Two negative tests, but still worried

[nmo27]

A little over six months ago I had what seemed like an initial genital herpes outbreak. It started with swelling, redness, itching and burning that felt like a bad yeast infection, I used a single dose anti-fungal cream which increased the itching and burning to a nearly intolerable level. Within the next 48 hours small round blisters appeared and then opened leaving shallow, round lesions that matched uncomfortably well with the results of my google image search for herpes sores. The pain dissipated after several days though the lesions were still present and I took myself to planned parenthood.

The clinician who examined me diagnosed me with herpes based on visual evidence, but the culture from the swab we took came back negative, though I was told this was most likely because the sample had been taken after the lesions had been open for a few days, and were less likely to be releasing fluid containing the virus.

Last week I took the IgG blood test for hsv 1 and 2 as well as the IgM, and received my results today. Everything tested negative with a value of 0.19 for hsv1, 0.09 for hsv2 and 0.37 for the IgM. However, the symptoms I had six months ago still have me worried, I have looked into the possibility of the anti-fungal cream (Tioconazole) I took causing the lesions, and there seems to be an extremely low, but not entirely convincing correlation.

I have also been noticing very small, circular lesions on the inside of my lip (oral) in the last several months that sometimes are mildly uncomfortable but don't tingle or appear to have a blister stage (that I have caught, anyway). When I write the symptoms out like this, I think I am probably being paranoid, but I have never had cold sores before and the shape reminds me of the lesions I found on my labia 6 months ago (do these sound at all like cold sores, anyone?). I have not had anything resembling a second outbreak genitally.

Anyhow, while I realize I am, perhaps being somewhat paranoid now, this is something I want to move on from, and I'm already leaning towards letting go on further testing unless I have another episode- while disclosing that it's possible I have herpes to future sex partners, and having my current boyfriend get tested again as his last test was only a little over a month after my potential exposure. However, the Western Blott is in the back of my mind....

Does anyone have any advice? Is the negative blood test reasonably solid (not 100% but in the mid-high 90's) evidence that I probably am not carrying the virus, or would it be in my boyfriend and potential future lovers' best interests for me to continue testing? Any help would be very much appreciated.

[nmo27]

Thank you, this is close to the same advice my doctor gave me , but it is good to get a confirmation, and you added some additional information which was helpful, I did not know that type one antibodies were less likely to show up on the IgG test. Having narrowed down the exposure to one incident, if it was indeed herpes it was transmitted orally and was therefor most likely hsv1.

[gracefromHHP]

if this was genital herpes, odds are it would've been hsv1 genitally which doesn't get picked up on as often as hsv2 does in the igg blood tests.  all you can do is if you get a return of genital symptoms again, be seen within 48 hours of the appearance of symptoms for a lesion culture and typing.  

could it have been something completely non-herpes related? Indeed it could be.

so what do you do now?  Well be sure to ask about all std's and testing with potential partners. most folks don't even get tested for herpes so make sure they are even getting tested for herpes with their std testing.  if you do have hsv1 genitally, it doesn't reoccur very often and it doesn't shed much either so even if a partner is hsv1 negative, it's not likely you'd transmit it to them. just be honest with partners as you plan on doing and go from there.

grace