Holding out hope...

[Verysaddude]

Hi Terri,
I know you are the Herpes expert here so I'll pose a few questions to you.quick background,
3/15  to 3/29 unprocted sex with woman once, a few times protected. I started to notice my legs and arms and back started itching but thought i might be allergic to something. 4/1- she went in for STD testing and was told her IGM test came back with low postive for HSV2 (1.4 or 1.9). 4/22 She went in for IGG testing and was negative for HSV1/2. She says she has no partners in past 6 months but me and has had no symptoms. Meanwhile, from 4/1 thru today I have exp.a little irrtitation at the tip of my penis. some pain in my groin area, nothing severe. This seems to come and go to this day.whole body itching..legs, arms, chest, back, hands, feet. burning sensation in both legs, calves, thighs (in particular inner thighs) arms, back, pain both hands and arms,headache and blurry vision. very slight itching on scrotum/penis nothing severe. Scrotum is slightly irritated to this day.some throbbing type pain in the penis but only a couple times a day. feel a pain in my left buttock/thigh now its in the front pelvis area. seems worse when I'm trying to sleep.muscle twitches in arms, legs and penis. I had a raised area on my knuckle with a couple clear bumps around it.They don't hurt and the raise area went back to normal,.also two small red bumps on arm that don't itch. 4/21- I went to the dr to test and visually they saw nothing that looked like herpes, Test came back..HSV1 3.7 HSV 2 1.6

1. Do my symptoms suggest Herpes is affecting me in an adverse or unusual way? (I'm very worried now!)
2. Since I am positive do you think I should start Valtrexx now? (my dr said no because of no sores)
3. What are signs of shedding if I have no sores?
4. If she is telling the truth about her history, would a negative IGG after six months be conclusive that she doesn't have anything?
5. Do you think my 1.6 is low because I have recently been infected? Should I retest? When?

[Verysaddude]

Thanks Terri,

Believe me, I really appreciate your help with this.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

1.  no
2.  no
3.  Asymptomatic shedding, by definition, has no symptoms
4.  no
5.  no

I will definitely not be answering any more posts on this thread

Terri

[Verysaddude]

I do understand and I am going try to find a way to get the WB test for confirmation. But since I've had two low postives, can you help me by answering these final few questions?

1.Do you think that I should talk to a Neurologist about my symptoms?
2. Since I am positive do you think I should start Valtrexx now?
3. What are signs of shedding if I have no sores?
4. Do you know of any research about long term affects of HSV2 I should be concered about?
5. Any advice you would like to mention that I haven't just about covered?

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Your value is simply too low to consider this a true positive.  You definitely need a confirmatory test.  You can decide to accept this as a true positive, but personally, I think that's a big mistake.  If you care about finding the truth, you will find a way to get a western blot from the university of Washington to confirm this.  Your doctor is wrong on this one.  

I've tried all I can do to help you get clarity on this issue.  This is the last message that I will post on your thread.

Terri

[Verysaddude]

HSV2 on the 2nd test is 1.5.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

What was the value of your HSV 2 antibody test this time?

Terri

[Verysaddude]

Hi Terri,

The Westin Blot was not offered to me thru my dr...so I did another Herpes Select test and it came back positive...(I just learned today). (my doctor frustrates me because he keeps saying its no big deal and acts like its just a cold or something)..so I have decided to accept that I am positive. So the questions that I have are...

1.Do you think that I should talk to a Neurologist about my symptoms? because all of these issues began around the time I believe I became infected.
2. Since I am positive do you think I should start Valtrexx now? I have not had any blisters/sores...I'm thinking maybe that will suppress the virus and maybe some of my other symptoms would stop...(even though I worry about side effects)
3. What are signs of shedding if I have no sores?
4. Do you know of any research about long term affects of HSV2 I should be concered about?
5. Any advice you would like to mention that I haven't just about covered?

Thanks so much for everything!

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

You're welcome.

Terri

[iknowbetter378]

thanks.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I've never heard of herpes causing an aching pelvis or penis, toe or heel pain or twitching, no.

Terri

[iknowbetter378]

Terri,does hsv cause any of the other symptoms,twitching,aching pelvis and penis,toe and heel pain?Thanks.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Sounds good.
Terri

[Verysaddude]

Thanks Terri, I will ask about the Western Blot Test and report back the results.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Her negative IgG for both HSV 1 and 2 indicate that she's likely not infected with either virus.  The IgM should be ignored as it is frequently unreliable and commonly falsely positive.  However, you may have HSV 2.  Your value of 1.6 is what we call a low positive.  Sometimes, the low positives are false positives - that is, the test says you have HSV 2 when you don't.  This is perhaps even more common when someone is infected with HSV 1, which you are.  Have you ever had a cold sore?  If yes, then this is what is causing your HSV 1 test to be positive.  I would very strongly recommend that you get a confirmatory test for your HSV 2.  If this is the only person you've had sex with in the past 4 months, then enough time has passed for the confirmatory test to be done because your most current partner is negative.  I would recommend the herpes western blot from the University of Washington.  If the test is done through Quest labs, the code for herpes western blot is 34534.  This is by far the best test to confirm a low positive HSV 2 test.  Your symptoms don't sound herpetic to me - herpes doesn't cause itching all over your body as you've described.  

I hope this is helpful.  Please get confirmed.  If you have any more questions, let me know, OK?

Terri