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More herpes testing?
Dec 20th, 2012 I got IGG tested for Type II HSV.
The result of the test was 0.04 suggesting negative. My exbf was the last person I was sexual with the last 4 months leading up to my HSV test in Dec. always used condoms except last 2 weeks before HSV test and had sex one last time with a condom before the relationship fizzled out two weeks after my dec. 20 test. This relationship has now ended. Now concerned about the possibility of having contracted HSV II from my time with him, not having seroconverted during the time of that negative test (change in post exposure times). Its april now and I have not developed any signs or symptoms. Does this warrant retesting? I have not been able to let this situation rest, I'm constantly checking myself with a mirror down there and keep imagining symptoms. I already get oral cold sores so I worry even more now that a subsequent infection with genital herpes was asymptomatic in me and that I have overlooked it some how. It seems as if abstinence is the only sure way not to contract it, as it even may spread with condom use. I could get another test, 4 months post exposure butI'm too scared to go through the waiting for test results again. Could I have genital herpes, contracted it during that relationship and tested negative as I hadn't seroconverted? It makes sense that I didn't contracted in the first 1-2 months of this relationship with him as that was somewhat ample time for antibodies to be detectable but what about the latter 2 months or so of the relationship, or even the last two unprotected weeks of our relationship and therefore wasn't picked up on the test?
The result of the test was 0.04 suggesting negative. My exbf was the last person I was sexual with the last 4 months leading up to my HSV test in Dec. always used condoms except last 2 weeks before HSV test and had sex one last time with a condom before the relationship fizzled out two weeks after my dec. 20 test. This relationship has now ended. Now concerned about the possibility of having contracted HSV II from my time with him, not having seroconverted during the time of that negative test (change in post exposure times). Its april now and I have not developed any signs or symptoms. Does this warrant retesting? I have not been able to let this situation rest, I'm constantly checking myself with a mirror down there and keep imagining symptoms. I already get oral cold sores so I worry even more now that a subsequent infection with genital herpes was asymptomatic in me and that I have overlooked it some how. It seems as if abstinence is the only sure way not to contract it, as it even may spread with condom use. I could get another test, 4 months post exposure butI'm too scared to go through the waiting for test results again. Could I have genital herpes, contracted it during that relationship and tested negative as I hadn't seroconverted? It makes sense that I didn't contracted in the first 1-2 months of this relationship with him as that was somewhat ample time for antibodies to be detectable but what about the latter 2 months or so of the relationship, or even the last two unprotected weeks of our relationship and therefore wasn't picked up on the test?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Cancer, heart disease, chlamydia, and any number of potentially serios or inconvenient health conditions "can be completely asymptomatic with no symptoms at all or confused with other conditions". In fact, this problem is a lot less common for genital herpes than for most of those other problems.
My advice is to stay off the web entirely. Like many anxious persons (perhaps especially those with OCD, as you described yourself on the herpes community forum), it would seem you are being selectively drawn to information that inflames your anxieties and missing the reassuring parts. As I wrote in another thread not long ago:
"Perhaps you're familiar with Nate Silver, who has become rather famous for his political predictions (http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com). He has written a book about statistical issues in everyday life (The Signal and the Noise, Penguin Press, 2012). Here is a quote from it:
"'...[consider] what might happen if you put a hypochondriac in a dark room with an Internet connection. The more time that you give him, the more information he has at his disposal, the more ridiculous the self-diagnosis he'll come up with; before long he'll be mistaking a common cold for the bubonic plague.'"
I hope this helps you "stop this crotch watch...and move on". It should. If it doesn't, feel free to get tested as I suggested above.
That will end this thread. There is no additional information you can provide that is likely to change my opinions or advice. Best of luck.
My advice is to stay off the web entirely. Like many anxious persons (perhaps especially those with OCD, as you described yourself on the herpes community forum), it would seem you are being selectively drawn to information that inflames your anxieties and missing the reassuring parts. As I wrote in another thread not long ago:
"Perhaps you're familiar with Nate Silver, who has become rather famous for his political predictions (http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com). He has written a book about statistical issues in everyday life (The Signal and the Noise, Penguin Press, 2012). Here is a quote from it:
"'...[consider] what might happen if you put a hypochondriac in a dark room with an Internet connection. The more time that you give him, the more information he has at his disposal, the more ridiculous the self-diagnosis he'll come up with; before long he'll be mistaking a common cold for the bubonic plague.'"
