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have symptoms, but no antibodies.
Nearly 4 months ago (early August), I caught a cold and developed painful genital ulcers. I waited a few days and finally went to see a doctor who did an examination (said it looked like herpes) and a culture test; when that was negative, he ran IGM & IGG. I've been tested before (by my gyn, who does a thorough std screen every time I report a new partner at my yearly checkup) and was IGG-negative for both HSV1 & 2. I've been with my boyfriend for two years, and he hasn't had another sexual partner before/during our relationship, and neither of us have ever had cold sore symptoms--basically, there's no way I could've contracted HSV.
The doctor called a week or so later to tell me the IGM was positive & that I therefore had recently contracted genital herpes. I panicked and contacted my gyn, who tested me again immediately (IGG came back negative, as it did with the first doctor who also ordered the IGM). I held out hope that the IGM was a faulty test (and after reading through the forums here today I find that to be pretty confirmed), but when I caught another cold a month later and had a second outbreak (much worse than the first) I thought I was doomed to herpes, despite having no typical transmission method.
I was retested earlier this month (14 weeks after the first day of the first outbreak; ~21.5 weeks after my last sexual contact), and IGG just came back negative for both 1 and 2. This is giving me new hope that I haven't somehow randomly contracted herpes out of thin air but really has me concerned in a new way--if what I had wasn't herpes, what was it? The symptoms seemed typical of herpes; is it possible that I haven't waited long enough for IGG antibodies to develop? Are there other illnesses that have symptoms like this?
The doctor called a week or so later to tell me the IGM was positive & that I therefore had recently contracted genital herpes. I panicked and contacted my gyn, who tested me again immediately (IGG came back negative, as it did with the first doctor who also ordered the IGM). I held out hope that the IGM was a faulty test (and after reading through the forums here today I find that to be pretty confirmed), but when I caught another cold a month later and had a second outbreak (much worse than the first) I thought I was doomed to herpes, despite having no typical transmission method.
I was retested earlier this month (14 weeks after the first day of the first outbreak; ~21.5 weeks after my last sexual contact), and IGG just came back negative for both 1 and 2. This is giving me new hope that I haven't somehow randomly contracted herpes out of thin air but really has me concerned in a new way--if what I had wasn't herpes, what was it? The symptoms seemed typical of herpes; is it possible that I haven't waited long enough for IGG antibodies to develop? Are there other illnesses that have symptoms like this?
Yeah, they've all been contained within the vulvar area, on the mucous membrane side (rather than the outside). I've seen several other potential causes online for things like this but rarely stumble onto anything that's recurrent or illness-triggered. It's just extremely frustrating because it looks like herpes, and it seems to be acting like herpes, but it seems impossible that I could've gotten it and blood tests agree.
I may consider that after I speak with my gyn on Monday. I don't think I want to go the "wait until it happens again" route again.
I may consider that after I speak with my gyn on Monday. I don't think I want to go the "wait until it happens again" route again.
well, maybe it's time to stop thinking about herpes as the cause. genital ulcers can be caused by other conditions, although herpes is the most common cause. are you experiencing them in the vulvar area?
the igm test should be disregarded, as you already know. it means nothing.
you should consider paying to post to Terri, the herpes expert here in medhelp. she might be able to give you some options on what to do next.
the igm test should be disregarded, as you already know. it means nothing.
you should consider paying to post to Terri, the herpes expert here in medhelp. she might be able to give you some options on what to do next.
Everything (lesions and vaginal swab) came back negative. I think there's part of me that's still taking stock in the positive IGM from August; I guess I don't fully understand if I should discount that and why.
I definitely trust that my partner was tested and negative, but I did contact my last partner before that and he claims he doesn't have HSV1 or 2 either. I've only had one other partner, who I'm pretty sure didn't have either.
I really have no idea where to go from here. I obviously don't want to keep taking Valtrex because I don't want to be taking meds I don't need, but I can't keep doing the painful sore thing every time I have a cold. I missed my gyn's last call so I won't get to contact her until the office is open again Monday. I'll call and speak to her then, but past that I'm just not sure what steps to take toward finding out precisely what this *is.*
I definitely trust that my partner was tested and negative, but I did contact my last partner before that and he claims he doesn't have HSV1 or 2 either. I've only had one other partner, who I'm pretty sure didn't have either.
I really have no idea where to go from here. I obviously don't want to keep taking Valtrex because I don't want to be taking meds I don't need, but I can't keep doing the painful sore thing every time I have a cold. I missed my gyn's last call so I won't get to contact her until the office is open again Monday. I'll call and speak to her then, but past that I'm just not sure what steps to take toward finding out precisely what this *is.*
you can only assume you have herpes once you have a positive result on culture or blood test. don't assume nothing before that.
I always advise people to check their partner's results 'cause many people just say that they've been tested when in fact they haven't, which only makes things harder.
as for not 'developing antibodies' - it's not that you don't develop antibodies, but you don't develop antibodies that can be picked up in the blood tests currently available. there's nothing to do with a weakened immune system. but still - you don't even know if that's your case.
check if the culture's results are not back yet and let us know about it.
