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Herpes Community
This forum is an un-mediated, patient-to-patient forum for questions and support regarding herpes issues such as: Herpes symptoms and treatments, causes, diagnosis, and herpes in men, tests, telling your spouse or partner.
Why continue to offer inaccurate testing?
by et_cetera, Jun 25, 2008 10:10PM
After spending the past 48 hours on multiple websites researching what I thought was a positive HSV-2 test result, I've realized there is a major flaw in HSV-1 and 2 testing. I am (as I'm sure many of you are) appalled that these IgM and IgG tests continue to be given to so many people on such a regular basis. Many of whom are put through major emotional turmoil while waiting the 6 week period before they can receive a second test, not to mention the 2 week wait for the test results. It breaks my heart to think so many people are out there convinced they have Herpes, when in fact they may not.
What sort of standards have been put into place to ensure so many of these people have not been mis-diagnosed? Why, when so many other options have been made available on the market, do these inaccurate blood tests continue to be utilized in our medical facilities?
It seems that so many medical professionals have not been made aware of the newer advances for diagnosing such a socially stigmatized virus. Nor have they been made aware of proper bedside manner, but i suppose their job only requires diagnosis, not support. It concerns me immensely that our insurance companies and doctors continue to use this outdated test because of it's cheap/habitual nature. The insurance companies benefit by saving money on these inaccurate tests while the pharmaceutical companies become wealthier from the prescription of so many suppression drugs like Valtrex, Acyclovir and Famvir.
Recently, a close friend of mine came to a startling conclusion. After having been diagnosed with HSV-2 over 6 years ago, and having a daily dose of a suppression drug every one of those days, my friend became skeptical because he had never had an outbreak. He stopped taking his medication and was retested. Low and behold his test was negative. Just as he had suspected all along. Unfortunately this did not save him from all of the emotional stress he put himself (and his partners) through over that 6 year period.
I can't help but wonder how the statistics would be effected if most people had been properly diagnosed. Would it really be 1 in four women? Still 1 in 5 men?
I apologize for the rant. However, after having one of the most difficult discussions possible with my significant other, I just can't understand why this continues to be such a common issue.
I am so thankful that forums like this one exist. Thank you to everyone who volunteers their time and expertise in educating those of us who have had (and those who will have) a false positive test. Thank you for answering questions most of our doctors could not. Without this forum I don't know how I would have coped over these past 2 days. Thank you thank you thank you for giving me a glimmer of hope during such a difficult time... and wish me luck on my Biokit rapid test tomorrow.
What sort of standards have been put into place to ensure so many of these people have not been mis-diagnosed? Why, when so many other options have been made available on the market, do these inaccurate blood tests continue to be utilized in our medical facilities?
It seems that so many medical professionals have not been made aware of the newer advances for diagnosing such a socially stigmatized virus. Nor have they been made aware of proper bedside manner, but i suppose their job only requires diagnosis, not support. It concerns me immensely that our insurance companies and doctors continue to use this outdated test because of it's cheap/habitual nature. The insurance companies benefit by saving money on these inaccurate tests while the pharmaceutical companies become wealthier from the prescription of so many suppression drugs like Valtrex, Acyclovir and Famvir.
Recently, a close friend of mine came to a startling conclusion. After having been diagnosed with HSV-2 over 6 years ago, and having a daily dose of a suppression drug every one of those days, my friend became skeptical because he had never had an outbreak. He stopped taking his medication and was retested. Low and behold his test was negative. Just as he had suspected all along. Unfortunately this did not save him from all of the emotional stress he put himself (and his partners) through over that 6 year period.
I can't help but wonder how the statistics would be effected if most people had been properly diagnosed. Would it really be 1 in four women? Still 1 in 5 men?
I apologize for the rant. However, after having one of the most difficult discussions possible with my significant other, I just can't understand why this continues to be such a common issue.
I am so thankful that forums like this one exist. Thank you to everyone who volunteers their time and expertise in educating those of us who have had (and those who will have) a false positive test. Thank you for answering questions most of our doctors could not. Without this forum I don't know how I would have coped over these past 2 days. Thank you thank you thank you for giving me a glimmer of hope during such a difficult time... and wish me luck on my Biokit rapid test tomorrow.
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