I hope this helps you "stop this crotch watch...and move on". It should. If it doesn't, feel free to get tested as I suggested above.
That will end this thread. There is no additional information you can provide that is likely to change my opinions or advice. Best of luck.
Thank you for your quick response!
No, he never presented with oral or genital cold sores. It is just that I am completely inundated with information that it can be completely asymptomatic with no symptoms at all or confused with other conditions. This is too much for my mind to handle as I have had superficial stuff happen down there, as most women do at some point, but now I feel I can't simply dismiss these in the future and have to assume at least the possibility of herpes. Or am I wrong? Also can people with type 1 oral sores still reasonably recognize genital herpes? Or does having one strain of the virus alter symptoms so greatly that they do not appear at all? Say if I did contract it, would I have had a reoccurrence these last 4 months that would have been caught?
I'd like to stop this crotch watch I've got going on and move on.
Thank you for this service!
No, he never presented with oral or genital cold sores. It is just that I am completely inundated with information that it can be completely asymptomatic with no symptoms at all or confused with other conditions. This is too much for my mind to handle as I have had superficial stuff happen down there, as most women do at some point, but now I feel I can't simply dismiss these in the future and have to assume at least the possibility of herpes. Or am I wrong? Also can people with type 1 oral sores still reasonably recognize genital herpes? Or does having one strain of the virus alter symptoms so greatly that they do not appear at all? Say if I did contract it, would I have had a reoccurrence these last 4 months that would have been caught?
I'd like to stop this crotch watch I've got going on and move on.
Thank you for this service!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
I'm not clear on why you are suspicious or concerned about genital herpes. Presumably your ex-partner wasn't known to have oral or genital herpes, and had no symptoms to suggest it, or you would have said so. And your symptoms don't sound at all suspicious of herpes. Therefore, I recommend against testing for it.
The HSV blood tests are far from perfect. They quite frequently give false or misleading results, and most experts agree they should not be done unless there is a serious suspicion the patient is infected. False results probably are unlikely for you, since you have been tested previously without problem. So feel free to do it if you remain concerned despite my reassurance. Sufficient time has now passed (over 4 months) since your last sexual contact, so a negative test result will be conclusive.
As for abstinence being the only sure prevention method, that's true for every STD. On the other hand, with common sense precautions -- a balanced approach to choosing partners, condoms for new or casual relationships, etc -- the large majority of sexually active people successfully avoid genital herpes. And anyway, herpes is generally a pretty minor condition, with severe manifestations easily treated or prevented. Obviously nobody wants genital herpes and it shouldn't be lightly treated. But at the same time, fear of herpes should not be permitted to seriously interfere with love, romance, and rewarding sex.
Reallly, don't worry about this. You should feel free to pursue future sexual and romantic interests with no worry about infecting a partner with HSV.
I hope this has been helpful. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
I'm not clear on why you are suspicious or concerned about genital herpes. Presumably your ex-partner wasn't known to have oral or genital herpes, and had no symptoms to suggest it, or you would have said so. And your symptoms don't sound at all suspicious of herpes. Therefore, I recommend against testing for it.
The HSV blood tests are far from perfect. They quite frequently give false or misleading results, and most experts agree they should not be done unless there is a serious suspicion the patient is infected. False results probably are unlikely for you, since you have been tested previously without problem. So feel free to do it if you remain concerned despite my reassurance. Sufficient time has now passed (over 4 months) since your last sexual contact, so a negative test result will be conclusive.
As for abstinence being the only sure prevention method, that's true for every STD. On the other hand, with common sense precautions -- a balanced approach to choosing partners, condoms for new or casual relationships, etc -- the large majority of sexually active people successfully avoid genital herpes. And anyway, herpes is generally a pretty minor condition, with severe manifestations easily treated or prevented. Obviously nobody wants genital herpes and it shouldn't be lightly treated. But at the same time, fear of herpes should not be permitted to seriously interfere with love, romance, and rewarding sex.
Reallly, don't worry about this. You should feel free to pursue future sexual and romantic interests with no worry about infecting a partner with HSV.
I hope this has been helpful. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Hi there -
I've sent you a private message about this.
Thanks,
Emily
I've sent you a private message about this.
Thanks,
Emily
Can this please be moved to the STD expert forum?
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.
