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Hsv 2 equivocal, turning positive?
I was tested every year for hsv. I was always positive for hsv-1 and negative for hsv-2. I was tested in September 2020, results the same. Since then I had 1 sexual partner. Stupidly, we had unprotected sex on 2 occasions. I’m female, he’s male if that helps. I got tested in January 2021 as a general screening, and I’m now equivocal hsv 2 Igg 1.04. I tested 2 weeks after last possible exposure which I know is early so I may have an early infection. I don’t have any symptoms & he claims to be negative but now I don’t trust him. My doctor told me to just retest in 8 weeks. I’m beating myself up over this. Anxiety through the roof. Wondering if I should even test again or just try to move on. Should I be disclosing this result to a new guy I met? Insights?
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So it could be a new infection, or it could be a wacky test result. The only way to know is to test again. If you haven't had any symptoms, I wouldn't overly worry about it, as the hsv2 IgG has a decent rate of false positives, though yours is just an equivocal, which really doesn't mean much.
Should you tell your new partner? Well, do you want this to be a relationship? I don't think there's a lot of risk here, but say this is a new infection, and you find out 8 weeks from now that it is. You've had sex with this new guy for a number of weeks, knowing it was a possibility, but didn't tell him. He might not care about the herpes part, but that you took the choice away from him. That's a trust thing, which is important to relationships.
On the flip side, we are all responsible for our own sexual health. Even though you are beating yourself up for not using condoms, you are still blaming the guy who may not have been honest with you - do you want the new guy to feel that way about you?
So my vote is honesty. I don't like the word "disclosure" - that sounds so shameful. Make it part of the STD discussion you should be having - the awesome new guy could have something you need to know about, too, right? It's a discussion you enter on equal ground.
And stop beating yourself up. It's not productive or kind. Most of us have been there, and the best you can do now is just learn from it.
If it is herpes, I swear to you it's not nearly as bad as you think it is, but we can cross that bridge if we need to.
Should you tell your new partner? Well, do you want this to be a relationship? I don't think there's a lot of risk here, but say this is a new infection, and you find out 8 weeks from now that it is. You've had sex with this new guy for a number of weeks, knowing it was a possibility, but didn't tell him. He might not care about the herpes part, but that you took the choice away from him. That's a trust thing, which is important to relationships.
On the flip side, we are all responsible for our own sexual health. Even though you are beating yourself up for not using condoms, you are still blaming the guy who may not have been honest with you - do you want the new guy to feel that way about you?
So my vote is honesty. I don't like the word "disclosure" - that sounds so shameful. Make it part of the STD discussion you should be having - the awesome new guy could have something you need to know about, too, right? It's a discussion you enter on equal ground.
And stop beating yourself up. It's not productive or kind. Most of us have been there, and the best you can do now is just learn from it.
If it is herpes, I swear to you it's not nearly as bad as you think it is, but we can cross that bridge if we need to.
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Thank you for getting back to me. I guess you’re right. I will try talking to the new guy.
I’m so fearful of the equivocal result because I’ve ALWAYS been negative so the fact that the test is seeing some sort of immune response to the virus just gives me very little hope. I expect the numbers will jump and I will be deemed positive since this is so unusual for me. I plan to test again Friday with a lab and I have an appointment to test again the end of March with my obgyn office. Thanks again.
I’m so fearful of the equivocal result because I’ve ALWAYS been negative so the fact that the test is seeing some sort of immune response to the virus just gives me very little hope. I expect the numbers will jump and I will be deemed positive since this is so unusual for me. I plan to test again Friday with a lab and I have an appointment to test again the end of March with my obgyn office. Thanks again.
If you keep testing with the same test and testing so often, you will likely continue to get the same result if it's a false positive. I know it's so hard to wait, and if you must test on Friday, just keep in mind that it could be a false positive.
You are already acting as if this is written in stone, and we don't know that yet. I don't want to give you false hope, but on the other hand, I don't want you to plan your life with herpes if you don't yet know you have it.
You are already acting as if this is written in stone, and we don't know that yet. I don't want to give you false hope, but on the other hand, I don't want you to plan your life with herpes if you don't yet know you have it.
You’re right. I got the results back using a different lab, now 5 weeks post the first possible exposure and 4 weeks post 2nd possible exposure, and the range is 1.01 so equivocal again. That didn’t help so I guess I’ll just wait. Thanks again.
I know it's hard. Try waiting until 12 weeks, and see what it says then. If it doesn't go up to a positive then, then you're okay. At 5 weeks, it's a good sign, but wait until 12 weeks. If you get any sores, get in with your doctor within 24-48 hours to get them cultured with a type specific culture. If your doctor can't see you, or it's a weekend, go to an urgent care. I don't expect you'll get any, but just in case you do.
Keep me posted. :)
Keep me posted. :)
Hi Again,
I’m just returning with an update. I did another IGG test at 8 weeks post last possible exposure and the test came back negative. Should I test again at the 12 week mark? Is it possible I’m still seroconverting?
I’m just returning with an update. I did another IGG test at 8 weeks post last possible exposure and the test came back negative. Should I test again at the 12 week mark? Is it possible I’m still seroconverting?
No, you aren't seroconverting, or the number would have risen, not gone down. You can call this negative and move on from it. Congrats. :)
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