HSV 2?

[dcgirl09]

I found a small lump in my labia - right near the entrance to my vagina - over a week ago. I went to an urgent care yesterday and the nurse practitioner said it looked like herpes 2. I get HSV1 on my lips - I know what a herpes blister looks like. I have had 2 partners in the last year but several before then. I always used condoms. My current boyfriend and I just stopped using condoms 3 weeks ago. If this is HSV2 (I'm still not sure), did I get it from him? The nurse prac sent me to Labcorp with an order that just said "HSV2". Will I automatically get their new test - Captia? I heard this isn't very accurate. If I got it from him, would it be positive already? Please help. I don't even care if I have it - I just don't want it to ruin our relationship.

[gracefromHHP]

the captia test is a fine test if enough time has passed. Your bf also needs to get a blood test done to see what his status is.

grace

[dcgirl09]

How much is "enough time"? It was probably less than 3 weeks from the first time we had sex without a condom. Is it possible I had this before and never had a breakout? If so, what are the odds I gave it to him? I had STD testing in summer 09 but they didn't do HSV - why wouldn't they if I had requested STD screening?

I'm freaking out that I either gave it to him, or he thinks I cheated on him or lied about having had tests done. I didn't know they didn't do HSV as a regular thing. (And I would bet money he's not been tested for HSV2 either!)

[dcgirl09]

And thank you! You provide excellent information on other posts I've seen. I appreciate your time. I forgot to say it earlier because I'm in panic mode.

[gracefromHHP]

Yup, odds are neither of you were ever tested for herpes before which is why both of you being tested is the best idea. He'll need tested anyways because you can't make educated decisions about what precautions to make until he has been. If he's hsv2 neg and you are hsv2+, then you know you had it since bfore you met him and just never knew it.

why would he think you cheated on him? Doesn't he know you by now to know that you aren't looking around for someone else?

grace

[dcgirl09]

God I hope he knows. This is the man I want to spend my life with. The thought that I could have given him this makes me physically ill. I'm also afraid he would "blame" me - maybe without even knowing it - even though I did my best to know my STD status.

If I noticed my bump on a Wednesday and we had sex without a condom on the previous Sunday (just a few days before), is it likely that I gave it to him? (I also don't know for sure if that is what the bumps are - there are two small bumps that look almost like sebaceous cysts that I've had down there before).

Does he need to go to the doctor to get tested or can we just get blood drawn somewhere?

[gracefromHHP]

At this point you need to see who has what - much more effective use of your time than worrying that you gave him something.

www.healthcheckusa.com and www.tstd.org are both reputable places to order up your own herpes igg blood testing through.  both run about $100 for the blood test.

grace

[dcgirl09]

I'm out of town and won't see him until Wednesday. I prefer not to talk to him about until I get my bloodwork back (Monday or Tuesday) and think the discussion should be in person. Is he at any additional risk if we wait a few days?

Can we have a healthy sexual relationship if I end up positive and he ends up neg?

[gracefromHHP]

you aren't seeing each other for a few days so it's not an issue. it's fine to wait and have the talk face to face.

yes indeed you can have a healthy and "normal" sex life if you have hsv2 and he doesn't.

grace

[dcgirl09]

I'm sorry for the all questions and really appreciate your help. I also have a thick, white discharge. Could these two tiny bumps be related to a yeast infection? I've been taking Valtrex for them just in case - 500 mg twice a day since Thursday night - but it doesn't seem to be having much effect. The bumps are remarkably unchanged from the day I first noticed them. Would herpes spread faster than this? It's been 10 days. Could I have just 2 little bumps - one looks like an absess - I get those a lot in different places - the other like a little pimple - for 10 days with no changes and it still could be herpes?

Thank you thank you!

[dcgirl09]

Also, if I've never had noticeable symptoms before - and I'm paranoid about every little thing I find down there - my doc knows my vagina better than my boyfriend - how likely is it that I got it from him? We had unprotected sex a few times 3-10 days before this bump showed up. The last time I had unprotected sex before that was 3 years ago, and my sex life has been pretty slow the past 18 months (until the current boyfriend).

[dcgirl09]

UPDATE: I received my test results today. I do in fact have HSV2. I told my boyfriend by phone. He was ok so far. He really doesn't know much about it. He knows there's a chance I got it from hm, but at this point, testing will only tell us we both have it, not who gave it to whom. So, if he's negative and I start antivirals, we use condoms, and don't have sex with an outbreak, what are the chances of keeping him negative?

