Wife going nuts, need help!

[yikes001]

Ok, so we tried swinging....was with a very nice couple and have become good friends.  On a day we were planning to 'play' with them, my wife got laser hair removal done, then shaved as well in her private areas.  Night's going well, though condom slips briefly...possibly contact with pre-cum from the male.   A week or so later she develops some suspicious bumps on the inside of her butt cheeks, close to her anus.  She went to a Doctor the subsequent Monday who says she thinks it's Herpes.  They cultured her and did her blood work.  Culture came back neg, but they felt there wasn't much to culture at that point so that didn't surprise anyone.  Waiting for blood...  

In the meantime, the rest of us have been tested.  The other woman tested neg with a .37 iGg level....I tested neg but at .91.  The other guy tested equivocal initially at 1.1, but retested a couple days later after some questions about the lab came up.  New results just came in at .87, negative.   My wife has not been with anyone else...and we've been married 20 years...she had one boyfriend prior to me where sex was involved.  I believe we were both tested a decade or so ago for everything and came back Neg.

Is it possible to go from a 1.1 to a .87 in a matter of days?  Does that show he's truly neg?  ( we both plan to be retested in 8 weeks, and again at 12).  If it's not herpes, what else could it be?  She's had these bumps now going on 2 weeks...she's taking Valtrex but it hasn't seemed to help much, and now she thinks it's spreading a bit to more of her butt and maybe leg...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

[Life360_Dave]

Thanks and glad to hear the news.
dave

[yikes001]

I've lived on this board for much of the last 3 months.  I've learned that as much as I knew about herpes, I didn't know much, or enough.  I am far more educated now than before without question.  I've read hundreds of posts, many people full of fear, anxiety over whether or not they have herpes since they have symptoms of some sort.  Often they ask a question and disappear.

I wanted to come back and thank everyone, especially life360 for all their informative posts and answers and for all the support.  Yesterday we received our 3 month results and have  tested negative.  We both breathed a sigh of relief.  We did learn through all of this, though, that herpes....while a serious condition, is clearly not life ending...maybe slightly life altering for certain lifestyles but ultimately is a managable disease.  

Thanks again, and I wish everyone a peaceful Holiday Season!  God Bless!

[Life360_Dave]

At 10 weeks, even on meds it should go up if she was positive. I really believe your out of the woods. at 10 weeks

[yikes001]

When you say a 'new infection' that taking the meds can delay the conversion.....at 9/10 weeks, do you think we'd still be considered that new infection, or are we possibly past that at this point

[Life360_Dave]

It would affect the results as i mentioned above. It could delay the conversion in a recently acquired infection and this is common knowledge.

[yikes001]

For what it's worth, I just spoke to a clinical director at "herpes select" the company that makes the test...he said that Valtrex would not affect the result one way the other.

[Life360_Dave]

Doctors most often recommend meds with those with recurrent outbreaks.

[yikes001]

Ok...so we're clearly not out of the woods yet....not that we were, but at least we saw a little day light...I guess that was a little premature. So much for daylight.

Do you think the 12 week test will be relatively conclusive even if she stays on the valtrex?  I think she's considering stopping it for now but isn't sure.

[Life360_Dave]

With a new infection taking meds can delay the conversion of the blood test from negative to positive but if a test comes back positive it cannot make it negative.

[yikes001]

She hadn't stopped taking any meds...she may have missed a day or two during the week prior to the test but thats it....By your response am I to infer that if she has been taking the valtrex that the result may be invalid?

[Life360_Dave]

If she tested negative at 9 weeks thats a good sign she is in fact negative. If she stopped taking the meds a month before this last test it should not affect the value.

[yikes001]

Well we didn't get the actual value yet, but received test results last night which stated that She is Negative for HSV1 and HSV2 based on the Herpes Select test.  That's about 9 weeks in...so another 3 to go and one more test.  

Do you know whether or not being on Valtrex could have altered the test results?    Thanks!

[Life360_Dave]

at 2 months a value below 1 is and excellent sign.

[yikes001]

I will def repost the results as soon as we get them, hopefully by Monday.  Since it's been about 2 months...if the numbers are relatively low.... in say the .7-.8 range....you think we're 70% out of the woods?

Thanks again for all your help...you've been an invaluable help in a very difficult time!

[Life360_Dave]

There is no test that will show a recent infection. If they are suggesting the IgM it is a waste of time and money.
Only the igg is conclusive when taken 3 months post exposure or a swab culture. Find out the igg test and post it here. The only reference to a new infection is a low value score taken less than 3 months.

[yikes001]

So my wife just went to a new Doctor...a GP...and showed her the normal overall blood work she'd recently had done.  The Doctor saw the herpes test that had been run and said that they'd run the 'wrong one'....that the test she'd taken ( IGG) wouldn't show a recent infection that they should have run a different test.....can anyone explain what other test should have been run to see if she'd been recently exposed/ infected ?  Not sure what she's talking about, but I'm clearly not an expert here.  Yet!  She's going tomorrow for a new IGG test regardless, even though it's early.  We figure if the number is higher than 1.1 and shows pos, that it's a pretty good indication she's got it, and if not....well it's an indication.....but we know she'll have to test again in a month.  Thanks again!

[Life360_Dave]

At 1 month it should have brought it over one (should but not surely). For a test to be conclusive, 3 months would be the window.

[yikes001]

Bump

[yikes001]

Yes, but it was negative....we had trouble finding out the exact value because they were all morons, but then Nurse said it said negative and she 'thought' the number was .91, though since this is also the reference range we weren't sure if that was what she was reading.  The blood test was done 1 month post possible exposure.

[Life360_Dave]

Did her blood test come back? and if yes how many weeks post exposure did she have it?

[yikes001]

Thanks Life360, but you answered the less important question of the 2...about my HSV1 which I'm sure I must have....the question above it read
"It's now been 2 months since her possible infection.....roughly 5-6 weeks since we've seen something that may have been an outbreak.  If indeed it was an outbreak, would a blood test now be conclusive, or do we still need to wait until after 12 weeks?   She's been driving herself crazy...every little bump or red spot makes her anxious...though so far the doctors have said they've been ingrown hairs, pimples etc....so with all this considered, wondering if a blood test at this stage would be helpful, or if we could still end up with a negative blood result even if she has gotten HSV2?"

If you could shine some light on that as well we'd really appreciate it!

[Life360_Dave]

Hi, low positives are often a sign of a false positive or a recent infection. Testing at 12 weeks is conclusive. It does not necessarily have to be higher but as a rule of thumb, yes it would be higher than 1.61

[yikes001]

Oh...and just for grins....I k now I've had HSV1 basically my whole life.. have had many cold sores ( though in the last 5-10 years can only remember maybe 1 or 2 both of which were next to nothing in comparison to what I used to get).....when I recently tested my value was only 1.61 ( positive of course).....I thought I read somewhere that if you've had HSV1/2 for a while, your numbers were pretty sky high?  Is that not the case?  Just curious.  Thanks again!

[yikes001]

It's now been 2 months since her possible infection.....roughly 5-6 weeks since we've seen something that may have been an outbreak.  If indeed it was an outbreak, would a blood test now be conclusive, or do we still need to wait until after 12 weeks?   She's been driving herself crazy...every little bump or red spot makes her anxious...though so far the doctors have said they've been ingrown hairs, pimples etc....so with all this considered, wondering if a blood test at this stage would be helpful, or if we could still end up with a negative blood result even if she has gotten HSV2?