Final thoughts: Herpes Testing Dilemma

[downthecoast]

Hey everyone--

So I have tested neg for all common stds recently, except for herpes-- i have not taken any tests for it yet.

And it's slowly driving me crazy--

My big question-- I've only had three partners in my life, I'm 21  male straight non-idu-- the only "high risk" encounter being a brief unprotected one night stand with a co worker... aren't the infection rates per exposure low for this? She told me she was "clean" but because of the nature of the encounter and us not taking anymore... it has slowly crept into my mind.

I do not have any symptoms other than some recent "Rawness" behind my penis after sex that goes away... could this be from too much friction/sexual irritation? It's behind the head, kinda by the strip of skin that runs down directly from the urethra. No other symptoms present.

Should I test? I have a read a lot of articles, even here, that have made me "doubt" getting tested will help... and that I should just watch myself and hope for the best. "Please figure out what you'll do exactly with your test result..." is what I read often, and it made me double think the whole thing considering that 1/5 has hsv1 or 2.

Any thoughts? I think I might just have neurosis... I'm starting to get nightmares. I talked to my doctor about this briefly, and she suggested mental therapy if this bothers me anymore. "I could give you a full $10,000 month long cardio test on your heart if you wanted "just to check," but what's the point? Just because you're curious? Nervous"? It put a lot of this into perspective for me... and I wonder if I'm possibly going crazy.

Thank you for your time. I hope you're well.

[gracefromHHP]

I'm a fan of everyone getting tested periodically for herpes to see what their status is. That said - it's not likely you have hsv2 but you could. The choice is totally up to you.  To me if you are getting nightmare's about this then it's worth a lousy $100 or less to get a type specific herpes igg blood test.

The raw spot you mentioned could be anything from friction to even a fungal infection.

grace

[downthecoast]

...so am i just blowing this out of proportion?

I've tried to find a clinic that will give me a herpes test... but they all said either they don't offer it or that its on a "symptom" basis. It's frustrating but somewhat sobering.

Only one potential brief exposure, hard to get tested, no obvious symptoms...?

Sigh.

[gracefromHHP]

You are in california - plenty of draw stations at various places to get it done at.  If you need to - lie and tell them your last partner just callled you to tell you they have herpes ;)


grace

[downthecoast]

took a blood test today... get the results in about a week. i'm really scared.

I've only been with 3 girls in my life... the only exposure I'm really worrying about is the one unprotected time. ... is it easy to catch per exposure?

had no symptoms nor has my current girl (this is something that just caught me out of the blue, that i just recently thought about-- i thought that since i was symptom free that i was was in the clear.) it's been almost 8 months since my potential exposure.

sigh.

[gracefromHHP]

I know it's easier said than done but try not to be scared about it. Don't be surprised if it's hsv1+ since most adults will test + for hsv1 but think of this is being sexually responsible and getting a baseline screening to have to compare future results to.  The risk per sex act is pretty darn low.  If it's protected sex even lower yet but it does happen.  Think of this is a way to impress future partners - hey not only do I get routine std screening - I even make sure I get tested for herpes too  :)  

grace

[downthecoast]

yeah, I'm not too scared about hsv1... I kinda feel that everyone's got it.

so if I do have hsv1... do you recommend going on meds? since everyone has it...

the nurse who examined me made it sound like its extremely easy to catch hsv2 from one exposure-- i asked and she said "well, why do you think so many people have it?" and it kinda freaked me out.

[auntiejessi]

Oh good lord.  I don't get some medical professionals at all.  They really need to read up on this stuff.

If your partner had hsv2, and you were in a long term relationship with her, you have a 96% chance of NOT getting herpes per year if all you did was avoid sex during an outbreak.  For a one time encounter, its less than 1%, but you can do the math to find a more precise percentage if you need to.

The reason so many people have it is because medical professionals like her still think you would know if you had it, and so many people are out there and don't know they have it.  Since they don't know they have it, they aren't recognizing symptoms and times to avoid sex, and its spreading.  Several studies have shown that just knowing you have it reduces transmission because you know when to avoid sex, might be on antivirals, etc.

Aj

[downthecoast]

i love you Aj, i really do. i have much more hope now. that does make a lot of sense, and there is just so much conflicting/misconceptions about stds out there. thank you so much.

[gracefromHHP]

And no I wouldn't bother to treat hsv1.  Common sense and knowing you have it goes a long way with that too.

grace

[downthecoast]

right right.

the nurse also told me when i review my results online it'll be one of three things for hsv-- neg, low pos, or high pos.

she said i wanna see neg or low pos-- low pos being i have hsv1 or a false positive. the last one would mean... well.

i'm going to call to ask what kind of test this is... but i didn't expect it to look like that. would you have any idea what kind that is?

[downthecoast]

is that statistic, 96% not getting it, unprotected? i'm probably blowing this out of proportion... but. sigh.

i've had 3 partners all my life, 2 of them being virgins, so this third, brief sexual interaction with my  21 y/o co-worker is the only thing that has me worried. and i'm constantly doing math... 1 out of 4... when i see a group of women i think 1 out of 4... my brain is starting to **** me off.

this is just the last hurdle for me... i just hope i can clear it.

[downthecoast]

this is interesting, as well-- something dr HHH has shown support for-- the USPSTF's recommendation against routine serological screening for HSV for  asymptomatic persons.

From their web site:

The USPSTF recommends against routine serological screening for HSV in asymptomatic adolescents and adults.

Rating: "D" recommendation.