I always advise people to check their partner's results 'cause many people just say that they've been tested when in fact they haven't, which only makes things harder.
as for not 'developing antibodies' - it's not that you don't develop antibodies, but you don't develop antibodies that can be picked up in the blood tests currently available. there's nothing to do with a weakened immune system. but still - you don't even know if that's your case.
check if the culture's results are not back yet and let us know about it.
I think I was outside 48 hours (office closed on weekends), so I imagine even if results are negative I probably won't count them as necessarily so. Don't have results yet, but gyn told me to resume taking valtrex to try and clear up the outbreak and it seems to have worked very well, so I'm assuming at this point if it's not herpes it's something viral/related. She seems convinced that it's herpes based on sore appearance/recurrence.
I didn't personally see his results, but they were IGG 1&2 and both were negative. If I have herpes I think it's likely that I've had it since 2008 and for some reason am just not developing IGG for it, which disturbs me on extra levels because I guess that implies there's also something wrong with my immune system.
I didn't personally see his results, but they were IGG 1&2 and both were negative. If I have herpes I think it's likely that I've had it since 2008 and for some reason am just not developing IGG for it, which disturbs me on extra levels because I guess that implies there's also something wrong with my immune system.
If he swab was done within 48h, you'll most probably get better answers now. Post the result here when you get it.
It's possible you could have caught this before your current partner, yes, but not likely. Recurrent herpes is usually mild, not with multiple sores like you had in August.
Have you personally seen your boyfriends result? Was it HSV1 and 2 IgG? If so, this is not likely to be herpes at all. Well, at least not a recently acquired infection.
Let us know about the results.
It's possible you could have caught this before your current partner, yes, but not likely. Recurrent herpes is usually mild, not with multiple sores like you had in August.
Have you personally seen your boyfriends result? Was it HSV1 and 2 IgG? If so, this is not likely to be herpes at all. Well, at least not a recently acquired infection.
Let us know about the results.
Update: another illness, another round of ulcers have appeared. Visual exam from gyn resulted in hearing this time that they *do* look exactly like herpes; doctor swabbed the lesions and swabbed vaginally and will get results in a few days. I should probably wait until then to worry, but I can't help it; I'm just so tired of these conflicting results.
My boyfriend's results came back negative in early December, and my last partner before that was in summer 2008. Is it possible I could've been infected then? Are there people who just don't seroconvert? I don't think I'm immunocompromised in any way, although I do get sinus infections a lot (due, I thought, to bad allergies). I scour the internet and find so much conflicting information but no stories like mine; you guys at least seem to know what you're talking about.
My boyfriend's results came back negative in early December, and my last partner before that was in summer 2008. Is it possible I could've been infected then? Are there people who just don't seroconvert? I don't think I'm immunocompromised in any way, although I do get sinus infections a lot (due, I thought, to bad allergies). I scour the internet and find so much conflicting information but no stories like mine; you guys at least seem to know what you're talking about.
your partner getting tested is a good idea too.
at this point, every time you have symptoms, be seen and get these properly looked at again. make sure they are testing you for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally too when you are seen. testing the lesions for herpes as well as bacterial infections is also a good idea. if you get these a 3rd time and still not better answers, a dermatologist is a good idea.
at this point, every time you have symptoms, be seen and get these properly looked at again. make sure they are testing you for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally too when you are seen. testing the lesions for herpes as well as bacterial infections is also a good idea. if you get these a 3rd time and still not better answers, a dermatologist is a good idea.
The first one really wasn't bad at all, just a few ulcers; but the second was crazy and they were all over the place. I assumed it was because the cold I had was much worse the second time I had an outbreak than the first.
They didn't swab during the second outbreak, although my gyn did a visual exam and said they didn't look like anything she'd ever seen before. This was before they burst/became ulcerated.
He's getting tested later this week.
I've been googling fairly frantically but haven't really come up with much that would cause genital ulcers to pop up after/during an illness like this aside from herpes and maybe Behcet's disease. A few years back I had some crazy mouth-ulcer symptoms that seem like they could line up with that, but that's really about it.
They didn't swab during the second outbreak, although my gyn did a visual exam and said they didn't look like anything she'd ever seen before. This was before they burst/became ulcerated.
He's getting tested later this week.
I've been googling fairly frantically but haven't really come up with much that would cause genital ulcers to pop up after/during an illness like this aside from herpes and maybe Behcet's disease. A few years back I had some crazy mouth-ulcer symptoms that seem like they could line up with that, but that's really about it.
Well, as you have concluded by yourself, this might not be herpes going on. There's a tiny chance this might be genital HSV1 going on, because the tests for it do not pick up infection as accurately as the ones for HSV2. But having two really bad outbreaks in a row would be highly unusual for herpes. I imagine you're having multiple ulcers in the genital area?
Also, an initial outbreak 7 weeks after sex would be highly unusual.
The negative swab is also against herpes. Did they swab the lesions during the second outbreak?
Has your partner been tested for herpes after all this? Make sure he gets tested for HSV1 and HSV2 IgG.
Herpes is not the only cause for genital ulcers, but it's certainly the most common.
Also, an initial outbreak 7 weeks after sex would be highly unusual.
The negative swab is also against herpes. Did they swab the lesions during the second outbreak?
Has your partner been tested for herpes after all this? Make sure he gets tested for HSV1 and HSV2 IgG.
Herpes is not the only cause for genital ulcers, but it's certainly the most common.
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
