Scared and Utterly Confused

Alright, so I'm wigging out. My ex-boyfriend turns up with a wart on his penis, prompting me to get a non-scheduled STI examination done (I get tested every three months for HIV, but have never gone full enchilada for everything else). At the clinic I went to, they took my blood and I went back in, two weeks later. Tested negative for everything except Herpes, says the doctor with a half-cocked grin. Her lack of professionalism is beside the point. When she says antibodies were present and that the infection wasn't new, all I heard was static. She could have been Charlie Brown's teacher, for all I cared. I left the office in a frenzy. I didn't stop for my discharge papers. I just left. In retrospect, it was stupid of me...because she never told me what type I was positive for. Anyways, I called a couple days later and spoke with the lady at the front desk. She didn't know the difference between the simplexes (she told me I & II were synonymous). Strike one. The nurse who took my vitals told me the day of my test that if I didn't receive a call in my two weeks of waiting, everything was fine. Strike two. I finally DO get a hold of another nurse who goes over my results with me while I'm on the road to work, a couple of days later. She tells me I'm positive for both simplexes, yet still does not provide me with numbers or a means of obtaining a copy of said results. Strike three. So, here I am and the internet is my only resource...aside from a doctor's visit, on Monday. The only thing I know is that the test they ran was #164913 (HSV IgG I/II) as per my discharge sheet from the test date. I've read about false positives, I've read about close correlations between HSV and Chickenpox, I've called Quest, Labcorp, AND the University of Washington. All I've found is that the test ran at the clinic I went to might not have been a type specific test. Is it? I don't even know what lab they sent it to. Personally? With all the misinformation and tomfoolery that goes on, over there...I don't even think I wanna try getting any more info, from them. I'm pursuing a western blot. Is it worth it? Or should I take the results I already received to heart? I was dating a guy who was so sweet, before I found any of this out. He's negative, thank God...but he left me in the cold, after his result. I'm still hurting. Any ray of sunshine would help...

[gracefromHHP]

I really can't help you with the test results until you know what yours actually were.  

give them a call monday and ask if you can stop by to pick up a copy of your test results. HIPAA laws allow you to have a copy of any testing you have done.

grace

[BobbyLee86]

Update: I went to a doctor, today, and had the royal crap scared out of me. He basically told me that the test that was done by Labcorp was pretty conclusive in telling me that infection exists in my blood. On top of that, two mystery sores on the back of my ankle led him to believe that it was, indeed a herpes outbreak...mind you, they are flat, mildly red, and starting to scab over. Honestly, I nick myself in the shins and ankles, constantly. I never looked twice at the sore, but I can't quite remember how I got it. I'm praying I just scraped myself in my sleep. Whatever the case, he did not swab them and, being that he's general practice, he referred me to an infectious disease doctor for a better diagnosis. He also informed me that the results from my previous test needed to be obtained for the appointment I'd set up with the new doctor's office. So, I put my big boy boots on and went over there, of course...but not before I gave Labcorp a call. A tech there pulled my results up from their records. The test they ran on me was an HSV I/II IgG test that searched for what's called a reflex something or other. It was NOT type specific, but gave a positive result. The tech told me that the test doesn't tell which simplex I have nor does it tell me that I, beyond even a fraction of doubt, have either simplex. They did NOT go further into testing (even he expressed surprise that they didn't) and they issued a positive result based on the numbers I obtained at the clinic, today (finally). To be negative, I'd have to fall within 0.00 to 0.08 H range. Apparently, I am at a 1.5. I'm not sure what that means, but I'm only seven tenths of a point away from the negative mark. Does that count for ANYTHING? And random sidebar: I've had both shingles AND Chickenpox as a child. Could those lead to false positive results in such a general test? I DO appreciate any feedback plus the feedback you've already provided me. I'm just trying to get to the bottom of things. It's really hard not to stress about these things.

[bobrope45]

It sounds like you had a combined test - not a type specific blood test.
This test is useless to diagnose genital herpes. Your doctor is way outdated.

If you need peace of mind, ask for a type specific blood test - IgG, not IgM.

[BobbyLee86]

I'll say...but the results don't say anything about IgM...only IgG. They did a reflex result. What does that mean?

[gracefromHHP]

the default herpes testing at labcorp first does a combined test for herpes. if that's positive then they do a hsv2 igg. was the 1.5 your combined test or the hsv2 igg?

the infectious disease doc isn't needed, your provider needs to learn more about herpes testing!!! Encourage them to read the 2010 cdc herpes guidelines to better serve their patients as well as to protect themselves from lawsuits!

[BobbyLee86]

The original testing I had done was at a free clinic. They submitted my blood to Labcorp. After oodles of research on the topic of false positives, I've come to find that the results aren't conclusive and that they never tested for HSV type 2, after that. I went to the other doctor for a follow up. The 1.5 is for the combination...not for a specifc type. Does that mean anything?

[gracefromHHP]

it means it's not likely you really have herpes but at this point you'll need to get the proper testing done.

labcorp uses the captia herpes test for its type specific testing which is a fine test to use. as long as the provider orders the right testing in the first place, you'll get better answers once you get the type specific testing done.

[BobbyLee86]

Negative! Type specific test ran through Quest, this time around. The doc didn't want to believe me in regards to the possibility of a false positive, but the blood work doesn't lie, in this case. I want to thank you, Grace, for keeping me sane, these past few weeks. If you only knew what little hope I thought I had!

[gracefromHHP]

glad you got better answers :)