ok here are my test results

I was in a discordant relationship for about 6 months. Girl was on acyclovir and condoms were used 95% of the time.  we abstained from sex during OB's (she only had one and we had no contact for at least 2 days previous to any sign or symptoms. plus she was under severe stress the day before she had any sign of outbreak)


I got tested 11 days after last time of intercourse( i know this is soon but i wanted to know if I had contracted virus from the previous months)

we had intercourse 4 times within almost 8 weeks of the test(once at 8 weeks, twice were at the almost 6 weeks previous to the test and the 3rd was the time 11 days before the test).

I got tested(test was done by quest diagnostics) and doc calls me up saying I have a "new herpetic infection"  -- ofcourse, freaking me out like you wouldnt believe


I got a hsv IGM test positive and a IGG negative for both hsv 1 and 2

my test results are as follows

Herpes simplex virus anti bodie 1 + 2 IGG    .19  and  .06

herpes simplex virus anti-bodie IGM   1.40


I had no symptoms prior to blood test except a thin line of swelling going down the inferior side of the shaft of my penis wth some redness that would get irritated after masturbation.  Doc said these did not look like herpes and the irritation/rash still is there today(has been about 2 months) which means it likely not caused by herpes.  


I know to be sure about the IGG its good to wait 12 weeks but usually people shown signs of IGG at 6 weeks correct?

the thing is - my igg for hsv 2 are only .06 which is very low.  If infection had occured at the 6 week time or 8 week... isnt it likely the IGG results would be higher than .06?


what worries me is the last time we had sex(only 11 days before the test).  and that protection was not used twice within the 8 weeks previous to the test.

she was on acyclovir(400mg  x3 daily - not sure why the dosage was higher than 800mg daily)

I know that stastically without condoms but using suppressive therapy that transmission rate is 4% per year and with condoms is 2% per year.   statistically it is unlikely that I contracted it in only half a year time and sex was uncommon at least 8 weeks before the test(4 times total).

should I be freaking out about the IGM result or should I disgregard that until another IGG test is taken?  Does my IGG hsv 2 being so low say anything about infection?  

[valetudo]

let me add we only had sex a total of 20 times(95% condom used) within that 6 month period with the frequency decreasing in the last 8 weeks of the relatioship.  

[gracefromHHP]

How many times have you read on this board that the igm was a total waste of time and money and should've never been drawn???  You can see how much unneeded stress it's causing you :(  

Just wait and repeat your blood test at a later date. There's nothing else you can do until then unless you get obvious symptoms that you can get cultured.  I know it's incredibly easy for me to sit here and type that since I'm not the one having to wait so long but there's just nothing else you can do at this time.  You are far more likely not to have contracted hsv2 than you were to have contracted that but following up with a blood test 3 months from the last time you had sex is the sexually responsible thing to do in my book.  

grace

[valetudo]

I know grace.. trust me I know. the stress has been more than anything ive felt in my life so far. I already went and registered on herpes forums and dating sites(just to see what was in store for me) and was struggling to accept my life as hsv pos.(joined myspace groups too)


I was uninformed and mistakingly told my gf of 3 months and she freaked out and left me. You have to understand that I had no idea the igm was a bad test.. all i knew was I was in a discordant relationship and my doc said i had a new infection... so naturally i freaked out. I trusted that he was up to date on all that

and thank you for yoru response.

Ofcourse its still a possibility.  But I found it odd that chance to contract hsv from her was low for the whole time we were together and then to be cleared for at least the first 3 months(since igg was neg) but to get burned by her in the last month(or so the doctor said according to the igm) when sex became even less frequent and she was taking an even higher dosage of anti-virals than previously.

[kyle12345]

relax, i readed grace post somewhere about HSV1/2
you dont have to take any medication for it ,if u dont want to? right grace?
and it wont effect ur life time,but it a long life virus and 70% of population are infected in every1/4 woman.
STD's are normal and most of them are curable except for HSV and HPV. right grace?
forget about the big HIV...
grace one question though, you onli take med. whenever u have an outbreak? or if you dont want to, and just let it go by itself, is that ok?
or we have to take med
thx grace

[gracefromHHP]

You never ,ever have to treat your herpes if you don't want to.  The antivirals just help to speed the healing of lesions and to help stop shedding of the virus when you take them with each ob.  Taken suppressively they help to reduce the number of ob's you have, make the ob's you do have milder and can also help to reduce the chances of transmission to a partner.

Ther herpes handbook at www.westoverheights.com goes over all this and more.

grace

[valetudo]

hey grace , thank you for your response.  You say I am far less likely to have contracted than not to..  im really glad to hear that and im using that to stay calm. I guess im just freaking out because  I was in a relationship w/ a girl who had hsv2 (even tho she was on anti-virals) and then i get a test back saying I have a new infection.

I wanted to ask how soon(in general) do people's IGG results begin to increase in relation to IGG?  I ask because My IGG was 1.40 but my hsv 2 was .06.   so would this be another indicator that the odds are in my favor?

btw I will be getting a re-test but that is going to be about 1 1/2 month away so any additional info would be greatly appreciated to help reduce my stress.

[valetudo]

EDIT to my last post is full of errors --   I meant to say IGM was 1.40  and IGG for hsv2 was .06

and ask about "relationion between IGM and IGG antibodies" in terms of increase.  

[gracefromHHP]

Search for HHH's past comments about why the igm test isn't worthwhile for genital herpes diagnosis. He's made about a zillion of them.  

grace