herpes simplex 2 test prob

I got tested this past february.....for herpes....the reason for going was i got my first cold sore on my lip. I freaked out pretty bad. SO we did a culture on it, and we took a blood test. The culture came back positive for herpes simplex-1 and so did the the blood test.....no herpes simplex-2 was present. I had gotten another cold sore this time on my lip, of course i got all nervous and worried again. So i went went back and we did another blood test. This time the test came back positive for simplex-2 and nothing showed up for simplex-1.....my doctor said he was kind of confused...I am totally freaking out now....I was taking acyclovir which is...generic for valtrex....i started this a week before i saw had the second blood test....I have had no signs of anything that resembled what was on my lip down in my pubic region....I have used condoms all the time....i dont understand why hasnt simplex-1 shown up on this blood test and only simplex 2....anytime i have anything unusual down below i go to the docotor......if any itchy hair things show up boom i go to the doctor....i am pretty upset....

[gracefromHHP]

I can best help you if you post the results of your 2nd testing as far as figuring out the hsv2 status.

you had a + lesion culture for hsv1 orally so you know what you have and where. Unfortunately even the best blood tests we have still miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections so not too unusual to have the 2nd test come back negative for hsv1.  


grace

[uonlyliveonce]

so i am confused.....what do you think about the hsv-2?

[uonlyliveonce]

so what do you think about the simplex-2?

[gracefromHHP]

there are false positive issues with hsv2 testing which is why my seeing your actual results can help me guide you to the next step :)

[uonlyliveonce]

can the medication acyclovir....could it throw off the test at all? I will get the other information...the doctor said he was gonna call back because he wants me to see an infectious disease doctor. I thought about going to my dermatologist and just having him to his own blood test i figured it couldnt hurt. what do you think?. When my doctor calls me back i will ask him to fax me the results and i can get you what you need.

[uonlyliveonce]

can the medication acyclovir....could it throw off the test at all? I will get the other information...the doctor said he was gonna call back because he wants me to see an infectious disease doctor. I thought about going to my dermatologist and just having him to his own blood test i figured it couldnt hurt. what do you think?. When my doctor calls me back i will ask him to fax me the results and i can get you what you need.

[uonlyliveonce]

hsv glycoprotein G Ab igG test

hsv-1 0.49 and hsv-2 8.74

[gracefromHHP]

thank you for getting those results for me :)  

as I already said, not too unusual that you tested negative for hsv1 even though you have a confirmed hsv1+ culture of your lip.  Your hsv2 igg is above the typical false positive cut off rate so you really do also have hsv2 too.  do you have a regular partner?

[uonlyliveonce]

well....well when i got the second sore on my lip like 10 days ago i called my doctor and he called in acyclovir...i started taking the medication for like a week before i went to see him in his office....he didnt want to do a blood test i asked for it....do you think the medication could throw off the test...plus i didnt not fast before the blood work....is there anyway there could be a mistake?    i do not get any sores in the genital area i only get the sores on my lip. I always use condoms during sex.....no for oral though.....I have had 4 partners since the last negative hsv-2 test which was like january......I am going to see the dermatologist this thurday ....i am gonna ask him to do his own herpes test.....then i am scheduled to see the infectious disease doctor on july 17th.....my primary doctor set it up....im really upset about this....!....I dont want tell people i have this....its defintely going to affect me meeting someone....im only 25

[gracefromHHP]

no , acyclovir won't cause a false positive.

you also don't need to fast before herpes testing.

having hsv1 orally typically takes the edge off of hsv2 genitally and makes you less likely to have "classic" symptoms initially.  

not sure why your provider has you seeing so many specialists for this at all?

I've had hsv2 since I was 19. it really isn't the issue you are thinking it is. You are open about it with partners, take precautions and can ultimately get the risk of transmission to a male partner down to 1%/year. To give you something to compare it to - the risk of pregnancy just using the bc pill is 8%. Easier to take a pill or two a day and control your herpes than it is to raise a child for a lifetime!!

keep asking questions!!  also I highly recommend Terri Warren's book "the good news about the bad news". You can get it for under $20 on amazon. It really goes into the psychological side of having herpes plus offers terrific info on talking to partners and protecting them.

[uonlyliveonce]

well when the doctor called me, he was very confused about the test results....as was I ....he said he it wasnt making sense....so thats why he wants me to see a disease specialist.....I was going to the dermatologist on my own....just as a second opinion type deal....since i am a male....what are the chances of me passing it on to a female partner...while taking acyclovir...and using condoms......can i give it to a women if she is giving me oral?.....or what about me giving oral to a woman?.....how old are you now? are you single, have or had trouble finding a partner?.....these are all my concerns.....

[gracefromHHP]

your provider just doesn't understand the testing it sounds like :(

a dermatologist won't be of any help to be honest. You don't have any symptoms that are of an issue.  if you really feel the need to do any additional herpes blood testing, seek out a herpes western blot ( wb ).   Your regular provider can order that for you through quest labs.

the infectious disease doc will just tell you that your test was positive for hsv2.  

can you transmit hsv2 to the oral area when someone performs oral on you? yes you can but overall the risk is low.  

you can transmit your hsv1 oral infection potentially to a partner when performing oral on them.

I don't know why I thought you were female...let me give you the stats for your gender!  You can get the risk of transmission to a female partner down to 2-3%/year. Still far less than the risk of pregnancy!

I'm currently single but not because of herpes. The older you get the more baggage folks carry around with them and makes it harder to find someone you want to be with...sigh.  I've only ever had 2 guys decide that my hsv2 was too much for them - all the rest of my partners had no issues at all with my genital herpes. Oh and yes I've had more than 3 or 4 partners too...lol.

[uonlyliveonce]

i am actually super super depressed about this,,,,i am hoping that my next test may show different results....but i know it prob won't.. i have been praying to god constantly .....I just don't want to tell anybody about this....i mean people are ****** these days, if you disclose to the wrong partner they could tell everybody.....could there ever be a screw up in the blood test?.....i am def worried about finding a partner now....this is not a good situation for me at all....i think about this stuff all day long ....its ruining my studying for school totally.....I keep telling myself.....i guess its time to put your nose work and get into med school bc i am prob gonna be alone for a while.....

[gracefromHHP]

why would you be alone for something 1 out of every 4-5 of us has?