Shingles versus Herpes

[Resa1]

Two weeks ago a rash began on my neck and 4 days later another area near my bellybutton.  I started putting a steroidal cream, Triamcinolone Acetonide on my neck immediately and it helped.  When the rash developed on my bellybutton I scheduled an appointment with my allergy/immunologist doctor.  It was a Friday, so I had to wait until Monday.  Over the weekend, the belly area got worse and blistered badly.  When I went to my doctor, he wasn't sure what it was (shingles, herpes simplex or herpes genital).  He prescribed Zovirax cream and ran a blood test.  Today, over a week later, he calls me and says I have herpes antibodies. The herpes test was positive. He doesn't tell me if it is the sexual kind or simple.  He said he couldn't tell.  He had to talk another call and he hasn't called me back 3 hours later.  He sounded like he didn't know what it is.

I think I had shingles, as it only occurred on my neck and belly, but I'm only 39 years old; and now he's got me worried I have genital herpes.  Could a Herpes test come back positive and actually be shingles?  What do I do from here forward?  See a dermatologist, an OB/GYN or an infectious disease person to test me properly?  Please advise.

[gracefromHHP]

It would be incredibly unusual for shingle to reoccur this often. You certainly need a 2nd opinion.

are you on daily suppressive therapy for your herpes?  

have you seen a dermatologist about these rashes?

grace

[shelley544]

i have had shingles for 5 years now. every year i break out more often. the first breakout i was extremely ill and i broke out three times in a two month period. first on my right hip the size of a quarter and i thought i was going to die from the pain. the second one foollowed quickly and it was from front to back between my legs, as it was healing, i broke out for the third time on my right hip again. since then it has progressed to up to six times a year. i also now have type 2 diabetes, i had rhuematoid arthritis for 15 years before that but i now have high blood pressure have just been diagnosed with tmj and i have diverticulosis that has already resulted in aburst colon three years ago. my dr. just took skin scrapings from the last breakout because now he is saying it might not be shingles. I have had genital herpes for 35 years. untreated. he thinks i might have a problem with my immune system. what tests should i be having? i have no insurance.  shelley544

[gracefromHHP]

Your hsv2 igg is over the false positive range so yes you do have hsv2 and statistically it's genital.  It doesn't mean it has anything to do with the rashes you had in 2 places but you also happen to have hsv2.  Your hsv2 igg is average - it's not overly high.

Your hsv1 igg is also positive. statistically that's oral herpes.  

grace

[Resa1]

Well I got the results of my blood test:

It was a HSV 1/2 IGG, Herpeselect Type Specific AB

Herpes Simplex Type 1      2.09
Herpes Simplex Type 2      >5.00

The EIA Range states
1.10 is Positive

I was in my primary doctor's office when we received the results of the test my Allergy/Immunology doctor ran.  My primary doctor didn't want to say I DEFINITELY have genital herpes, though.  He didn't think it was shingles, though, because he said I didn't have the excruciating pain.  He said there may, cross or false positives, resulting from another herpes type disease (EBV or CMV).  He was concerned about my cervix, though. My throat soarness is what I'm most concerned about; him too.  The rashes on my neck and belly have gone away, though.  He has referred me to an ENT doctor (appointment tomorrow a.m.) to scope my throat, and my OB/GYN (appointment in 3 days).  

I'm scared and confused, and seeing him didn't do much for me, but worry me more.  We talked about it being mono. The HSV2 seems really high, though.  I heard people develop such high antibodies that they may never have another attack again, if it is HSV2.  I don't know.  I'm just confused.

I'm so stressed and so worried. I don't know what to do.  I'm crying so much.  I'm sure the stress doesn't help it, if it is HSV2.  By the way, I'm single and fear I'll never have sex again, if it's HSV2.

[gracefromHHP]

Less than 5% of folks who have shingles ever get it another flare up of it.  It's unlikely if this was shingles that you'd get it again.

Many folks are just visually diagnosed as having shingles so I'm very untrusting of reading online that others have had it on more than 1 dermatone at a time.  Call me suspicious though certainly I do know that many diseases forget to read the rule book sometimes.  

At this point the rash is gone so there's no way to know what it was.  Should it reoccur - definitely follow up on it and insist on proper testing, not visual exams/guessing.

grace

[Resa1]

Yes, the rash is gone. No rash, no blisters and no scabs, just red still, so nearly gone.

Please note I have been on cortisteroids for eye problems for over 3 months (this is an unusually long time), and on a chemotherapy eye drop for a week, just prior to this rash (which I stopped due to eye irritation).  When I looked it up on the internet today, it said shingles can occur due to these two things, and a compromised immune system.  

I kept researching on the internet.  Regarding the two dermatome(s), several people had shingles on their neck and belly.  It's never been on my private areas.

Is it true that shingles usually only happen once in a person's lifetime?

I agree with you that I will need to get herpes specific test, but is that a waste of time, if it doesn't it's a one time thing?  Should I wait until another outbreak or do it when I'm not breaking out?

Thanks

[gracefromHHP]

Actually having shingles appear on the neck and the belly both at the same time would be highly unusual. It's incredibly rare to have it occur on more than one dermatone at a time.

I also doubt it's herpes simplex - same reason - more than one area would be highly unusual.

It sounds like your doctor did a non-type specific herpes igg blood test which was an absolute total waste of your time.

So what now? I"m assuming that the rash is gone or almost gone since it sounds like it's been going on for over a week now?  Since your first doctor started the ball rolling on herpes testing you can follow up at some point with your regular doctor with a type specific herpes igg blood test just to cover that base.  I"m sure if you are like most of us until you get the right test done there will always be that little voice in the back of your head wondering right?  If the rash is still there or it's gone now but comes back, follow up with a dermatologist.  

Wish I had faster and easier answers for you but I hope my explanations help.

grace