Western Blot

[Cookie2011]

The doctor's office called and told me that the WB for both HSV1 and 2 were positive.   I asked if there were numbers, (i.e. 3.5 from an IGG), and I was told they just tell you if it's positive or negative.  The test was performed by the Univ. of Washington.

Is this correct?  Or do I need more info?

Thank you for your help...

Also, does anyone know a good STD doctor in OH?

[Cookie2011]

Maybe I wasn't clear....

My IGg was 3.53, but all they told me on the WB was that it was positive and the lab  only tells you it's positive or negative with no values.  Is that right?

[vintage87]

Hi'
I spoke to Terri Warren a herpes geru at the Westover Clinic in Oregon. She told me that a Western Blot is the best test you can take for herpes and is 100% accurate. She ordered the test for me and I plan to go take it this week. I took the Herpesselect test and got three different results. The Herpesselect is tricky and can be known for false positives. If you took the Western Blot and tested postive this is no mistake.

[Mistakeguy789]

First off let's get the values to be read by someone who knows the testing and is trained.  Grace can easily tell you whats going on with the test. My information below is just for information and not saying anything regarding your results.

The western blot is not 100% accurate and I seriously doubt Terri would say that.  Even the Western Blot misses some infections.  The test is far more accurate than that of the other IGG tests and is considered the gold standard in herpes testing.  The western blot does NOT come back with numeric values.  The test comes back with 3 different readings which are: positive, negative, or inderterminate if I recall correctly.  A postive result should be believed.  But there isn't a numeric value for it.  

The test is only performed by one lab and that is the UofW.  Give grace a chance to look over the information you posted.  

[Cookie2011]

Thanks for the clarification Mistakeguy789 on the readings.  Wanted to make sure that was correct.  The test was performed by U of W.  Paid for it out of my pocket!

Thanks again!

[vintage87]

Mistaken Guy, I spoke to Terri yesterday and this is what she told me. However, since you seem to be very informed about herpes what do you think about my situation?Currently, I dont know if I've have herpes or not. I've been tested twice since my encounter in June of last year. I negative, postive and inconclusive. My scores where 0.91,0.92 and 1.05. I've been to two more doctors in the past month but they didnt think I should test without blisters. Im supposed to order the Western Blot next week. I've never had any blisters or sores. I had one bump a few moths ago that hurt and went away in a day or two. However, Ive had a constant pinching feeling in my vagina,tingling,and discomfort. I sometimes get shooting pains down there. Is this normal? It has been constant for months. The symptoms dissapeared for a few days and returned. I've been tested for everything and Im negative. I dont even have a yeast infection or bacterial infection. Does this sound like herpes?

[gracefromHHP]

the Wb only returns with a + or -, there are not numeric results for it.

at least you know your status now an d can take measures to reduce transmission to a partner.

has your partner been tested yet?

grace

[Cookie2011]

Thank you Grace... The partner, that I believe exposed me, is no longer in the picture.  I was seeing someone when I had the first test (igg)  and he could not deal with the situation, now seeing someone new and this subject has not come up, yet.   We've been seeing each other for about a month, and I dread telling him too.  This is so new to deal with and the then the disappointment when someone you care about can't/won't deal with it.  Do you have a way to tell someone without sounding like doom and gloom?  

[gracefromHHP]

I'm just open and honest about it with partners and incorporate it into the whole "sex talk" with a new partner - condoms, birth control , std testing and std history.  Most people don't get tested for std's unless they have symptoms. Even when they do get tested, most people don't get tested for herpes.  It's well worth covering it all.  when we get to the part where I let them know that I'm negative for std's, except for hsv1 and hsv2, I always follow that statement with - what do you know about either of them - and go from there.  I let them know the low rates of transmission in general as well as what I do to protect them to take their risk even low ( for a male partner you can get risk down to 1%/year which is lower than the risk of pregnancy with real use of the bc pill -8% ).   I've only ever been turned down twice because of my herpes from partners over the years. Most of my friends with herpes, have never been turned down.  It's really not the red flag most folks assume it must be :)

[Cookie2011]

Thank for the above comment.....

I've been having tingling, burning, itching in the genital area and also little tickling sensations in my buttocks (almost like you have a bug crawling on you), but no blisters.  Is this common? Is this what you call prodrome?  How long does this last at a time?  Today is Thursday and it's been going on since Saturday.  The dr did give me Valtrex and I've been taking 1000 mg a day.  Should I take more when this is going on?

[gracefromHHP]

have they checked you for vaginitis?  bv especially is common with herpes and can trigger recurrences and can give you those sorts of sensations.

[Cookie2011]

Have not been checked for that one.  I'll google the symptoms..  Thank you!

[vintage87]

Hey Cookie'
Im convinced it is the herpes because I've never experienced this until I was supposingly diagnosed. I take my Western Blot on Friday because I had a low positive with the HerpesSelect Test. However, I've been experiencing these symptoms for six months. I've had two normal pap smears and every other std is negative. My docter said I had a bv infection and I've taken antibiotics. The symptoms dissapeared but returned. I know exactly what your talking about.

[Cookie2011]

Took a diflucocan (sp?) and that took care of it....  Thanks!

[gracefromHHP]

so you were properly tested for yeast?

[wdoml]

Hey Grace..quick question... I didnt know BV is common with people who have herpes.. is it common to get during a outbreak? or just common in general to have if you have herpes

[Mistakeguy789]

It is best to ask questions on your own thread and not hijack those of other posters.  

[wdoml]

I wasn't hijacking...I asked it under this post because Grace mentioned above that  BV is especially common with herpes and can trigger reaccurences

[Mistakeguy789]

Again you can post such questions in your own thread.  :-)

[gracefromHHP]

bv is common in us gals in general.

having bv makes you more likely to contract a std, including herpes.

having herpes doesn't mean you'll get bv more often.

make any sense?

[Cookie2011]

Grace, I wasn't tested, but I had a pill left over from taking an antibiotic back in the fall that I didn't use then and thought I would take it.  It worked...

[gracefromHHP]

well if symptoms return, be seen and get properly tested to make sure you know for sure what is going on the next time.

[bkbkbkgirl]

are we referring to bactertial vaginosis or itis? and contracting herpes is morel ikely if u have bv, but what if it was cleared up with diflucan?

[gracefromHHP]

bv isn't treated with diflucan. diflucan is for yeast infections.

[bkbkbkgirl]

sorry i wasnt sure about the medication. but either way, if its cleared up with medication are your chances of contracting herpes still higher