Aa
Very worried
6 weeks ago I am wearing relatively short shorts (covering butt and part of thighs although leaving part of thighs exposed). Guy grinds penis (not using condom) into the side/back of my thighs. Concerned that guy is high risk for herpes.
2 weeks later there is a small tear and a small painless white-head type pimple on butt opening. STD specialist says it really doesn't look like herpes, but takes swab test anyway. Swab test was taken within 12 hours of when I noticed symptoms, although the symptoms could have been there earlier without me noticing them. It burned a bit during/after when doctor took swab. Swab is negative. Tear lasts for another 2-3 weeks. The tear was on the midline (anterior).
1 month after the encounter red bump (without white head) on same thigh where grinding occurred, although not the exact spot of contact) surrounded by patch of red skin. The redness patch fades within 24 hours and bump after a few days. I have sometimes gotten bumps on my thigh before, but they usually are somewhat smaller, not surrounded by red skin, and have a white head.
Negative 1 & 2 Herpeselect IGG and negative IGM at 5 weeks post encounter. http://journals.lww.com/stdjournal/Fulltext/2003/04000/Raising_the_Consciousness_for_Identifying_and.7.aspx study on times to positive test results, but since my symptoms are mild/ambiguous and virus would have entered thigh, what would I still expect similar times? At what point would a negative start to be reassuring even if not fully definitive? In a few weeks I will be taking an extended trip out of the country so cannot test out to the full 3-4 months at this point. Since I am negative for type 1 and did not take any antivirals, would I expect to get accurate results faster than average, or on the other hand since I didn't have "classic" symptoms, would I expect to get results longer than average?
2 weeks later there is a small tear and a small painless white-head type pimple on butt opening. STD specialist says it really doesn't look like herpes, but takes swab test anyway. Swab test was taken within 12 hours of when I noticed symptoms, although the symptoms could have been there earlier without me noticing them. It burned a bit during/after when doctor took swab. Swab is negative. Tear lasts for another 2-3 weeks. The tear was on the midline (anterior).
1 month after the encounter red bump (without white head) on same thigh where grinding occurred, although not the exact spot of contact) surrounded by patch of red skin. The redness patch fades within 24 hours and bump after a few days. I have sometimes gotten bumps on my thigh before, but they usually are somewhat smaller, not surrounded by red skin, and have a white head.
Negative 1 & 2 Herpeselect IGG and negative IGM at 5 weeks post encounter. http://journals.lww.com/stdjournal/Fulltext/2003/04000/Raising_the_Consciousness_for_Identifying_and.7.aspx study on times to positive test results, but since my symptoms are mild/ambiguous and virus would have entered thigh, what would I still expect similar times? At what point would a negative start to be reassuring even if not fully definitive? In a few weeks I will be taking an extended trip out of the country so cannot test out to the full 3-4 months at this point. Since I am negative for type 1 and did not take any antivirals, would I expect to get accurate results faster than average, or on the other hand since I didn't have "classic" symptoms, would I expect to get results longer than average?
Also to clarify, I am the same person but lost my login. Thanks
Hi- I have had a 14-week negative for both types IGG test (herpeselect), but continue to suspect herpes. I have not taken any anti-virals/medication.
I am planning to retest in a few weeks. I was wondering whether I should also try the Immunoblot test (see http://requestatest.com/herpes-12-igg-immunoblot-testing ) The company "Request a Test" says this test is more sensitive than the IGG test. Is that correct? Is this test similar to the Western Blot? Assuming I do not mind paying the costs, would you recommend this test? Request a Test says "most" people produce anti-bodies by 12 weeks on it, but if it is similar to the Western Blot (which is 16 weeks), should I wait until 16 weeks?
Also I have read that some people *never* produce detectable anti-bodies on the IGG test. I was wondering at what point I can assume, if I have not produced anti-bodies by that time, then I probably never will. Ie do you ever see someone seroconvert say after 6 months?
Thank you for your help.
I am planning to retest in a few weeks. I was wondering whether I should also try the Immunoblot test (see http://requestatest.com/herpes-12-igg-immunoblot-testing ) The company "Request a Test" says this test is more sensitive than the IGG test. Is that correct? Is this test similar to the Western Blot? Assuming I do not mind paying the costs, would you recommend this test? Request a Test says "most" people produce anti-bodies by 12 weeks on it, but if it is similar to the Western Blot (which is 16 weeks), should I wait until 16 weeks?
