Did I give my partner herpes?

[utier93]

Hi,

Two years before my current partner I ended a relationship with my first partner ever.  I worried about STD infection and was tested five times, the last test being done at 9 months post the last possible exposure.  All tests were negative for type I and type II.

A month or two after dating my current partner, before having sex, I got what I assumed to be a coldsore on the inside of my lip following a period of  small mouth sores two weeks prior to the coldsore.  

About 4 months into our relationship we began having sex.  After the second time, she acquired what she thought was a UTI, and went to the doctor who diagnosed it as a UTI.  A week later, after having sex again, she had a red irritated patch of skin on her vagina about a day after sex (thursday).  I attributed it to irritation since towards the end she got really dry, and it was even painfull for me so we stopped.  On Saturday (today) she noticed that a fluid filled blister has formed that she says is about the size of a quarter.

What could be going on? I clearly did not have any type of herpes before I met her, and MAY have acquired type I from her.  I have performed oral sex on her a couple of times, and she on me a few times too.  

What is happening here?

[gracefromHHP]

It's very unlikely to be herpes going on in this situation.

grace

[utier93]

FINAL UPDATE

She got the results back from her type specific IgG tests and was negative for both types, meaning she definitely didn't have mouth herpes  before she met me.

So- She originally got a culture and IgM test done, the culture coming back negative and the IgM test coming back with an equivocal result.

Then the blood tests were negative, but she only got them like 2 weeks after her symptoms appeared.  Her symptoms were - red irritated patch Thursday morning after rough sex Thursday night.  On Saturday morning she noticed a blister that she had cultured Monday morning and disappeared the following day.  The doc in the box said it was probably just a bacterial infection or something (she had had a UTI the week before).  

So, are we okay?  I'm thinking of getting another blood test next week to be sure.

[utier93]

Thanks Grace :P

Was hoping to put my overactive mind at ease since the lab she used is taking longer than they said to get her typed results back.

Have a great day.

[gracefromHHP]

It's typically hsv1 in situations like this.  At this point you'll just need to wait and see even though that's hard to do.

grace

[utier93]

P.S. I am only asking here because it'll be a few days before the Type results come back and my doctor isn't in as it's the weekend.  I figured you guys would have seen situations like mine before.

Thanks :P

[utier93]

Yes, I can say anxiety.  I went to a doctor and took paxil for a while, then quit because I tripped shrooms one day and it essentially cured my anxiety.

Estute as you are, you probably know that since the integrity of my previous test results has been compromised in my mind, I'm now worried about whether or not my HIV tests and other tests could be wrong.  Also, given the fact that the doctor told me repeatedly that I did not have herpes, and now my girlfriend has herpes after us having sex, I have doubts about the accuracy of the tests and feel like maybe that anxiety was well founded.  If I had been more anxious maybe my partner wouldn't have herpes, yea?

So, I was tested with appropriate tests- type specific IgG tests for 1 and 2.  They were all negative.  The last 2 were done at 7 and 9 months.  

WTF is going on with me?

[waringblender]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around someone getting 5 tests for STDs within a 9 month time period. Whew. Can you say anxiety?

[utier93]

UPDATE

She got a positive culture back from the lab, pending a type specific test to tell us what kind it is.  

Is it possible that all four of my herpes tests were wrong even though 2 of them were beyond 6 months?  If these were wrong then so could my other tests for HIV etc.  I am very upset about this.

My doctor said that he has seen couples where one person had HSV1 orally and gave it to the other person genitally through oral sex and then the second  person gave it back to the first person through regular sex.  Is that more likely than all my tests being wrong?

[gracefromHHP]

Sounds like she was seen by folks who aren't remotely up to date on herpes. She'll need to follow up on all of this with her obgyn to see if she can get proper testing done and better answers.

grace

[utier93]

She had a visual exam and the nurse practicioner at an emergency clinic (not exactly an expert on herpes) said it looked exactly like herpes and then did a culture and blood tests for other STD's.

The odd part is that when she told him my history and that I had been tested so many times he told her that I was lying because there's no such thing as a blood test for herpes...  This guy is definitely an idiot but he did say he'd seen herpes before working in the emergency room of a hospital... so I dunno.

I thought that you guys would have heard of situations like mine or whatever and could help me sort it out while I wait to talk to my own doctor who still hasn't called me back yet.

If no one has any theories then I suppose I'll just have to wait.

Thanks for you time though.

[gracefromHHP]

I'ts not likely that you had 5 blood tests be wrong. The exception being if you were wrongly tested for herpes each time - ie igm blood tests instead of igg or lesion cultures of normal skin.  

Did she have testing done or just a visual exam? She'll need to follow up on this from her end and you from yours.  At this point not much else this forum can offer you as far as answers unfortunately.

grace

[utier93]

No she has not.  I believe that she may have passed HSV-1 Oral infection along to me.  A few months after we had been seeing each other (only kissing, no sex or anything) I noticed that I had a lot of small painful spots on my mouth, not sores though.  Then a few weeks later I got what looked very much like a coldsore on the inside of my lower lip.  I assumed it was oral herpes, no biggy, and went on with my life.

Then, we started having sex.  A few days after the first time we had sex without a condom she developed a red irritated spot on her vulva, a blister formed and dissappeared after about 2-3 days, it was painfull, and the nurse practicioner she saw at the clinic said it looked very much like herpes, and went as far as to say he was almost certain it was.

I know as fact that she was a virgin before we started dating, so I am confused.

Could all 5 of my HSV type specific blood tests have been wrong?  Could I have contracted HSV1 orally or genitally (or both, which would suck) and then passed it to her vagina via intercourse or oral sex?

[gracefromHHP]

Has your current partner ever been tested for herpes before herself to know her status?

grace

[utier93]

UPDATE

My girlfriend went to the student health clinic and the nurse practicioner said it looked like herpes, but did a culture swab and full STD blood panel to be sure.

I do not understand, how could this have happened when I was tested negatively so many times and waitied the appropriate amount of time to be tested?

Are those tests ********?

[waringblender]

Who knows? Let the provider figure it out.

[utier93]

She is going to the doctor at 8:00 AM on Monday, the doctor is closed on weekends.  I just wanted to see if anyone had any insight on what could be going on.  

It doesn't seem plausible that it could be herpes being that I was tested five times the last being 9 months post only other possible exposure.  As such, what seems plausible?

Could she have Vulvitis or something from regular bacteria or whatever causes UTI's?

[waringblender]

Has she seen her health care provider? Any blisters or sores should be shown IMMEDIATELY to a provider who can then culture them and find out what actually is going on.

We here out in the intertubes can't diagnose your girlfriend, for pete sake. She needs to see a health care professional.