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Test results - not sure what to think!
Hi all.
This week I had a swab and IGM and IGG tests for a suspected genital herpes outbreak. It's been 19 weeks since the oral sexual contact when I thought I could have contracted it.
Both the swab and antibody tests have been returned negative which is a h u g e relief, but my doc told me that the swab tests have a 50% chance of a false negative and the antibody tests have a 10% chance of a false negative.
Do I need to worry about the false negatives given that I've been tested 4 months after I could have contracted it? Do I need to get tested again at some point or shall I put myself out of my misery and assume that I didn't contract herpes in the first place?
This week I had a swab and IGM and IGG tests for a suspected genital herpes outbreak. It's been 19 weeks since the oral sexual contact when I thought I could have contracted it.
Both the swab and antibody tests have been returned negative which is a h u g e relief, but my doc told me that the swab tests have a 50% chance of a false negative and the antibody tests have a 10% chance of a false negative.
Do I need to worry about the false negatives given that I've been tested 4 months after I could have contracted it? Do I need to get tested again at some point or shall I put myself out of my misery and assume that I didn't contract herpes in the first place?
I cannot see how this can possibly be herpes.
Please see a urologist and explore kidney, prostate, liver and related issues.
Please see a urologist and explore kidney, prostate, liver and related issues.
1 Comments
Saw my doc today (he's also worked in various different STI clinics) and he thought the white spot was slightly damaged 'mucosa' and not herpes. I've been referred to urology, in part to placate my anxiety but also to figure what the penile discomfort is. Watch this space!
I'm really sorry for butting in hope you get sorted!!! I'm in trouble too looking for a clinic in UK to do igg type specific blood tests??
You're right. The swab test does make the potential of a false negative seem less. Unfortunately I dont think that the western blot test is available in the UK. Maybe I need to wait it out and have another igg test at 6 months. I'm not sure what else to do!
1 Comments
Back again.....18 months or so later and I'm going mad with anxiety all over again.
About 3 weeks ago I started to get an irritated/itchy feeling inside my penis. I have had thrush on and off for some time, especially when I drink beer, so I initially put it down to this as I'd been to a party the night before and had quite a few beers. But over the course of the last 3 weeks, I've had cold/flu symptoms and a lot of discomfort inside my penis. When I opened up my urethra there is one tiny little white spot, which has changed colour to red/purple over the last couple of days. Also the tip of my penis is slightly inflamed.
I saw my doctor last week, and he took a look down there and thought it might be bacterial infection and put me on antibiotics. That hasn't worked at all unfortunately.
The pain inside is quite bad, worse after urinating and worse when I'm sitting down. Also the cold/flu/fatigue symptoms have lasted 2-3 weeks.
Having had negative swab, negative IGG and negative blood PCR result 18 months ago I was convinced that I didn't have herpes, but this recent episode makes me questions those test results (the IGG test was done 19 weeks after the potential exposure, and the PCR was done after 30 months).
What should I think? 3x negative results should be conclusive shouldn't it? Could these painful spots inside my penis be something other than herpes? (I don't have any other sores after from this one).
I think I need to get tested again, but I can't believe this is happening to me again when I was so convinced that I was clear!!
Anyone have a similar story? Anyone been tested negative several times, yet to develop symptoms?
Am i going mad? It'll be unbelievable if another set of tests actually shows positive results?
Help me please!?!??
About 3 weeks ago I started to get an irritated/itchy feeling inside my penis. I have had thrush on and off for some time, especially when I drink beer, so I initially put it down to this as I'd been to a party the night before and had quite a few beers. But over the course of the last 3 weeks, I've had cold/flu symptoms and a lot of discomfort inside my penis. When I opened up my urethra there is one tiny little white spot, which has changed colour to red/purple over the last couple of days. Also the tip of my penis is slightly inflamed.
I saw my doctor last week, and he took a look down there and thought it might be bacterial infection and put me on antibiotics. That hasn't worked at all unfortunately.
The pain inside is quite bad, worse after urinating and worse when I'm sitting down. Also the cold/flu/fatigue symptoms have lasted 2-3 weeks.
Having had negative swab, negative IGG and negative blood PCR result 18 months ago I was convinced that I didn't have herpes, but this recent episode makes me questions those test results (the IGG test was done 19 weeks after the potential exposure, and the PCR was done after 30 months).
What should I think? 3x negative results should be conclusive shouldn't it? Could these painful spots inside my penis be something other than herpes? (I don't have any other sores after from this one).
I think I need to get tested again, but I can't believe this is happening to me again when I was so convinced that I was clear!!
Anyone have a similar story? Anyone been tested negative several times, yet to develop symptoms?
Am i going mad? It'll be unbelievable if another set of tests actually shows positive results?
Help me please!?!??
The issue is that although there is a 10% chance of the blood test missing an infection of HSV1, your swab has at least reduced that chance by some portion.
You could seek a Westernblot which is 99-100% accurate for HSV1, if positive though you will not know if this is an oral infection or otherwise.
You could seek a Westernblot which is 99-100% accurate for HSV1, if positive though you will not know if this is an oral infection or otherwise.
I did have an outbreak of something that both my doctor and urologist thought looked like herpes, but both the swab tests and igm and igg tests came back negative. I'm really confused as to what to think. The urologist told me that there's a 50% chance of a false negative swab and a 10% chance of a false negative igg test. From what I've read 19 weeks is plenty of time to show igg antibodies, so should I still be worried about the chance of a false negative?
If you're negative for all three after 19 weeks, which is more than four months anyway, I'd say you're good, especially with no noticeable outbreak.
If you're still worried, hold of sex for a while longer and get retested, or If it happens again, go get tested again.
If you're still worried, hold of sex for a while longer and get retested, or If it happens again, go get tested again.
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
