hsv testing

[yearofchange]

For testing purposes, do you count from the date of exposure or from the onset of symptoms?

[gottabelieve]

ic what your saying.....your comment was confusing. i thought and i think wee thought you were saying you have hsv1 but tested negative at 4 months for it.....meaning you were still talking about hsv1 not hsv2

[scared_half_to_death]

I have HSV1 based upon 3 HerpesSelect tests. All were consistently positive for HSV1. I have never had symptoms, but I assume that the tests are accurate.

My comment earlier was related to GottaBelieve's situation. He has had consistent tests that are negative for HSV1 and HSV2. From what I understand, if he was HSV2 positive and HSV1 negative, then HSV2 would likely show up in his test results pretty quickly.

[gottabelieve]

thats a good point

[wee540]

if you havent had a culture (which it looks like you havent) then you probably dont have anything

[wee540]

scared, how do you know you have HSV-1? Culture?

[gottabelieve]

so you are getting false negative for HSV1. I wonder if I am getting false negatives for HSV2. Apparently this can happen and with the symptoms i am having it is a little suspicious

[scared_half_to_death]

According to the Drs in the expert forum 4 months is a valid test, i.e. only a few percent would not develop antibodies at that point. However,  a smaller portion never develop antibodies. I have HSV1 and tested negative at 4 months. I may test again at 6 months. However, I do not believe that it would be positive.

[wee540]

if someone had HSV-1, would a 6 month HSV-2 test be sufficient?

[gottabelieve]

that is great advice. I agree that there is something going on like what you were saying....yeah it might not be herpes, because of the blisters/bumps I still somewhat think it is even with negative tests.....but i dont want to sit and argue about that because i could go on forever about that. The funny thing is the blisters didnt appear till over 8 weeks later. a day after my blood test at 8 weeks. i went to have an ultra sound done and came back and they were....noticed them when going to the bathroom. no pre symptoms or anything. They were gone in 2 days.

Anyway its nice to know there are other people dealing with the same thing. The guy you mentioned had herpes? Did he have multiple tests done like us?

I was very stressed and anxious before so i think that had to do alot with it. But since then i have tried to let it go and have started working out and going back to my normal life. Yes i look on this forum alot but i am no where near what i was....i didnt do anything before. After a while i just accepted that i might have it. Then i would get the next negative test and think i didnt have it. Then i would forget about it only to have some symptom make me wonder again and it would go through this cycle.

So at this point i will do what you have done...try to see if it is something else through some doctors. I am starting agree that maybe i have to accept it. I just never had symptoms like this before so am just not use to accepting pain or whatever.

I appreciate your advice story. I think that is what i have been looking for. Someone who I can possibly relate to. The good news for you is you never had any blister/bumps....so i think its pretty much safe to say you dont have it. Sorry to hear about your pains. If you ever find anything out about that let me know and i will do the same if i find anything out.

[scared_half_to_death]

You should move on from Herpes.

I have also suffered from strange symptoms:

1. Pain / burning / tingling / cold in thighs buttock penis
2. Burning tounge and lips
3. No appetite
4. Burning armpits
5. Tingling in arms and legs

When this first started happening, I searched the internet and only found burning and tingling in relation to Herpes. I freaked out.

I have tested negative through 4 months for herpes. I have not been equivocal. There seem to be numerous people that have these types of symptoms. Mine started with a rash on the back of my thighs. After reading MedHelp for several months. No one has tested positve for Herpes. There is one person on the board with similar symptoms that did have herpes. However what seems more common among those with similar symptoms is a high degree of anxiety (including myself).

While I do not believe (with good reason) that anxiety is the cause of my symptoms. I do believe that I was infected by some virus, bacteria, etc. that did nervous system damage. I do not believe that it is herpes given that I have tested negative at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 4 months without an equivocal result.

In your case, your test results were both negative for HSV1 and HSV2. The serology studies say that HSV2 typically shows very rapidly on HerpesSelect if the person is HSV1 negative, i.e. 93% of infections are detected at 3 months. You should let it go. If you ever have bumps again then worry about it. In the mean time, try not to let anxiety control your life.

You are not going to get an answer on MedHelp. Why? It is impossible to prove that "something is not possible". No one here can do that fo you. If you want to chase your symptoms. I have chased mine through approx 12 doctors appointments, it will go like this:

a. Lots of blood work for things like vitamins, heavy metals, various syndromes, etc.
b. MRIs of your brain and spine
c. Possible treatment via antibiotics or pain medication

Maybe they will find something. Maybe they will not. Be prepared for the latter. It doesnt seem fair, but sometimes life just involves pain.

[gottabelieve]

thanks for the feeback

[auntiejessi]

I think an internist makes a fantastic GP - I wouldn't go to anyone else, personally.

