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Herpes Test
An ex-Girlfriend recently tested positive for Herpes. They said she would have been exposed to it within the past year. She originally went to get tested because she thinks I cheated on her and based on the information her doctor told her she thinks she is right. I have now gone and been tested and am waiting for the results. Though I did not know enough to know what type of test to ask for. Since our Doctors work for the same hospitals, I'm assuming we will have had the same test.
I'm hopeful that my test will come back negative. I have never had a breakout and neither has she, though this doesn't exactly preclude me from having due to asymptomatic shedding.
Before me, she had a boyfriend that gave her chlamydia which caused severe damage to her. Now her doctor is telling her she can't have kids. Which is contrdictary to the things I have read recently.
My question, as I am hoping my test is negative, is there anyway for them to truely determine how recently she contracted the virus? I think they are reading the IgM levels which I have read on your forum are useless and that you would never recommennd them. Not to mention they could just be picking up a recent breakout. Is it possible that she just had a false positive? I guess I will know better when I get my results back.
I just found out and I'm devasted that I passed something like this onto her and she can never have kids. Not to mention I feel hopeless of ever having the life I wanted. My only saving grace is that I did not knowingly pass this along to her and it is possible she receveid it a while ago and not even from me.
She wwon't even talkk to me and I found out third hand about the test and the results so I apologize if everything is a little vague.
Please help.
I'm hopeful that my test will come back negative. I have never had a breakout and neither has she, though this doesn't exactly preclude me from having due to asymptomatic shedding.
Before me, she had a boyfriend that gave her chlamydia which caused severe damage to her. Now her doctor is telling her she can't have kids. Which is contrdictary to the things I have read recently.
My question, as I am hoping my test is negative, is there anyway for them to truely determine how recently she contracted the virus? I think they are reading the IgM levels which I have read on your forum are useless and that you would never recommennd them. Not to mention they could just be picking up a recent breakout. Is it possible that she just had a false positive? I guess I will know better when I get my results back.
I just found out and I'm devasted that I passed something like this onto her and she can never have kids. Not to mention I feel hopeless of ever having the life I wanted. My only saving grace is that I did not knowingly pass this along to her and it is possible she receveid it a while ago and not even from me.
She wwon't even talkk to me and I found out third hand about the test and the results so I apologize if everything is a little vague.
Please help.
I recently found out that my fiancee was cheating on me and/or attempted to and probably with several woman. I got tested for everything right away and the test came up positive for HSV-1. I have had a few cold sores in my twenties and none since then, I am now 31. My mother and brothers have had them their whole life. My gyno said I had genital herpes but have not had any symptoms or outbreaks. How can it be determined that it's not the oral showing up in my blood vs. genital if there are no genital symptoms? Could it be a mistake and she is seeing the results for the oral?
I was diagnosed with Chlamydia and GW (hpv) last summer and I have been having recurring yeast infections. I thought it might be herpes, but everytime my doctor took a culture it turned up negative. Finally (after 3 months and 1 week, exactly 101 days from exposure) I got an IGG herpeselect test that tested for hsv1 and hsv 2. They both came out negative. Should I test again? I have never had problems down there, but after I got chlamydia I noticed many changes, a lot of discomfort and irritation down there, it feels like there's swelling or inflammation. Please help! Monkeyflower, I admire you for what you do on this site. And doc, the work is do is amazing, considering there's so many ignorant doctors out there that don't do research or keep with the times. I feel like I know more than my doc about herpes.
He won't continue the relationship because you have HSV2, but he's willing to continue having sex with you? That doesn't even make sense. My guess would be there's something else going on here, and HSV is just an easy scapegoat. I would take a long look at this relationship.
For future information, the transmission rate from female to male, just avoiding sex during outbreaks and having sex 2 - 3 times a week, is around 4%/year. Add suppressive therapy, and the risk is cut in half. Combine that with a condom, and the risks are pretty small indeed.
For future information, the transmission rate from female to male, just avoiding sex during outbreaks and having sex 2 - 3 times a week, is around 4%/year. Add suppressive therapy, and the risk is cut in half. Combine that with a condom, and the risks are pretty small indeed.