Also I have read that some people *never* produce detectable anti-bodies on the IGG test. I was wondering at what point I can assume, if I have not produced anti-bodies by that time, then I probably never will. Ie do you ever see someone seroconvert say after 6 months?
Thank you for your help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I would not be concerned about a microscopic break in the thigh, no.
Terri
Terri
thanks Terri. should I not be worried about the possibility of a microscopic cut on my thigh that would have been too small for me to notice but would allow virus to enter? Since my result of 0.15 is a bit higher than normal I am concerned of this? But if this isn't a method of transmission then I will seek to move on from this. Thank you lots
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
If you've had no previous encounters in your lifetime, then yes, put this behind you completely. Your results are definitely negative on the blood tests, and that's really all you need to know - no risky experiences, negative tests, you are not infected. Yes, you can stop worrying now.
Terri
Terri
sorry it should say herpeselect test... autocorrect changed it to endorsement test
hi Terri- sorry to bug you again. I just received the exact #s for my endorsement 5 weeks test. They were 0.15 type 1 and also 0.15 type 2. (2 separate tests both came to same result. Not a combined result.) I am concerned about the results. I read that sometimes type 2 test will be an elevated negative due to detecting some herpes 1 antibodies and should otherwise be very close to 0.01. Is .15 too high to be true negative given I am hsv 1 negative?
Thank you Terri. I have not had any previous encounters, only the one described.
It is very reassuring that herpes cannot enter this way. However, I am concerned that you find the symptoms concerning. To clarify, I only noticed them because I was "self-inspecting" very vigorously out of concern from the encounter, and would not have noticed the symptoms otherwise. The only time it was painful was when I visited the doctor as she was jabbing at the pimple very hard for an extended amount of time in order to pop it. I am not sure if the symptoms are a problem or it is just psychological that I am fixating at this point due to the stress.
Also can you please explain if negative IGM at 5 weeks is at least somewhat reassuring or 100% worthless? I have seen IGM is worthless on these forums, but mainly reasoning focuses on false positive due to reacting with HSV1 or test physical chemistry. Does IGM also have many false negative as well?
That being said, given no other previous encounters, I can put this behind and move on without worrying now? Thank you.
It is very reassuring that herpes cannot enter this way. However, I am concerned that you find the symptoms concerning. To clarify, I only noticed them because I was "self-inspecting" very vigorously out of concern from the encounter, and would not have noticed the symptoms otherwise. The only time it was painful was when I visited the doctor as she was jabbing at the pimple very hard for an extended amount of time in order to pop it. I am not sure if the symptoms are a problem or it is just psychological that I am fixating at this point due to the stress.
Also can you please explain if negative IGM at 5 weeks is at least somewhat reassuring or 100% worthless? I have seen IGM is worthless on these forums, but mainly reasoning focuses on false positive due to reacting with HSV1 or test physical chemistry. Does IGM also have many false negative as well?
That being said, given no other previous encounters, I can put this behind and move on without worrying now? Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
When deciding if symptoms sound anything like herpes, I first evaluate the experience that leads someone to be concerned. Your experience is NOT a risk for acquiring herpes. Not any risk. The thigh skin is too thick for virus to enter the body. The symptoms that you had of white bumps and tearing around the anus are concerning because I"m sure that's not comfortable.
So I can't say if you have herpes or not, but I can say that THIS encounter presents no risk for genital herpes acquisition. I don't know how long it has been before you had any other sexual exposures, but if it has been at least four months since any previous sexual encounters, you should believe your negative test results.
Let me know if you have other questions.
Terri
So I can't say if you have herpes or not, but I can say that THIS encounter presents no risk for genital herpes acquisition. I don't know how long it has been before you had any other sexual exposures, but if it has been at least four months since any previous sexual encounters, you should believe your negative test results.
Let me know if you have other questions.
Terri
I was wondering what the risk this is herpes is? Do symptoms sound like herpes? Also as explained in the forums, I see IGM is not a good test due to frequent false positive, but would negative IGM at 5 weeks (although not 100% definite), be at least moderately a good sign?
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
