herpes or not?

[hawaii35]

Hi. I am a 30 yr old female and became pregnant in may 2009.  In June 2009 I became sick.  My doctors did some sort of panel of blood tests to see what I was sick with.  They told me that I tested positive with the herpes virus.  It was the IGM blood test showing that I was newly infected.  I didn't have any symptoms that I thought that related to herpes at that time.  Since September of 2009 I began to have these paper cut sensations on the outer labia and the area right above the clitoris.  These symptoms seem to last 2 weeks or so then start to go away but then return before I seem to get any relief.  I also had one blister that was tingling and painful that lasted about 4 to 5 days in november 2009.  I did not notice any scabs.  After the blister was gone that area of my skin hurt for about a month and a half to 2 months.  I have not had any blisters since then but continue to have these paper cut sensations.  I have had several IGG blood tests since then (the last one was in december 2009) all of these have been negative.  Is this Herpes or some other skin disorder?  If it is another skin disorder do you have any suggestions?  I am so scared and I need closure on this matter.
Thank you.

[gracefromHHP]

they should never be doing the igm on you....sigh.

get hubby tested. if he's negative for both, you know it couldn't possibly have been a newly acquired infection for you. if he's hsv1+, unless you get a return of genital symptoms to get tested, I  wouldn't worry any more about it. Most adults are hsv1+ whether they get cold sores or not to know it. if he did by chance transmit hsv1 to your genital area by performing oral sex on you back in november ( at this point it's so long afterwards I"m sure you can't remember if he did or not )  it shouldn't reoccur very often and it isn't an issue in your marriage anyways since he has it orally already.  make sense?

[hawaii35]

No, my husband was not tested.  My doctor also tested my igm when i had my last igg test in april 2010 and it is still positive igm.  does that have any meaning?  or should i still ignore that test.  Thank you for all the advice and support Grace!  You have been so kind through all this.

[gracefromHHP]

the 3rd trimester can distort igg results which is why I had you get 1 last test done.  you've completely covered your bases.  you've waited more than enough time for all your tests too.   the igm test was a poor choice of tests originally and it being + had little meaning.  

has hubby ever been tested throughout all of this? I skimmed back through and didn't see if you ever responded to that part other than to say you don't think he cheated on you.  

At this point continue to follow up with your gyn as needed for genital issues. Your hormones should be returning to some semblance of normal soon.  the roller coaster of pregnancy hormones is over now.  keep getting properly tested for yeast and bacterial vaginal infections too.  A moisturizer applied daily to your genital skin can help with some of the issues you've been having if the last cream they gave you didn't seem to work.  zinc oxide is good as is bag balm, desitin, a&d etc.  Put some on baby's bum and some on yours each day...he he he If you are breast feeding, breast milk is terrific on rashes too on mom and baby. It's weird to do but it does work!    As to what went on back in november I think you said it was, hard to tell. You had hormones, weight gain and were carrying a cantaloupe in your abdomen - all can cause us gals issues.  You've covered the herpes bases adequately.  follow up on any new symptoms to try to figure out what is going on.  also use lube for sex too. the stress of following around small children can make you need a little extra help like that when you get into the bedroom. avoid the his and hers type lubes and the extra excitement types since those additives can cause your already delicate genital skin more issues too.  

i"m just glad you found a forum where someone educated has been able to help you and not add to your worry about all of this :)

grace

[hawaii35]

Thank you so much for your time grace.  I just have had such a hard time when my doctors tell me I am infected then I'm not.  Then I had these crazy symptoms that sounded like hsv.  And I was really really sick during my pregnancy.  Then one other thing I read on an online web site was that women who are pregnant who contract hsv during pregnancy take a really long time to build antibodies to hsv.  Which I don't know how true that is seeing as though my doctors said they never heard of that.  Did you hear of that?  Then my general doctor said that I was exposed but not infected.  So this has been almost a year of all this going on.  I'm really sorry for all the questions, but I feel you have been the most helpful person on this topic.  My doctors do seem to know anything.
Thank you  

[gracefromHHP]

you have clear negatives. time to stop thinking herpes :)

[hawaii35]

Thank you again Grace.
Just to be sure.  My tests results read:
HSV 1 IGG Herpeselect AB 0.19
HSV 2 IGG Herpeselect AB 0.17
Am I 110% negative or do I have some antibodies of HSV?  Do I need any additional testing?  Have I been exposed to this.  I'm sorry for all the questions. I am still just really upset about everything that happened.
Thanks