Aa
Confused and anxiety riddled
Hello Doctor,
I have a question in relation specifically to the Herpes family. On April 3rd, I kissed a girl in a bar that I had met that night. She had no visible lesion or anything to cause concern. Two to three weeks later I started to get little ulcers inside my mouth and on my tounge, canker sore like ulcerations and an ocassional cracked edges on my lips. I got a complete test on April 29th and came out negative for every STD.
HSV 1 0.12
HSV 2 0.07
I even had a little canker sore inside my mouth at the time of the test. The ulcers inside my mouth persisted especially on my tounge. Ive had a mild sore throat as well throughout the ordeal. Ive never had a breakout or what looks like a herpes type blister breakout on the outside of my mouth or genitals. Ive had one consistent, monogamous partner up until that kiss and now she has ulcers, canker like sores on her tounge from time to time.
SO, I have gotten another test on July 15th with type specific negative HSV 1 and HSV 2 again both in the same ranges 0.15 or quite low (haven't gotten the paperwork). But this was from urgent care not my primary doctor and apparently they tested for IgM and he said I was positive and advised me to restest in 2 weeks. The doctor stated I may have come into contact with the herpes family (chicken pox, shingles etc) Now Im once again concerned, I haven't had any contact with so called "shady characters" since the out of character bar incident. My partner tested negative as well. I am going to retest in 2 weeks with the hopes of another IgG negative for 1 and 2. Should I be concerned about this recent IgM positive, and what the hell is up with these canker like sores on my tonuge? If I test negative in 2 weeks for IgG can I "close the book" on this ordeal? And can I feel secure in my 2 IgG negative tests both at 3 weeks after and 3 months? Sorry this is kind of a loaded thread.
I have a question in relation specifically to the Herpes family. On April 3rd, I kissed a girl in a bar that I had met that night. She had no visible lesion or anything to cause concern. Two to three weeks later I started to get little ulcers inside my mouth and on my tounge, canker sore like ulcerations and an ocassional cracked edges on my lips. I got a complete test on April 29th and came out negative for every STD.
HSV 1 0.12
HSV 2 0.07
I even had a little canker sore inside my mouth at the time of the test. The ulcers inside my mouth persisted especially on my tounge. Ive had a mild sore throat as well throughout the ordeal. Ive never had a breakout or what looks like a herpes type blister breakout on the outside of my mouth or genitals. Ive had one consistent, monogamous partner up until that kiss and now she has ulcers, canker like sores on her tounge from time to time.
SO, I have gotten another test on July 15th with type specific negative HSV 1 and HSV 2 again both in the same ranges 0.15 or quite low (haven't gotten the paperwork). But this was from urgent care not my primary doctor and apparently they tested for IgM and he said I was positive and advised me to restest in 2 weeks. The doctor stated I may have come into contact with the herpes family (chicken pox, shingles etc) Now Im once again concerned, I haven't had any contact with so called "shady characters" since the out of character bar incident. My partner tested negative as well. I am going to retest in 2 weeks with the hopes of another IgG negative for 1 and 2. Should I be concerned about this recent IgM positive, and what the hell is up with these canker like sores on my tonuge? If I test negative in 2 weeks for IgG can I "close the book" on this ordeal? And can I feel secure in my 2 IgG negative tests both at 3 weeks after and 3 months? Sorry this is kind of a loaded thread.
Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
As I said, the lesions and your tests all do rule out herpes. I have nothing more to add.
A word of warning however. One thing I can assure you of is that there is plenty of well intended but absolutely wrong material on the net. Search long enough and you can find virtually any answer you wish. If you want to follow up on what I've said, I wuld go to one of excellent informational web sites such as the one run by the American Social Health Association (disclosure, Dr. Handsfield and I are both on the Board of Directors of ASHA) or follow up with one of Med Help's communities such as the herpes or STD sites. EWH
A word of warning however. One thing I can assure you of is that there is plenty of well intended but absolutely wrong material on the net. Search long enough and you can find virtually any answer you wish. If you want to follow up on what I've said, I wuld go to one of excellent informational web sites such as the one run by the American Social Health Association (disclosure, Dr. Handsfield and I are both on the Board of Directors of ASHA) or follow up with one of Med Help's communities such as the herpes or STD sites. EWH
Thank you for the expedited response. I am still a bit concerned about whats going on inside my mouth, as it has ensued for the duration of these 3 months and my g/f has ulcers/canker sores as well. I have done so much internet research my head could explode at any minute. I have been particularly paranoid since herpes seemed like the major contagious, logical explanation for my and her ulcerations. I've also considered stomatitis and some sort of yeast (candida) infection. Nothing concerned me more then simplex 1 or 2 and I just want to rest assured knowing I can rule that out.
desperately hoping for my mouth to go back to normal,
Hypochondepressiac
desperately hoping for my mouth to go back to normal,
Hypochondepressiac
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Sigh. I wish I had a quarter for every time IgM tests needlessly raised clients' anxieties. You do not have herpes. The sores you had on the inside of your mouth and on your tongue sound like just that -canker sores, not herpes. As you point out the sores of herpes tend to occur on the lips, not on the inside of the mouth. In addition, you have two totally negative antibody tests.
The problem with IgM tests, and the reason we have repeatedly proclaimed them to be worthless is because the have many false positives, likely due to cross reactions with other viruses including members of the herpes viruses that many people have had (varacella zoster virus, the chicken pox virus for one) as well as with other non-herpes viruses.
In my opinion you do not need further testing of any sort and have nothing to worry about. You do not have herpes. EWH
The problem with IgM tests, and the reason we have repeatedly proclaimed them to be worthless is because the have many false positives, likely due to cross reactions with other viruses including members of the herpes viruses that many people have had (varacella zoster virus, the chicken pox virus for one) as well as with other non-herpes viruses.
In my opinion you do not need further testing of any sort and have nothing to worry about. You do not have herpes. EWH
You are reading content posted in the STDs 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.
