Test results

[johnbob345]

Herpes Select Test results

HSV 1/2 IGG, Herpesselect
TYPE SPECIFIC AB
HSV 1 IGG TYPE SPECIFIC  0.09
AB
HSV 2 IGG TYPE SPECIFIC  0.16
AB

I also had a RPR (DX) w/rep titer and confirmation testing
HSV 1 IGM and HSV 2 IGM both said <1.20


So here is my story.. I had unproteced sex with my girlfriend and next day had burning in my balls and shaft.  I had also shaved this area, with old razor.  I had a couple of bumps on my shaft. So i went to ER and they said nothing to worry about you have no symptoms  like herpes, and the bumps are clearly infected hair folicles, which I could see the hair growing out the middle of them.  Its been 3 weeks and i've seen multiple doctors and I'm still having red scrotum and occasional red looking foreskin.  Dermatologist says its a some sort of skin problem, i'm on antifungal now.  There is a burning pain on shaft and scrotum that comes and goes but seems to be getting better.

I've done some research and have been reading these forums so it seems like these test results are very good as its a good test.  I know I would need to redo tests later to confirm i didn't get anything from that encounter but i'm honestly not worried about that as i've had no sores.

What i am curious about is about 15 years ago I had a doc tell me I had a cold sore but no tests were done.  I was never 100% that what it was.  I had some sort of blood test back then and it said .I was negative. for hsv 1 and 2.  I would 100% believe the test results but i've had prodome type symptoms for a long time..  tinglign in face, lips, back of head, tips of fingers, butt, back of legs, toes etc..    I've had them for about 2 weeks now but no outbreaks any where.    I went to dermatologist 3 months ago when I had a tiny bump on my lip, the day it appeared.  dermatolgist said it didn't look like  a cold sore, we did a swab and it came back negative.

Is it possible to have the prodome symptoms and it not be herpes?  All the docs are telling me prodome symptoms for this long, no outbreaks and negative test results, negative swab results... i'm should quit worrying about it. Is that good advice?
Is the fact that my scores are so low a better indicator orf an accurate test?

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

[Mistakeguy789]

There is a few that will always test negative.  They don't get enough level of antibodies for the test to see.  Sometimes it takes a western blot to see them.  But again it does miss some people.  But for the majority you are going to be testing positive.  

Sometimes people won't test positive on blood test at all and have to have a culture come back positive.  

[johnbob345]

Grace,

I received 2nd herpes select tests results and it was negative for both.  I have another red bump on my lip, been there for about a week.  Its really small, and doesn't hurt unless I touch it, and then its hurts like a bad zit would hurt if you touched it, so very mild.  It never had a scab or weeping or anything like that.    It had something that looks slightly like a white head, but didn't have anything that looked like blisters.  There is very little that makes this looks like a cold sore.  The only worry I  have is if I just get really mild cold sores.  The other things is I pretty sure I get these in the same spot which as I understand is something cold sores do.

I have a questions about getting negatives on the test.  Do some people just always test negative no matter how many tests they get, even if they have herpes?  Or is it just that the test is not accurate and if someone was negative on one test they might be  positive on another?

If there is such a thing as some people just always testing negative if I were to get a western blot test is it possible that test might work for me, where the herpes select is giving me false negatives?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[gracefromHHP]

really  nothing else I can add about your hsv1 to be honest.  

just make sure your gf was tested for herpes. you need to restart your testing time line for confirming your results if she hasn't been.

grace

[johnbob345]

I'm not concerned with her, as these prodome type symptoms I've had i've had for years.  We've been together a couple of months.   I'm getting them now above my lip and on my shins, with no cold sores present.  My doctors think I'm nutz to be worried about cold sores with no obvious symptoms and they, like you are telling me my prodome symptoms don't even sound like the way herpes prodome symptoms present themselves.  Its just hard to kiss my girlfriend when i've got tingling above  my lips so for now I don't..  He suggested I see a neurologist to determine the cause.

Even so I ordered another herpes select test and hopefully if it comes back negative I can actually believe the test results and can stop worrying about when I can and cannot kiss her.

For your future reference I called quest and was told I can not get western blot test here in FL.  There is some regulations or something that they can't send blood work out of state while in FL.  So quests does do the tests, but not here in florida.

I will post the herpes select results back next week.  If this comes back negative does it seem reasonable to conclude i don't have HSV1?

Thanks for your time, I see your quite busy.

[gracefromHHP]

Even the best blood tests still miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections.  lesion cultures are also notoriously falsely negative too. No easy way to determine if you really do have hsv1 orally but I certainly agree that symptoms this long and no obvious cold sores probably does mean it's not hsv1 going on.  many things can cause those sorts of symptoms and sometimes we never figure out exactly what was the cause at the time :(

reading your description of symptoms I immediately thought fungal infection myself. give the treatment some time - fungal infections can be a bit of a hassle to clear up too :(  also don't shave your genital area again until this is all cleared up and toss the razor/change the blade if you didn't already that you used.  also sometimes something a cheap and simple as soaking in the bathtub with epsom salts, a packet of aveeno bath or even some baking soda/corn starch in the water is comforting with that itching/burning feeling until the antifungals have controlled your symptoms more.

has your gf been tested for herpes to know her status?  It's typically not a part of routine std testing so talk to her to see if she has been. if she's negative for herpes, no reason for you to repeat your herpes testing.

grace

[johnbob345]

bump

[johnbob345]

to clarify i get little bumps on my lips but they appear to me more zit like that cold sores.  they have a white head and white puss comes out of them, most of the time they are gone in 2 days. I believe they are nothing to worry about, its just the prodome type symptoms i've had that are confusing.