I'm not aware of any place that does that except our clinic. If you can't find someone locally, you can contact my clinic and we can do that for you.
I'm sorry this is so frustrating for you! I can only imagine how these things together are causing incredible pressure in your life.
Terri
Thanks for the guidance.
My husband and I have been in a monogamous relationship for seven years (he is my fourth partner and I am his second, but the first he has had unprotected sex with) and right before we start our third IVF cycle, I got these mysterious symptoms and the swelling and lesions of my Bartholin glands, which my gynecologist said is herpes just based on his clinical observation.
I then found out he decided to do a test that has a 60%+ failure/inconclusivity rate instead of the PCR test, which may have provided an answer within 2-3 days and alleviated months of worry for me. I feel that I haven't received optimal medical care and that is absolutely not what I need, especially at this vulnerable time when I may soon become pregnant and should be able to tell a future OB whether or not I have genital herpes. It has all been very stressful and frustrating, to say the least.
The IVF cycle was delayed by almost two weeks due to all these health issues. Per your recommendation, I will definitely try to find a doctor who will order the HSV-1 test for me and both tests for my husband as soon as possible.
Since my gynecologist seems behind the times with herpes testing do you know how I might find a new practitioner or a clinic who could give me one of the "take home" PCR swab kits I've read about that would let me swab future lesions for analysis -- if I ever get them again?
Thank you so much for your help.
I'm so sorry I didn't see this in "new posts" until now.
Wow, you've been through it, huh?
It sounds like you definitely had a reaction to the Azithro, and a fairly common one, in my experience. The skin rash could also be a reaction to the antibiotics.
As for the lesions being herpetic - I strongly suggest that your husband be tested for HSV 1 and 2, and that you get an antibody test for HSV 1 and 2 about three months out from the "outbreak". About 40% of new genital herpes in the US is HSV 1, not HSV 2. But we don't even know if you have herpes, since your swab test was negative and you have a negative HSV 2 antibody test - but you're right, it could be new infection and the swab test missed it or it could be HSV 1 and no antibody testing was done.
I don't think the blood draw would have done anything except make you faint, and most people get light headed when they have that much blood drawn, not because of the loss of blood usually, but more because of the THOUGHT of losing this much blood.
I think getting this at the vaginal ultrasound appointment is an extreme, very extreme, long shot
Terri
I'm not sure about a new OB
ugh...can't edit posts. :-)
That was 11/10 that the "blood draw from hell" occured.
One thing I forgot to add, on 10/10, two days before the swollen glands, puffy eye, flu-like symptoms and rash started, I went to LabCorp to have my blood drawn for the tests my PCP ordered (Lupus, celiac, lyme, hashimoto's, all negative; just slightly elevated prolactin showed up).
They drew 14 vials and I started to pass out when they got to vial 9. I had to lay down and they drew the rest.
I wonder whether the stress of the blood loss and near-fainting might have shocked my immune system and resulted whatever this illness was.
Sorry for the length of my post. It's been a long rollercoaster ride.
My GYN also did not suggest my husband get tested for anything even though he knows we've been trying to conceive for 4+ years. He said if my husband "wants" to be tested, he should see his own doctor. I'm so frustrated at this point, I don't know what to do. A major concern I have, is if this is a new HSV-2 infection and I haven't had intercourse in over a month, could I have been infected from the vaginal ultrasounds at my Reproductive Endocrinologist's office? Maybe one of the nurses forgot to change the sheath on the wand...? Sorry to speculate, but without adequate medical guidance and diagnostics that's all I have left.