herpes

I was tested positve for genital herpes. My partner was tested and was negative. I had a culture done on me. His doctor told him that if he had no symptoms that he dooes not have it.  That i could have had hair bumps.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Not enough detail for me to respond.  What kind of test was done on you?  What kind of test on your partner?

Your partner either misunderstood his doctor, or the doctor is wrong.  Most people with genital herpes have no symptoms of the infection.

A knowledgeable HCP usually won't confuse folliculitis ("hair bumps"?) with herpes.

Good luck--   HHH, MD

[wondering why]

I have a question more then a comment. Me and my partner had sex for the first time 3 weeks ago. Ever since we had sex I have ad pain, yes we did use a condom it also popped during the intercourse. I went and got tested a physical exam that confirmed that  I had herpes. My partner said as soon as I called him he took a blood test and he said with in 2 hours  the doctor had his results and he tested negative. He is the only man I have been with in 8 months and I have never had an outbreak or pain like this in my life. I now have a huge painful bump growning on my buttocks and it is very hard to sit down.

Which of the medications to prevent outbreaks works better?


I am also a Diabetic.

Will the medication ACYCLOVIR affect my other medications such as Avandamet and Metaformin (general form of Gluaphage) for my diabetes??????

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

If by "ever since we had sex" you mean the pain started immediately, then you probably didn't catch herpes from your new partner; it takes at least 2-3 days for herpes symptoms to start.  However, the apparent severity of your pain suggests that you are having your first herpes infection.

How big is your "huge painful bump"?  That doesn't sound much like herpes, more like a bacterial infection (boil, abscess); as you may know, such infections are more common in diabetics than people without diabetes.

None of the antiherpes drugs (acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir) will interfere with your diabetes drugs.  Presumably you are on acyclovir now?  If not, get a prescription right away; it will help speed healing of your herpes.  All three drugs are equally effective in preventing future outbreaks; the differences are in dosing frequency and cost.

There is a rapid herpes blood test called Biokit HSV, which gives results within 30 min.  It's pretty reliable, but not perfect.  If that's the test your partner's HCP used, it seems likely he doesn't have HSV-2.  But if  your sexual practices include oral sex, your herpes might be due to HSV-1, and Biokit doesn't test for that virus.

By the way, make sure your doctor does a culture on you, or at least takes a blood test later to learn for sure which virus is causing your infection.  HSV-1 vs HSV-2 makes a lot of difference in the likelihood you will have recurrent outbreaks, whether you can transmit the infection to future partners, etc.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[HHH,MD]

I deleted your new post on the same topic, and posted your question here.  Please don't start a new string in follow up to previous messages; it prevents others from getting in with new questions.  My reply follows.

HHH, MD

Twigg:  well i had an culture test he took a stick and scraped it.  He as far as i know had an blood test so is it really herpes.His test came back negative mine positive. I hope that this enough information so that you can help me. Thank you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

If I understand correctly, you had a culture test and it was positive.  Your partner had a blood test that was negative.  But neither your original question nor this one says what information you are seeking.  Advice about treatment?  About what to expect in the future?  About how you can be infected and your partner have a negative test?

And you still don't given enough information for me to help you very much.  Is this your first outbreak?  Is the first time you were diagnosed with genital herpes?  Have you had other partners?  Does your present partner have symptoms like herpes?  Has he had other partners recently?

I'm going to take a guess and assume that this is your first infection and you're wondering why you have a positive test but your partner doesn't.

1) Maybe you caught your herpes from a previous partner, not your current partner.  In that case, your current partner probably has not yet caught the infection from you; or it happened too recently for his test to be positive yet.

2) You might be infected with a different virus type than your partner.  For example, maybe your herpes was acquired from your partner by oral sex and is due to type 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), but your partner had a blood test for HSV-2.

3) Maybe your partner's health care provider didn't do the right herpes blood test.  Some tests work better than others.

Please read more about genital herpes; it seems you don't have much understanding about the disease, in which case I can't cover all the questions you might have.  Start with the link at the top of this forum "STD Quick Facts and Articles" and read the herpes information; and perhaps check out the information provided by the American Social Health Association (www.ashastd.org).

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[HHH,MD]

I didn't explain point 2 very well.  Your partner might have oral herpes due to HSV-1 (with or without symptoms of cold sores), and he gave you genital herpes by oral sex.  But his doctor did a blood test for HSV-2, the usual cause of genital herpes.

HHH, MD

[wondering why]

YEs this is my first outbreak ever. I hadn't had sex since Oct 04 when I had sex with him in Mar 05 yes it was painful because its been some time and I have always been senstive when it come to having sex after a long break from engaging in sex. The symptons did not occur until after a few day because I came on my cycle late the next evening after we had sex. After my cycle was gone I was in pain and after a week I went and got checked out. During the doctor's exam she stated I had herpes due to the look of the infected area and swab testing. I have been on on Alyvoir or about 2 weeks now and the large lump on my right butcheek right in the panty line area still bothers me but my smyptons on my vagainal area have cleared. I am experiencing pain in the same area of my buttocks on the left side but no lumps have developed. If I also have a yeast infection will the simple over the counter medication help?