Rationale: The USPSTF found no evidence that screening asymptomatic adolescents and adults with serological tests for HSV antibody improves health outcomes or symptoms or reduces transmission of disease. There is good evidence that serological screening tests can accurately identify those persons who have been exposed to HSV. There is good evidence that antiviral therapy improves health outcomes in symptomatic persons (e.g., those with multiple recurrences); however, there is no evidence that the use of antiviral therapy improves health outcomes in those with asymptomatic infection. The potential harms of screening include false-positive test results, labeling, and anxiety, although there is limited evidence of any potential harms of either screening or treatment. The USPSTF determined the benefits of screening are minimal, at best, and the potential harms outweigh the potential benefits.


... after reading this I feel like I don't want my results. I feel so confused. If there are no symptoms but most of us have it-- what's the use of testing for it? It's not dangerous is it (I read it causes nerve damage on science daily, however)? Do we just wait to treat it on a symptomatic basis? This is killing me.

I'm seriously considering not reviewing my results online now, for fear that it will damage my relationships and cost me untold amount of mental and financial anguish. I know this sounds terrible and almost backwards, but it almost feels like the route I need to take. I don't even know if I have it-- I haven't had any symptoms for 8 months now since my brief potential exposure. I've had the full set of std tests otherwise and all have been negative. No doubt or anxiety in my mind otherwise until I stumbled across the statistics and it planted a seed of doubt in my mind. This was just something to ease my mind and make sure, but given this statement i'm kinda seeing this odd statement of just be happy and roll the dice. Incredible. My mind is literally running in circles right now.

Wow this is a lot more complicated than I thought.

[downthecoast]

i'm not endorsing any side either-- i can definitely see the benefits of testing as well.

but considering the social landscape surrounding this, mental anguish and anxiety around status, and the lack of widespread knowledge practically everywhere...  is this almost a white flag?

[gracefromHHP]

Yes Jess and I are well aware of what the official testing recommendations are out there - trust me we read them LONG before you ever found them online. They haven't changed them in over 15 years - sad isn't it?  It doesn't mean we have to agree with them either. I think the vast majority of folks who contracted herpes from a partner who had never been tested to know that they were infected would agree very strongly with the routine testing side.  Anyone who asks for herpes testing should be given it. Anyone who asks for std testing - should be told if they are getting tested for herpes or not and given the option of getting tested for it. Too many folks assume that if they are asking for std testing they are getting the whole shebang and they aren't.    HIV testing is routine even though only 1 out of 100 adults in the US has it.  Why in the hell would we not make routine something that 1 out of every 4-5 adults has ( 1 out of 2-3 for hsv1 )????  

I think we all have a responsibility to our partners to be on top of our std status.  You've already paid to test. Put on your big boy undies, grab your superhero cape and look at the results.  If you need help with them - post them here and we'll give you a hand for where to go next.  Yes it would be a pain if you were either positive or low positive because that means additional testing for you ( unless they report back with numeric results we can better help you with ) but really wouldn't it be all worth it if you really do have herpes and you can be aware of it so that perhaps your next partner accidently gets pregnant you can perhaps save her a lot of grief by taking precautions?  This is so not just about you and the way you feel don't you agree?  

grace

[downthecoast]

i agree-- and the debate in my mind right now is that i should look at them. i'm just... weighing both sides, and the fact that these sources  have said this has just made me think about it differently. that's all. thank you so, so much. you are a saint and this dialogue has made me feel leagues better about everything.

it troubles me that we do not routinely check for hsv with std checks-- it is an std... so... what gives. ... are we just waiting for a cure?

[gracefromHHP]

Pretty much no one wants to be bothered with it and since for the  most part it's an annoyance and not a health risk they don't feel it's a priority.  

At this years cdc std conference there was a terrific presentation done by a gov't funded std clinic in NY on why they can't afford to offer herpes testing routinely as the CDC is leaning towards recommending.  It was very well done - they showed their annual operating budget and what testing they offer now. They showed how much more money they'd need to offer hsv testing to everyone who was hiv+, everyone who was high risk for it and for everyone who walked thru the door.  I don't recall actual numbers but I think their budget had to triple or quadruple to offer it for everyone and double just to offer it for everyone who was hiv+.  It was very eye opening to see it.  As long as we are spending all our tax dollars on a war - we'll never get the money spent for routine herpes testing in clinics like that :(    It's sad if you ask me especially since folks who have hiv usually have hsv2 too and if they don't control the hsv2 , their hiv is harder to control.  

Ok I'll get off my soapbox.  I think I hear some poptarts calling my name anyways...

grace

[downthecoast]

highly interesting. yes, of course in a perfect world, we'd have money to fund these things instead of.. well.. lets not get too into politics. :P

"Pretty much no one wants to be bothered with it and since for the  most part it's an annoyance and not a health risk they don't feel it's a priority." Also referring to your part about hiv+ and hsv and how it complicates things further-- aren't you somewhat agreeing testing should only be done in the presence of other stds/and high risk behavior/hiv status?

otherwise, as you said... it's not a health risk?

[downthecoast]

not saying you said it's not a health risk directly, but just kinda what the general thought on it is.

touching on that-- i read in an article by science daily i think that herpes can cause nerve damage? is that true? it gave me a kinda wtf moment, because i had never heard of this before, unless they are talking out of context in terms of those with auto-immune issues, etc etc. which... would be vastly misleading.

article is here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050725065240.htm

[gracefromHHP]

It can but it hardly ever does.  I'm on my way out the door so I don't have time to read thru the article but I"m guessing it's one of those taking something that happens to a handful of people a year and making it sound like it's something to be afraid of :(

grace

[downthecoast]

Great news! I got the test results! NEGATIVE! It was a HERPESELECT-2 ELISA IGG (HSV-2)... this is accurate right? It's been 8 months since potential exposure. I'm almost ready to cry. :)

[auntiejessi]

Congrats!!

Its negative!

And yes, that's the appropriate test and its very accurate.

:)

Aj