Test results

[Trelawney10116]

My boyfriend's doctor told him that he tested positive for herpes. He's never had any symptoms and neither have I. The doctor did not give him any test numbers or anything and I don't know what kind of test he had. We would like to have a child. What do you recommend that we do? Thanks

[castello80]

What information are you referring to, grace?

[Trelawney10116]

That's been his primary care physician for years but now at my recommendation he is getting another doctor and getting type specific testing. This is important to me. I don't want to get herpes but I love him and we want a child. Thanks for your help.

[gracefromHHP]

I'm not sure where castello came up with some of that info - it's incorrect.

the combined test could be reflecting a hsv1 infection, a hsv2 infection, both or even neither. It often picks up on other viral infections too which is also part of why we don't recommend its use.   why is it still offered? it's a money maker for the lab more than anything and many providers aren't up to date on herpes testing, like your partner's provider and still order it.  your partners provider giving him suppressive therapy based on that test is actually malpractice :(  

yes indeed you too should seek out type specific herpes igg blood testing. you two can't make decisions about what precautions to take until you know who has what.  

should you end this relationship? herpes is NEVER a reason to end a relationship!! At this point since this can of worms was opened, you have to both follow up through and get better answers.  why did a cardiologist order up this testing anyways?

[Trelawney10116]

Thanks. He is going to get the type specific test but since the doctor recommended valcor and since it says "high" my sinking feeling is that he has hsv 2, which I was hoping he didn't.  His doctor is a cardiologist with not much herpes experience. I'm so afraid that I've contracted it especially because his diagnosis is high, but I don't want to end the relationship. He's started taking the suppressive medication to protect me.

[castello80]

It is unlikely that he is negative given that his result's numerical value was high. However, HSV tests are incorrect a tenth of the time, so this could be applicable here. The test was administered due simply to the notion that some doctors are not thoroughly educated on STDs especially herpes. Another reason could have been that this was the only test they had available to administer. Has your boyfriend been a patient of this particular physician for a long time or is the doctor relatively new?

The test is not 100% bogus, but it only gives you half of the answer (tells you that he has herpes, but does not specify which type). Whenever you are able to, I strongly suggest getting the type specific Igg to arrive at a conclusion and what precautions need to be taken. HSV-1 has a shedding rate of about 3%/year while HSV-2 has a shedding rate of over 15-30%/year. If he does have HSV-1 then he probably won't need to take any medication because asymptomatic shedding of genital HSV-1 is rare.

If the type specific test shows that he's positive for HSV-1, but not HSV-2 then it would be reasonable to conclude that his HSV-1 infection is oral due to his lack of symptoms. If it is HSV-2, it is almost always genitally.

Here's a great ebook that's free by herpes expert Terri Warren, which provides you with loads of information including pregnancy.

http://westoverheights.com/handbook.html

[Trelawney10116]

You guys are awesome. Thanks so much. A few questions -- is it possible that he is hsv negative even if this test says 22.8 high?? The designation of "high" kind of scares me. If this test that he got is totally unreliable why was it administered? It was an Igg test from labcorp.  Is it totally bogus? Should we disregard it??