down there? From the tests? Should I demand a Herpes Select test? Should I ask for an antiviral medication from the Dr. based on the test results? Could I have auto-inoculated myself through the razor or could I have gotten it from my partner? Any additional advice on how to proceed would be very, very, VERY appreciated!
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I'm not particularly good with numbers and what they mean as far as tests are concerned and I hope Grace or Jess will pick up this thread and give you better insight into what the test results actually mean.
It's my personal belief that you either have HSV or you don't I can't truthfully say I've looked very far into the meaning of figures in tests.... I'm just a plain + or - person I'm afraid .....
I hope you will get more constructive help on this than I can give .....
Daisy
As far as the blood tests, they just say "HSV I&II" then the results from the IgG and IgM tests. I'm not sure how to read it for either type 1 or 2, or if it was for both, or what. I'm also curious how a doctor could read the same results I did and say "you'll be fine." Maybe I'm just paranoid, but his declaration of "You're absolutely fine" with the positives doesn't seem to match up. Maybe I'm wrong?