I think the ortho is a good idea because this might all be related to a back issue.  An MRI might be a good place to start.  It will show any bulging or herniated disks, etc.

You have tested negative now for herpes.  You don't have it.  Its time to move on from that and look for other answers.  A few blisters could have been an allergic reaction to something (detergent, latex, new undies, etc) and this red spot you keep getting might be the same.

You are negative for herpes.

AJ

[gottabelieve]

I went to the doctor yesterday (my urologist not the general who saw the bumps/blisters). I told him about the pains I have been having in the buttock and the soreness in my pelvic joints and the pains in the legs/arms. He was unable to give me a solution for this. When I asked him if I should take another blood test he thought that I would be wasting my time since I took one at 11 and 17 weeks and the numbers never started to ramp up and he said he has always been skeptical about me having herpes in the first place....but again he never saw the bumps. I still seem to get the discomfort i described above. He told me to wait and see if everything goes away on its own since its only been a month or so with the discomfort and then maybe go see someone if it persists.

He gave me a referal to a internal medicine doctor to go to as a general because i want to try someone else besides my current general. He also suggested maybe going to an orthopedic and i suggested neurologist but didnt seem think i should head that route. So anyway I am going to make an appointment soon here with the referal he gave me and see what he thinks. Its been really fustrating with all this stuff going on. Any thoughts??

[gottabelieve]

i would except for the fact of the 3 blisters and the pains i still have in pelvic area

[gracefromHHP]

You've been testing negative for herpes for over 4 months now. It's time to move on past it.

grace

[gottabelieve]

i have a question for you......what if i am starting to date someone......who do i approach it.....i dont know if i do or dont have herpes.....i dont want to infect them but i dont want to alarm someone if i dont have it....

[gottabelieve]

Thanks. Yeah I know I need to go to a doctor....i cant seem to get an answer from my current doctor and dont want to keep going to new doctors to tell my story all over again....its kind of fustrating. Maybe I will go see my urlogist again and if he doesnt have any answers again i will ask him to reccommend someone who does.....all my tests were negative up to over 4 months....i wonder if I should get one at 6 months or is there really a point to do so...how much is enough, I know Grace suggested a WB.....but my tests are not equalvocal......so is that really going to produce any results......any thoughts? Sorry for beating this to death but I just dont feel the same.....it just seems that it would be something related to the last sexual encounter...

Thanks.

[gracefromHHP]

It's not due to herpes.  It's been going on long enough to follow up on it with specialists to try to figure out what is going on.

grace

[waringblender]

This is the herpes forum. You belong on the urology forum, the chronic pain forum, or the anxiety forum. Or maybe all three. Come back when you have a definitive diagnosis for herpes. No one here can diagnose your symptoms. If your chronic pain bothers you, see a doctor.

[gottabelieve]

oh and i have been off the valtrex for 3 weeks now.....no sores yet.....but we will see...

[gottabelieve]

Grace,
i have a question. Lets say I assume the tests are accurate and move on. I still seem to get pain in the buttock/pelvic area. At my hip joints it always seems to be sore. I also will get the random pains in the legs and arms....they are dull pains. I havent really experienced any more tingling. Also after ejaculation the tip of my penis seems to get really puffy and red. Its hard to explain. I have noticed what looks to be little red sores at the tip where the tender skin is entering the penis opening. Also the other day and othertimmes before the opening was completely stuck together like it was glued....i know this sounds stupid but i have never seen that before. What are your thoughts? I just still dont feel right....

[gottabelieve]

thanks......yeah i guess only time will tell. it was a cluster of 3 blister/bumps....which i thought was odd, it didnt look like a rash or something that would be allergic. Well as for the culture thing.......i just did what he told me. I didnt know he was supppose to pop them. He said come back right away when they pop......they never did and that is where i am at now....the only other thing i could think of is i had an ultrasound right before i came home and noticed the bumps.....maybe the jelly or something did it.......who knows.

[gracefromHHP]

Once they burst - there's usually not enough virus to culture out.  He can either pop them in the office to culture or just do a pcr swab which doesn't require any painful popping or anything.

It's not likely to be herpes with blood test results that low at the 4 month mark. Could've been anything from a fungal infection, irritation, allergic reaction etc.

grace

[gottabelieve]

thanks again. the doctor told to come back when they burst. Dont they have to burst be able to culture the virus? I am just still wondering how accurate my blood test really is? If it is even reliable. The numbers were both in the .1 range for the IGG tests. I did the herpe select tests. I just feel the same and the skin where they were located doesnt look the same. I know I could be over analyzing but my opinion is it looks different.....thats all i can say. Thanks again for the quick response.