A false positive???

[xec]

I have tested positive for HSV-1, i have had fever blisters in the past. Could this affect the final results?

[gracefromHHP]

It's already been about 2 weeks since this started so really it doesn' t matter when you go to be seen again at this point.

No one can tell you over the phone what in the world is going on either.  

grace

[xec]

would it be best to see a dr after the persciption is done or just go ASAP? i really want to nip this in the bud. i had someone a clinitician at planned parenthood say that i have hsv-1 both orally and genitally, then on here, both std drs and some on this site all say that it is not likely that i can contract it now. but i guess i should just go and get it looked at. thanks again, everyone is very helpful.


PS, the woman that infected me insisted that it was not her, but she was the last person i was with, should i keep telling her to get tested? i am under the impression that she knew all along...

[yi3o8]

Back to the "entirely" comment, so Herpes generally recurs at the spot where you were infected. You could still have other symptoms such as fever and fatigue like mono but it is not like chicken pox, and so self infecting yourself or getting a subsequent HSV1 infection is not likely AFTER your body has developed antibodies. Still, as Grace mentioned it is possible since everyone is different. Also, antiviral medication does usually shorten the duration/severity of outbreaks - keep your immune system strong.

Good luck

[gracefromHHP]

If you took valtrex, it's too late for any testing to be done.  Go and be seen and get this looked at though - an experienced practioner can give a pretty good guess with a visual exam. If they feel it's herpes related, you'll need additional testing in several months.

grace

[xec]

ok, next question...i have a blister that i thought was hsv-1 related, and with my valtrex perscription, it has not gone down. is this normal? what extra testing would need to be done to know for sure? thanks. and will this affect my ability to start a family, etc.

[gracefromHHP]

You can contract hsv1 genitally even while having a well established hsv1 oral infection but the odds of it happening are really low in general.

At this point you haven't had enough proper testing done to have any idea of what is going on genitally.

grace

[xec]

that was exactly what i was thinking, i spoke with somone at planned parenthood who told me that i now have both hsv1 in my genital area and orally. the bump she told me could be a blister from the hsv1 or it could be something else. she basically wanted me to wait it out after my presciption was complete.

[gracefromHHP]

You have a well established hsv1 oral infection. You aren't likely to contract it genitally now later on. You can , but odds are that you won't. You aren't infected all over your body with hsv1 just because you have it orally if that's what you were thinking?

If you've already taken valtrex, too late to go and have your genital symptoms cultured and typed for herpes.  

Go and have this evaluated though to see what it really could be. self diagnosis is rarely a good thing.

grace

[xec]

entirely, by what i mean is that i have it in me. i am getting the impression that i have hsv1 orally and not genitally. what i failed to mention to my dr, was that i go fever blisters in the past, i guess he thought otherwise

as far as hsv2, i am going to get that looked at. im thinking that the valtrex should get rid of all OB symptoms by now, but i have a small bump that i have noticed that has not gone away. it isnt painful, but i will see.

[gracefromHHP]

I'm not sure what you mean by you have it entirely?  You have a history of cold sores/fever blisters which are almost always hsv1 related. You tested + for hsv1 on the blood test. No reason to question your hsv1 results.

As far as hsv2, if you had a questionable encounter, unless you get obvious genital symptoms  - like a painful lesion of some sort, best you can do is wait and repeat your hsv2 igg blood test  4 months after the encounter in question. If you are having active symptoms genitall now, go and be seen again.

grace

[xec]

I asked the dr, with the impression that he would know. I would not be familiar with genital symptoms, at first they appeared to be closest to symptoms of chlamydia, but they are not since i tested negative. would there be any other telltale saigns i should look for or wait till i retest after my 10 days are up? i will not be going back to that dr again. he made me feel like a leper...

[xec]

I was under the assumption that if i have hsv-1, that i have it entirely

[jonasK]

I agree with petal.  I was wondering if there was a specific reason why your doctor said it could be a false positive.  But I see now that he suggested it could be only after you asked him.  I think your doctor is not familiar how to interpret the numeric results.  The vast majority (perhaps all?) of the false positives occur when the numeric result is low (<3.50).

Anyway, you have HSV-1, which the majority of the population has.  Unless you've had symptoms genitally, it is likely that you have it orally.

[petal130]

If you tested positive for HSV1 (which you did), and have had cold sores in the past, then clearly you have HSV1 orally.

If you tested negative for HSV2 (which you did), then you don't have HSV2. Am I missing something??

[xec]

no, i asked him if it could be a false positive, he said that it could be. he told me once the valtrex was finished to test again. i thought that would be standard procedure, but it still does not make much sense to me. it seems by your response, that i may have it after all....

[jonasK]

Did your doctor explain why he thought it could be a false positive?

[xec]

i was tested for both hsv-1 (>5.00) and hsv-2, which was less than 90. the dr told me it could possibly be a false positive. so he prescribed me valtrex, and told me to retest again. this is a weird process for me.

[jonasK]

Provide details - which test you took and your numeric test result for both HSV-1 and HSV-2.