Risk after exposure

[consumed244]

I am a 30 year old female who appreciates your forum.I have relied heavily on your answers for education over the past month or so. I had unprotected sex with a man who later told me he has had HSV2 for 8 yrs. He reassured me that he "knows his body" and that he hasn't had an ob in 2 yrs. He was in a relationship for 7 yrs and his ex girlfriend is negative HSV. He does not take anti virals. His herpes ob's happen in the pubic hair region above his penis.
My exposure was over the course of 3 days from Aug 20-23.
23rd-  fever at night and night sweats (important to note I also arrived home from a vacation where I was drinking and had lack of sleep for 3 days) the fever was gone and no more sweats after 1 night.
25th- diaherrea - googled side effects of herpes
27th- crawling feeling across my genital area started and lasted for 7 days
28th- small pimple where my pubic hair is- was not red or raised and at this point i was obsessively checking. Pimple was single and had white head no bigger than a pen tip i took my nail over it the white head popped off and it never came back , hurt or scabbed over.
29th - doc diagnosed me with a yeast infection
Tingle and anxiety worsened.
Sept.5th intense burning sensation on pubic mound started and lasted 2 days skin was red
No lesions appeared or visible signs at all
Sept 7th did a full STD test all negative including my ElISA results at HSV1 - .11 HSV2- .57
she RX me 10 days of valtrex.Took that for 8 days.
Sept 21 got my 4 wk results - negative again
I get dull aches and throbbing on the left side of my genital area it comes and goes

1.) Is it possible to feel real burning pain from genital anxiety? wouldnt these have resulted in lesions?
2.) What is the effect of sunburn on shedding?
3.) Does a person who has had herpes longer shed less?
4.) Does my .57 on HSV2 concern you? Is this a high negative?
5.) What effect did the valtrex have on my 4 week test? Is that 4 wk negative null and void because of the drugs?
6.) Do my symptoms sound herpectic?



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[Life360_Dave]

Your really complicating things. If you test at the 7 week mark and test negative it does not represent a true finding. 3 months is the mark.

[consumed244]

Thank you! But in the meantime since I am still testing negative it is okay to still use the same test. So if I'm understanding you correctly if you receive equvical or higher then you will want to use a second type of test at the 3 month mark to confirm such as the western blot. But since I am still testing in negative range I can continue to test at the 7 week mark and see my IGG value at that time before worrying about additional types of test.

I read the handbook by Terri Warren I'll check it out again.

Thanks a bunch!

[Life360_Dave]

Its not mandatory for a different test but each test has its own pitfalls and a different test would lead to a more objective result. You might go back and ask them which is preferred.
Comfirmatory testing for false positive issus to show increases is a way of varifying but the 3 months is the conclusive. But bottom line, if you have multiple positive results under 3 months, this would lead to a positive concern.

The real way this works is more of a one time shot. Lets say you test after 3 months and it comes up under 3 on with the herpes select test. As a confirmatory test you would have the Wester Blot to verify this finding.

An aborted outbreak is discussed in " the updated herpes handbook" by Terri Warren. You might want to google it as has a wealth of information.

[consumed244]

Also, can you answer these questions?

Confused on the burning and tingling issue because I have seen HHH say many times on the expert forum that these symtpims alone without lesions within 2 days after are not caused by herpes. He never mentions aborted outbreaks. Can you abort primary outbreaks? We know that I have never had an outbreak prior to my initial testing because it was negative.

So if I have an increase at this 7 week test but its still negative then that's a bad sign? I've also read you can boggle? And a negative is a negative.

Thank you!!

[consumed244]

Why would testing at 7 and 12 weeks mean I would need different test? Why would testing with the same test give me a false positive?

I have spoken with Fleetwood as well as Terri Warren and neither of them discussed the need for different test at the different weekly marks. The reason I want to test at 7 weeks is to see if my number has risen. I will no matter the results on my 7 week test (unless they are a true positive 3.5+)  test at 12 weeks using the type specific ElISA test.

Can you help me understand why multiple testing would cause false positives and they why I would need to do different types of test?

[Life360_Dave]

The thing about constant testing is that you need to do a different test  and there are only so many types available. You need to avoid the false positive issue. It would be best to wait the entire 3 months to really put this to rest. Just hold off on being intimate and do things the way it can be best diagnost for you. Also this will eliminate the valtrex issue.

[consumed244]

Thank you for your response. When will my testing be valuable? I am testing again at 7 weeks to see if my igg has risen and of course no matter what at 12 weeks. Will that suffice?
I'm testing because I was told on this forum that
At 4 weeks 50% have seroconverted
At 6 weeks 70%
And 12 weeks 90%+

Confused on the burning and tingling issue because I have seen HHH say many times that these symtpims alone without lesions within 2 days after  are not caused by herpes. He never mentions aborted outbreaks. Can you abort primary outbreaks?
So if I have an increase at this 7 week test but its still negative then that's a bad sign? I've also read you can boggle? And a negative is a negative

How long until the valtrex won't effect my test anymore? Should my 7 week be unaffected by it? I took it for 8 days. Sept 7-13. Nothing sense

[Life360_Dave]

Hi, will first of all if you tested less than 1 1/2 months it was of no value. Any positive results would not be deemed valid and any value over 1 might be considered a false positive.
1. Not necessarily. if you consider burning prodrome symptom there is such a term called aborted outbreak but this is often referred to those who have already had an outbreak.
2. We know that sunlight affects outbreaks not shedding.
3.  shedding  as below.
      hsv2 genital----15-30% of the days evaluatle
      hsv1 genital------3.5% of the day evaluated
      hsv1 oral----------9-18% of the days evaluated
      hsv2 oral------1% of the days evaluated.
4.  it might be considered but an increase would answer you question more
5. yes meds can effect it so its null and void
6. not really