Thanks again for your response. I started taking Valtrex after my first examination with my GP on day 6 but i stopped taking it on day 11, so only took it for 4 days. The lip pimple and the nostril inflammation happened around day 24.
Also, i developed a small anal fissure around day 15 which bleeds, and it has not healed yet but become worse over the last 2 weeks. Both these things are just driving me insane.
Given these, what would be your advise regarding sex or any other physical contact with my SO. I have refrained altogether for almost 5 weeks now.
The picture of your nostril looks completely normal to me. And a pimple on the lip could be many things, including just a pimple. its very difficult to say from your description what might be going on. Are you continuing to take Valtrex? If yes, it may interfere with your antibody test results. Also, the test only picks up 9 out of 10 HSV 1 infections, so its not the best for that. My advice would be to stop the Valtrex completely, if something significant shows up on your body after that, go get it swabbed for herpes. If not, retest when 4 months have passed since your encounter with the two women that are not your significant other.
Terri
Terri
Today is day 37 post my exposure. My igg tests for HSV1 (0.12) and HSV2 (0.14) both came out negative, taken on day 27 after the exposure. But I have a follow up and this time it is regarding oral herpes. I am having new symptoms. I got a pimple on the upper edge of my lip on day 24 which healed in a week. Around the same time, the inside of my nostrils became red and sore, and it has progressively worsened. It is much more pronounced inside the right nostril. There is not a lot of pain but they are definitely tender and red and make breathing slightly difficult esp. on the right side. The tenderness also radiates outside sometimes. Also, when i clean them, the crust which comes out is golden and not the usual greenish color (sorry for the detail). From as far as i can see inside, there does not seem to be any visible sore. Other than that, no fever in the past few days but i do experience dry eyes and an ache right at the back of the eyes. I also sense one slightly prominent lymph note on the right side of the neck.
Here's a link to the picture of my nostril -
http://yfrog.com/f1rightnostrilj
My questions are:
1. Does it sound like herpes?
2. If I do have herpes inside the nostrils, what damage could it do? The soreness inside the nostrils goes deep inside. Am I breathing the virus in each time?
3. At what point can conclude from testing whether i have HSV1/2 or not?
I'd greatly appreciate your response.
- Outstressed
Eight days is way too soon for any accurate results. and IgM testing is useless, many false positives are obtained. I would be interested in what ever results you have obtained through this testing, I'm so sorry I haven't been around much lately, I've been incredibly busy with a herpes study at my office.
I can't tell much from your description because the clinicians involved, who have actually seen you, are not in agreement about what is going on. I'm not clear about the sore, so hard to visualize.
Have you had anything swabbed yet?
Terri
Terry
Also, i have signed up for an igm and igg test for tomorrow. I spoke to an online consultant who suggested that 8 days or later post exposure igm and igg tests will give good results.
Is the consultant's statement correct about the 8 days?
The test will be tomorrow and the results will be available 2 days after. Is this a good course of action?
Also, on some threads i read that if you have had chicken pox, igm shows up as positive. i did get chicken pox when i was a kid - so how much should i rely on these tests?
I am extremely stressed out for me and my SO.
Please respond.