I've transmitted hsv2 myself twice in 22 years - both during the first year of infection. I haven't transmitted it since then as far as I know ( I never knew I was infected the first time I transmitted it and I wasn't trying hard to protect my partner the 2nd time ). I'm pretty sure I have a very healthy sex life. Most of the other folks I know who have hsv2 have never transmitted it ( that is the ones who knew they had it to being with ).
I look at it this way - if you were planning a big vacation to disney this week and you turned on the weather channel today and it said there's a 4% chance of rain this week in orlando, FL - would you cancel your vacation?
grace
Grace,
I have one last question and then I promise not to bother you anymore with my situation. As I mentioned to you several times, my partner(female) is positive for both HSV1&2, and I'm negative. My question is, can it really be possible to maintain a healthy sex life together without me necessarily contracting herpes. If we adhere to practicing safe sex and avoiding sex when any OB's are present. Which really shouldn't be hard, because according to her, she hasn't ever suffered any OB's. Again, thanks for all your answers, they were very helpful, and GREATLY appreciated.
I meant provide, not provider...lol
grace
Condoms provider about a 40% -50% reduction in transmission. It's certainly better than nothing. Combined with suppressive therapy - they really keep your risk minimal.
grace
Grace,
Yes, we have both read the westoverheights.com herpes handbook. However, you mention the many tools other than suppressive therapy, such as condoms. Yet, according to what is said in the herpes handbook and on many other publications and websites, condoms offer the male minimal protection. Are you aware of any other tools that may be beneficial in reducing the risk of transmission. Again, my partner is positive for both HSV 1&2, and I'm negative for both.
Many labs won't even report any results back higher than 5 except for to report it as >5. there's no significance to the numeric result when it's over 5 ( which just means that it's over the false negative range ).
It's totally up to the two ofyou how you feel about your gf not being on suppressive therapy. You have many tools at your disposal to help reduce your risk of contracting hsv2 from her. Suppressive therapy is just one of them. If you use none of the tools, your risk is still low of contracting hsv2 from her. Anything over and above avoiding sex whenever she has ANY genital symptoms just puts the odds more and more in you favor. suppressive therapy and condom use would get your risk down to as low as 1%.
Have you both read the herpes handbook at www.westoverheights.com?
grace
Grace, I appreciate all your feedback and information that you've provided. However, I'm still confused about why you say that the actual numbers from my girlfriends tests are meaningless? Her doctor told her that her #'s were low and that she had nothing to worry about since she doesn't have Ob's. Yet, When reading other threads where people post there results, I've never seen any of these reach as high as my partners which were as follows:
Hsv II IgG 12.94H OD Ratio <1.10
Hsv I 6.09 OD Ratio <1.10
She is also against taking any anti-suppressive medication because she has no Ob's and doctor tells her she doesn't need to worry. Are we being given poor advice by her doctor, and being that I'm negative for both, she I be concerned if she decides against suppressive medications? Sorry if this was long winded.. Thanks
About 27days passed between the first and last test.
She is positive for both which you already know. other than that the numbers are meaningless.
grace
Hey Grace, My girlfriend was diagnosed w/ both hsv 1&2. However, her numbers for the test results are very different from mine. I had herpeselect test done and I believe she had same although her paperwork has numbers that appear very high even though her Doctor tells her otherwise and she never has had any outbreaks.
Her Numbers:
Hsv II IgG 12.94H OD Ratio <1.10
Hsv I 6.09 OD Ratio <1.10
Can you make any sense of these?
You are negative for hsv1 and hsv2. You have nothing to worry about.
grace
( please note to any other posters - when you post your test results all we need to see if the hsv1 igg 4. 6 and hsv2 igg 3. 9 or whatever they are. We don't need any other information typed - thanks! )
How much time passed between your first and second IgM tests?
A wester blot test, although not widely performed, is a far more sensitive and specific test. If you're concerned, as I you must be, you should talk to your physician to see if he/she will order in a western blot test to help you get to the bottom of this.
I understand that this must be quite frustrating for you. I hope you soon get the answer you're looking for. Best of luck.
I'm in the same boat, my husband and I are going in to get to the bottom of this, it appears that if you look in the column to the right of test descriptions you will probably see a "N" on Herpeselect IGG 1 & 2, if so, that's a "negative" Yes, I heard the IGM test is a misdiagnoses, I had a horrible day dealing with it and all the crazy thoughts it creates. You always have to double check medical practices, after all they "practice" on us.
Good Luck