Also, if I take antivirals, will repeated blood tests show lower viral loads? If so, does that mean lower risk of transmission? (I have a few friends with HIV and that's how it seems to work with them.)

Thank you for any thoughts. I keep trying to remind myself that I'm still the cool person I was before. Just a cool person with a bug. I'm hoping he can see past the bug - we had been talking about marriage just before this...

[gracefromHHP]

I'm laughing that your doc knows your vagina better than your bf does...lol.  so true sometimes isn't it?

If he's negative , you are on suppressive therapy and you use condoms, he's 99% likely each year not to contract hsv2 from you. How long have the two of you been together so far?

we don't measure viral load with hsv like we do hiv. no reason for any more blood tests.

do you recall your blood test results?

grace

[dcgirl09]

Yes, it's odd but true. Even my doc says she knows it better than my bf... :)

My test came back 3.12. Does that mean I've had this for awhile? We had unprotected sex only 2-3 weeks ago. Could I have that high a number so soon? Also, I have HSV1 - no doubt - cold sore outbreak on lips once or twice a year. Could that have helped me build antibodies quickly?

He is taking this pretty well. I know it is a shock for anyone to hear - me included! - but it will be ok. I'm not concerned about me so much - just want to keep him healthy if he is and avoid any "blame" games if he isn't.

Thank you again so much for your help. You are unbelievably kind and I appreciate it.

[dcgirl09]

Another question: If I have a genital outbreak but no signs of oral cold sore, I can still give him a blow job, right? Sounds like his lucky day!

[gracefromHHP]

that is a low hsv2 result - it's unfortunate you didn't have a lesion culture of your symptoms done to confirm you status.

once your bf gets his test results back, you'll be better able to decide how to proceed from here.

grace

[dcgirl09]

I was at an urgent care and I think they had limited resources. I am seeing my own doctor today or tomorrow but I'm not sure the little bump will still be there. There doesn't appear to be fluid in it - it doesn't "pop" when squeezed, so I'm not sure if they could get a culture. In any case, maybe my doc will recommend a re-test in a few months? Or is that wishful thinking?

[gracefromHHP]

way too late for a lesion culture at this point.

wait for bf's blood test results and go from there.

grace

[dcgirl09]

Ok. Thanks again for your kind help! I might check in with another question later. I'm "questioned out", if you can believe that... :)

[dcgirl09]

Another question! My bf is being tested later this week. If the last time we had unprotected sex was 3 weeks ago, will the test be accurate or will he need to be re-tested?

Also, how quickly does Valtrex work on an outbreak? The bump is getting smaller - 1000 mg three times a day for 4 days so far - but not very quickly. I've taken Valtrex for oral cold sores before with much faster results. Makes me wonder...

[dcgirl09]

Also, you know all this stuff about "red bumps that turn in to fluid-filled blisters, then burst and become ulcers or lesions before healing"? This still looks to me like sebaceous cysts (which I've been diagnosed with and treated for with antibiotics in the past). Small, flesh-colored smooth bump. No fluid. No blister. It is getting smaller with no signs of becoming an ulcer or lesion - and it's in a moist spot, where I thought they're more likely to be ulcer-like?

[gracefromHHP]

once we know who has what, we can decide if your bf needs any additional testing later on.

the valtrex dose should be 1gm 2x/day for 7-10 days ( always assume it's a newly acquired infection unless proven otherwise ). Your provider gave you the wrong dose. It's not harmful, just taking it 3x/day doesn't seem to heal genital lesions any faster than the 2x/day dose does.

these could be cysts or folliculitis even going on. If it's not all better monday, see your provider again or a dermatologist.  They should be testing the actual lesions for bacteria at this point in case you have that going on.

grace

[dcgirl09]

Well at least the change in Valtrex dosage will save me a few bucks! And a few headaches - HATE this drug.

I'm out of town again so, once again could end up at an urgent care-type place. Why are some urgent cares absolutely AWESOME and some SUCK so bad??

Thanks again! Will see what happens by Monday. Until then, no nookie for me... :( Gee happy Valentine's Day, eh?? :)

[gracefromHHP]

it can give some tremendous headaches :(

When will you be back in town to see your regular gyn?

grace

[dcgirl09]

Not for 2 weeks. I'm hoping if I end up being on Valtrex for suppression/limit transmission, the decreased dosage and some time will help me adjust to the meds. They suck.

But frankly, I'm still hoping for a false positive and a yeast or bacterial thing. I've had both - been caught up in that awful cycle before in my life - so ... until then, treating it like it is positive.