I will add that the worst thing about herpes is the stigma and almost feeling abandoned by society. With my experience with HSV1, rather than having a support group, I lived with herpes and the irritation it caused for a year while the support group I should have had shunned me and told me to seek mental help because I apparently "wanted herpes", simply because I couldn't prove I had it. Even after being diagnosed by culture I felt shunned because my experience was different than others. What if, maybe just maybe, HSV1 is cloudy and testing for it sucks? What if, maybe just maybe, some of these odd undiagnosable cases are like mine? I have a feeling a lot of people have HSV1 genitally and don't even know it, and I have a feeling the diagnostic procedures for HSV1 suck and are much different than that of HSV2.
Grace has personal experience with HSV2, which in my experience seems much different from HSV1 which I have. I have always blood tested negative (including western blot) and never had a classic outbreak. After surgery I had odd red bumps that cultured for HSV1. I had pain for almost six months after my HSV1 exposure, the general irritation lasted for two years. I, like you, was tested probably close to a dozen times and seen by probably 6-7 providers, including a consultation with Terri Warren. I would have been happy to believe it had nothing to do with herpes, which everyone kept telling me, if the irritation didn't persist for so long. Happily I can say that 4 years later I rarely see signs of HSV1 anymore. I don't think everything is so black and white, especially when it's hsv1.
Grace can herpes reoccurrences happen at the same spot. That area is always slightly redder than surrounding tissue. It never leaves however the raw irritated feeling will come on for a few days then leave for a few days. Does herpes do this? Or is it in or near infection site? Just when I'm feeling good the damn raw irritated feeling comes back.
Thank you G! I will take the western blot and go from there. Blessings!
equivocal is negative. I'd certainly not be remotely concerned with your test results especially in light of your lack of symptoms suspicious for herpes. a provider would have no problem seeing herpes lesions from a newly acquired infection. A herpes lesion from back in March would be long gone by now and recurrences heal within a few days to a week.
Thank you Grace. I've seen you comment and provide guidance to many. You are a light and I am grateful for you!
The thing is I tested equivocal twice. Would the one week of acyclovir taken a week before my last hsv1 test have made it negative?
There is so much conflicting info you read on how herpes presents. My "spot" doesn't seem to ever go away. Just needing full closure I guess
You have been seen by multiple providers who really don't see much of anything going on. Your testing is negative repeatedly. really, no reason to suspect herpes and you really should put this whole incident behind you and move forward. You are wasting your time and money on testing and treatment from the sounds of things.
grace
Guys I also am worried. If this is HSV1 I though *** was supposed to be mild. Maybe one or two bad breakouts (if what I do have is HSV than why isn't it bad) then it goes dormant and is quite infrequent. Seems like I am having constant "symptoms" or prodromal period with no actual lesions ulcerating. Just some redness/irritation spot about 1mm big on the R side of my penile head. I don't seem to be getting any answers and this tingling is driving me nuts. The last time I had it for 3 weeks I was taking upwards of 3grams of lysine per day and that seemed to do nothing. Acyclovir didn't help. Not sure what to do.