Taking medicine affects Igg test result?????

[NewMontainCity]

got my blood test result on Oct 13th with HSV2IGM negative, HSV2IGG low-possitive. Although there is no specific symptoms, following instruction from dr, I took acyclovir(by intravenous injection) for 1 week. Blood test was done again on Oct 20th after 1 week's intravenous injection, and result is HSV2IGM negative, HSV2IGG indeterminate.

My question is: does taking medication affect the result of IGG test? If I want to do herpeselect blood test again, should I stop medication from some time?

[Icarus-reborn]

That's a good question and one I posed here early last week.

The answer I got from Grace was:

"your 10 day course of valtrex is not an issue for your testing but you do have to wait longer to do your follow up testing in order for it to be most accurate. No reason to keep testing every few weeks for months !"

So, I've taken that to mean no in my instance of oral Valtrex . The other part of the
message was reminding me to wait the normal 8 weeks (tho I've see where
Dr. Hunter has written six ) to test again with Igg.

Good luck to you.

[NewMontainCity]

So, do you keep on oral Valtrex while waiting for 8 wks?

[gracefromHHP]

why were you taking acyclovir iv?

grace

[Icarus-reborn]

No, I decided to give a two week Valtrex-less window before
I tested. So no Valtrex untill I test.

I trust the answers the experts give here, but feel better
taking that extra step just to make sure in my mind
that nothing, no matter how remote, can skew the test.

Be well.

[NewMontainCity]

Many tks for your question.
I had a protected genital intercourse with an unknown girl in this June, and had protected genital intercourse with another girl on Oct 7th. 2 days later I felt mild itch on my foreskin near coronary groove and on Oct 12th I went to see dr. After seeing the itchy dot, blood test with hsv-2-igg low positive and others negative(hsv-1-igm, hsv-1-igg, hsv-2-igm), dr said it is possibly to be G.H. and began treatment by then.
After 1 wks acyclovir intravenous injection, on Oct 20th, blood test result is hsv-2-igg indeterminate and others kept same. After the test I took another wks acyclovir intravenous injection and am taking oral Famciclovir every day, and my dr asks me to take at least 3 months.

BTW, I live in China, these 2 blood tests were surely not herepselect or other FDA-approved(it is very hard to find fda-approved test here in China although there do be), and I not sure whether it is type-specific either. I want to do herpeselect some days later, but I am worrying the result will be affected by taking medicine.

Grace, could you pls comment about above according to your expertise? Will herpeselect test be affected by taking so much medication?

[gracefromHHP]

I'd stop all herpes antivirals.  At this point you have no reason to be taking them and why you were given them IV is beyond me too. Do you have hiv or some other underlying condition you didn't post about?

FDA guidelines are for the US only.  Really can't help you with herpes testing in china. Perhaps look for a herpes support group in your area who has someone like me there who is educated in herpes testing to help you better with any follow up testing as well as where to get it.

Wait at least a month after stopping herpes antivirals to get a herpes igg blood test again ( 2 months or more would be best ).  should you get a return of symptoms prior to repeating your blood tests, see a provider within 48 hours of their appearance for a lesion culture and typing instead.

Both incidences of sex were protected so odds are that you never had herpes in the first place to justify all this treatment not to mention a small itchy dot doesn't sound like herpes either.  wish you had come here WAY sooner for advice :(

grace

[NewMontainCity]

I really appreciate your expertice comment from bottom of my heart, grace.

The reason for waiting at least a month after stopping antivirals is because taking ativirals will affect test result? I want it to be clarified because it is so great that I finally found a hospital here is using Trinity Captia Elisa. I want to do test tomorrow so that at least I can check possible exposure of this June if taking antivirals does not affect.

HIV and other tests till now are all negative.

[gracefromHHP]

antivirals when taken suppressively can affect the herpes blood tests - how much and how often we aren't 100% sure about but we know that it can happen.  I'm a fan of getting testing done at the time frame when it does the most good so that you don't have reason to constantly doubt your results when you do get tested.  

grace

[NewMontainCity]

Hello, Grace
On the other hand, if I do be infected hsv2, do you think it is useful/better to take suppressive treatment from very begining for at least 3 months.
Thinking of my dr is that if we can suppress the ob for 1-2 yrs w/o ob, there is less possibility of ob in future. Besides Accyclovir, Interleukin were also used for 2wks and is using every 2 days.

[gracefromHHP]

taking suppressive therapy from the gitgo doesn't affect your herpes long term. you won't have less ob's or anything like that.  

why in the world did your provider treat you the way they did?  do you have underlying health issues?

grace

[NewMontainCity]

Tks god, got my blood test using Trinity testing product, HSV-1-igg positive and all others(HSV-1-igm, hsv2-igg, hsv2-igm) are negative. This result is totally different with presvious 2  test results. Although I took much suppressive therapy, I trust this test more that previous 2 tests.
I think I will take one test again 2 months later and will let you informed then.
My provider offer me treatment like this is because of limited capacity. They diagnosis hsv2 mainly by visual check and blood test as reference only. My previous tests showed posibility of infection, and they found questionable crack-scar-like on foreskin. Although they are not sure, they think it is better for me to take suppressive therapy from very beginging so that future outbreak would be removed or less times.
Anyway, thank you very much for your comments and I really appreciate.

[gracefromHHP]

Your provider wasted your time and money and put you thru much more than you needed to go thru needlessly :(

Studies show that it makes no difference if you start suppressive therapy from the getgo or not.

If you feel the need for more testing, absolutely do not take any more herpes antivirals between now and then.

grace

[NewMontainCity]

Tks, grace, I fully agree with you.

I also got reply from trinity company regarding antiviral affect as below:
valtrex is converted in vivo to Aciclo-GTP which a very potent inhibitor of viral DNA polymerase. For this reason it would slow the growth of viral particles, but not affect the IgGs in the blood. Once there is the initial infection, the lymphocytes remember the IgG.

I stopped taking antivirals the time I read your comment on Oct 30th.

I will test again 2 months later.

This website is so great because of warm heart like you, tks so much.