waiting for results....

[spideylover]

a year ago had a culture from cervix to test for std (mandatory for pregnant women at my ob), then 6 months later bf with whom i was ending relationship says he tested pos for hsv2. i go again, have culture of cervix and culture of sore i had on outside of vulva, in pubic hair area. all cultures came back neg. bf, who had several blood tests during our 3 yr relationship because of swollen lymph nodes (that all came back neg for hiv and hsv) says he lied, he really had a shingles outbreak but thought i wouldn't leave him if i thought i had hsv2. because i keep reading cultures may not be accurate i had a blood test done this past monday. results were back friday but nurse said she didn't know how to read them and would have dr call me after hrs...she didn't call. if the test came back pos wouldn't she call me asap? anyway, my concern is the sores on my vulva....seem very atypical for everything i keep reading about herpes. been getting them for yrs, have gotten more frequent over the past 2 yrs or so, now the itchiness never goes away, it's just not as intense most of the time. i don't get blisters, it starts as a hard lump under the skin that becomes extremely itchy and sometimes the skin breaks open. always in the pubic area, goes from one side to the other, never exactly the same spot, and has occasionally left dark purple tiny scars. does this sound like something other than herpes? i know even if it is, it's just something i have to live with, i won't beat myself up over a pos result..i guess i'm more concerned with if it isn't herpes what the heck is it? i should also mention that i have been on antibiotics daily to control bladder infections caused by kidney stones, and since the time i started the antibiotics i haven't had any sores break open, although the overall sensitivity of the skin in my pubic area is still there. i also sometimes get a sort of burning sensation all the way down my leg when i have sores, like sciatica. any suggestions would be appreciated

[gracefromHHP]

There's no such thing as being exposed - you either have it or you don't. Call back and get the exact numbers and post them to me in a new post. I don't often come to page 2 to look at posts.

grace

[spideylover]

doc called finally.....unfortunately said i have antibodies to both, but said all that meant is i have been exposed...she said she didn't suspect the lesions she saw were herpes. confusing. she didn't give me specific results.

[gracefromHHP]

The test on the cervix for herpes is only useful if you have an active herpes lesion on the cervix at the same time.   http://blogs.webmd.com/genital-herpes-intimate-conversations/ might help explain better the test you had done and why it's not really helpful for detecting herpes. It saddens me to think how many women are thinking they are getting a useful herpes test when they really aren't :(    Be sure to post your blood test results when you get them if you want help with them. Just post the numerical results - ie hsv1 igg .45 and hsv2 igg .19 or whatever they are.

I'd see a dermatologist at this point since your gyn isn't very helpful.   It sounds more like a bacterial infection that is going on from the sounds of things.


grace

[spideylover]

the culture from my cervix was a herpes test according to my gyn. she cultured it when she did the second test as well as the sore...and ex bf had a rash on his stomach and tried to tell me that he got it from contact during sex and that his doctor told him it was genital herpes and that the ob would occur wherever the contact was. made no sense to my gyn either. anyway, as far as i know he had the rash cultured and a blood test done. the rash was just below his belly button. i ask my doc about bacterial problems considering i have had uti's non stop for almost 2 yrs and she didn't seem to think that could be the problem. i have read that herpes sores are almost never within the pubic hair area, which is the only place i get these sores. have never had one near the vaginal opening or inside the labia, always outside. hopefully will have an answer soon. one other question regarding cervix culture-why would they do a test like that if it is meaningless? i was specifically told i would need to be tested for herpes, hiv, clamydia and a couple other stds.

[gracefromHHP]

The culture from the cervix you had when pregnant isn't very useful for herpes diagnosis.

Your ex bf had a shingle ob only in his genital area? How was it diagnosed? Did he actually have a lesion culture that came back as + for herpes zoster or was he just visually diagnosed as having shingles in that area? Or wasn't it even near his genital area?

I know you've posted here before about all this. What further work up have you been thru? Did you see your gyn for testing for bacteria and further work up?  when you get your blood test results - write them down ( ie hsv1 igg 4.6 and hsv2 igg .34 or whatever they are ) and then post them here and I'll gladly give you a hand with them if you need one.


grace