Herpes - question for Dr Hansfield

[tobrighterdays]

Doctor,

First of all, i'm happy to pay an extra fee if this thread is getting too long, or if i'm over stepping my boundaries with the questions.  Please, let me know.

Concerning my recent HSV 2:

For about 3 months now i've had these 2 small rashes on my shaft...maybe the size of 2 small pencil erasers side by side....completely flat, and with a border...and hard to notice unless you look for it....  last week I started to put some moisturizer on it (Cetaphil) and it definitely seemed to be getting better ....almost overnight.....Anyway, just to be sure i visited my GP and she immediately put me on Valtrex (or the generic of it, which is what i picked up at the pharmacy) without even looking at it again....She looked at it once, 3 months before and said it didn't look like herpes, but she is the one who had me take the test and it came out positive.

Seeing as i've had HSV2 for years and didn't know it...i'm a little worried that taking this drug will cause these outbreaks to be severe.  I guess, my question is, does taking a herpes drug all of a sudden make me have regular outbreaks even though i seemingly have no "outbreaks" over the past 4 years.....I know you're an expert on Herpes and wanted to get your opinion.

Sorry for this incredibly long thread....i'm 30 now, and never really had any "health issues" until now....so, everything is making me quite a hypochondriac :)  Even my 8 week negative Antibody HIV test has me sweating it for the 12 week test that I'm a little nervous for.  

Anyway, any insight on this situation, as i'm now "living with herpes" would be incredibly helpful.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Can you please obtain the exact results of the herpes antibody test for me?  It normally comes with a number value called an index value.  In the low positive range (1.1 to 3.5) there are many false positives.  Your description of your symptoms sound nothing like herpes, but you could still have it.  

If you have a low positive index value, we would want to confirm with a second test called a western blot.

Terri

[tobrighterdays]

Hi,....Blood test...antibody.

It's frustrating...never had an outbreak....doctor doesn't think this is herpes but gave me valtrex anyway....

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

How were you diagnosed with HSV 2?  Swab test, blood antibody test, physical exam only?

If you do really have herpes, Valtrex will definitely help, not hurt, the progress of outbreaks and viral shedding.  

Please let me know about your diagnostic procedure.

Terri