I am a female who has had only 2 sex partners in 30 years. Current partner is HSV2 negative, I have tested HSV2 positive. How do I help him accept the fact that I have HSV2 and continue the relationship. Wierd part is that the relationship has not changed with the exception of the future we planned. We still have sex, still see each other, but now he says that if he had it his fear would be a moot point, but his fear is in getting it. He also says that only people with HSV2 say it's not a big deal. I don't understand his logic. Can you help me understand his perspective? We're both in our 50's.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Others reponded (below) before I was able to get to it. Sorry for the delayed response. Most of the comments below are accurate.
I will reiterate two main pooints. First, it is unlikely your ex-GF had a test that can tell she was "exposed within the past year". The only way to know that would be for her to present with proved initial herpes; or two have 2 blood tests a few weeks apart, negative at first then becoming positive (i.e., documented seroconversion). If she only had a positive single blood test, there is no way to know how long she has been infected. My guess is that she had a positive IgM antibody test, which many people used to believe indicated recent infection. It does not.
Second, people with genital herpes have healthy babies all the time. If exGF told you she can't have children because of herpes, she either is misinformed or is exaggerating the importance of her infection as part of her accusatory blame-game with you. If she is infertile due to chlamydial infection--which certainly is possible--presumably it has nothing to do with you, if she believes she got it from someone else.
Bottom line: You need a blood test for herpes. Be sure your provider does a proper type-specific test, such as HerpeSelect (and definitely say you do not want an IgM test). If you are negative for HSV-2, you're off the hook as the source of your exGF's infection (assuming she has HSV-2, not HSV-1). While you're at it, have a urine chlamydia test as well.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
I will reiterate two main pooints. First, it is unlikely your ex-GF had a test that can tell she was "exposed within the past year". The only way to know that would be for her to present with proved initial herpes; or two have 2 blood tests a few weeks apart, negative at first then becoming positive (i.e., documented seroconversion). If she only had a positive single blood test, there is no way to know how long she has been infected. My guess is that she had a positive IgM antibody test, which many people used to believe indicated recent infection. It does not.
Second, people with genital herpes have healthy babies all the time. If exGF told you she can't have children because of herpes, she either is misinformed or is exaggerating the importance of her infection as part of her accusatory blame-game with you. If she is infertile due to chlamydial infection--which certainly is possible--presumably it has nothing to do with you, if she believes she got it from someone else.
Bottom line: You need a blood test for herpes. Be sure your provider does a proper type-specific test, such as HerpeSelect (and definitely say you do not want an IgM test). If you are negative for HSV-2, you're off the hook as the source of your exGF's infection (assuming she has HSV-2, not HSV-1). While you're at it, have a urine chlamydia test as well.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
First off, even if you gave her herpes that will not effect that fact that she can have kids. 1 in 4 adults in the US has HSV-2 and 80% have HSV-1 no one make a big deal out of a cold sore because it's on the lips the only difrence between HSV-1 and HSV-2 is the location of the out break. You can live a full life with it if you have it. I have had it for 10 years and yes I wish I did not but life goes on, I have told every girl that I have been in a long term relationship about it and they have never rejected me for it, as a matter a fact after I told them they even told me that I did not need to ware protection as long as I am not having an out break, it's been 8 years and my current girlfrined has never had any symptoms.. Good luck and don't beat yourself up over this, there are worse things in life!
If your test comes back positive, it's really hard to determine who gave it to who. She might've contracted it from a pervious partner and simply didn't know about it. It's not even wise to play the blame game. On the other hand, if your test comes back Negative, then you at least know it can't be you who she got it from, or she may even had a falst-positive(maybe you can find out her test numbers). Bottom line is Herpes is indeed annoying, but it's not much more than that. I hope your test will come back Negative so you can move on and put this behind you. Good luck!
Don't assume the Doctors ordered the same test or even the correct test. You'll find many Doctors are not up to speed with proper herpes testing. The correct test is an IgG type specific test, HerpeSelect being the most common. Disregard any IgM results, they usually add more confusion than answers. Get hard copies of your results so you can post them here if you have more questions.
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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.
