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conflicting signals for hsv-2

I am nervous. Three weeks ago my girlfriend and I had an unusually high amount of sex (hands were involved as well which felt like the most abrasive on the skin of all the activities) for a period of about 4 or 5 days and towards the last day or two i noticed that my penis was starting to feel sensitive. the next day i noticed two red marks that looked just like raw spots from friction. Since they were on the shaft about an inch from the head they are right in the middle of folded foreskin so the healing seemed to be slow. I also had a few tiny pinhead sized bumps that were whitish and now there are small pinhead sized scabs from me trying to pop them. There was a bit of watery fluid in them when I did that, which is not a great sign. I also felt tired and under the weather. Is there anything else that could cause small fluid filled bumps other than herpes? The bumps never turned into open sores. My girlfriend tested negative and has no symptoms. I got a culture 5 days after the sores showed up and it was negative and the sores were not scabbed over yet so I think they got a decent sample. If this is herpes, I got it at least 2.5 years ago and it is just showing up now. I got a blood test and my results were "equivocal" at 0.92. I think if i have had the virus in my system for so long the antibodies should be higher right? I just can't believe how long I am having to wait without getting a definitive answer and it is so stressful. I did have unprotected sex with 3 women in my early 20's but I am 31 now. Online answers and info have been helpful but I really was hoping to get an answer from a doctor who knows a lot about this.

Signs that suggest I don't have it:
same partner for 2.5. years,
negative culture,
equivocal 0.92 blood test,
no symptoms ever before,
parter is negative.

signs that suggest i do have it:
cuts and bumps that eventually scabbed over on penis - never had this before and can't imagine what the hell else it is.

Please help.
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55646 tn?1263660809
You got a prescription for valacyclovir with an equivocal test?  I think that's a bad idea.  I wouldn't take any antiviral medicine until after your second test.  Your girlfriend's doctor has incorrect information.  Completely.  If you had had herpes for 3 years, you would have good strong antibody response, not less response.  And the IgM is useless and has many false positives.  

I'm not sure why you have decided that there is a 99.9% chance that you have herpes based on that single test, but if you have, you have.  Canker sores are not caused by herpes.  We don't know for certain what causes canker sores, but it isn't herpes.  

I hope you will consider posting treatment until you get a second test as the antivirals could impact the test results.

Terri
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Terri - I had my doctor's appt and got an Rx for Valacyclovir. I am waiting until mid December to take my second blood test to make sure I wait long enough to avoid another equivocal result. My ex-girlfriend got her second blood test today and her doctor was apparently telling her that it is possible that i could have had hsv-2 for years but since it was dormant, the antibodies in an IGG test could still be low and that I should have had an IGM test. Everything i have heard and read indicates that an IGG test should still show much higher antibodies if I have had it in my system for over 3 years, dormant or not. Is this correct Could you explain the differences between and IGG and an IGM test and in what circumstances one is more helpful and revealing than the other? I am confused.

Back to the HSV-2, I am 99.9% sure that I have it and I really am not even considering that I could get good news on that front. The last question I have for you is about whether or not I could have acquired oral HSV-2 from oral sex with my ex-girlfriend. I performed it on her several times before I knew what she had done and in the last two days (from today, 3 weeks after performing oral sex) i now have two canker sores in my mouth. one on the inside of my bottom lip and the other inside my cheek adjacent on the area that touches my top right back molar. I have had canker sores before and this is definitely the same thing but i have only ever had them on the inside of my lip and never so far back in my mouth and never two at the same time. Could this possibly be oral HSV-2? It is definitely not a three dimensional blister of any kind, and there is nothing on the outside of my lips or mouth, just what feels and looks like canker sores. Please let me know what you think. This would be just surreal if i get to add this to my list of unfortunate events. Thanks in advance for your help.
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Avatar universal
Terri - I have an appointment with my PCP on Wednesday the 24th and I will let you know what I find out then. Thank you so much for your help.
Helpful - 0
55646 tn?1263660809
I'm sorry about your partner.  But don't jump to herpes conclusions yet.  It would be good to have your girlfriend tested now for HSV 2 again at this point.  Again, it would be important to know about your HSV 1 status because you could have genital HSV 1 infection.  Can you get that information for me?

Terri
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Aneuf23 - Thanks for the info and support.

Terri - I am not sure what my HSV-1 score was and my gf is not sure what hers was either. I know they took it but I don't think they told me or they told me it was normal and I forgot. Either way, I am hoping that maybe what I have could be syphilis? the initial sores that I got were two small sores but they eventually turned into one larger sore/scab and it now looks very similar to the syphilis pictures. Do herpes lesions morph together and change shape like that? Also my throat has been sore for 5 days or so and I still feel very tired and under the weather and weak. I also have a cough and flu-like symptoms (and this is 22 days after I first noticed anything). I am clinging to any hope that I don't have HSV-2. Thanks in advance for your help.

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Avatar universal
Hey-

Sorry to jump in on your thread but I found out a month ago I had it and am still trying to come to terms with it, and it is really hard. But I believe it's possible since SO many people have it.

Grace on the herpes forum suggested checking out Terri's book http://www.amazon.com/Good-News-About-Bad-Everything/dp/1572246189. It will help you understand how to think about it.

To be honest, this might be the pot calling the kettle black, but I've had hsv-2 for Years now, at least 7 I'd say and I haven't noticed. I'm trying to think about to 4 weeks and 1 day ago where I didn't know I had it and remember that day to be a good one. There is no reason why starting today you can begin living your life the way you have been.

I'm sorry to hear about your girlfriend - but for now just know you're going to be okay on the herpes front, you are far from alone.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Terri - Thank you for the response. I just found out last night that my girlfriend cheated twice in early october and did not use protection. This is the most devastating thing I have ever dealt with. Her blood test was in the last week of october and was a 0.8 - so I am now almost certain that she gave it to me and neither of us have built up the antibodies quite yet. This is so terrible. I don't think i will be able to leave my home for at least a month. I can't eat anything. Deep depression.
Helpful - 0
55646 tn?1263660809
Did your girlfriend test negative for both HSV 1 and 2?  And you, did you test negative for HSV 1 and equivocal for HSV 2?  The swab test was taken too late in the course of things to be reliable.  An answer to my question about HSV 1 is important in helping you sort this out.  How long ago was your partner tested negative?

Terri
Helpful - 0

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